So What Is Acne?
Can I Treat Myself At Home?
Is Popping A Pimple Recommended?
Do Certain Foods Cause Acne?
When Should I Seek Professional Treatment?
Why do I have zits all of a sudden?
What Can I Do?
Get Help
Acne: About Adult Onset Acne
What Treatments Are Available?
How Long Does Treatment Take?
Acne: Who Is a Candidate?
Helpful Hints To Follow While Being Treated For Acne

Remember when you were a teenager and your skin would break out just before a first date? Or a job interview? Or before a big exam? Back then, the eruption of a large pimple, or the sudden appearance of a constellation of zits, was the biggest nightmare imaginable. It still is, not only for teenagers, but many adults, who are suffering with acne a decade or more past the teen years.  Many people have blemishes well into their twenties, thirties . . . and even forties. In fact, 20% of adults are bothered by persistent acne.

Acne is the most common skin disorder, with over 85% of us experiencing it at some point in our lives, and 80% of teens (from ages 11-19) going through it. Yet, two-thirds of these acne sufferers have never turned to a physician for help, even though many effective treatments are now available. The good news is, many treatments are available for those who want it.

So What Is Acne?
It is an inflammatory skin condition involving the eruption of whiteheads, blackheads, or pimples, usually on the face, shoulders, chest, and back, and can exist in either mild, moderate, or severe forms. Acne is caused by four basic factors:  

1. The increase of oil production in the sebaceous glands (glands that secrete "sebum" or oil) in the skin.     

2. An increase, or imbalance, in a hormone called "androgen" (a male hormone). 

3. Changes inside the hair follicle, which is where the hair shaft comes out of the skin. The dead skin cells accumulate in the pore and become more "sticky," blocking the pore. 

4. The invasion of bacteria, called P. acnes, causes inflammation, swelling, and pain above and beneath the surface of the skin.

Can I Treat Myself At Home?
In some cases of mild acne, you might try some over-the-counter topical medications. However, these usually work in only very mild and isolated cases. If your acne persists or worsens, visit Longevity Centre of Houston.

Is Popping A Pimple Recommended?
In some cases, when a pimple has come to a head (a white pus spot surfaces near the center of the blemish), it may help to apply a warm washcloth and squeeze gently with clean fingernails. However, if you squeeze too hard, or squeeze until the blemish bleeds, you may damage the delicate skin tissue beneath the surface layer of the skin.  The deeper layer is called the "dermis." Damage to this layer will result in scarring. When you squeeze your pimples, there is also some risk of infection.

Do Certain Foods Cause Acne?
Some people insist that if they eat a chocolate bar, they break out almost immediately. Or if they drink a soda, or eat a pizza, or eat potato chips, they break out. If you think this is true, then don't eat them. However, for most people, food is not a significant factor. It is recommended that you eat healthy for the sake of your entire body, but diet affects the outbreak of acne in only about 2% of cases.

When Should I Seek Professional Treatment?
If your acne is mild, you may wish to try using an over-the-counter benzoyl peroxide product to see if it helps, but if the condition is bothering you, or isn't improving within two months, you should consult Dr. Pearsall. Many treatments are available that make suffering unnecessary. Generally, the longer you wait to get help, the more severe your acne becomes, and the longer it will take to control it.

"Don't worry, it's only a few zits. They'll go away!" How many times have you heard that? The fact is, left untreated, acne may take years to go away. Do you want to wait that long? Of course not, and you don't have to.

Why do I have zits all of a sudden?
Teenagers frequently develop acne between the ages of 11-19. Why? No, it is usually not because your face is dirty, or that you have a poor diet. Acne is caused by several things, including hormonal changes, blocking of the hair follicle unit, and overactive sebaceous (oil) glands that produce too much oil, which clogs the pores and attracts bacteria. The important thing to remember is: it is not your fault that you have acne.

What Can I Do?
First, don't panic or despair. Realize that you are not alone. 80% of teens develop acne at some point during their teenage years. On the other hand, you should not ignore acne, either. While acne often begins with a few whiteheads and blackheads during the first stages of puberty, it can worsen if left untreated.

A recent study found that one out of ten teenagers surveyed believe that acne is the worst thing about being a teen, and makes them like themselves less.

Get Help
Ask your Mom and Dad if they had acne when they were teens. Acne can be hereditary, and so if your parents suffered with moderate or severe acne, you should seek treatment from a physician sooner, rather than later, to avoid scarring.

Acne: About Adult Onset Acne
In recent years, women in their 20s, 30s and even 40s are showing up at doctor's offices across the country with outbreaks of acne. Although only 1% of men, and 5% of women over 40 suffer from acne, knowing this doesn't make you feel any better if you are one of those statistics!

If you are one of these women, take heart, treatment is available. The sooner you go for help, the better. Without help, some women have continuing problems with acne until they reach menopause.

Grown men also may suffer from acne. Acne in men is caused by the same factors discussed earlier [See Introduction for a list of common causes]. In men who first experience acne as adults, the cause is often attributed to a hormonal over stimulation of the sebaceous glands (too much testosterone).  However, men aren't put on hormonal treatments, such as oral contraceptives, because those are designed for the unique hormonal needs and desired balance of estrogen and testosterone for women. Instead, men are usually put on Accutane, which may provide excellent results.

Since adult onset acne in both women and men is often harder to treat than teen cases, it usually requires drug therapy. You don't want to wait until it is severe.

Many "late onset" acne patients are under a lot of stress in their lives. In fact, 57% blamed stress as the major reason for the outbreak. While doctors disagree about the role of stress in the acne equation, most agree that stress can increase the male hormone (testosterone) in both women and men.  Since higher levels of testosterone, and a heightened follicle response can "switch on" the oil glands, and lead them to produce more oil, it is possible that stress is at least linked with adult onset acne.

