How to Get Rid of Acne

Illustration of a acne products and remedies.

The best acne treatment, remedies, products, and up-to-date information available today.

What is acne?

In a nutshell, Acne is a disease of the hair follicles and sebaceous glands found on your face, neck, back and shoulders. It's considered a disease because the bacteria and genetic predispositions that cause Acne are, by definition, pathogenic in nature.

What causes acne?

There are a myriad of combinations of circumstances that may cause acne, but the short version is thus: oils called sebum from your sebaceous glands--your skin's own moisturizing lotion--build up along with dead skin cells and clog the hair follicle. It happens to all of us with varying severity. When this happens, your hair follicle will grow and push outward, causing a comedome to appear; they're also known as Whiteheads, Blackheads, Pimples, and Zits.

Now, if you have bacteria on your skin, and we all do (see: Staphylococcus), then the conditions are right for bacteria to grow inside of your swollen hair follicle. If that happens, then your body will start to produce white blood cells, injecting them into the hair follicle to fight the bacteria, causing what we call a "pustule." This pustule may grow, depending on how hard your body brings the hammer down. If it does grow, it will become red and tender with a white top that looks like it's about to burst.

This is the part where the pustule is supposed to burst. Sometimes it doesn't. Instead, your hair follicle ruptures at the bottom, down into your dermis. When this happens, it becomes a nodule. If that mixture of oil, dead skin, bacteria, and pus doesn't get released, it can become worse; it can become a cyst. If your skin doesn't break and release that sticky mess and becomes infected consistently, you have Cystic Acne, one of the most severe forms of acne.

What doesn't cause acne? Dirt. You can't wash yourself free of acne. Mild soaps are best and we discuss that in more depth in the acne treatments section.

Can acne cause scars?

As you read above, the answer to this question is, "Yes." Acne scars are caused by cystic acne and the most severe cases of acne. However, acne scarring can be prevented if you act quickly to engage treatment. Seek the advice of a dermatologist if you're uncertain about the severity of your disease.

Is there a difference between zits and pimples?

Yes. In the common lexicon, zits usually refers to blackheads and whiteheads, while the term "pimples" can refer to papules, pustules and nodules--those types of acne which indicate that a bacterial infection is present.

What are the best ways to get rid of acne?

Well, that's what this site is all about, isn't it? We've outlined a couple of different methods for getting rid of acne and presented them to you in the site navigation, however you may feel free to use the sitemap if you can't find what you are looking for.

What are the best acne products?

We have also compiled a list (with descriptions) for some of the most recommended and trusted acne products on the market today. No bull here. Just the best acne products that doctors and dermatologists have told us to recommend.

When should I think about getting a prescription for acne medication?

We've also compiled a list of the best acne medications on the market as well, but deciding when and which acne medications to use shouldn't be up to you; it should be up to your doctor. Better yet, seek the advice of a specialist.

Acne Review

Acne Vulgaris is a disease of the skin.
Acne is not caused by being dirty.
Acne is genetic. If your parents had bad acne, your chances of suffering from acne increase.
Acne is caused by your body's inability to clear dead skin cells and natural oils from your hair follicles, which creates pimples.
There are several types of lesions caused by Acne Vulgaris. Blemishes, pimples, nodules, and cysts are the most common.
Cystic acne is the more severe form of acne and it scars if it isn't treated properly.
Acne scars and cystic acne lesions should be examined by a licensed dermatologist immediately
Quite a lot of misinformation is generated by the cosmetic industry. We're here to help you avoid being taken advantage

References

Changing the topography of acne with topical medications. (2011). Current Opinion in Pediatrics. 23:121-125.
Overview of Treatment of Acne Vulgaris with Topical Retinoids. Postgraduate Medicine. (3), (May 2011). 153-161.
Management Of Acne. Canadian Medical Association Journal CMAJ. (April 2011). 183(7).
Treatment of Acne Vulgaris. JAMA Augus. (2004). v 292 # 6, 726-735.
Which Oral Antibiotics are Best for Acne?. (May 2011). Journal of Family Practice. 60 (5):290-2.
Fractional Laser Resurfacing: Why All the Fuss?. Dermatol Surg. (2010) 36; 307-308.
Photodynamic Therapy for Acne Vulgaris. J Am ACAD Dermatol. (2010). 63:183-193.
Alternative Therapies for Common Dermatologic Disorders (part 2). Primary Care; clinics in office practice. (July 2010) 37; 2; 285-96.
Systematic review of rosacea treatments. J Am Acad Dermatol. (2007) 56:107.

