Also known as: Cystic Acne, Teenage Acne, Adult Acne, Acne Rosacea, Pimples, Cysts, Zits, Whiteheads, Red Face, Blackheads, Nodules, Scars

Condition Overview

Acne is a skin condition characterized by plugged pores, red pimples, nodules, and cysts which can result in scarring. 

There are many types of acne:

• Cystic Acne is deep “pus-filled” lumps on the skin.
• Teenage Acne is formed by testosterone, a hormone present in males and females, which stimulates the sebaceous glands of the skin to enlarge, produce oil, and plug the pores causing whiteheads, blackheads and pimples.
• Adult Acne may be related to hormones, childbirth, or menopause.
• Acne Rosacea is acne associated with Rosacea.

Causes

Acne is caused by different factors:

• Genetics
• Hormones
• Mechanical or frictional factors such as a football player’s helmet strap
• Occlusive oils that lead to plugged pores 

Symptoms of Acne

Red, painful pustules, pimples, or nodules and excessive whiteheads or black heads.

Treatments

• Topical Medications: Creams, gels or lotions such as, Benzoyl Peroxide, Retinoids (Retin-A, Differin) Fineacea, Clindamycin, and accommodation products such as Duac gel or Benziclin gel
• Oral Antibiotics: Tetracycline, Doxycycline, Minocycline, Clindamycin, Sulfa, Zithromycin  
• Oral Vitamin-A: Accutane  
• Hormonal Treatment: Birth control pills such as Yasmin or Yaz,  Orthotricycline or Orthotricycline Lo  
• Oral Water Pill: Spironolactone  
• Laser Treatment: Smoothbeam Laser, Starlux Fractional Laser to treat scarring
• Photodynamic Therapy: Levulan plus Laser light   
• Acne Surgery: a combination of a light glycolic peel and the extraction of blackheads and/or whiteheads from plugged pores