Acne – the bane of a teenager’s life. It might be the common blight for those in their teenage years but the disease has a far reaching effect as it can scar the skin and impact the sufferer’s self-esteem quite dramatically. It might not be dangerous but the effects may be devastating from an emotional, physical and social perspective. Essentially, acne forms when the pores of your skin become blocked by an oily liquid called sebum and then becomes infected. Sebum, hair and skin cells form a plug within the pore and once the plug becomes infected, a swelling starts to form. Once the ‘plug’ breaks down, the telltale pimples start to form.
Acne is a noticeable disease and it affects your face, neck, shoulders, chest and back. Skin specialists confirm that ¾ of those within the 11-30 years age group will get acne at some time. But note that acne can affect people of all ages and indeed, races, it’s certainly not restricted to those within their teenage years. Men and women can contract this disease but young males seem to suffer from acne for longer periods, possibly because of testosterone levels.
