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Acné

FAQ

Q: Is my acne caused by poor hygiene?
A: One of the most common and hurtful myths floating around is that acne is the result of poor hygiene and that blackheads are really pores plugged with dirt. Wrong on both counts: Acne is set off by biological events below the surface of the skin and isn’t due to poor hygiene. Blackheads are not black because of dirt, they are black because of a chemical reaction, when air oxidizes oily sebum in a partially blocked follicle.

Coping

Here are some tips and advice to help you care for your skin and treat acne: 

Impacts to Quality of Life

Because our image of ourselves is often tied to how we look, an experience with acne can have lasting psychological effects. Many people with moderate to severe acne, particularly if it has led to scarring, have decreased self-confidence and self-esteem issues, which can lead to social withdrawal and, in some cases, even depression.  Consult your doctor if you are experiencing negative emotions associated with your acne. Treatment and support can make a big difference.

 

Treatments

Treating acne takes time and a certain amount of self-discipline. Mild acne may clear up in a matter of weeks, but if your acne is moderate to severe it may take months or years before your skin clears up for good. Short or long, during that time you’ll need to follow a daily routine of skin care, along with medicated treatment as directed by the product label or your doctor.

Incidence

Almost everyone gets a few acne blemishes at some point in their lives, mostly during their early teen years. Acne tends to taper out by age 20, but about 1 out of 4 teens who have acne will still have it when they turn 25.

Causes

Acne is really a matter of anatomy and hormones—specifically the hormone testosterone, which occurs naturally in both sexes.

One of the many effects of increased testosterone levels is to stimulate the skin’s oil glands to produce sebum, an oily substance that helps to make the skin waterproof. The oil glands lie in the skin’s middle layer wrapped around hair shafts. Where the shaft extends up to the surface of the skin, this tubular structure is called a follicle.

Symptoms

The symptoms of acne depend on whether it is non-inflammatory or inflammatory.

Non-inflammatory acne, which affects the majority of people, usually involves just a few whiteheads and blackheads on the face (comedomes). 

With Inflammatory acne whiteheads become inflamed, pimples (pustules) develop, and, in the most severe cases, it can cause

Contact Information:

Canadian Skin Patient Alliance
2446 Bank Street, Suite 383
Ottawa, Ontario
K1V 1A8
 

Christine Jackson, Executive Director
phone: 613-422-4265
fax: 613-422- 4267
 

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