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Acne
Also known as acne vulgaris, pimplesOverview
Key Facts
- Children between 13 to 18 years of age
- Adults between 25 to 40 years of age
- Both men and women but more common in women
- Skin
- Acne keloidalis nuchae
- Acneiform eruptions
- Folliculitis
- Perioral dermatitis
- Rosacea
- Sebaceous hyperplasia
- Syringoma
- Tuberous sclerosis
- Hidradenitis suppurativa
- Retinoids: Retinoic acid, Tretinoin & Adapalene
- Antimicrobials: Azelaic acid
- Topical antibiotics: Clindamycin & Azithromycin
- Anti-acne agents: Salicylic acid
- Systemic antibiotics: Doxycycline & Minocycline
- Oral Isotretinoin
- General Physician
- Skin & Hair Specialist
- Gynaecologist
Symptoms Of Acne
Acne, also known as acne vulgaris, is a recurrent skin condition. In this, the pores and hair follicles of the skin get clogged with sebum. Acne can be seen in the form of pimples, blackheads or comedone, or nodes of the skin. Following are the symptoms of acne:
- Reddened and painful skin around the acne spots.
- Skin that may become darker or scarred over time.
- Fever and joint pain may occur in rare but severe cases of acne.
1. Comedogenic acne (Non-inflammatory acne)
- Closed comedones (whiteheads): small round lesions that contain whitish material (sebum and dead skin cells).
- Open comedones (blackheads): small round lesions that appear as bumpy dark spots.
2. Non-comedogenic acne (Inflammatory acne)
- Red and painful areas on the skin.
- Small, reddish bumps that may or may not be filled with pus which develops from comedones.
- Papules: These are small painful bumps like eruptions on the skin.
- Pustules: These types of pimples have pus collected in them and are red in color.
- Nodules: These are large, painful, solid pimples that are deep in the skin.
- Cysts: These deep, painful, pus-filled pimples can cause scars.
Causes Of Acne

1. Hormonal conditions
Androgens are hormones that increase in boys and girls during puberty and cause the sebaceous glands to enlarge and make more sebum. Hormone changes during midlife, particularly in women, like PCOS and pregnancy, can lead to breakouts too. Menstrual cycle is one of the prime causes of hormonal acne seen in women.
2. Genetic factors
Your genes may be somewhat responsible for the development, course, and severity of acne. However, acne is not a result of a single gene, but a series of different genes which can increase your risk of acne.
3. Environmental factors
Environmental factors such as sunlight can lead to the worsening of acne along with promoting skin aging. Also, climatic conditions, such as humid weather, can worsen acne problems in certain individuals due to the overstimulation of sebaceous glands.
4. Lifestyle factors
Certain food products, such as dairy, products made from dairy, sugary foods, can cause acne. Also, stress and increased weight are two major causes of acne affecting many individuals.
5. Health conditions
Certain metabolic diseases such as diabetes may cause acne in some individuals. Also, use of medications such as tablets and creams containing lithium, corticosteroids, or testosterone can result in acne.
6. Chemicals/products
The application of some perfumed products, such as cosmetics, hair products, and soaps, can result in acne in some individuals. Irritation of the affected skin area by either scratching or pulling or pressing or using tight garments such as headband, scarves around face and neck can cause acne.
Check out this video to know about the causes of acne in detail.
Risk Factors For Acne

Almost everyone is at the equal risk of developing acne at some point in their lives. The common risk factors for acne include:
- Age: People of all ages can get acne, but it's most common in teenagers.
- Hormonal changes: The changes in hormones which are common during puberty or pregnancy can up the risk of acne
- Family history: Genetics plays a role in acne. If both of your parents or if any of your immediate family members had acne, you're likely to develop it too.
- Greasy or oily substances: You may develop acne where your skin comes into contact with oil or oily lotions and creams.
- Food: Studies indicate that consuming certain foods including carbohydrate-rich foods, such as bread, bagels and chips may worsen acne.
- Friction or pressure on your skin: This can be caused by items such as telephones, cellphones, helmets, tight collars and backpacks.
- Stress: It doesn't cause acne, but if you have acne already, stress may make it worse.
Diagnosis Of Acne
Prevention Of Acne

If you are suffering from acne frequently, here are some of the preventive tips to avoid acne breakouts:
Diet & Acne
- Foods that are high in fat content example milk and meat
- Foods with a high sugar content leads to high insulin levels, altering other hormones that can cause acne.
- Foods and beverages high in sugar content
- Fast foods and snack foods also lead to skin conditions like acne.
Celebs affected
Specialists To Consult
- General Physician
- Skin & Hair Specialist
Treatment Of Acne