While stress by itself won't cause acne, if the tendency toward having acne is already present, and a stressful event occurs, such as a big exam, or an important project deadline, that stress can contribute to an acne breakout.

Adults can suffer even more than teenagers, because as a teenager, many of your peers (up to 80%) are experiencing acne along with you. In the adult years, acne sufferers can sometimes feel self-conscious and alone. Though you may feel alone, you are not.

Hormonal imbalances often play a role in adult onset acne, especially in women who suffer an outbreak the week before their period. Dr. Pearsall can discuss available options with you. [See Introduction and Acne: About the Treatments].

The good news about acne is that there are many effective remedies now available. When you go to Longevity Centre of Houston, we will examine your skin to determine the severity of your condition. We will talk with you and make recommendations based upon your specific problem.

What Treatments Are Available?
Topical Acne Medicines - often used to treat mild to moderate acne. Most acne creams contain benzoyl peroxide, which dries out the pimple and blocks infection. The Medicalia line offers the most comprehensive approach for the treatment of Mild, Moderate and Severe types of Acne.

Acne Mild/Moderate | Acne Moderate/Severe

Some oral antibiotics are also prescribed in topical form, such as: clindamycin, erythromycin, or tetracycline, and may be combined with benzoyl peroxide.

Antibiotics - both topical (applied to the skin), and those taken orally.

Oral antibiotics, taken in pill form, work not just on the surface of the skin, but also internally, on the whole body. They inhibit the development of bacteria throughout the body, and may be used along with topical creams. They have been safely prescribed for over 40 years with good results.

If you have acne on the back or shoulders, where application of topical creams may be hard to do, then an oral antibiotic may be an easier treatment than trying to apply the cream twice a day to blemishes in hard-to-reach locations.

When oral antibiotics are prescribed, they are low-dose, and are usually given for a period of weeks or months.  It is important that if you are given these medications, that you not stop taking them when the acne starts clearing up. The antibiotic regimen should be continued until Dr. Pearsall takes you off the medication.

Hormonal therapy - If you are a woman, and we suspect a hormonal imbalance, particularly if acne often flares up just before your period, you may be placed on an estrogen-based Natural Hormone, which will lessen the amount of androgens (male hormones) in your body. Spironolactone, is often used, because it blocks the effect of testosterone on the oil gland and hair follicles, which often causes acne to worsen. Sometimes both Natural Hormone and Spironolactone are used together to balance the hormones and reduce acne.

Retin-A - is applied directly to the skin, and has been very effective in mild to moderate cases.

Anti-Inflammatory Injections - injections of anti-inflammatory medications may be provided by Dr. Pearsall with almost immediate results in the case of enlarged cysts.

The latest treatment for acne involves the use of FPL therapy.  FPL has a bacterialcidal (killing) effect on the p. acnes bacteria and has proven to be a non-invasive method of controlling Acne.

To know which treatment is best for you, see Dr. Pearsall, who can evaluate your skin condition and suggest the best and safest treatment methods.

How Long Does Treatment Take?
Most treatments take anywhere from two weeks to two months to see noticeable results. However, many treatments must be sustained over weeks, and even months, for continued acne control. Combined methods may result in quicker recovery. No matter what treatment you are trying, you need to allow two months before you start to judge how well it is doing. In two months, you are looking for approximately a 50% improvement.

Most treatments work in one or more of the following ways:

Acne: Who Is a Candidate?
Anyone who is experiencing acne and is bothered by it should begin seeking treatment. A recent survey found that 75% of people with acne feel depressed because of their skin condition. For people who suffer with acne, it often affects their everyday life, making them feel more self-conscious, and lowering self-esteem. With the varied treatments available today, there's no need to "wait to grow out of it" or to suffer needlessly for months or years while the condition worsens. Waiting for it to "go away" too often results in physical and emotional scarring.

Those with mild acne (mostly blackheads, whiteheads and noninflamed blemishes) are usually good candidates for the benzoyl peroxide treatments. Often Dr. Pearsall will suggest starting with a 5% gel prescription, such as Benzac, which can be applied to the blemished skin area once or twice a day. This treatment works best when the condition is mild, and the pimples are on easy-to-treat locations of the body, such as the face or chest. If the acne persists or worsens, other methods will be used.

People with moderate acne, or mild acne in hard-to-reach areas of the body, such as the back and shoulders, may be given oral antibiotics, such as tetracycline. Many patients start off with either an oral antibiotic, or perhaps an oral and a topical antibiotic. If you have allergic reactions to antibiotics, or if you've developed a resistance to certain medications, such as with some of the tetracycline drugs, then Dr. Pearsall may prescribe other alternatives.

Usually if a hormonal imbalance is suspected, Dr. Pearsall will suggest Natural Hormone treatments, in the form of topical creams. Dr. Pearsall may do blood tests or ultrasound to determine if an imbalance exists.

Helpful Hints To Follow While Being Treated For Acne:
Drink plenty of water.

Use non-comedogenic (non acne causing) grooming products, such as shampoo, hair gels, and makeup to avoid blocking pores.

If you are on a retinoid medication, avoid exposure to direct sunlight. If you must be exposed to sun, use a non-comedogenic sunscreen to protect your skin, which will be especially prone to burning.

Use mild soap and water to cleanse the face. Avoid abrasive facial sponges and harsh cleansers that may actually worsen acne. Pat your face dry with a towel, and avoid rubbing, which increases oil production.

Avoid hats, headbands, or tight clothing which can aggravate acne (because the friction causing the follicles to become inflamed. Also avoid bracing the telephone against the chin or jaw, for the same reason.  If you are on the telephone often, you might consider purchasing a telephone headset to avoid skin irritation.

Look for "oil free" cosmetics to avoid blocking pores.