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ACNE
GENERAL
INFORMATION:
What
is acne (ak-nee)?
Acne
is one of the most common skin problems. The blackheads, whiteheads
(pimples), or red bumps of acne affect nearly every teenager
and many young adults. Acne happens when a "plug"
of oils and skin gets stuck in a follicle (fall-ih-kull).
A follicle is the pore from which a hair grows. The area around
the follicle swells and reddens.
Most of the time people stop having acne after a few years
but you may keep getting some pimples all your life. Acne
can last many years and may cause skin scarring. Acne can
also cause you not to feel good about yourself. This can lead
to depression, anxiety, or other emotional problems.
Causes:
It
is not known what causes acne. Body hormones and how they
act with one another may be a possible cause. Hormones are
special chemicals that your body makes. The job of hormones
is to control how different parts of your body work. During
early teenage years boys and girls start to make more sex
hormones. These hormones are called androgens (an-dro-jins).
Androgens control the oil-making glands inside the pores (or
hair follicles) of your skin. Oil glands make an oily substance
called sebum (see-bum). When too much sebum is made, hair
follicles get clogged. The clogging causes whiteheads, blackheads,
and pimples. Acne may also be caused by stress or germs on
the skin. Some families have more problems with acne than
people in other families.
Signs and Symptoms: Acne can be mild or very severe. It is
most common on the face. But it can also be on the shoulders,
back, chest, arms, and buttocks (rear end). You may have different
kinds of acne sores on your body. A cyst may form in the follicle
and fill to make a whitehead. Or the plug may come to the
top of your skin and looks black. This is called a blackhead.
You may have small pink painful bumps that are close to the
top of the skin. You may also have large, hard, painful lumps
that are pus-filled.
Care:
There is no cure for acne but it can be controlled. Caregivers
will decide how to treat you after carefully checking your
skin. Creams, lotions, or pills may be used to treat your
acne.
CARE
AGREEMENT:
You
have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan
you must learn about acne and how it is treated. You can then
discuss your treatment options with your caregivers. You can
work with them to decide what care will be used to treat your
acne. You always have the right to refuse treatment.
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