What is acne?
Acne isn’t just a condition that affects teenagers. You can develop acne at just about any stage of life, from adolescence to adulthood. Acne is a skin condition where you frequently get pimples or “zits.” It can occur anywhere on the body, but it most commonly develops on the face, neck, chest, shoulders, and back.
Acne is the most common skin condition in the United States, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, and it can cause not only physical pain but also emotional distress as well.
What causes acne?
Pimples form when the pores of your skin get clogged by oil, dead skin cells, dirt, and bacteria and become inflamed.
Your pores are tiny openings in your skin that contain a follicle and sebaceous gland, which produces oil. Normally, the sebaceous gland keeps your skin soft and lubricated by releasing a little bit of oil that travels up the hair follicles, out of your pores, and onto your skin.
Blockages in the process can occur when:
- Your sebaceous gland produces too much oil
- Dead skin cells stick and accumulate in your pores
- Bacteria accumulate and build up in your pores
A pimple forms when bacteria develop in a clogged pore and can’t get out. Acne is the chronic development of pimples. Breakouts may occur due to hormonal imbalances and other medical conditions.
How do you treat acne?
LUX Dermatology is proud to offer a wide variety of procedures to treat your acne and make your skin clear and radiant again. Treatment choices include oral medications and antibiotics if your acne involves a bacterial infection.
The dermatologists can recommend topical treatments to reduce inflammation and keep the pores open. If these medications don’t do the trick, you could benefit from laser treatments or chemical peels to reduce the severity of outbreaks and scarring.
Women who experience acne due to hormonal fluctuations may control acne using the pill or other forms of hormonal birth control.
To learn more about how the experts at LUX Dermatology can treat your acne and clear up your skin, schedule a visit today by calling the office or booking online.
