ACNE- A COMMON SKIN PROBLEM

It is skin condition that occurs when hair follicles get plugged with oil, bacteria and dead skin cells.

They are commonly called as pimples.

Acne can be of various types like flat, raised, pus-filled, large nodules, white heads or black heads, etc.

Almost 80% of people from age group 11-30 years have at least a mild form of acne.

Acne can leave various scars like hypertrophic (large size) scars and keloids.

Who are affected?

Mainly teenagers and young adults undergoing hormonal changes.

Common locations of Acne:

1. Face

2. Neck

3. Chest

4. Shoulders

5. Upper back

Types of acne:

1. White heads- Plugged follicles that stay beneath the skin and produce white bump.

2. Black heads- Plugged follicles that reach surface of skin and open up. They look black on the skin surface because the air causes change in colour of sebum (oil).

3. Papules- Small red or pink bumps that become inflamed.

4. Pustules- Pus filled acne due to superficial infection.

5. Nodules- Hard and painful lesions beneath the skin.

6. Cysts- fluid filled large acne which discharge liquid when they break.

Causes of acne:

1. Hormones- Increase in male sex hormones (androgens) leads to excess oil secretion thus forming acne. This happens in both, boys and girls at the time of puberty. This may also happen in some women before or during menses.

Hormonal changes in pregnancy and endocrine disorders like PCOS can also cause acne.

2. Family history- It may run in families.

3. Medications- Side effects of medications containing corticosteroids, lithium, etc.

4. Exposure to excess sunlight

Factors that make it worse:

1. Diet- oily, fatty foods

2. Stress

3. Environmental irritants, pollution, high humidity

4. Squeezing or picking at blemishes

Common treatments available:

1. Topical creams including anti-inflammatory and antibiotic creams

2. Oral antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, oral contraceptives (to control hormonal imbalance).

Complications:

1. Scars

2. Depression

3. Anxiety

4. Social withdrawal

5. Poor facial aesthetics

6. Low self-esteem

Homoeopathic approach:

Skin is the outermost organ of the body but the affections of skin are not just limited to the skin. The processes going on inside the body often reflect on the skin surface causing skin problems.

So, its not just important to treat the skin superficially but also the disease process going on inside the body.

Homoeopathy believes in treating the individual as a whole. Hence, medicines act right from the mind to the body. That's why the disease process disappears right from the deepest organ of the body.