redness/rosacea/acne

redness/rosacea/acne

Redness, rosacea, and acne are common but treatable skin conditions. We offer a variety of treatment options for these common skin conditions.

Rosacea

Rosacea is a common skin condition that causes blushing or flushing and visible blood vessels in your face. It may also produce small, pus-filled bumps. These signs and symptoms may flare up for weeks to months and then go away for a while. Rosacea can be mistaken for acne, other skin problems or natural ruddiness.

Rosacea can affect anyone. While there's no cure for rosacea, treatment can control and reduce the signs and symptoms.

Redness

There are a few different reasons why a patient might be dealing with discoloration and redness of the skin. Skin redness and pigmentation problems may be caused by:

•        Rosacea
•        Dry skin
•        Sun exposure
•        Aging skin
•        Rashes

Once patients understand what is causing their concerns, they can then work with a professional to relieve the skin and improve texture and tone.

Acne

Acne is a skin condition that occurs when your hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells. It causes whiteheads, blackheads or pimples. Acne is most common among teenagers, though it affects people of all ages.

Effective acne treatments are available, but acne can be persistent. The pimples and bumps heal slowly, and when one begins to go away, others seem to crop up.

Depending on its severity, acne can cause emotional distress and scar the skin. The earlier you start treatment, the lower your risk of such problems.

acne Symptoms

Acne signs vary depending on the severity of your condition:

• Whiteheads (closed plugged pores)
• Blackheads (open plugged pores)
• Small red, tender bumps (papules)
• Pimples (pustules), which are papules with pus at their tips
• Large, solid, painful lumps under the skin (nodules)
• Painful, pus-filled lumps under the skin (cystic lesions)

Acne usually appears on the face, forehead, chest, upper back and shoulders.

How Does Acne Develop?

The sebaceous glands produce oil (sebum) which normally travels via hair follicles to the skin surface. However, skin cells can plug the follicles, blocking the oil coming from the sebaceous glands. When follicles become plugged, skin bacteria (called Propionibacterium acnes, or P. acnes) begin to grow inside the follicles, causing inflammation. Acne progresses in the following manner:

1. Incomplete blockage of the hair follicle results in blackheads (a semisolid, black plug).
2. Complete blockage of the hair follicle results in whiteheads (a semisolid, white plug).
3. Infection and irritation cause whiteheads to form.

Eventually, the plugged follicle bursts, spilling oil, skin cells, and the bacteria onto the skin surface. In turn, the skin becomes irritated and pimples or lesions begin to develop. The basic acne lesion is called a comedo.

Acne can be superficial (pimples without abscesses) or deep (when the inflamed pimples push down into the skin, causing pus-filled cysts that rupture and result in larger abscesses).

What causes acne?

Rising hormone levels during puberty may cause acne. In addition, acne is often inherited. Other causes of acne may include the following:

• hormone level changes during the menstrual cycle in women
• certain drugs (such as corticosteroids, lithium, and barbiturates)
• oil and grease from the scalp, mineral or cooking oil, and certain cosmetics may worsen acne
• bacteria inside pimples

Acne can be aggravated by squeezing the pimples or by scrubbing the skin too hard.