Acne Skin

WHAT CAUSES ACNE?

Acne is an inflammatory skin condition affecting the pilo-sebaceous follicle. Three related factors are responsible for acne: hyperseborrhoea, hyperkeratinisation and bacterial proliferation.

. Hyperseborrhoea:

This is excess production of sebum resulting from hormonal activity triggered during puberty. The skin becomes oily and shiny. In addition, there is a risk of a qualitative sebum abnormality, meaning that sebum composition differs from that of healthy sebum. It is thicker and has a more difficult time flowing out of the follicle, which increases the risk that comedones will form.

. Hyperkeratinisation:

The excessive multiplication of skin cells in the follicle duct wall clogs the pore and keeps sebum from evacuating. This causes comedones to appear, which are small skin wheals that are either skin-coloured (closed comedone or microcyst), making skin look granular; or have a black centre (open comedone) indicating melanin (skin pigment) is present on the comedone’s surface.

Bacterial multiplication:

Sebum is an ideal nutrient medium for certain bacteria, particularly Propionibacterium acnes which is naturally present on everyone but that in acne cases will multiply in the pilo-sebaceous follicle and cause inflammation. The comedone then turns into a painful red pimple called a papule (inflammatory lesion).

WHAT ARE THE VARIOUS TYPES OF SKIN BLEMISHES?

Acne has several types of lesions, often with increased seborrhoea (called hyperseborrhoea).

COMEDONAL LESIONS: Closed comedones or microcysts, Open comedones or “blackheads”, and sometimes larger cysts called macrocysts.

INFLAMMATORY LESIONS : Inflamed lesions: papules, pustules and nodules due to retentional lesion inflammation.

SCARS FROM POSSIBLE LESIONS: Hyperpigmented spots secondary to inflammation on olive or black skin. The condition lasts several years, with inflammatory flare-ups, as long as the retentional lesions (comedones) persist.

IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING ACTIVE ACNE & BLEMISHES YOU MIG BE INTERESTED IN THE FOLLOWING FACIALS