ALL YOUR ACNE QUESTIONS ANSWERED

What causes acne? 

There is no single, exact cause for acne. Rather a combination of several factors play a role. According to research these factors can be divided into two categories: intrinsic and extrinsic.

Intrinsic factors:

These refer mainly to genetic and hormonal aspects.  

Acne runs in families – if both parents are affected there is a three out of four chance that their children will have acne too. Where the acne is found on the body, for example on the face, neck, back or arms, this also genetically inherited. Hormonal changes occur mainly during puberty, pregnancy and during stressful life events. This can then trigger acne or make existing acne worse.

Extrinsic factors: 

These refer to things outside the body that can cause a slight acne outbreak or make existing acne worse, for example certain make-up or creams that can clog the pores or irritate the skin. These also include things such as sun exposure, overly diligent washing or picking at the skin. It has to be emphasized that these factors cannot cause serious acne, but can only make it worse.

So how does acne usually develop?

 A person starts to produce too much sebum (oils in the skin), which clog up the pores. If a certain kind of bacteria called Propionibacterium acnes is present in the pores, it leads to inflammation and hard solid pimples. This process happens when there is a hormonal imbalance or if the person is genetically predisposed to have acne. One of these factors or a combination of them then lead to acne.

Types of acne: How serious is your acne?

Dermatologists have classified acne into different grades: the higher the grade, the more severe the acne and the greater the need for intensive treatment. Understanding the grade of your acne is important as it can help you choose the treatment that will be most effective for you. It will help you in selecting products and to decide if you can treat your acne at home or whether you should see a dermatologist.

Grade I: a few pimples and blackheads

In grade I acne, the skin itself is treated, with washes, facials, creams and ointments.

Grade II: a lot of blackheads and whiteheads as well as more pimples with a slight inflammation of the skin.

This kind of acne is often treated in the same way as grade one. Topical treatments should contain Benzoyl peroxide. However, if the skin does not improve after a few weeks of treatment a dermatologist should be consulted, because it could easily develop to grade III acne.

Grade III: a lot of inflamed pustules, papules and nodules where the skin is clearly red and inflamed and the acne is hard and painful. The acne spreads to other parts of the body like the chest and back.

With grade III acne it is absolutely necessary to go see a dermatologist to prescribe medication to treat the acne "from the inside". This kind of acne will not respond to over the counter products or expensive creams and lotions! Recommended treatments include: oral antibiotics, certain birth control medicine and Isotretinoin (commercially known as Roaccutane).

Grade IV: This is called cystic inflammatory acne and the skin has numerous papules, pustules, nodules as well as very painful acne cysts, which sometimes have to be removed surgically.

This is the most severe form of acne and professional help is needed to help control this difficult condition.