Acne Information : General information about acne

• Stress does not cause acne.
• Nearly 17 million people in the United States have acne, making it the most common skin disease.
• Acne lesions usually occur on the face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders.
• Doctors call acne lesions, we call acne pimples or zits.
• Acne affects both teenagers and adults.
• Acne is caused by overactive oil glands (sebaceous glands), stimulated by the hormone androgen, mixing with dead skin cells, which leads to plugged pores and outbreaks. This is particularly true during the teenage years when androgen production is at its highest.
• Acne is a treatable condition. There is no need to wait for skin to clear up on its own. The longer you wait, the more likely your chances are of permanent scarring.
• Not everyone outgrows acne. Altough acne mostly affects teenagers, it is a condition that also affects men and women into adulthood.
• While a suntan may make blemishes and scars less apparent, tanning may actually make acne worse. Suntans cause the skin to increase sebum production, which is one of the factors that lead to acne in the first place. Also, many acne treatments make skin sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) rays.