What is acne?
Acne is a term for blocked pores (blackheads and white heads), pimples and deeper lumps (cysts or nodules) that occur on the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders and upper arms
What causes acne?
Acne is caused by overactive oils glands which are stimulated during puberty
Doctors think that the following may trigger acne:
- Increased hormone secretion during teen years (this can cause pores to plug up)
- Heredity, if your parents had acne, it's likely that you will too
- Greasy make-up
- Stopping or starting the contraceptive pill
Acne is not caused by eating chocolate and other fatty, sugary foods or by drinking fizzy drinks. However, your skin will benefit if you eat a balanced, varied diet which means eating heaps of fruit and veggies! A varied diet should provide you with all the essential minerals and vitamins, which will benefit your skin.
Treatment for acne
- For mild acne you could try using lotions or creams that contain salicyclic acid or benzoyl perioxide, these can prevent acne and clear up acne at the same time and can be bought over the counter.
- For severe acne, see your doctor or a dermatologist (skin doctor).
What makes acne worse?
- Scrubbing your skin too hard or washing it too frequently
- Picking, squeezing and touching pimples can make your acne worse and can cause scars
Looking after your skin
- Wash your face twice daily with a mild cleanser and pat dry
- Use acne medications as directed
- Avoid excess exposure to sunlight and tanning beds
- Use make up or sunscreen that is "oil free", "non-comedogenic" or "nonacnegenic", these won't clog your pores
- Wash your face after exercise
- Make sure you remove all make up
- If you use hair spray or hair gel, keep it away from your face as it can clog your pores
- If you have long hair that touches your face, wash it frequently enough to keep oil away