Acne a common skin condition
Acne is a very common problem and over 90% of all teenagers suffer from this skin condition at one point or another during puberty. Acne, formally known as Acne vulgaris, is usually maninly a problem during puberty but can persist into adulthood.
Acne is a problem that has been around since ancient times and there are reports about ancient rules suffering from acne and skin conditions. The Ancient Romans took baths in hot and sulphurous mineral water to treat their acne and using sulphur to combat acne is a practise that survived well into the 19th century. Benzoyl peroxide was used as earlu as the 1920s but during the 1930s they tried a lot of other alternatives including radiation treatment and laxatives against acne. When antibiotics became readily available in the 1950s patients and doctors soon noticed their effect on infected pimples. Eventually, antibiotic creams were developed to fight acne. In the 1980s oral isotretinoin turned out to be an effective aid in the struggle against acne, but the compound turned out to be highly unsuitable for pregnant women since it lead to miscarriages and birth defects.
Females suffering from acne can sometimes be helped by hormonal acne treatment. The estrogen / progestogen that is present in contraceptives can have some effect but serious problems usually require stronger hormon treatment. In cases where one or a few pimples grow especially big and do not respond to other acne medication, a physician can chose to inject cortisone directly into it. A shot of cortisone can quickcly reduce inflammation and redness however it can have sideeffects especially if used over a longer time period.
Camedones or blackheads as they are more commonly referred to today are a type of acne vulgaris where oil accumulate in the pores (sebaceous galnds). A common myth is that blackheads are caused by poor hygiene but this myth is not true. If you clean your face to much it can cause dryness that promts the skin to produce more oils and thereby worsening the problem.
Blackheads are not dangerous but can look unpleasant and many people therefore want to know how to remove blackheads while avoiding to cause damage to the surrounding skin. The blackheads stick to the strip and is removed when the strip is removed provided that the strip is not removed to early. The blackheads will be removed when the tape are removed as they stick to the tape. For individuals with a lot of blackhead related problems the strips can be impractical due to their temporary relief and in this cases salicylic acid might be a better solution.
