Caring

Acne is the most common skin disorder in the United States, affecting 40 million to 50 million Americans. Acne usually begins at puberty, but is not restricted to any age group, as many adults experience acne in their 30s, 40s, and even 50s. Nearly 85 percent of all people have acne at some point in their lives. Adult women and teens are most commonly affected. Acne consists of pimples, deeper lumps (cysts or nodules), and plugged pores (blackheads and whiteheads), that occur on the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders, and even the upper arms.

Acne is caused by the following major factors:

1. Overproduction of oil by enlarged oil glands in the skin. This is influenced by hormones of puberty, ovulation, and stress.
2. Blockage of the hair follicles that release oil. This manifests as the blackhead and whitehead that are the precursor lesions of all other acne lesions.
3. Overgrowth of bacteria, called P. acnes, within the hair follicles that creates inflammatory molecules leading to the pustules and pimples of acne.
4. All of the above can result in rupture of the hair follicle leading to the deeper cysts and nodules

Acne can have a significant impact on self-esteem and quality of life for teens and adults. For some individuals it can cause discoloration that takes months to resolve or scarring that is more permanent. Acne can lead to discoloration and permanent scarring. Dermatology San Antonio not only specializes in acne treatment, but we also offer options to treat what is left behind after the pimples fade.

“The best time to start is when blackheads and whiteheads first appear in adolescence”

Discoloration can be addressed with topical medications, chemical peels, and laser treatment. The more permanent scarring can be addressed with fillers, subcision, chemical peels, punch excision, microneedling, or laser resurfacing. Scar treatment depends on your specific type of scarring and your skin type. Acne scar treatment begins by making an apt with Dr. Miller, Dr. Tisdall, or Dr. Cragun.