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ALLERGY ALERT
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Sebaceous (or oil) glands surround each hair follicle. These glands produce
a fatty substance called sebum. Sebum goes to the skin surface through the
pilosebaceous canal along the hair follicle. This results in the production of skin
oils. These passageways can get plugged up and this results in irritation and
inflammation. There are three factors that cause acne. These factors include
hormones, heredity and plugged oil ducts. When your child begins puberty, certain
hormones, called androgens, increase in both boys and girls. These hormones
stimulate the oil glands to produce oil. The face, upper parts of the chest and
back, and the shoulders have many of these glands. This is just where acne is most
likely to develop. If other family members had acne as teenagers, there's a greater
chance that your child will inherit a tendency toward this disorder. Lastly, the
mechanism for the development of acne involves blocked canals.
Sebum mixed with cells from the follicle walls and bacteria blocks the canal.
The blocked canals evolve into clogged skin pores and forms whiteheads. Blackheads
form when the sebum becomes oxidize and mixed with skin pigments in the plugged
pores. Blackheads are not caused by either dirt or bacteria. Your child should
avoid unnecessary scrubbing that can cause skin irritation. Pressure may build in
the sealed-off follicle. This causes some of the material to leak into the
surrounding skin layers. This results in a more severe form of acne with painful
boils and cysts.
What makes acne worse? Pinching (or popping) blemishes forces oil from the oil
ducts into the surrounding normal skin. This can cause inflammation and redness.
Harsh scrubbing can irritate the skin. Chin straps, headbands, hair, and other
things that rub on the skin can make acne worse. Makeup, cosmetic creams, and oily
hair products can block oil ducts and aggravate acne. Medications, such as iodides,
bromides, and hormones can make it worse. Menstruation, because hormone levels
change before periods, can make acne worse. Emotional stress and nervous tension,
as well as hot humid weather, can be aggravating factors.
What does not make acne worse? It's not caused by foods. Despite what you may have
heard, there is no evidence that soft drinks, chocolate, and greasy foods cause
acne. It is not caused by dirt. The black plug in a blackhead is pigment and
oxidized sebum, not dirt. It's not caused by sexual thoughts, masturbation, or
being an evil person. It is not caused by doing something you should not have done.
It's not something you can catch or give to another person.
How do we treat acne? While there is no cure for acne, with proper treatment you
can keep it under control. The main treatment for acne is good skin hygiene.
Cleansing to remove skin oils and unplug the oil ducts is important. You should
thoroughly clean the face with soap two or three times a day and shampoo the hair
twice a week. Remember, rough scrubbing can make acne worse. Use a fresh washcloth
each day because bacteria grow in damp wet cloths. Try to keep your hair off the
face. Between washing, use alcohol swabs or acne wipettes to remove excess oil from
the face. Benzyl peroxide helps kill skin bacteria, unplug the oil ducts, and heal
acne blemishes. Start slowly with 5% lotion or gel once a day. After a week,
increase use to twice a day if your skin isn't too red or isn't peeling. Apply a
thin film to the entire area where acne may occur. Don't just dab it on current
blemishes. Avoid the delicate skin around the eyes, mouth, or corners of the nose.
If your acne isn't better after 4 to 6 weeks, you may increase to a 10%
strength lotion or gel. Start with one application each day and increase to two
daily applications if your skin tolerates it. For worse cases, I can prescribe
stronger medications. Retin-A cream, as well as topical and oral antibiotics, is
some of the medications. Finally, the following are important things to remember.
Be patient. It takes 6 to 8 weeks to see any improvement. Be faithful. Don't
stop and start each time your skin changes. Your skin may appear to worsen early
in the program before you begin to see improvement. Don't overdo. More is not better.
Too much scrubbing makes skin worse. Too much benzyl peroxide makes your face red
and scaly. Remember that acne is a temporary problem that will get better and
usually looks worse to the person that has it.
MORE INFORMATION Visit some great websites
that have a wealth of information on acne at
AcneNet or
acnesolutions.com.
Copyright © 2010 Westbury Pediatrics
