About Acne

Acne is a common skin disease that causes pimples. Pimples form when hair follicles under your skin clog up. Most pimples form on the face, neck, back, chest and shoulders. Anyone can get acne, but it is common in teenagers and young adults. It is not serious, but it can cause scars.
No one knows exactly what causes acne. Hormone changes, such as those during the teenage years and pregnancy, probably play a role. There are many myths about what causes acne. Chocolate and greasy foods are often blamed, but there is little evidence that foods have much effect on acne in most people. Another common myth is that dirty skin causes acne; however, blackheads and pimples are not caused by dirt. Stress doesn't cause acne, but stress can make it worse.
How Does Acne Develop?
Sometimes, the hair, sebum, and skin cells clump together into a plug. The bacteria in the plug cause swelling. Then when the plug starts to break down, a pimple grows.
There are many types of pimples. The most common types are:

• Whiteheads. These are pimples that stay under the surface of the skin.
• Blackheads. These pimples rise to the skin’s surface and look black. The black color is not from dirt.
• Papules. These are small pink bumps that can be tender.
• Pustules. These pimples are red at the bottom and have pus on top.
• Nodules. These are large, painful, solid pimples that are deep in the skin.
• Cysts. These deep, painful, pus-filled pimples can cause scars.

Who Gets Acne?


Acne is the most common skin disease. People of all races and ages get acne. But it is most common in teenagers and young adults. An estimated 80 percent of all people between the ages of 11 and 30 have acne outbreaks at some point. Some people in their forties and fifties still get acne.
What Causes Acne?
The cause of acne is unknown. Doctors think certain factors might cause it:

• The hormone increase in teenage years (this can cause the oil glands to plug up more often)
• Hormone changes during pregnancy
• Starting or stopping birth control pills
• Heredity (if your parents had acne, you might get it, too)
• Some types of medicine
• Greasy makeup.

Early treatment is the best way to prevent scars.
How Should People With Acne Care for Their Skin?
Here are some ways to care for skin if you have acne:

• Clean skin gently. Use a mild cleanser in the morning, evening, and after heavy workouts. Scrubbing the skin does not stop acne. It can even make the problem worse.
• Try not to touch your skin. People who squeeze, pinch, or pick their pimples can get scars or dark spots on their skin.
• Shave carefully. If you shave, you can try both electric and safety razors to see which works best. With safety razors, use a sharp blade. Also, it helps to soften your beard with soap and water before putting on shaving cream. Shave lightly and only when you have to.
• Stay out of the sun. Many acne medicines can make people more likely to sunburn. Being in the sun a lot can also make skin wrinkle and raise the risk of skin cancer.
• Choose makeup carefully. All makeup should be oil free. Look for the word “noncomedogenic” on the label. This means that the makeup will not clog up your pores. But some people still get acne even if they use these products.

What Things Can Make Acne Worse?


Some things can make acne worse:

• Changing hormone levels in teenage girls and adult women 2 to 7 days before their period starts
• Pressure from bike helmets, backpacks, or tight collars
• Pollution and high humidity
• Squeezing or picking at pimples
• Hard scrubbing of the skin.

About Psoriasis

What is Psoriasis? 

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that generally appears as patches of raised red skin covered by a flaky white build-up. Although the exact cause is unknown, psoriasis is believed to be related to faulty signals sent by the body's immune system. These signals accelerate the growth cycle in skin cells, which pile up on the surface when the body can't shed them fast enough.


Is Psoriasis contagious?

No one can "catch" it from another person. It has a genetic component that makes certain people more likely to develop it, but often an external or environmental "trigger" is necessary to make psoriasis appear. These triggers may include emotional stress, injury to the skin, some types of infection and reaction to certain drugs.
The most common form of psoriasis is called "plaque psoriasis".about 80 percent of people with psoriasis have this type. Plaque psoriasis can appear on any skin surface, although the knees, elbows, scalp, trunk and nails are the most common locations.
There are several other types of psoriasis, and between 10 percent and 30 percent of people with psoriasis also develop a related form of arthritis, called psoriatic arthritis.