Acne is a disease that needs to be treated. Contrary to popular belief, acne, which affects 80% of the society at some point in their lives, is not a condition unique to adolescence. It doesn’t go away after puberty anyway. Acne needs to be treated. For;
* Being pimple affects the external appearance of the person negatively and reduces the person’s self-belief. Acne is in the first place among the diseases that negatively affect the quality of life in the researches.
* Pimples leave stains and scars as they pass. Treating blemishes and scars is more difficult than once. It is sometimes not possible to completely eradicate it.
* Pimples can be seen together with some diseases. Polycystic ovary syndrome, hidradenitis supurativa, pilonoidal sinus and sacroileitis are some of them.
Acne is most common on the face. It can also be seen on the back, chest area, shoulders, upper arms and hips.
With the start of the adrenal glands at the beginning of the puberty period, black spots (open comedones) begin to appear in the middle of the face, especially in the nose, forehead and chin area. These are sometimes accompanied by white dots (closed comedones), which appear more appropriate when the skin is stretched. Later, with the work of the ovaries and testicles, other symptoms of acne begin to appear. As the severity of acne can vary between individuals, there may also be differences in the same person over time.
A history of acne or acne scars in the mother and / or father are valuable clues about the severity of acne and the process it will follow.
Acne is not unique to puberty. Although it is most common in young adults, it can also be seen in the 30s and 40s.
Acne is a condition that needs to be treated. Treatment is planned after the severity of acne is graded by your dermatologist. Your age, how many years you have had acne, the acne treatments you have used before, the skin care products you are still using, your other treatments and your make-up choice, your menstrual system, whether you are prone to hair growth, hair loss and/or weight gain, and your medication and nutritional habits are effective in choosing the treatment.
Most acne is treated with drugs such as topical cream/gel/lotion applied to the skin. It takes 4-8 weeks for the pimples to begin to decrease and disappear. For this reason, it is essential to be patient and use medicines regularly. Gently washing the face area twice a day with suitable cleansers does not cure acne, but it increases the effectiveness of drug treatments. Therefore, it is the first step and is valuable. It may be necessary to use oral medications in the treatment of severe acne. In addition to the drugs you use during the acne treatment, your dermatologist may perform applications such as chemical peeling, light and laser treatments, and mild cautery.
Tips for dealing with acne;
1. Gently wash your face 2 times a day (morning and evening) and quickly after sweating with a suitable cleanser without rubbing or brushing your skin with your fingertips.
2. Choose cleansers that do not irritate your skin, do not contain alcohol, and are suitable for skin pH. Avoid cleansers with astringent, tonic and exfoliative effects.
3. Wash your hair regularly, if your hair is oily, you can wash it every day.
4. Keep your hands away from your face.
5. Avoid the sun and solarium. Contrary to popular belief, the sun’s rays and solarium do not dry your acne, they only camouflage it. After 1-2 months, acne will increase/exacerbate.
6. It is very valuable that you use the medicines prescribed by your dermatologist, even though they are recommended. Acne medications can cause redness, peeling, and irritation on the skin, in this case, do not stop the medication, ask your doctor for help to reduce these negative effects.
7. Acne medications are not used only when acne occurs or on acne. It prevents new acne breakouts when used systematically. Therefore, it is necessary to use it systematically on the entire face area and to be patient for the result.