Acne

There are over a thousand entities in dermatology; it is difficult to understand all in just a few pages. We are going to describe a few common skin problems. This is purely educational; if you have a skin disease, please consult your dermatologist.

A study in 2010 shown 81.5% of university first year students have acne, making acne the most commonly seen skin disease worldwide.

Acne forms because our sebaceous glands overproduce sebum, thereby clogging the skin pores leading to formation of comedones. This is most commonly seen at puberty when testosterone production is raging. The whiteheads are often seen on the forehead area, and the blackheads are found on the nose and cheek. Severe blockage of the pore in addition to overgrowing of facial bacteria leads to inflammatory acne. Acne can form nodules and pustules, leading to pitted scar formation. Acne is found mainly on the face, chest, back, upper arms and buttocks.

Topical medication, chemical peeling and facial cleansing can effectively control mild acne. Moderately acne responds well with oral antibiotic or hormonal therapy. In severe, resistant, or recurring cases, a course of oral retinoids can effectively rid of the problem, with very little chance of the acne coming back.