Acne: more than skin deep

Acne is one of the most prevalent skin conditions affecting teenagers. It is a disease of the pilosebaceous unit. Blockage of sebaceous glands and colonisation with Proionobacterium acnes leads to acne. Grading the severity of acne helps to determine the appropriate treatment. Treatment of acne shou...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Postgraduate medical journal 2006-08, Vol.82 (970), p.500-506
Main Authors: Ayer, J, Burrows, N
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acne
acne grading
acne psychological effects
acne treatment
acne vulgaris
Acne Vulgaris - diagnosis
Acne Vulgaris - etiology
Acne Vulgaris - therapy
Adolescent
Androgens
Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use
Biological and medical sciences
Cysts
Dermatologic Agents - therapeutic use
Dermatology
Drug Interactions
General aspects
Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections - complications
Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections - drug therapy
Hair
Hormones - therapeutic use
Humans
Inflammation
Keratin
Medical sciences
Propionibacterium acnes
propionobacterium acnes
Review
Skin
Skin Diseases, Bacterial - complications
Skin Diseases, Bacterial - drug therapy
Skin involvement in other diseases. Miscellaneous. General aspects
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Summary:Acne is one of the most prevalent skin conditions affecting teenagers. It is a disease of the pilosebaceous unit. Blockage of sebaceous glands and colonisation with Proionobacterium acnes leads to acne. Grading the severity of acne helps to determine the appropriate treatment. Treatment of acne should be started as early as possible to minimise the risk of scarring and adverse psychological effects. It should be tailored to the individual patient, the type of acne, its severity, the patient’s ability to use the treatment, and the psychological state. Topical agents are the mainstay for treatment of mild acne. Moderate acne is treated with oral antibiotics. Resistance to antibiotics may be reduced by subsequent use of non-antibiotic topical medications. Severe acne is treated with isotretinoin, and this can lead to permanent remission. With better education and care given by medical profession, acne treatment could be significantly improved.
ISSN:0032-5473
1469-0756
DOI:10.1136/pgmj.2006.045377