Acne: An insidious enemy of adolescence is now curable
The new data in its treatment
Until recently, acne afflicted people of adolescent age who had to deal with long-term treatments. Today’s lifestyle, where stress dominates, has the effect of extending the problem of acne to older ages. However, the news from the field of medicine is pleasant since great strides have been made in the field of Dermatology for the treatment of acne. Dr. Evangelia Papakonstantinou, dermatologist – aphrodisiac, speaks to Ciao magazine.
-Doctor, what is acne, what factors cause it and above all, how much does our stressful lifestyle make the problem worse?
Acne is a disease that is found in areas rich in sebaceous glands (face, forehead, back, chest). It is caused by the overactivity of the sebaceous glands and the blockage of their duct. These glands are controlled by certain hormones, androgens, and produce sebum, which is a mixture of lipids. These lipids, after the effect of some microorganisms such as propionobacterium aches and staphylococcus can be converted inside the gland, into phagerogens and irritant free fatty acids. So the secretion of sebum worsens acne, while the more severe the form of acne, the greater the production of sebum.
Some of the factors that play a role in the appearance of acne are age, diet, climate, environment, stress, taking various medications, various endocrine disorders (such as polycystic ovaries) as well as genetic predisposition.
-Often the problem of acne is not immediately noticeable. What are the signs that will make us worry that we have acne and how does it appear? What are its characteristics?
It is true that the problem is not immediately visible and when it is noticed great efforts are made to treat it.
The characteristic signs of acne are intense oiliness of the skin, freckles, which can be closed or open (“blackheads”), red papules (“red pimples”) and pustules (“red pimples with a white center”). . In severe cases of acne, nodules (painful lumps under the skin), cysts, scars and keloids may appear. These elements may appear mainly on the face, back and chest. On the face, acne is most commonly found on the forehead and around the mouth. The location on the forehead is probably due to the habit of leaving the hair, “fringe”.
-How many forms of acne are there?
Common acne
This is the most common form of acne. It is one of the first manifestations of puberty, although today it begins much earlier than in the past. Thus, gophers and raccoons are often observed from the age of 10. The condition reaches its peak activity between the ages of 16 and 18 and then regresses, although it often does not disappear until the age of 25.
Postadolescent acne in women
This is a very common form of acne that appears in women of 20-30 years old who did not have a problem in adolescence. The condition usually subsides between the ages of 30-40 but not always.
This form of acne tends to be located on the chin and results in the formation of painful nodules that worsen with menstruation. Most patients show increased levels of testosterone in their blood serum, a hormone that is considered responsible for the creation of acne. Also some patients show symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome.
-Is acne treatment really an easy task? How is it treated?
Acne patients should know that treatment is easy, as long as they have patience and don’t expect spectacular results in a few days. And this is because acne treatment is usually long-term (up to 6 months). Special medicated cosmetics, various topical preparations (such as creams, gels, solutions) and oral pills (such as antibiotics, Vitamin A derivatives or contraceptives) are used for treatment. In recent years, various treatments performed in the dermatology clinic, such as peeling, dermabrasion, etc., have been added to our weapons against acne.
Interview with Niki Mousama
Evangelia Papakonstantinou MD, MSc
Specialist Dermatologist – Venereologist
Aesthetic dermatology – Dermatosurgery
Laser applications
