Acne Treatment

Teenagers and young adults are especially prone to acne, which is a common skin disease. Around 50 million Americans suffer from acne, affecting 80% of people aged 11-30 and 5% of adults aged 30 and older. Acne vulgaris is a disorder that affects the pilosebaceous units of the face, chest, upper arms, and back. Inflammation is caused by Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) through the release of extracellular enzymatic products like proteases, lipases, and hyaluronidase. There is a prevalence of acne among adult women at about 12%. Aside from physical and psychological morbidities such as permanent scarring, poor self-image, depression, and anxiety, acne does not cause mortality. Over $3 billion is estimated to be spent on the disease each year in direct costs. In this patient group, acne naturally resolves over several years. As acne is an issue that affects millions of people all over the world, there has been a search for effective and safe acne treatments in recent years.

Generally, acne is caused by the androgen hormones that become active during the teenage and young adult years. A combination of these hormones, fatty acids within the oil glands, and bacteria on the skin can further exacerbate acne. Acne can be caused by or made worse by certain things:

• A woman’s period is associated with fluctuating hormone levels.
• Acne sores are picked at.
• Hats and sports helmets are examples of clothing and headgear.
• High humidity and air pollution are two factors that contribute to air pollution.
• Working in an area where grease is routinely present (such as in a restaurant with greasy food surfaces and frying oil) or using oily or greasy products (such as heavy lotions, creams, or hair pomades and waxes).
• Acne can also be aggravated by stress, which increases the hormone cortisol.
• Medication
• The genetic code