What Is The Cause Of Acne And How Can It Be Treated And Prevented?
Do you suffer from acne? It can be stressful and can take a toll on your self-esteem and your social life. Don’t worry though, you are not alone! Millions of Americans suffer from acne, as well as many more people all around the world. Being the number one skin affliction, acne comes in many forms; white and/or blackheads and blemishes. Typically, teenagers are the age group that suffers from acne the most, not just in terms of numbers but also in terms of severity. However, the truth is many adults have issues with acne also. Acne can be very mild and acute or it can be very severe, painful and chronic.
What Causes Acne?
The cause of acne isn’t exactly known. There are theories that changes in hormones during puberty is the main cause of teenage acne. Pregnancy and pre-menstrual changes in women may contribute to acne also, due to the hormonal changes that happen in those instances. Dermatologically speaking, there are two classifications of acne:
- Inflammatory Acne: This acne is characterized by pimples that are swollen or inflamed that create red bumps on the surface of the skin. These bumps are referred to by doctors as “papules.” This type of acne can be more painful.
- Non-inflammatory Acne: Blemishes commonly known as whiteheads and blackheads are both included in this category.
Most people who experience acne will experience both types. Acne can affect any part of the body but typically plagues the face, shoulders, back or chest.
What Can Trigger An Acne Breakout?
There are various triggers for acne breakouts. From physical and emotional factors to environmental causes. The following list are some things that may trigger an acne breakout:
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Hormonal Changes
- Applying make-up that is oil based
- Being exposed to excessive dirt and dust
- If you live or spend time in a humid climate or area
- Using certain medications like Lithium, Phenytoin and steroidal medications, as well as others.
- Wearing hats, headbands or other clothing and/or accessories that rub against the skin causing sweat to get trapped and the skin to become irritated.
What To Expect The Day Of Surgery?
- Because of the complex nature of the Mohs Surgery process, some delays stemming from adjustments are not uncommon. Your patience and understanding is greatly appreciated.
- You may feel a bit of discomfort when Dr. Quan injects the local anesthetic to numb the area around the tumor. Additional injections that may be needed later will be a lot less painful and may even be entirely painless.
- Once you are checked in at the office, you will be taken straight to the Mohs surgical suite. Feel free to ask question before the procedure begins. Also, if there’s anything we can do to increase your comfort, let us know.
- Dr. Quan will begin to remove the thin layer of cancerous skin once the area is numb. This is Stage I, and mapping, color-coding, and dividing this first layer of skin immediately commences. Any bleeding is stopped using an electric needle and the wound is then dressed.
- Within the next hour, the histotechnologist will work alongside Dr. Quan to process and examine the tissue microscopically.
- Dr. Quan will then repeat the procedure, if the microscopic examination shows that skin cancer cells still remain. The area still affected will then be divested of additional tissue.
- On average, the stages are repeated 2 or 3 times until all the cancer is gone.
- The defect is repaired as soon as the skin cancer has been removed completely. Stitches in a linear fashion usually suffice in closing the wound. This results in a straight line for a scar, instead of a circular hole. In some cases, the hole may be left open to heal on its own, or a complicated skin graft may be applied, depending on the size, location, and depth of the wound. As soon as the cancer is full removed, Dr. Quan will be discussing the options with you. In a week or two, the stitches can then be removed.
For one to two weeks after the surgery, keeping your head elevated with an extra pillow while resting or sleeping is advised, if the cancer is on the face. By doing so, swelling is reduced significantly. After your procedure, you may end up with one or two black eyes if the cancer is close to your eyes with the worst being three days after the fact. Although no additional treatment is necessary, it helps to apply cold compresses. Weeks or even months of fastidious wound care is required after the stitches are removed, even if the site looks well. We reiterate not planning any trips or important social events for several weeks following your surgery.
Acne
Acne is defined as pimples, cysts and other lesions on the skin of the face, neck, back, shoulders, chest, and upper arms. Affecting over 17 million people in the United States, it is easily the most common skin disease in the nation. Though it is mostly teenagers that are affected by acne, this skin condition can affect adults as well. Even though acne is generally not life-threatening, it can be cosmetically unappealing and cause unnecessary stress. Luckily there are several methods to effectively treat acne and prevent it from occurring.
Acne is a common condition that is caused by clogged pores, which usually happens when your body is producing too much oil. It can also be caused from a buildup of bacteria, or dead skin cells coming in contact with hair follicles. When this buildup occurs, it forms a plug that can cause the follicle wall to balloon and bulge out from the skin.
The cause of excess oil production is believed to be by several factors, including hormones, heredity, bacteria, and possibly certain medications. The exact cause of the body producing excess oil is unknown.
- Patients with acne can experience:
- Cysts
- Scarring
- Redness
- Pustules
- Nodules
- Whiteheads
- Blackheads
- Other forms of inflammation on the skin
- To learn more about the Acne services offered at our practice, please call us today to schedule an appointment.