Acne, the Most Common Skin Disease
Acne Definition
According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia,
“Acne is a general term used for eruptive disease of the skin. It is sometimes used as a synonym for Acne vulgaris.”
According to Dorland’s Medical Dictionary,
“acne (ak´ne) a disorder of the skin with eruption of papules or pustules.”
“acne vulgaris (ak´ne vul-gar´is) a chronic skin disorder usually seen in adolescents and young adults, in which there is increased production of oil from the sebaceous glands with formation of comedones (blackheads and whiteheads) that plug the pores. Noninflammatory types produce plugged follicles and a few pimples. Inflammatory types are characterized by many pimples, pustules, nodules, and inflamed cysts. The lesions are most often found on the face, neck, chest, back, and shoulders.”
Acne General Explanation
In general, Acne is an extremely common and distressing situation that impacts the skin’s oil glands. The small holes in your skin (pores) connect to oil glands under the skin. These glands make an oily substance called sebum. The pores connect to the glands by a canal known as a follicle. Inside the follicles, oil carries dead skin cells to the surface of the skin. A thin hair also grows through the follicle and out to the skin. When the follicle of a skin gland clogs up, this is when a pimple develops. Most pimples are found typically on the face, neck, back, chest and shoulders but they can appear literally anywhere. Acne can cause unsightly and in rare cases – permanent scarring but it is not life threatening. Acne develops when the hair, sebum and skin cells clump together to form a plug. A bacterium grows in the plug that causes swelling. Then when the plug starts to break down, a pimple grows.
Acne is the Most Common Skin Disease
Men and women of any age and race can get acne although it is generally believed to be a teenage ailment as it is most common in teenagers and adults. It is estimated that as much as 80% of the population aged between the age of 11 and 30 will experience some form of acne. Even those in the older generation, as old as in their fifties (though less common) can suffer from acne. The sole cause of acne in the first places not established, though people have many theories. To clear up one misconception, diet definitely does not cause acne, although many people believe this to be true. Whether you eat a lot of fatty foods or a lot of chocolate and crisps plays no part in acne although it is true that eating well can only benefit your complexion, acne (in the first instance) is not caused by what you eat.
