Acne is an important dermatological and aesthetic problem, especially for adolescent women. An inadequate acne treatment may be the reason for chronic hard to solve scars. It is an alteration of the skin caused by the obstruction and inflammation of oil glands that affects 80% of the population. It usually starts during adolescence when hormonal changes enlarge and later obstruct skin’s oil glands. The obstruction of oil glands opening causes the accumulation of sebum followed by a abnormal proliferation of a specific bacterial population.

Acne usually localizes in the dorsal area, back area of the arms and on the chest, but especially on the face. An early start in treatment during the first stages of the disease helps it disappearance. Acne is very common in teenagers but may also affect men and women of all ages. There seems to be a family tendency to develop acne.

Three out of four teenagers have some type of acne, probable caused by hormonal changes that stimulate the skin’s oil glands. Other hormonal changes during the menstrual period or during pregnancy or the ones caused by stress or the usage of contraceptive medication aggravate acne.

Acne is one of the most common dermatological diseases. By the beginning of adolescence hormone levels start to increase.

Oil glands produce an oily substance called sebum that empties on skin surface through the pilosebaceous orifices. when the mixture of sebum and cells in the conduit keeps the normal evacuation on the skin, acne appears. This can bee seen as zits on the skin surface (comedones). Then since bacteria accumulates pus forms. Follicles may break and the accumulated material may spread to surrounding tissues creating nodules. The larger the injuries are, the larger the possibilities of scar formation. Even though acne can not be prevented, good hygiene habits may lower he effects.

Acne is not contagious… Even when there are bacteria in acne injuries, acne is not a contagious disease.

Injuries must not be pressed because follicles may break, causing material to spread to the surrounding tissue and producing an inflammatory reaction that with time will be the reason for a scar.

The extraction of comedones may keep important injuries from happening, but must always be performed by a trained professional.

SIMPTOMS..
· Face, chest, neck or back skin rash or injury.
· Comedones
· Pustules
· Cysts
· Nodules
· Inflammation surrounding the injuries
· Scars

ACNE MUST BE TREATED...
Even though acne may disappear after some years with out treatment, waiting for this disease to get better might be a mistake since the proper treatment guarantees that no scars would be left behind after this disorder goes away. By doing this, you guarantee yourself a normal social lime and no harm at all to your self esteem.

It is very important to distinguish between acne and any other allergic reaction that could have been cause by for example make up, medication, creams, etc.

There are gels, lotions and creams that contain products that reduce and eliminate comedones, local antibiotics that reduce the amount of bacteria in the area. In severe cases oral antibiotics may be needed, like isotretinoin (a very strong substance produced from Vitamin A). The use of isotretinoin requires full knowledge of its side effects and sometimes even a blood sets. Those are the reasons why this treatment needs to be done under medical supervision.

PROGNOSIS
Acne is usually a chronic disease from adolescence to adulthood but eventually it might decrease. In general it responses well after a few weeks of treatment, but it might backslide from time to time. Acne is not a dangerous disease except for the one that is not treated and causes a general severe infection. Scars appear n patients that are not treated.

Acne treatment has two main objectives:
· Avoiding comedones and inflammatory and purulent injuries
· Avoiding scar formation.
· Acne can be treated with the following procedures: