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Blackheads, Whiteheads and Mild Inflammatory Acne
There is no cure for acne, although there are numerous treatments for
helping to prevent serious outbreaks, and the ones you currently
have. Treating your acne and blackheads can also help improve your
appearance and self esteem, as well as prevent the development of lifelong
pitted scars.
Acne begins when sebaceous glands secrete excess oil and flood the
follicle. When the oil presses up close to the skin and hardens to form
a plug this is called a “blackhead.” A blackhead, despite
the name, is not caused by dirt. The black color is the oil and skin
debris accumulated at the opening the gland. Whiteheads are formed in
similar manner, but the plug is much deeper under the skin.
Mild inflammatory acne is caused when the area just under the plug
becomes infected by an overabundance of white cell matter battling
skin bacteria. The area becomes inflamed and reddened. There are two
types of mild inflammatory acne, papules and pustules.
Papules are reddened, inflamed acne while the pustules are
reddened acne with a white collection of pus at the top.
Treating whiteheads, blackheads and mild inflammatory acne begins with
a simple set of treatments.
Most people do not consult a dermatologist unless their acne is severe
or does not clear up with over-the-counter methods.
  
These methods include:
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When dealing with acne, one should rarely try to pop or force
the blackhead, whitehead or acne to burst unless under the
supervision of a doctor. Bursting the pustule from the acne
or the plugs from the blackheads and whiteheads leaves the
skin open to infection from the skin based bacteria that could
lead to scarring.
Washing with soap and water once or twice daily is a good way to keep
debris and oils from the day accumulating on the skin surface. Salicylic
acid and benzoyl
peroxide are both common over-the-counter treatments
for acne. Benzoyl
peroxide exfoliates the skin and the anti-bacterial
agents in it clear the excess debris from the skin to help prevent
infections when used as part of a three step process. [Read
more here on dermatologist-recommended solution.]
Retinoids are a class of molecules in the vitamin A family. The retinoids
are potent against acne because they stabilize abnormal growth and death
of cells in the sebaceous follicle. These abnormal growth cycles are
believed to play a key role in the formation of blackheads, whiteheads,
and other acne. The danger in retinoids is that they cannot be used
by pregnant women, women who might be getting pregnant, and in some
cases their partners because of high rate of serious birth defects in
unborn children.
Topical and oral antibiotics are used under the direction of a physician
and usually together with other agents. Topically, antibiotics neutralize
the skin-based bacteria and when used with other agents help deplete
the excess sebum or oil secreted by the sebaceous glands, allowing acne
spots to heal without infection. Overusing topical or oral antibiotics
can lead to resistant skin based bacteria and further problems.
Oral contraceptives prescribed for women are based on hormone therapy.
Estrogen, a feminine hormone often found in oral contraceptives, works
as a neutralizer for androgenic hormones, which stimulate sebaceous
glands into overproducing oils. Oral contraceptives are also only administered
under a doctor’s care.
The final treatment that is available for blackheads, whiteheads and
mild inflammatory acne is acne surgery by a well-trained expert. This
treatment is rarely sought for the milder forms of acne listed here,
but surgical procedures can often lead to a vast improvement in skin
appearance and self-esteem for the patient. Always consult a dermatologist
or doctor about all the options available and the risks before making
a decision.
We personally recommend our effective three-step
kit, Tru-derma, which
we have built to stringently conform to the specifications of medical
professionals and dermatologists. To jump to information on Tru-derma,
click here.
Other Resources:
Acne.net
BringHealth.com
McKinley Health Center
A Guide to the Treatment of Acne (http://www.burnsurvivorsttw.org/acne.html)
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