Family Doctor 2008

ACNE kids & teens Facing your acne It’s hard to face the world when you have a pimple (or two, or three). Acne treatments can help you put your best face forward. By Ashley White in the early teen years, when the oil glands in the body start making more oil. Dead skin cells mix with the extra oil and plug up hair follicles in the skin. Bacteria in the hair follicles cause additional irritation of the skin. If the wall of a plugged follicle breaks near the skin surface, it usually turns red and swells into a pimple. A cne is a common skin condition that affects about 17 million Americans each year. Acne usually ﬁrst appears the most common ingredients in over-thecounter acne treatments. These medications are available in forms such as gels, lotions, creams and medicated pads. Side effects of over-the-counter acne treatments include skin irritation, burning and redness. Tell your doctor if your side effects are severe or don’t go away over time. With your doctor’s prescription If an over-the-counter acne product doesn’t seem to help after 8 weeks, talk to your doctor. He or she may want you to try a prescription acne treatment. One option is an antibiotic, which can be a very effective acne treatment. Antibiotics can be taken orally or used on the skin in cream or gel form. Another option is a retinoid. Retinoids are medicines that come in lotion form and prevent hair follicles from becoming plugged. If you use a retinoid, your skin becomes more vulnerable to sunburn. Make sure to wear sunscreen every day. DID YOU KNOW? For many people, acne fades by age 25, but it can continue well into adulthood. Acne can aﬀect anyone Both boys and girls get acne, but it may be worse in boys because they have more skin oils. Heredity also plays a role. If your mother and father had bad acne, you may, too. Also, some people are extra sensitive to the bacteria that get trapped in their hair follicles. Fact or myth? These things do make acne worse: ● Oil-based makeup, moisturizer and sunscreen. ● Hair products such as hair spray and Over-the-counter options Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are gel. ● Hormonal changes, especially during Dos and don’ts ● Don’t scrub your face. Scrubbing What is isotretinoin? puberty and menstruation. ● Squeezing or picking at blemishes. ● Hard scrubbing of the skin. Isotretinoin (Accutane) is a medicine used to treat very bad acne. It is usually used for acne that doesn’t get better after treatment with other medicines. It comes in pill form and is taken daily for 15 to 20 weeks. Isotretinoin can cause very serious side effects, so people taking isotretinoin should be closely monitored by their doctor. You should never take isotretinoin if you are pregnant or if there is any chance you might get pregnant while taking it. It can cause serious side effects, such as birth defects and miscarriage. Ashley White is an associate editor with the American Academy of Family Physicians, headquartered in Leawood, Kan. can make acne worse by irritating the skin. ● Do wash your face gently, and use These things don’t make acne worse: ● Dirt. ● Chocolate. ● Greasy food (such as French fries your hands instead of a washcloth or loofah. ● Do wear oil-free makeup, moisturizer and pizza). and sunscreen. ● Do wash your face after exercising or sweating. ● Don’t touch your face throughout the ADDITIONAL INFORMATION American Academy of Family Physicians http://familydoctor.org/001.xml KidsHealth http://kidshealth.org/kid/grow/body_stuff/ acne.html Mayo Clinic http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/acne/ DS00169 day. Oil from your hands and ﬁngers can cause pimples. © WWW.123RF.COM ● Don’t pick, pop or squeeze blem- ishes. Doing so can cause infection or scarring. familydoctor 2008 121 http://familydoctor.org/001.xml http://kidshealth.org/kid/grow/body_stuff/acne.html http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/acne/DS00169

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Family Doctor 2008

Family Doctor 2008 Foreward Introduction Contents What Do You Want From Health Care? Confident Communication Need a New Doctor? Understanding Your Health Insurance OTC Safety as Simple as 1-2-3 The Fight Against Resistance Drug Interactions Prevention is Better than Cure Hitting a Home Run 'The Herbalist Will See You Now' Healthy Eating to Boost Your Heart and Health Exercise: The Elixir of Life Back from the Brink Taking Control Up All Night Vitamins and Minerals 101 Allergies: Combating the Causes Protect Yourself From Colds and the Flu Diabetes: Assessing Your Risk Dealing with Diabetes The Cholesterol Count Getting a Grip on Hypertension Facts About CKD Banish the Burn Easing the Pain Stop the Pounding Urinary Tract Infections: Common and Preventable Skin Essentials The ABCs of COPD Impotence: Tackling the Old Taboo Taking Responsibility for Your Health Prostate Cancer Screening: Is it For You? Protecting Your Prostate Heart Disease and Women: Know the Risks Birth Control to Suit You Maneuvering Through Menopause Help for PMS Infertility: Problems Having a Baby Preventive Health: What Women Need to Know Pregnancy: Taking Care of You and Your Baby Eating for Two Postpartum Mood Disorders The Basics of Breast Milk Newborn Screening Tests: Possible Lifesavers Common Newborn Conditions Childhood Vaccines: Why They're Necessary Food Allergies: The Facts Facing Your Acne Raising Grades Staying On Your Feet Age Gracefully: Take Care of Your Bones Battling Osteoarthritis Tackling Anxiety Beating the Blues

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