by Dr. Tsao-Chen Yeh M.D.
UNT Medical Advisor

UNDERSTANDING ACNE

Anyone can get acne, but teenagers and young adults are the groups most prone to acne flare. Acne is a disorder of the pilosebaceous unit, which consists of:

-A hair follicle
-A sebaceous gland, and
-A hair

The sebaceous glands produce a substance called sebum. (think of the sebum as the natural oily protective layer on the skin surface) When a normal follicle is healthy, the sebum producted by the sebaceous gland provides the moisture the skin needs. When the follicle is obstructed, the sebum is trapped on the way out to the surface of skin. That kind of acne is called a "comedone", also known as "whiteheads" or "blackheads".

Acne becomes inflammed due to a bateria called Propionibacterium acne that resides in our skin.

Acne prone skins tend to have more of bateria than healthy skins, therefore, they get infected more easily, turning blackheads or whiteheads into inflammatory acnes such as Pustule, Nodule or Cyst.

CAUSE FOR ACNE

During the adolescence, sebaceous glands enlarge and produce abundant sebum under the influence of hormones. That is why teenagers get acne easily. After the adolescence, the sebum production decreases, hence less acne trouble.

How Acne Develops:

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However, some adults still experience severe acne probelm. The main cause of acne is excess sebum secretion. Sebaceous gland clogging is the second often seen cause.

The reasons causing clogging are three:

1. Follicle opening blocked by dead old skin
2. Excessive byproduct as the sebum breaks down
3. Dirt and dust from daily life

Other causes of adult acne may include the following:

- Hormones
- Stress
- Food allergy
- Vitamin deficiency, and
- Lifestyle

ACNE TREATMENT

Other than adopting a healthy lifestyle and eating habits, there are three kinds of acne treatments to improve acne condition:

1. Oral intake of antibiotics, isotretinoin, and goserelin.

2. Topical treatment: Benzoyl peroxide, Azelaic acid, Retinoic Acid, Salicylic acid, and topical antibiotics.

3. AHA Peel: Use medical grade Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) to remove the dead cells and unclog pore.

4. Laser treatment:

(A) Soft light laser (Nd: YAG laser): Control Sebaceous gland secretion and thus improve the oily skin and minimize large pore.

(B) Er-YAG laser: Employ dermabrasion to lighten scars and improve skin concaves caused by acne.

(C) Vascular laser: Aim at the redness and blood vessel dilatation caused by chronic acne inflammation.

5. Skincare treatment:

(a) Keep pore unclogged by using exfoliate regularly (once to twice a week)

(b) Keep your skin clean by using PH-balanced slightly acidic cleanser (recommended at PH-value between 5.5-5.7)

(c) If you are used to using toner, you should select a toner which can calm acne inflammation.

(c) Use topical treatment such as Salicylic Acid

(d) Keep your skin hydrated to keep a balance between your moisture level and sebum production. Product containing Hyaluronic Acid will do the job.

For more information, please visit UNT Skincare Store