Acne

What is acne?

Acne; These are red pimples that are located on the pores of our skin on the face, neck, back and body, appear as puffy from the skin, and can be inflamed from time to time. Not every situation with a similar appearance is acne. Sometimes ingrown hairs and some microbial conditions can be confused with acne. In addition, acne can be a sign of many underlying health problems.

It is the most common skin disease in adolescence. It occurs in approximately 40% of individuals aged 12-18 years. During puberty, oil secretion increases with the effect of hormones. Oily skin pores are easier to clog. Therefore, it is often seen in adolescents. It occurs especially in the face, shoulders, back and chest areas and can have negative effects on the psychology of young people.

What causes acne to occur?

Many factors play a role in its formation. In genetically susceptible individuals, thickening of the hair-sebaceous gland channel, where the oil secretion is thrown out of the skin, and the tendency of the channel to become blocked due to the stickiness of the cells here is an important factor. Other factors are that the increased oil secretion (sebum) during puberty accumulates in this channel and forms black or white dots called comedones. Physical factors as well as genetic factors play a role in the clogging of pores. Physical factors include the use of oily creams, hot weather, increased sweating, make-up and not using suitable skin cleansers. Other causes of acne include; This is because bacteria settle in the sebum in these clogged pores and cause an inflammation, that is, inflammation. In acne that occurs in this way, redness and inflamed bumps can be seen on our skin.

Is there a genetic predisposition to acne?

In individuals with severe acne problems in their family, acne can be seen more intensely and acne may not be seen at all. However, there is still a genetic predisposition.

Is there a relationship between diet and acne?

In recent studies, it has been stated that acne is triggered by foods with a high glycemic index (foods with a high glycemic index cause blood sugar to rise rapidly, and as a result, the stored insulin from the pancreas is rapidly delivered to the blood and the amount of insulin in the blood increases rapidly). Therefore, it is not recommended to take such foods in excessive amounts and use them unilaterally. Foods with a high glycemic index include potatoes, white bread, white rice, white sugar, processed juices, bananas (ripe), watermelon, crackers, corn chips and cereal. Apart from this, some patients describe an increase in acne severity after foods with high caloric value such as seeds, deep fried, chocolate. It is beneficial for these patients to stay away from these types of foods that they think increase their acne complaints.

Is there a connection between menstrual irregularity and acne?

If a female patient has acne that starts at an advanced age, although she is not in adolescence, if one or more of the complaints of menstrual irregularity, difficulty in losing weight, excessive hair growth around the chin, abdomen, back and nipples are present, she should be evaluated in terms of hormone disorder. In these patients, ovarian cyst, that is, polycysticovary disease, is suspected. In this disease, the complaint of acne is quite resistant and its treatment is quite different from the acne treatment used in men. In general, it should not be forgotten that acne complaints may increase in most women during menstrual periods. This is a natural process caused by hormones and is not a sign of disease. In addition, acne can be exacerbated by the effect of hormones during pregnancy.

Is it recommended to squeeze acne?

No, it is definitely not recommended to squeeze and play with acne. In some types of acne, acne lesions can be drained only under the supervision of a doctor. Inflammation may spread in the tampered acne, redness may increase, and the risk of scarring increases.