Acne is an inflammation of the pilosebaceous follicles of the skin of the face and sometimes also the skin of the chest and back. The pilosebaceous follicles are made up of hair roots and sebaceous glands that secrete their contents to the outside through the channel through which the hairs emerge.
Why does acne appear?
The hormonal changes typical of puberty also modify the skin: the sebaceous glands increase, which produces a greater amount of oil that comes out, and greater ease for the pores to become “clogged” forming blackheads, also called “blackheads” or comedones, causing an accumulation under the skin of all the content that should come out to the outside. This content is easily infected producing more inflammation, redness and pus formation.
I’m past puberty, why do I still get acne?
As we have already mentioned, the hormonal changes that occur during puberty facilitate the appearance of acne. As the years go by, these changes diminish and the pimples tend to disappear. However, it is not uncommon for people, more often among women than among men, to continue to grow older (20, 30 and even over 40) and acne pimples still appear.
Generally they are not as numerous as at younger ages, but they tend to be more persistent, take between one and two months to disappear, are more often located in the lower areas of the face and sides of the neck and very often coincide with the premenstrual period.
It seems that this circumstance of turning years old and still having acne is being consulted more and more frequently. It is not well known if the number of people with these circumstances is really increasing or if what is happening is that the frequency is the same but people go more frequently to the dermatologist to try to eradicate them. The cause is not known, but hormonal changes and the existence of a family history of persistent acne play a role.
In addition, it is a determining factor for the appearance of acne in people predisposed to the use of cosmetics (moisturizers, cleansing milks, make-up, sun protection creams) with fatty excipients that contribute to clogging the pilosebaceous follicles, retention of the contents and repetition of the process we have explained above.
What type of soaps help to soften or eliminate it?
Soaps as a single tool are not usually sufficient to eliminate acne, but they are a fundamental basis for complementing treatments. The purpose of cleansing acne skin is to remove excess oil and other debris deposited on the skin.
Myths, true or false?
People with acne usually improve in the summer months, as the exposure to the sun helps to reduce the oiliness of the skin and eliminate the excess bacteria that cause the infection. However, it should not be forgotten that excessive exposure to the sun can cause side effects such as premature aging of the skin, the appearance of spots and wrinkles earlier and even the appearance of skin cancer, so it is not considered advisable to use it as a treatment.
On the other hand, there is less evidence of the efficacy of salt water as a treatment method. Physical exercise per se does not influence the evolution of acne, although people with this pathology should take special care and take a shower with appropriate soaps after physical activity to help eliminate all impurities deposited on the skin.
When acne does not improve with the hygienic measures explained above, it should be treated by the dermatologist on an individual basis with different medications depending on the extension, the predominant type of lesion (comedones, pus pimples…) and the appearance of scars. It should be remembered that there are currently effective treatments for practically all types of acne.
Can nervousness or anxiety cause more acne to appear?
People with acne very often report worsening of their lesions during periods of stress. Dermatologists do not yet know the mechanism that justifies this association but it is probably related to the hormonal changes that occur in these situations of nervousness and/or anxiety.
Do eating foods containing sugar lead to increased acne?
There are many urban legends that relate the appearance of acne to the ingestion of certain foods: sausages, chocolate, canned food, etc. The reality is that this relationship has not been scientifically proven. However, all balanced diets that avoid abuses of foods rich in saturated fats and with excess sugar contribute to overall health.