Acne Health Article

Prevention

There are no sure ways to prevent acne, but the following steps may be taken to minimize flare-ups:

• gentle washing of affected areas once or twice every day
• avoid abrasive cleansers
• use noncomedogenic makeup and moisturizers
• shampoo often and wear hair off face
• eat a well-balanced diet, avoiding foods that trigger flare-ups
• unless told otherwise, give dry pimples a limited amount of sun exposur
• do not pick or squeeze blemishes
• reduce stress

BOOKS

Balch, James F., and Phyllis A. Balch. "The Disorders: Acne." In Prescription for Nutritional Healing, ed. Amy C. Tecklenburg, et al. New York: Avery Publishing Group, 1997.

Bark, Joseph P. Your Skin: An Owner's Guide. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1995.

Goldstein, Sanford M., and Richard B. Odom. "Skin & Appendages: Pustular Disorders." In Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment, 1996. 35th ed. Ed. Stephen McPhee, et al. Stamford: Appleton & Lange, 1995.

Kaptchuk, Ted J., Z'ev Rosenberg, and K'an Herb Co., Inc. K'an Herbals: Formulas by Ted Kaptchuk, O.M.D. San Francisco: Andrew Miller, 1996.

PERIODICALS

"Adult Acne." Harvard Women's Health Watch (Mar. 1995): 4-5.

Bergfeld, Wilma F. "The Evaluation and Management of Acne: Economic Considerations." Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 32 (1995): S52-6.

Billings, Laura. "Getting Clear." Health Magazine, Apr. 1997, 48-52.

Christiano, Donna. "Acne Treatment Meant for Grown-Ups." American Health (Oct. 1994): 23-4.

"Clearly Better New Treatments Help Adult Acne." Prevention Magazine, Aug. 1997, 50-51.

Leyden, James J. "Therapy For Acne Vulgaris." New England Journal of Medicine 17 (Apr. 1997): 1156-1162.

Nguyen, Quan H., Y. Alyssa Kim, and Robert A. Schwartz. "Management of Acne Vulgaris." American Family Physician (July 1994): 89-96.

"Pimple Control Pill?" Prevention Magazine, May 1997, 132.

ORGANIZATIONS

American Academy of Dermatology. 930 N. Meacham Road, P.O. Box 4014, Schaumburg, IL 60168-4014. (847) 330-0230. <http://www.aad.org>.

Mercedes McLaughlin

KEY TERMS

Androgens—Male sex hormones that are linked with the development of acne.

Antiandrogens—Drugs that inhibit the production of androgens.

Antibiotics—Medicines that kill bacteria.

Comedo—A hard plug composed of sebum and dead skin cells. The mildest type of acne.

Comedolytic—Drugs that break up comedones and open clogged pores.

Corticosteroids—A group of hormones produced by the adrenal glands with different functions, including regulation of fluid balance, androgen activity, and reaction to inflammation.

Estrogens—Hormones produced by the ovaries, the female sex glands.

Isotretinoin—A drug that decreases sebum production and dries up acne pimples.

Sebaceous follicles—A structure found within the skin that houses the oil-producing glands and hair follicles, where pimples form.

Sebum—An oily skin moisturizer produced by sebaceous glands.

Tretinoin—A drug that works by increasing the turnover (death and replacement) of skin cells.