Acne Guide

Your easy to read guide to causes, prevention and treatment of Acne.

• What is Acne
• Acne Symptoms
• Causes of Acne
• Diagnosis of Acne
• Acne Treatments
• Acne Prevention
• Medical

What Is Acne

Acne is the most common skin condition affecting everyone at some point during their life time. Acne will affect up to a quarter of adult men and half of adult women.

Acne is largely hormone driven, in both men and women. Acne conditions are common in early to mid teens, although it may also start as late as the 20's or 30's.

In women, acne is more common due to unbalanced hormone production during the menstrual cycle. Lesions typically develop before, after or during the menstruation, resulting in painful bumps under the skin, usually along the jaw-line, chin or cheeks.

Male adult acne is driven by the male dominant hormone, Testosterone, which in turn is converted to DHT, driving acne eruptions.

Acne is estimated to affect around 17 million people in USA in a year. Acne is common among adolescents, but acne among adults is not rare.

Types Of Acne

Acne has many subtypes.

1. Neonatal Acne - acne neonatorum and acne infantum, occasionally affect newborns and infants, usually boys. A pimply rash appears on the face but usually clears within weeks with no lasting effect.
2. Pubescent Acne - common as hormones become uncontrolled.
3. Adult Acne - adults, usually women, who escape their teen years almost pimple free may develop persistent adult-onset acne as they get older.
4. Allergic - In some cases the outbreaks of acne are allergic reactions to cosmetics or foods.
5. Premenstrual and postmenopausal acne - tend to be relatively milder than cosmetic-related flareups.

Adult Acne

Acne in adults may be classified into three types

1. Acne that recurs after the adolescent stage
2. Acne that appears for the first time in the adulthood and
3. Acne that appears during times of high hormonal changes like in the case of a pregnancy and consumption of birth control pills.

Acne that appears for the first time among adulthood needs medical diagnosis in order to treat the acne from the root cause, like with an anti DHT formula.

How Acne Develops

Acne begins some weeks before blemishes become visible on the surface of the skin. It starts within the oil producing glands that are supposed to produce only sufficient amounts of oils to keep our skin healthy, shiny and young.

Hormones in the body that result in production of another hormone, DHT (Dihydro Testosterone) affecting these glands to produce excessive amounts of oil resulting in the formation of acne.

Acne begins with the negative effects of DHT (Dihydro Testosterone) on the oil glands.

1. The Enzyme 5 Alpha Reductase converts Testosterone to DHT .
2. DHT binds to Androgen Receptors on the oil glands.
3. DHT stimulation results in excessive oil production.
4. Excess oil obstructs the skin pores allowing bacterial growth that causes inflammation, infection and visible acne

Acne can severely impact one's social life, confidence level, school and job opportunities. It can even lead to personality disorders.

Acne can be very traumatic for both teenagers and adults. Not only are they dealing with acne, but also all the other unwelcome symptioms that accompany hormonal imbalances.

Pimples

Pimples are small skin lesions or inflammations also commonly arising from clogged or infected pores, and are often a sign of impending acne. To help diagnose whether pimples are acne, full symptoms and diagnosis is necessary.

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