Acne is a common skin condition that affects almost 90 percent of all teenagers due to the hormonal changes the body is subjected to during puberty. Acne, formally known as Acne vulgaris, problems can persist into adulthood but acne is mainly a puberty related problem.
Acne is an ancient problem and it is well known that some pharaohs in ancient Egypt suffered from acne. The Ancient Romans took baths in hot and sulphurous mineral water to treat their acne and using sulphur to combat acne is a practise that survived well into the 19th century. In the 1930s doctors experimented with laxatives and radiation, although benzoyl peroxide was used as early as the 1920s. Once antibiotics started to get wide spread during the 50s doctors and patients started noticing that is had an effect on infected pimples as well. In time creams containing antibiotics were developed to treat acne. In the 1980s oral isotretinoin turned out to be an effective aid in the struggle against acne, but the compound turned out to be highly unsuitable for pregnant women since it lead to miscarriages and birth defects.
Females suffering from acne can sometimes be helped by hormonal acne treatment. The estrogen / progestogen that is present in contraceptives can have some effect but serious problems usually require stronger hormon treatment. In cases where one or a few pimples grow especially big and do not respond to other acne medication, a doctor might inject hydrocortisone into it. A shot of cortisone can quickcly reduce inflammation and redness however it can have sideeffects especially if used over a longer time period.
Blackheads, formally known as open camedones, are a special variant of acne vulgaris and are formed with oils accumulate in the duct of the sebaceous gland. Many people believe that blackheads are the result of poor hygiene, but this is certainly not the case. Excessive cleaning can actually worsen the problem by causing dry skin, this prompting the body to produce even more oils.
Blackheads are not dangerous but can look unpleasant and many people therefore want to know how to remove blackheads without causing damage to the surrounding skin. Strips or tape is a common readily available solutions to blackheads, they are addhessive strips places on the blackheads. The blackheads will be removed when the tape are removed as they stick to the tape. For individuals with a lot of blackhead related problems the strips can be impractical due to their temporary relief and in this cases salicylic acid might be a better solution.
Tags: acne, acne cure, acne vulgaris, Blackheads, skin, skin condition, skin health, treat acne