Acne vulgaris, more commonly known as Acne, is a common skin condition affecting 35-90% of adolescents, and may persist into adulthood in some cases1,3,4. Onset commonly commences during puberty, and it may be hormonally influenced through various other stages of life such as pregnancy and menopause1,3,4. Acne may lead to the development of a low self-esteem and social withdrawal due to its physical appearance1.
ACNE
ACNE
| Acne vulgaris, more commonly known as Acne, is a common skin condition affecting 35-90% of adolescents, and may persist into adulthood in some cases1,3,4. Onset commonly commences during puberty, and it may be hormonally influenced through various other stages of life such as pregnancy and menopause1,3,4. Acne may lead to the development of a low self-esteem and social withdrawal due to its physical appearance1. Acne is a chronic inflammatory skin concern that affects the pilosebaceous unit, which is the area of the skin that includes the hair follicle and sebaceous (oil) gland. Acne may vary in severity from mild to severe2,3,4,5,6. There are four factors which have been identified to play a major role in the development of acne and these include:
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| | Although the above four factors have been identified to play a major role, the cause of acne is multifactorial, meaning that there are a range of factors, both internal and external, that may contribute to its presence1,4,6. These may include the following:
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As acne affects the pilosebaceous unit, the lesions present in areas where there is a higher density of these units such as the face, neck, upper chest, back and shoulders2,3,4. Acne may present with both inflammatory and non-inflammatory skin lesions including the following5:
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| | People suffering from acne may also experience oily skin, inflammation, redness, sensitivity, reactivity to products, hyperpigmentation and pitted scarring2,3. Treatment of acne can be challenging due to there being so many potential influences on its development, however addressing symptoms such as the reduction of acne lesions and oily skin followed by ongoing maintenance can be successful in reducing the appearance of the condition while reducing the incidence of scarring and hyperpigmentation2,3. For treatment to be successful, it needs to be able to address as many of the causative factors as possible such as assisting the removal of excess skin cells through exfoliation, reducing sebum and inflammation and addressing the influence of Propionibacterium acnes if implicated2,3. It is also important to assess the severity of the condition, the skin type and the symptoms present to determine the most appropriate treatment intervention2,3. |
