Understanding and Controlling Acne

June is Acne Awareness Month and we at Kage Skin Care want to share some thoughts about how you or someone you care about can better understand and control Acne.

What is ACNE?

ACNE is a genetic disease that typically begins with the onset of puberty and is a dominant characteristic that most people have at some time in their life. Acne is not simply a teenage bane. Many adults, especially women, will manifest symptoms of acne throughout adulthood.

Aggravating factors such as stress, cosmetics and hormones often stimulate occurrences of acne. Acne is a condition in the hair follicle called RETENTION HYPERKERATOSIS. This condition causes overproduction of the skin cells that line the hair follicle.

As a result the body cannot remove cells fast enough to prevent impaction. These resulting cell impactions, coupled with hormonal changes, stimulate increased production of SEBUM or oil from nearby glands. These naturally occurring oils cause cells to “gum-up” forming a hard seed-like impaction in the follicle called a COMEDO.

Acne Phases

These Illustrations depict the two pathways of acne: non-inflammatory and inflammatory. Once in the inflammatory stage, the bodies natural healing process often results in permanent scarring.

Normal Follice

Shown here is a healthy, functioning skin follicle.

Phase 1 - Open Comedo

In this phase, dead skin cells build up and eventually close off the follicle to form the tiny impaction which will become a COMEDO.

Phase 2 - Closed Comedo

In this phase, the COMEDO begins to move toward the surface of the skin, eventually being expelled from the follicle.

Phase 3 - Papule

If the COMEDO is not expelled, the resulting irritation causes the pore to breakdown and rupture below the skin.

Phase 4 - Pustule

In this phase, white blood cells rush to the ruptured follicle causing inflammation. Unfortunately, this natural healing process often results in scarring.

Controlling Acne

With a proper skin care regimen these comedos can be controlled and allowed to move through the hair follicle to the surface of the skin. Without care, comedos become inflammatory lesions of acne.

A proper skin care regimen should include products that assist the body in regulating skin cell production and periodic extractions of comedos.

Common Myths About Acne

Acne cannot be treated
Not true... with a proper skin care regimen, acne can be controlled!

Only teenagers get acne
Acne is not limited to teens. Many individuals can escape acne during adolescence only to experience acne as an adult.

Chocolate and junk food cause acne
This has been scientifically proven to be untrue.

Dirt and oil from hands or hair causes acne
Not possible… acne starts below the surface of the skin inside the hair follicle.

The right type of cosmetics will help prevent acne
Unfortunately, most skin care products and cosmetics aggravate or even cause acne.

Sexual feelings cause acne
This has been scientifically proven to be untrue.

Acne scarring will go away in time
Unfortunately, this is not true; Acne scarring is permanent and controlling acne is the only way to prevent scarring.