Acne vulgaris is a dermatological pathology that teenagers often face. During puberty, there is an increased work of the sebaceous glands. This causes overly oily skin and the formation of acne. However, adults can also suffer from this disease. This is a chronic disease that occurs with inflammation of the epidermis and the formation of acne and comedones - black dots on the skin. When a bacterial infection is attached, small acne is converted into boils. This disease is otherwise called "acne vulgaris".
What is a disease
Acne vulgaris is the result of increased work of the sebaceous glands. When their ducts are blocked, a black dot appears on the skin - a comedo. This is the result of the accumulation of fat and particles of keratinized epidermis. When bacteria attach to the skin, nodules of red color are formed, and on thempus accumulates at the top.
Blackheads can break through with pressure or on their own. After that, a crust forms on the surface of the skin, and then a scar. Pigment spots (post-acne) also remain on the epidermis.
Causes of skin pathology
The main cause of acne vulgaris is increased oily skin (seborrhea). We can distinguish the following factors that lead to increased activity of the sebaceous glands:
- Failures and pathologies of the endocrine system. Violations of the endocrine glands lead to excessive oiliness of the skin.
- Wrong diet. Excessive consumption of fats negatively affects the condition of the skin.
- Medication taking. Some medications can cause temporary endocrine disruptions. This is especially true for steroid hormones.
- Hereditary factor. Sometimes the tendency to develop acne is genetically determined.
- Disorders of the digestive tract. Diseases such as stomach ulcers or gastritis can also lead to acne.
Acne often forms during puberty and during pregnancy. This is due to hormonal changes in the body. Non-compliance with hygiene also leads to the appearance of acne vulgaris, when the secretions of the sebaceous glands are not washed off the skin in time.
Symptoms of disease
Most often, rashes are observed on the face. Acne vulgaris on the back is formed in 60% of cases. It is usually noted in people of mature age. Lesions may also appear on the shoulders, chest, and limbs.
The first sign of the disease is the appearance of black dots on the skin. This symptom indicates a blockage of the sebaceous glands. Comedones most often form on the chin and on the wings of the nose. If you press on them, then a rod with a black head comes out. These are open rashes. Skin inflammation is not observed.
Then papules and pustules form on the epidermis. They are cone shaped. Inside, these rashes are filled with pus - an accumulation of lymphocytes and neutrophils. The skin around these lesions is inflamed.
In advanced cases, acne may form in the form of a cyst. Nodules appear on the skin. Then their purulent fusion is observed. The cyst may turn into a boil or abscess. This occurs when an infection enters or is squeezed out. In place of such formations, long-term non-healing scars remain.
The most severe form of the disease is acne globulus. This pathology is usually observed in men of mature age. In this case, several acne merge into a single formation. It has the shape of a crimson ball and can reach the size of a cherry. Globular eels are painful. Over time, they break through, while thick pus is released. Large white scars form at the site of healing.
The difference between rosacea and acne vulgaris
Rosacea and acne vulgaris are two different skin diseases. They differ somewhat in their symptoms. Rosacea usually occurs in mature people after 40 years of age, they are noted only on the face. Acne vulgaris appears most often in puberty and in adolescence. They may be scattered all over the body.
Erythema in rosacea and acne vulgaris looks different. This is an important differential sign in the diagnosis of the two types of acne. Pink acne is always accompanied by diffuse redness of the skin and dilation of blood vessels. With acne vulgaris, there is no such symptom, there is only a slight hyperemia around the rash.
International Classification of Diseases Code
According to the ICD, acne vulgaris belongs to a group of diseases grouped under the codes L65 - L75. This department includes all skin pathologies. Different types of acne are designated by the common code L70. The ICD-10 code for acne vulgaris is L70.0.
What not to do with acne
First of all, don't pop blackheads yourself. This can lead to infection. In this case, a boil forms at the site of the pimple, and sometimes an abscess. In severe cases, popping a pimple at home has even led to sepsis.
