About Acne Vulgaris
Are you suffering from Acne Vulgaris? This chronic inflammatory disorder of the pilocebaceous unit is more commonly referred to simply as acne. Countless teenagers get this type of acne. It affects at least 85 percent of adolescents and often continues into young adulthood. It is a very common skin condition, caused by changes in pilosebaceous units – skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland, via androgen stimulation.

What Causes Acne?

Acne is caused by changes in pilosebaceous units – skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland, via androgen stimulation. It is characterized by noninflammatory follicular papules (or comedones) and by inflammatory papules, pustules, and nodules in its more severe forms. Acne vulgaris affects the areas of skin with the densest population of sebaceous follicles; these areas include the face, the upper part of the chest, and the back. Severe acne is inflammatory, but acne can also manifest in noninflammatory forms. Acne lesions are commonly referred to as pimples, blemishes, spots, zits, or simply acne.

The cause in adolescence is generally an increase in male sex hormones, which happens to both genders during puberty. Most people outgrow acne and it tends to disappear – or at the very least decrease – by the time a person reaches their early twenties. Unfortunately, there is no way to predict how long it will take to disappear entirely. Some people carry this condition well into their thirties, forties and beyond. For others, disturbances in the reproductive organs (such as ovarian cysts, endometriosis, etc.) can stimulate acne formation later in life.

Where Does Acne Occur?

Distribution of acne lesions is limited to areas with well-developed sebaceous glands including the face, back, chest, and upper arms. Unlike other dermatological conditions, which may be limited to areas covered by clothing, acne is apparent. Individual and social perceptions of acne can affect the effect of the condition. In a study of acne patients in a dermatologist’s care, almost 30 percent believed that poor skin hygiene was a causative factor of acne. If this belief exists among a patient population who has had some degree of education by their physicians, similar beliefs must also exist in the general population. Beliefs similar to this one create a stigma that can lead to feelings of embarrassment, shame, and guilt in the afflicted.

Finally, Western society places a great emphasis on physical appearance. It is not surprising that, when patients were asked in what way their acne bothered them, the most common response was appearance. Acne vulgaris can have significant nondermatological effects because of the specific population affected, distribution of lesions, misperceptions regarding etiology of the condition, and the strong emphasis placed on physical appearance.

What Parts of the Body Are Most Affected?

While the face and upper neck are the most commonly affected, the chest, back and shoulders may have acne as well. The upper arms can also have acne, but lesions found there are often keratosis pilaris, not acne. Typical acne lesions are comedones, inflammatory papules, pustules and nodules. Some of the large nodules were previously called “cysts” and the term nodulocystic has been used to describe severe cases of inflammatory acne.

The Affects Of Acne

Aside from scarring, acne’s main effects are psychological, such as embarrassment, reduced self-esteem and, according to at least one study, depression or suicide. Since, acne usually appears during adolescence, when people already tend to be most socially insecure, it can often be seen as worse than it really is. In order to lessen the overall impact to individuals, some experts advocate early and aggressive treatment. But perhaps, what is really needed is better education about it and a better understanding of acne.

Acne on chest and shoulders