Acne can be treated successfully by either topical anti-acne preparations or by oral anti-acne preparations. Some dermatologists also suggest a combination of both therapies. Here are some commonly used therapies listed to guide you about the treatment process:
1. Topical therapy
- Retinoids, such as retinoic acid, tretinoin, and adapalene, are used either alone or with other topical antibiotics.
- Antimicrobials, such as azelaic acid, are helpful in treating normal acne and post inflammatory pigmentation of acne as well.
- Topical antibiotics, like clindamycin, azithromycin, and lotion, are effective in treating acne.
- Anti-acne agents like salicylic acid, are used as topical gel for seborrheic and comedonal acne. These are also useful in treating pigmentation caused after healing of acne. Topical benzoyl peroxide is taken in combination with adapalene, available in the gel base. Topical dapsone is useful in papular and comedogenic acne. Dapsone (aczone) 5% gel twice daily is recommended for inflammatory acne, especially in women with acne. Side effects include redness and dryness.
2. Systemic therapy
- Antibiotics like Doxycycline, helps in controlling inflammation and affects secretion of free fatty acids. Minocycline is taken in the form of capsules once a day. Other antibiotics, such as amoxicillin, erythromycin, and sulfamethoxazole, are also used sometimes for acne. Ciprofloxacin is used in the case of acne caused by pseudomonas.
- Oral Isotretinoin is used to control the production of sebum and reduce inflammation. Isotretinoin (Amnesteem, Claravis, others) is a derivative of vitamin A. It may be prescribed for people whose moderate or severe acne hasn't responded to other treatments.
- Low dose estrogen may also be prescribed along with cyproterone acetate for treating severe recurrent acne.
- Spironolactone is prescribed to males dealing with acne issues. It is helpful in reducing the production of androgens and blocking the actions of testosterone.
- Combined oral contraceptives are approved by the FDA for acne therapy in women who also wish to use them for contraception. They are products that combine progestin and estrogen. You may not see the benefit of this treatment for a few months, so using other acne medications with it for the first few weeks may help.
3. Other treatments
- Dermabrasion: In this procedure, the top layer of your skin is removed with the help of a rapidly rotating brush or another device. This is helpful in removing surface scars. It may also reduce the intensity of deeper acne scars.
- Chemical peel: In this procedure, a chemical solution is applied to the scar tissue to remove the top layer of skin. This helps in minimizing the appearance of deeper scars.
- Skin needling: In this procedure, a needle-studded device is rolled over the skin to stimulate collagen formation in the skin.
Complications Of Acne
Alternative Therapies For Acne

Ayurveda
Homeopathy
- Pulsatilla – This is helpful in treating acne associated with the onset of puberty in teenage girls. It can also help treat acne in pregnant women or those facing acne due to menstruation.
- Silicea – This is helpful in treating cystic acne, which appears like boils. Along with that, slow healing acne and those acne which leaves pitting scars can be treated with this homeopathic medicine.
- Sulfur – Sulphur is helpful in treating blackheads and whiteheads, which are not deep and are present over a large area.
Home-care For Acne
Here are some ways to take care of your skin at home, if you have acne:
Watch this video to know about natural ways to deal with acne or pimples.
Living With Acne
Acne is not a simple skin problem as it can take a toll on your emotional health as well. It makes people think that they are less attractive which in turn makes them feel embarrassed and self-conscious all the time. This is especially severe in teenagers as this thought process makes them miss out on being active in class, taking up sports and getting a job.
Instead of feeling anxious or suppressing your feelings, take it out. Talk about your feelings with your friends or close ones. You can even ask your doctor on how to treat it and deal with the feelings. Make sure to complete your course of treatment and follow your doctor’s advice without fail to fix your acne.
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Frequently Asked Questions
References
- Sutaria H. Amita Masood Sadia, Schlessinger v. Acne Vulgaris.Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan.
- Acne: Overview.Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006.
- Acne vulgaris. American dermatological association.February 19, 2020.
- Acne: Who gets and causes. American academy of dermatology association.
- Acne: diagnosis and treatment. American academy of dermatology association.
- Acne: Tips for managing. American academy of dermatology association.
- Kraft John and Freiman Anatoli. CMAJ. 2011 Apr 19; 183(7): E430–E435.
- Shmerling Robert H., Does diet really matter when it comes to adult acne? Harvard health blog;Aug(19)2020.
- Acne can affect more than your skin.American academy of dermatology association.
- Acne scars:Who gets and causes. American academy of dermatology association.
- Mohammad A. Alzohairy. Therapeutics Role of Azadirachta indica (Neem) and Their Active Constituents in Diseases Prevention and Treatment.Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2016; 2016: 7382506.
- Tan J K L, Bhate K. A global perspective on the epidemiology of acne.Br J Dermatol.2015 Jul;172 Suppl 1:3-12.