Acne – the What, Why and How

Did you just wake up and go to the bathroom to freshen up and got the shock of your life? You see something odd on your forehead, that wasn't there the previous night when you went to bed. It looks ugly and you wish it would go away. 

The What:

That ugly thing that pops up on our face when we least expect turning our world upside down is what an acne is. Also known as pimples, these are outburst through our skin pores thanks to all the grime and dirt that has accumulated there. It typically occurs during the adolescent phase in a person, say, during their teenage years. And some are lucky, they don't get acnes at all, while others see clusters of them on their face. It is not something that only girls get, there are boys who suffer from this as well. If you are lucky, it will last couple of days, and then disappear never to reappear again, but the unfortunate ones see signs of acne through their life, some of which leave behind scars. 

The Why:

The most common kind of acne is the acne vulgaris which translates to common acne. The face is the region of the face that is affected in almost 90% of the cases, at times, people get it on their forearms or chest region. But those are called Keratosis, and not acne, since they are bigger in size and last longer than a common acne. It is basically eruptions in our skin due to dirt and other particles settling in. if the acne is very severe, and looks like a big boil, it could be a cyst, in which case one needs to be careful and not touch it too much. If they do, it might erupt, ooze with puss and not be a pretty sight.

The How:

For some, acne is such a big problem, that they think of skipping school or college. They don't want to face their friends for fear of being ridiculed. For some girls, hormonal changes in their body leads to acne, and for this there is no cure but to let nature takes it course. There is no need to panic or worry about these little boils,.as they are our body reacting to changes happening inside. If it is due to bad eating habits, or intake of oily foods on a regular basis, acne or pimples occur when the follicles are blocked and does not get enough oxygen. If you were to touch an acne and then use those fingers on other parts of your face, you might spread the infection and see more tiny pimples occurring over the next few days. So, it is better to control yourself and keep your hands away from your face and wash your face multiple times during the day. In the market, there are various products that claim to make the acne go away in a day or two, but be warned that they are miracles and not likely to disappear.