What are the types of acne?

The most common type of acne is called, well, Common Acne, or Acne Vulgaris in the language of the medical community. The diagnosis of Acne Vulgaris is usually contained and defined by the following symptoms:

Blackheads are comedones with a visible patch of dried oil and dead skin cells. They often form on the nose. They're hard to mistake for anything else, really.

Whiteheads are comedones with a slightly raised patch of skin, like a small bump with a white head, as the name suggests. These are not to be confused with papules or pustules. They are not painful; there is no puss present because there is no bacterial infection.

Nodules form when bacterial infection of the hair follicle is noticed by your body's self-defenses. People often call these pimples or zits. They are usually painful, swollen, and red. A nodule is simply a very large pimple. Think: twice the pimple and twice the pain.

Acne Rosacea is simply rosacea, a reddening of the skin, which may or may not be entirely related to the progression of acne. Sometimes we call these blemishes, and they're relatively innocuous, but rosacea as a clinically recognized disease does have implications which may worsen later on in life.

Hormonal Acne is really all acne. It is, after all, those times in our lives when our hormones go crazy that acne is most prevalent: puberty, menopause, pregnancy, menstruation, and pretty much any time those treasonous glands see fit. Blame it on the androgens, the male hormones that stimulate excess sebum production. Post-adolescence, hormonal acne is more of a problem for women, and when other treatments fail, birth control pills and androgen blockers may be prescribed.

Baby Acne is an umbrella term for two entirely distinct problems: neonatal acne and infantile acne. Neonatal acne (not true acne) shows up within the first few weeks of life and often goes away on its own without intervention. Infantile acne, which often develops at the start of the third or fourth month, can be more serious and often requires treatment.

Adult Acne, or "post-adolescent acne", is - despite what you've heard - acne. Adults just feel entitled to a clear complexion and so give their affliction its own special title. What is different about adult acne is that it is far more common in women, while the reverse is true for adolescent acne. Hormone therapy is an option for these women, especially those that experience premenstrual flares.

Back Acne is more common than acne on the other extremities. It can be difficult to treat, as the skin on the back is thicker, contains more pores, and produces heaps of oil. Like other forms of acne, the underlying cause isn't clearly understood; however, irritation from backpacks, tight-fitting clothing, massages, monkeys, or anything pressing on the skin can lead to breakouts.

Cystic Acne defined as the recurrent presence of cysts, is the most severe form of Acne. This kind of acne can cause acne scars, which are less than fun--the opposite of fun, really. Cysts are basically Acne that's broken down through the skin, rather than breaking up through the blocked pore. This pushes the bacterial infection down further into your hypodermis. If you think you're suffering from Cystic Acne or any of the following types of Acne, you should probably seek medical attention from a dermatologist as soon as possible.

Acne Conglobata is horrid. Essentially, it is cystic acne to the nth degree, whereby cysts and nodules begin to interconnect and perpetuate the infection in the very deepest regions of your dermis (skin). It causes considerable scarring and is incredibly traumatic. Teenagers and adults are prone to this type of acne, but usually no one over the age of 40. Steroid use, exposure gasoline and kerosene fumes, and cancer have all been linked as possible causes of late onset Acne Conglobata.

Acne Fulminans is even worse, and is principally the perpetuation of Acne Conglobata after treatment for Conglobata has failed. It is associated with immune deficiency, like caused by the initial treatments, and in some cases it can be fatal, but only if you're not treated for it. Swelling of the joints and loss of appetite are typical symptoms. Immediate medical attention is required.