Many women try to cover up acne with a thick layer of powder. This also should not be done. A thick layer of makeup clogs the pores even more, and as a result, the rash only gets worse.
You should not start the disease and hope that acne will disappear on its own. This pathology requires serious treatment by a dermatologist.
Diagnosis
It is possible to identify the disease during an external examination by the appearance of the patient's skin. However, it is necessary to establish the cause of the appearance of acne vulgaris. To this end, the doctor prescribes the followingexaminations:
- Complete blood count. This study is prescribed for severe forms of acne. The number of leukocytes and the ESR index may indicate an inflammatory process of the epidermis.
- Blood test for hormones (testosterone, dihydrotestosterone). High levels of male hormones can cause acne.
- Research for glucose. With diabetes, increased activity of the sebaceous glands and the appearance of acne can be noted.
- Bacteriological analysis. A sample is taken from the affected areas of the epidermis and sent to the laboratory for sowing. This allows you to determine the type of pathogen if the appearance of acne is accompanied by a bacterial infection.
- Study of the function of the gastrointestinal tract. The patient needs to be checked for intestinal dysbiosis. Violation of the microflora leads to an increased work of the immune system, which can cause acne.
Medication and diet
How to treat acne vulgaris? The choice of method of therapy depends on the severity of the skin lesion and the type of acne. In mild forms of epidermal damage, treatment is carried out with local remedies. Assign creams and ointments with antibacterial and wound-healing effect. These include:
- Sulfur ointment. It has bactericidal properties, which is especially useful for infection of rashes. In addition, sulfur inhibits the activity of the sebaceous glands.
- Retinoic ointment. This drug also reduces the rate of fat formation. It also relieves inflammation and has a wound healing effect.
- "Differin". This remedyindicated for blackheads on the skin. It does not allow keratinized scales to accumulate on the epidermis and prevents blockage of the ducts of the sebaceous glands.
- Azelainic acid. The drug is useful for staphylococcal lesions of the epidermis. In addition, it prevents blockage of the subcutaneous glands.
They also prescribe preparations in the form of face and body lotions:
- "Clerasil". This remedy is used to treat acne vulgaris on the back, face and other parts of the body. The composition of the product includes the anti-inflammatory substance allantoin, aloe juice, which has regenerating properties, and salicylic acid, which dries the epidermis. Such a complex action helps to eliminate rashes.
- "Zinerite". The lotion contains the antibiotic erythromycin and zinc sulfate, which inhibits the activity of the sebaceous glands.
In the treatment of severe acne vulgaris, the use of topical agents is combined with oral medication. Assign hormonal contraceptive drug "Diana-35". This tool blocks skin receptors that are sensitive to male sex hormones. It helps to get rid of acne, especially if the causes of their appearance are associated with endocrine disruptions.
If acne is complicated by the addition of a bacterial infection, then oral antibiotics are prescribed: "Erythromycin", "Metrogil", "Doxycycline","Clindamycin".
One of the new methods of acne treatment is plasma therapy. Blood is taken from the patient and plasma with platelets is isolated from it. Then this composition is drawn into a syringe and injected under the skin. This contributes to the rejuvenation and restoration of epidermal cells. There are no allergic reactions, as the patient is injected with his own blood particles.
Treatment of acne vulgaris with medicines is supplemented by taking multivitamins. These substances help to improve metabolic processes and cleanse the epidermis. Diet plays an important role. It is necessary to exclude fatty foods and sweets from the diet. It is useful to consume dairy products, cereals, vegetables and fruits.
Cosmetological treatments
Skin cleansing procedures are carried out in the conditions of beauty parlors and clinics. These methods help eliminate rashes. In the treatment of acne, the following types of cosmetic treatment are indicated:
- Peeling. This method is useful for blackheads on the skin. The procedure consists in removing the top layer of the skin in various ways. It also removes comedones. Peeling helps to expand the skin pores, which allows therapeutic creams to penetrate deeper.
