Why Do I Have Acne?

Dr Marie Jhin, a dermatologist in San Francisco Bay Area discusses acne.

 

Acne is one of the most common skin diseases affecting primarily adolescents and young adults.  It is estimated to affect over 50 million Americans each year.  For patients with acne, the psychosocial impact can be significant and thus proper evaluation and effective treatment is imperative.

 

Acne is well recognized to be a multifactorial disease requiring multifactorial therapy.  Acne can affect both men and women, all age groups and all ethnic groups.

 

Acne is a disease of the pilosebaceous unit and the production of excess sebum and proliferation of the Propionibacterium acnes bacteria driven by excess levels of androgen hormones and ultimately leading to the formation of the microcomedone, which is the progenitor of all acne lesions.

 

When diagnosing and managing acne, it is important to characterize the lesions as either inflammatory or non-inflammatory (comedonal) in nature.  Inflammatory lesions are papules or pustules that are red and inflamed.  Comedonal acne are characterized as blackheads or whiteheads.    Inflammatory lesions can lead to permanent scarring therefore accurate assessment is necessary to provide the proper treatment.

 

The diagnosis of acne can be straightforward with the presence of comedones and possibly inflammatory lesions.  Other conditions in the differential diagnosis includes rosacea, perioral dermatitis, bacterial folliculitis, keratosis pilaris, medication induced acne and possibly hormone imbalance.

 

Acne can occur at any age but most appearing during adolescence.  An estimated 85% of adolescents aged 15 to 17 years of age have acne.  Nevertheless, adults can have acne.  In fact, more and more women over 25 years of age have acne.   These adults represent those with persistent acne continuing from adolescence and then those with late-onset acne, with acne first appearing in adulthood.

 

Acne can affect all ethnic groups.  Special consideration needs to be given with patients with skin of color.  In these patients inflammatory acne can lead not only to scarring but put them at risk for postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) which can be quite distressing.  Patients with skin of color can have differing sensitivities to the acne treatments which also may aggravate PIH.  All these possibilities must be considered in the management of patients with skin of color.

  

In conclusion, acne is a condition that affects many people and the importance of diagnosis, treatment and care must be considered.

  

If you’d like more information on Acne Treatment options, or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact Robert, our Patient Mananger. He can be reached at info@premier-dermatology.com or 415-371-8600 (SF office) /650-551-9700 (Pennisula office)