Acne Patrol
If you’ve come face to face with your first or umpteenth pimple, you’re probably wondering a few things, like, “why me?” and, “what can I do about it?” We can help to answer both questions.
What is acne?
Acne is what happens when oil glands produce excess oil, and skin pores becomes plugged by a combination of oil, dirt, and dead skin cells. Oil production increases at puberty, so hormones have something to do with acne. So does heredity - if your parents had acne, your chance increases too. But at the root of the skin condition is a bacteria called P. Acnes - it creates the inflammation and irritation that make pimples erupt.
What it’s not
Forget what you’ve heard - acne isn’t a sign of poor hygiene or eating too many fries. In fact, overzealous cleaning (more than twice a day) and scrubbing can make acne worse. And no study has yet shown that greasy food or chocolate promote acne. If you think, however, that a food is triggering breakouts, try eliminating it from your diet for a few weeks.
How bad can it get?
There are three forms or levels of acne: mild, moderate, and severe. The smaller, fewer, and more superficial the blemishes are, the milder the acne. The more swelling and redness involved (called cystic acne), the more severe it is. It’s hard to predict which way your acne will go, but you can do things to help control it.
How to treat it
There are lots of options when it comes to treating acne - ranging from topical (creams, gels, and lotions) to oral (pill form) agents.
Mild: For milder acne, try over-the counter products that contain active ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. Some oily skin cleansers have an antibacterial agent (i.e., triclosan). Benzoyl peroxide helps blemishes heal and prevents new ones. Salicylic acid helps to loosen and slough off dead skin cells to keep pores clear. Antibacterial products kill acne-causing bacteria. Treatments can be drying though, so ask your Rexall™ family pharmacist what you can use to moisturize skin without clogging pores.
Moderate: For moderate acne, you may require a prescription-strength topical treatment (i.e., benzoyl peroxide cream: 10%), an antibiotic (i.e,. erythromycin, clindamycin), or one that combines both. Tretinoins (vitamin A derivatives) are another topical treatment which are available only by prescription - these promote a light peeling of the skin. Sometimes, oral antibiotics (i.e., tetracycline, minocycline) will be prescribed.
Severe: For more severe acne, prescription oral medication - such as antibiotics, and oral contraceptives for girls - is required. Accutane, an oral tretinoin is reserved for the most stubborn acne because of serious side effects such as major birth defects (birth control must be taken with Accutane to prevent pregnancy) and depression.
Don’t wait and see
Whatever you do to fight acne, what’s important is treating it as early as possible to minimize scarring. Talk to your doctor or Rexall™ family pharmacist about what you can try.
