What is acne vulgaris?

Acne vulgaris is a common skin disease that affects 60-70% of people at some time during their lives. Acne vulgaris is a skin problem that starts when oil and dead skin cells clog up your pores. 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.

What causes acne?

Acne starts when oil and dead skin cells clog the skin's pores. If germs get into the pores, the result can be swelling, redness, and pus.

For most people, it often starts in teens or young adultsacne. This is because hormone changes make the skin more oily after puberty starts.

You do not get acne from eating chocolate or greasy foods. But you can make it worse by using oily skin products that clog your pores.

Acne can run in families. If one of your parents had severe acne, you are more likely to have it.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of acne include whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples. These can occur on the face, neck, shoulders, back, or chest. Pimples that are large and deep are called cystic lesions. These can be painful if they get infected. They also can scar the skin.

How is acne treated?

To help control acne, keep your skin clean. Avoid skin products that clog your pores.

• Gentle cleansing with a mild soap.
• Applying benzoyl peroxide.
• Applying salicylic acid.
• Draining of large pimples and cysts by a doctor.
• Applying prescription antibiotic gels, creams, or lotions.
• Dermabrasion, which uses a whirling wire brush to skim off scar tissue.
• Laser resurfacing, which uses a carefully controlled laser to burn away scar tissue.