Acne in Adolescents
Acne is one of the most common problems in adolescent teens affecting nearly seventeen million people in the United States. Acne is nothing but a disorder involving sebaceous glands and hair follicles. Acne results from the clogging of sebaceous glands leading to the formation of pimples and cysts. The condition usually begins with the onset of puberty. Going by the facts, as teens attain puberty the androgens also called male sex hormones are produced in high number leading to sebaceous glands becoming over active which results in sebum being produced in high proportions.
Sebum, which is nothing but oil is produced by sebaceous glands which travel to the skin surface through hair follicles. But, skin cells block the follicles which results in oil also being blocked. When these hair follicles are blocked it results in the development of skin bacteria known as Propionibacterium Acnes within the follicles which in turn results in swelling of the skin called Acne. If the hair follicles are partially blocked it results in blackheads. If the follicles are completely blocked they result in whiteheads. But if these plugged follicles are not treated they ultimately burst causing the oil, bacteria and skin cells to spill all over the skin resulting in irritation and formation of pimples. Acne can be shallow as well as deep in various individuals depending on the nature of skin and amount of oil produced.
There can be various causes why Acne forms. Apart from rising hormone levels due to puberty it can also be attributed to certain other factors like intake of drugs which contain lithium, barbiturates and corticosteroids. Acne can also be caused due to excess grease and oil in the scalp, due to cooking oil and use of some cosmetics can actually alleviate the acne problem. Acne problem many times is inherited also. Acne problem is worsened if the pimples are squeezed or scrubbed too hard.
Acne can form at any place of the body but they most commonly form in the areas where there sebaceous glands are present in high proportions like face, chest, shoulders, neck and upper back. The symptoms may differ from person to person but commonly seen symptoms are: formation of blackheads, whiteheads, lesions filled with pus and which are very painful and lastly nodules. One may get confused sometimes as symptoms of acne may be like some other skin condition and it is always advised to consult a doctor in this scenario.
There are lots of treatments available today to treat acne. The primary goal of the treatment is to reduce scars and better appearance. There are various treatments and the doctor decides which specific treatment you need based on: the extent of acne problem, age, medical history, overall health, tolerance to specific medications and procedures, expectations and last but not the least what patients prefer.
Treatment of acne is classified into topical and systemic drug therapies which are given based on extent of severity. In some instances the combination of both the methods might be the way to go for acne treatment. Topical medication is nothing but creams, gels, lotions, solutions etc. prescribed to patients for acne treatment. Some of the examples of topical medication are: Benzoyl Peroxide which kills the Propionibacterium Acnes bacteria, antibiotics helps in stopping or slowing down the growth of the bacteria and also reduces inflammation, Tretinoin helps in stopping the formation of new acne lesions and Adapalene reduces formation of comedo.
Systemic drug therapies involve prescription of systemic antibiotics primarily for the treatment of acne problem which is moderate to severe in nature. The examples of antibiotics prescribed are Doxycycline, erythromycin and tetracycline. In some cases an oral drug called Isotretinoin is prescribed for teenagers with severe acne problem which shrinks down the sebaceous glands that produce oil. The results are pretty good and almost ninety percent of the adolescents have success with this oral drug. But the drug has some serious side-affects and thus it is very important that one consults a doctor before use.
|
Acne in Adolescents Acne is one of the most common problems in adolescent teens affecting nearly seventeen million people in ... read more
Adolescent Pregnancy Adolescent pregnancy in ninety nine percent of the cases is unwanted and is the major consequence of adolescent ... read more
Allergies in Adolescents Allergies are reactions by immune system that are abnormal in nature to stuff that are usually harmless ... read more
Anemia in Adolescents To understand what is anemia one should begin with breathing. The oxygen that is inhaled simply doesn’t ... read more
Asthma in Adolescents Most of the teenagers who have asthma are also allergic to many things. The asthma can get ... read more
Cholesterol in Adolescents Parts of adolescent’s body are filled with a waxy stuff identified as cholesterol. It helps to produce ... read more
Common Oral Health Problems in Adolescents Adolescents face many oral health problems which may require them to visit a dentist ... read more
Depression in Adolescents Depression in adolescents is a disorder which occurs due to persistent sadness, loss of interest, loss of ... read more
Diabetes in adolescents Diabetes is a rapidly growing, serious health problem among youngster today. Above thirteen thousand adolescents are diagnosed ... read more
Eating Disorders in Adolescents Since the adolescence is the age where bones are sprout and grow rapidly, well nourished food ... read more
Teen Health Issues Keeping Teens healthy is important in developing into healthy adults. This site is dedicated to becoming a ... read more
Eye problems and injuries in Adolescents Every year more than one million people get eye injuries, out of which ninety ... read more
Heat-Related Illnesses in Teens Heat related illnesses are caused due to prolonged exposure to heat and also humidity without any ... read more
High Blood Pressure in Adolescents High blood pressure is a condition where the blood pressure is more than normal. It ... read more
Infectious Mononucleosis Also known as mononucleosis or mono Pfeiffer's disease or glandular fever, infectious mononucleosis can be identified by inflamed ... read more
Menstrual Disorders in Adolescent Girls Adolescence is the time when there is sudden transformation in the body and many questions ... read more
Obesity in Adolescents Obesity and overweight are the second most major reasons of preventable deaths in America. Stagnant lifestyle and ... read more
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in Adolescents Obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD starts from adolescence onwards. OCD is feeling of strong obsessions ... read more
Orthopedic Problems in Adolescents Physical health problems encountered during adolescence can affect the development of the body, if not treated. ... read more
Periodontal Disease in Adolescents The meaning of the word “periodontal” is around the tooth. Also known as gum diseases periodontal ... read more
Scoliosis in Adolescents Normally, a spine when viewed from rear should appear straight but if the spine is lateral or ... read more
Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Adolescents Sexually transmitted diseases are transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse and are highly infectious diseases. Unprotected ... read more
Smoking Related Health Problems in Adolescents Smoking is the cause of many diseases and kills about four hundred and forty ... read more
Sprains and Strains in Adolescents Sprains and strains are among the majority of the injuries caused while playing sports. Sports ... read more
Tennis Elbow in Adolescents Tennis elbow is a condition in which tendon fibers that attach on epicondyle on the elbow’s ... read more
Tests and Examinations for Adolescent Girls Adolescence is the time when girls face many changes as they not only become ... read more
|
|
|
Disclaimer: The Publisher has strived to be as accurate and complete as possible in the creation of this website, notwithstanding the fact that he does not warrant or represent at any time that the contents within are accurate due to the rapidly changing nature of the Internet.
This site is a common sense guide to Acne in Adolescents. In practical advice websites, like anything else in life, there are no guarantees of income made. Readers are cautioned to reply on their own judgment about their individual circumstances to act accordingly.
This site is not intended for use as a source of legal, business, accounting or financial advice. All readers are advised to seek services of competent professionals in legal, business, accounting, and finance field.
Any perceived slights of specific people or organizations are unintentional. |