About acne : Acne Treatment Guide

What exactly is acne? This part of the guide looks at what acne is as well as the causes, symptoms and types. It also discusses the effects of acne –both mental and physical on a person as well as ways of managing it on a daily basis.

If you have acne then you will be interested in the various types of treatments available as well as the possible risk of scarring. But before we discuss acne scars, body acne and acne treatment it may be helpful to learn more about what acne actually is.

The about acne section is structured as follows:

• Your skin
• What is acne?
• Who is likely to get acne?
• What causes acne?
• Acne symptoms
• Acne types
• Acne complications
• Diagnosing acne
• Emotional effects of acne
• Managing acne

A mini section about the acne skin condition

This section of the guide starts by talking about our skin: its structure and function and predisposition to acne. This is the followed by a discussion of what acne is, who is likely to get acne (practically anyone!), the causes, symptoms and types.

The level of acne can vary from mild through to severe which is often through no fault of the sufferer. Some people are fortunate in that they only develop a mild form of acne whereas others are unlucky and have a severe outbreak which can result in scarring.

But acne can worsen due to a variety of reasons such as squeezing acne sores, a side effect of a particular form of medication or from taking a particular oral contraceptive. These acne complications are discussed further in this section.

Acne is easy enough to diagnose as it causes an outbreak of characteristic reddish spots or blackheads which form in clusters on the skin. These usually develop on the face but they can also appear on the back or shoulders as well. If your acne is severe enough to require medical treatment then it will be easily diagnosed by your GP.

It is worth talking to your GP if you find that your acne is causing you anxiety or depression or if your teenage son/daughter is distressed by this condition. The emotional effects of acne cannot be underestimated and will affect some people more deeply than others.

Acne treatment is discussed in more detail in another section but it is equally important that you learn how to manage your acne on a regular basis. This will include a daily skin care routine, avoiding certain foods if they trigger your acne and following your GP’s instructions. Managing acne is discussed later on in this section.

It starts by looking at your skin.