Acne scarring is an acute problem especially for those who have experienced ugly flare ups of acne in the past. Nearly 80% of all people are affected by acne when they are in their teens and twenties. Though many are left unscathed by acne attacks, some may have life-long scars which can be a constant source of embarrassment. There are many treatment options for treating acne scars ranging from topical skin creams to surgical intervention. Of course the importance of preventive measures can not be undermined especially if you want to avoid a life-long problem.

Preventions is the best way to avoid any future problem with acne. To prevent acne breakouts, it is important to know what causes acne in the first place. One of the easiest ways to prevent acne is to wash your face daily with a mild antibacterial soap and avoid using heavy lotions and creams in areas which are prone to acne.

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What causes acne?

When pores become clogged with oil and dead skin cells, bacteria called acne that are already in the pores begin to increase. This leads to pimples and cysts. There are four classifications of acne. Some people may have more than one type.

Blackheads
The mildest form of acne is blackheads. While oil and bacteria are found in blackheads, it is the skin pigment keratin, not dirt, which caused the dark appearance. Because blackheads have an open pore, inflammation rarely occurs.

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When you first start using acne glycolic acid for acne, it takes time to reverse stopped up pores.  It takes time to get to the harden sebum oil and soften it.  It will take up to 3-6 weeks to do this, depending on the severity of your condition.  Regular used of glycolic acid helps to prevent pore blockage and acne.

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Statistics indicate that as high as 80% of the entire American population has ever had acne. Acne afflicts all genders, sexes and ages making it a universal skin disorder. As a form of skin disease, the good news is that acne is not transmittable.

Although acne is not contagious from person-to-person, it can spread to the whole face and can severely affect all the skin tissues that have pilosebaceous units. It is not true that acne just affects those going through puberty. Even infants or individuals who may be well over their forties, can develop this skin disorder. Acne infantilis is the term used for acne that grows on newborn babies, on the other hand acne rosacea is related to middle-aged people.

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If you are a teenager or young adult, I am sure you would have noticed that only a small percentage of people are blessed with a perfect and radiant skin. You would agree with me, that not only are the majority of people not endowed with beautiful skin, a large number of young adults and teenagers are afflicted with the “monster” called acne.

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Acne is a disorder that involves the hair-oil (pilosebaceous) apparatus of the skin. Acne vulgaris or common acne (referred to herein as adolescent acne) begins in the teen or preteen years. In general, it becomes less active as adolescence ends, but it may continue into adulthood. Acne that initially occurs in adulthood is designated post adolescent acne or adult-onset acne.

Despite the clinical similarities and occasional overlapping of adolescent and post adolescent acne, the pathogenesis and treatment of each are often different.
Acne-like disorders, such as neonatal acne, drug induced acne, rosacea, and other so-called acne form conditions, are also considered separate entities because of differences in pathogenesis and treatment.

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Perhaps one of the most lasting effects of teenage acne is acne scarring. These scars can persist for years, never disappearing in quite a few cases. Even mild acne can scar, but most of the time is it severe acne that leave very visible scars. Popping pimples can lead to acne scars as well. There are a few things you can do to try and minimize scarring, but sometimes the scars happen and there is nothing you can do about it. This is especially true with severe forms of acne, such as cystic acne, where the acne lesions persist for weeks or sometimes months and leave behind very noticeable acne scars.

Types of Acne Scars

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Basically, there is no cure for acne. However, there are many acne treatment products that one can use in order to control acne breakouts. In general, there are three kinds of acne treatment products – topical, systemic and procedural. The choice for an acne treatment program large depends on the severity and the type of the acne problem. Expert dermatologists will have to determine the patient’s acne severity grade before they can provide you with an effective treatment plan.

Classifications of acne cases

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Acne can be easily divided in to three main types. All these three types of acne are further classified and this classification is usually based on the severity of the condition.

The severity is further based on the number of lesions that are present on the body in conjunction with the presence of persistence, psychological impact as well as scaring.

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Acne is a disease of pilosebaceous units in the skin. It is thought to be caused by the interplay of four factors. Excessive sebum production secondary to sebaceous gland hyperplasia is the first abnormality to occur. Subsequent hyperkeratinization of the hair follicle prevents normal shedding of the follicular keratinocytes, which then obstruct the follicle and form an inapparent microcomedo. Lipids and cellular debris soon accumulate within the blocked follicle. This microenvironment encourages colonization of Propionibacterium acnes, which provokes an immune response through the production of numerous inflammatory mediators. Inflammation is further enhanced by follicular rupture and subsequent leakage of lipids, bacteria, and fatty acids into the dermis.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of acne is based on the history and physical examination. Lesions most commonly develop in areas with the greatest concentration of sebaceous glands, which include the face, neck, chest, upper arms, and back. Acne vulgaris may be defined as any disorder of the skin whose initial pathology is the microscopic microcomedo. The microcomedo may evolve into visible open comedones (“blackheads”) or closed comedones (“whiteheads”). Subsequently, inflammatory papules, pustules, and nodules may develop. Nodulocystic acne consists of pustular lesions larger than 0.5 cm. The presence of excoriations,
postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, and scars should be noted. Acne may be triggered or worsened by external factors such as mechanical obstruction, occupational exposures, or medications. Cosmetics and emollients may occlude follicles and cause an acne form eruption. Topical corticosteroids may produce
perioral dermatitis, a localized erythematous papular or pustular eruption. Endocrine causes of acne include Cushing’s disease or syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome, and congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
Clinical clues to possible hyperandrogenism in women include dysmenorrhea, virilization and severe acne.
Classification
In 1990, the American Academy of Dermatology developed a classification scheme for primary acne vulgaris. This grading scale delineates three levels of acne: mild, moderate, and severe. Mild acne is characterized by the presence of few to several papules and pustules, but no nodules. Patients with moderate acne have several too many papules and pustules, along with a few to several nodules. With severe acne, patients have numerous or extensive papules and pustules, as well as many nodules.
Acne also is classified by type of lesion comedonal, papulopustular, and nodulocystic. Pustules and cysts are considered inflammatory acne.
Therapy
Selection of topical therapy should be based on the severity and type of acne. Topical retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, and azelaic acid are effective treatments for mild acne. Topical antibiotics and medications with bacteriostatic and anti-inflammatory properties are effective for treating mild to moderate inflammatory acne. Proper selection of topical formulations may decrease side effects and increase patient compliance. Fortunately, most acne medications are available in several forms.
Topical Antibiotics
These agents are another mainstay of acne treatment. Topical antibiotics commonly are used in conjunction with retinoids or benzoyl peroxide in patients with any degree of inflammatory acne. These drugs normally are applied once or twice daily.