- Laser therapy. The laser beams penetrate under the skin into the layer where the glands are located. As a result, sebum production is reduced, bacteria are destroyed and pores are narrowed. Usually after just a few treatments, the skin becomes much clearer.
- Mesotherapy. This procedure is carried out manually or with the help of special devices. Do microinjections of drugsunder the skin. Enter vitamins, antibacterial substances or retinoid agents that reduce the production of fat. The injections are carried out with very thin needles and do not cause pain. Improvement in skin condition is noted after 5-10 treatments.
- Phototherapy. The affected areas are affected by light pulses. They activate a special pigment porphyrin, which destroys bacteria. This method is indicated for infectious acne.
- Ozone therapy. A mixture of ozone and oxygen is injected into the skin around the rash. It has antibacterial and wound healing properties, and also improves blood circulation. This is a rather lengthy procedure, it is carried out within an hour. Improvement occurs after 2-3 sessions.
Folk remedies
With moderate to mild acne, folk remedies can help. However, they should be used after consultation with a dermatologist. With a severe degree of the disease, it is better not to self-medicate, since festering acne can leave scars and spots on the skin. Only a doctor can deal with such consequences.
The following recipes will help clear the skin of acne:
- Aloe juice. This remedy relieves inflammation and helps restore the skin. The juice is squeezed out of the plant and rubbed on the skin at night.
- Plantain juice. The leaves of the plant are washed, crushed, put in a bowl and kept until they release the juice. The resulting product wipe the skin 1 time per day.
- Calendula tincture. This tool canbuy at the pharmacy. It is used to wipe the skin with acne 1 time per day.
- Beer yeast mask. This product is rich in B vitamins, which improve blood microcirculation and help fight inflammation. You will need 1 tablespoon of yeast and milk. The ingredients are mixed until a mushy state. The resulting mass is applied to the affected areas and kept for 10-15 minutes. Then the composition is washed off with water.
- Baking soda mask. Water is mixed with soda until a slurry is formed. The composition is applied to the face, while avoiding getting the mass into the eyes. The mask is kept for 5-10 minutes and then washed off. This composition is useful for blackheads, as soda dissolves sebaceous plugs.
Therapy Reviews
You can find many positive reviews about the treatment of acne vulgaris with a laser. Already a week after the first procedure, the effect was noticeable: the number of acne was significantly reduced. People report that laser therapy is well tolerated and there is no discomfort during the session.
Many patients had to be treated with ointments and hormonal drugs for a long time. However, after some time, acne vulgaris reappeared on the skin. Reviews indicate that peeling helps in such difficult cases. After several procedures, the skin became like new, not only acne disappeared, but also their consequences - age spots with scars.
Ozone therapy has also received a lot of positive feedback. Complete cleansing of the epidermis usually required about 10 procedures, and the entire course of treatmenttook 6 months. After the third session of ozone treatment, acne starts to dry out. After the entire course of therapy, the skin becomes clear. This significantly reduces the greasiness and fat content of the epidermis. At the same time, patients note that in order to achieve the best effect, ozone treatment should be combined with the use of local skin cleansing products.
Acne Prevention
To prevent the formation of blackheads, you need to clean your skin regularly and thoroughly. This must be done not only during washing, but also with the help of special cosmetics. People with oily skin are especially prone to acne. In this case, it is necessary to use special masks and lotions to cleanse the epidermis. Creams for oily skin are also useful.
You need to eat right and limit foods high in fat in your diet. It is important to monitor the hormonal photon of the body. Endocrine disorders are the main cause of skin acne.
The appearance of acne in puberty is almost impossible to prevent. This is the result of hormonal changes in the body, and doctors cannot influence this. Such acne usually disappears at the age of 20-22 years. During puberty, attention should be paid to regular cleansing of the skin. This will help to avoid bacterial complications and the transition of acne into a chronic form.
