Acne

Find relief with effective acne treatment at Advanced Dermatology of North Central Ohio.

Acne

Find relief with effective acne treatment at Advanced Dermatology of North Central Ohio.

Acne

It seems inevitable. Virtually everybody, at some time in their lives, gets acne, some worse than others. From zits that pop up at the worst times to severe outbreaks of pimples, we’ve all suffered from the red bumps, whiteheads, and blackheads that come with acne.

While most common during the teenage years when we go through puberty and the hormonal changes that can cause oily skin, acne vulgaris, or bacterial acne, can pop up in adulthood as well. Pimples are irritating at best but can be quite painful.

If you’re suffering from acne, Advanced Dermatology of North Central Ohio can help. Our board-certified dermatologists know how to treat all types of acne. Book an appointment today!

What is Acne?

Acne is a result of hormonal changes. When we’re teenagers, we produce more hormones than at any other time during our lives, and that hormonal imbalance leads to oilier skin. The oil, or sebum, along with dead skin cells and bacteria, plugs hair follicles and that trapped matter causes the skin to become inflamed and red. In some cases the impacted follicle produces pus and the pimple becomes a whitehead. In other cases, the pore remains open and the material becomes a blackhead.

Sebum is actually a good thing, as it keeps our skin moist and elastic. Overproduction of it is what causes acne. Those with naturally oily skin have increased outbreaks, and those with drier skin have less severe acne.

Acne FAQs

If you have questions about acne, we have answers.

Why do I get acne?

In most cases, you develop acne because you’re producing more hormones, which in turn is producing more skin oil, or sebum. This oil, combined with dead skin cells, traps bacteria under the skin, which forms the red lumps, whiteheads, and blackheads that comprise acne.

People with oilier skin tend to develop more acne because there are more chances for sebum to clog hair follicles.

What causes cystic acne?

Cystic acne is a more serious condition than regular acne and can more easily lead to scarring. Cystic acne is caused by the same things that lead to all acne – dry skin cells, oil, and bacteria are trapped under the skin in a hair follicle. With cystic acne, however, a large cyst forms deep under the surface of the skin. People with oilier skin are more likely to develop cystic acne.

While the typical elements are what causes cystic acne, the typical treatments won’t help alleviate it. To avoid lasting damage, you should see your dermatologist, who can prescribe medication most likely to treat cystic acne.

What foods cause acne?

There is no proven connection between the kinds of food you eat and acne, but there are some foods that have been shown to make your outbreaks worse.

Milk: In studies drinking milk increased the severity of acne. Nobody knows why for sure, but the hypothesis is that hormones secreted by cows cause increased sebum production, which causes outbreaks to be worse.
Some carbs: Foods like white bread and white rice may increase acne outbreaks. These foods cause the body to produce large amounts of insulin, which affects your hormonal balance and can cause your skin to be oilier.
Soda and other sugars: For much the same reason as white bread, consuming soda can cause more severe outbreaks of acne. Sugars boost insulin production to reduce blood sugar, which affects other hormones and results in oilier skin.
Chocolate: Chocolate in particular has been linked to worse acne. Scientists don’t know why, but some studies have shown that increased chocolate consumption can make acne worse.

What is hormonal acne?

Technically all acne is hormonal acne, as it develops during hormonal changes that can occur during adolescence or throughout adulthood. Hormonal acne, however, typically refers to adult acne. Hormonal acne is caused by an increase in male hormones called androgens, of which testosterone is one. This most often occurs during menstruation or pregnancy, and most often the outbreaks happen on the chin and jawline. Stress can also exacerbate hormonal acne.

What causes fungal acne?

Fungal acne isn’t really acne per se, but a fungal infection of the hair follicles that can cause whiteheads and blackheads. Since it looks like acne, it’s tempting to treat it like acne, but the topical medicines that are used to combat acne can actually make fungal acne worse.

You can tell the difference between fungal acne and regular, or bacterial, acne in a few ways. First, fungal acne itches, and bacterial acne rarely does. Second, fungal acne’s pimples tend to be all the same size, whereas regular acne can vary in size considerably. Third, fungal acne outbreaks often are clustered together, and pimples from regular acne are often more spread out. If you think you have fungal acne, it’s important to go to your dermatologist and find out for sure because treatment is different.

Acne Photos

Different types of acne cause different types of pimples and outbreaks. Below are some photos of the different types of acne.

Portrait Of Asian Woman Worry About Her Face When She Saw The Problem Of Acne Inflammation And Scar By The Mini Mirror.

Close-up Of Woman Half Face With Problems Of Acne Inflammation (Papule And Pustule) On Her Face.

A Young Man With Acne And Pimples On His Face, Biting His Nails.

Acne Treatment by Advanced Dermatology of North Central Ohio

Advanced Dermatology of North Central Ohio can treat all types of acne, from the common bacterial to fungal to the deep infection of cystic acne. Whether you have acne during your teenage years or have an outbreak of hormonal acne, you don’t have to suffer – contact us online or via telephone at 419-756-1600 and get your acne treated by board-certified dermatologists today.

Have questions or concerns? Please reach out to us.