What is acne?

Acne is a disorder characterized by areas of blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, greasy skin, and possibly scarring. Acne is very common and it is most often begins in puberty. During puberty, the male sex hormones increase in both boys and girls, causing the sebaceous glands to become more active, resulting in increased production of oil. In fact, the majority of individuals in China between 14 to 32 years old are being affected by this condition. Sometimes people can have acne even in their forties. Acne can occur anywhere on the body. However, it most often appears in areas where there is a high concentration of sebaceous glands, including face, chest, upper back, shoulders and neck.

How does acne develop?

Rising hormone levels during puberty may cause acne. Also, acne is often inherited, genetics is estimated to be the cause of 80% of cases. Other causes of acne may include hormone level changes during a woman’s menstrual cycle or during pregnancy, sebaceous gland duct blockage by certain cosmetics and some certain drugs such as corticosteroids, lithium, and barbiturates. Squeezing the pimples can make acne worse.

What are the effects on patients？

Acne may affect both the appearance and mental health of patients. The resulting appearance may lead to anxiety, reduced self-esteem, and in extreme cases, depression or thoughts of suicide.

How is acne treated?

Although acne often is a chronic condition, even if it lasts only during adolescence, it can leave lifelong scars. So treatment for acne focuses on minimizing scarring and improving appearance. Treatment for acne may include tradition Chinese medicine, medications you apply to your skin or medicine you take in pill form. Medications you apply to the skin are often prescribed to treat acne, such as benzoyl peroxide, tretinoin, adapalene and antiblotics. The oral medications like isotretinoin, doxycycline, erythromycin are often prescribed to treat moderate to severe acne. In many cases, a combination therapy may be advised.