Most Frequently Asked Questions and Answers About Acne

Acne is one of the most common skin diseases during adolescence

Acne is more common in adult women than men

Psychological problems and unemployment are more common in patients with acne

Acne that develops in women in adulthood may be a sign of ovarian cysts

Drugs and vitamins used can cause acne

Protein powders and androgens used for body development cause acne

In the development of acne The most important effect is genetic factors

Western type (fast food) carbohydrate-rich diet can cause acne development

Excessive consumption of industrial milk and dairy products, especially skimmed milk. It can cause acne

Hunter and gatherer peoples, which constitute the largest group of Eskimo-Aleut peoples, do not have acne

In addition to drug treatment for acne, Mediterranean type nutrition positively affects the effectiveness of the treatment.

Stress negatively affects acne

Some cosmetic products used may cause acne

The risk of developing prostate cancer increases in adult patients with severe acne.

When probiotics are added to acne treatments, acne heals faster.

 

What is acne?

 

Acne, popularly known as teenage acne, is caused by the damage to the sebaceous glands (pilosebeseus) in the skin. unit) is a chronic inflammatory disease.

 

At what age is acne most common?

 

Acne is most commonly seen during adolescence. It affects approximately 85% of individuals between the ages of 12-25. After puberty, approximately 25% of women and 12% of men in their 40s may experience acne. It can be seen less frequently in newborns and childhood.

 

What are the factors affecting the development of acne?

 

Multiple factors are effective in the development of acne.

  • Increased oil production in the sebaceous glands of the skin

  • Clogging of the sebaceous gland ducts that transfer the sebaceous gland secretion to the skin surface.

  • Increase in acne bacteria (Cutibacterium acnes) that causes acne in the sebaceous glands

  • Increased hormone levels in the body increased sebaceous gland secretion due to them (androgen effect)

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    In which parts of the body is acne most common?

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    Acne is most commonly seen on the face. Depending on the severity of the disease, it can be seen on the back, shoulders, front of the chest and rarely in other parts of the body where the sebaceous glands are dense.

     

    What are the clinical findings of acne?

     

    In mild cases of acne, black spots (open comedones or blackheads) and white spots (closed comedones) are seen on the skin, especially on the face, which develop as a result of blockage of the sebaceous gland ducts.

    In severe cases, cystic lesions that may be red, purulent, and sometimes painful, may be added to open and closed comedones due to inflammation in the sebaceous glands.

    In very severe cases, larger purulent structures may develop under the skin. While these wounds heal, they may cause scars, discoloration (hyperpigmentation) and redness.

     

    How is acne diagnosed?

     

    The diagnosis can be made easily with clinical findings, but the factors that may affect the disease must be investigated. important

     

    Can systemic findings other than the skin develop in acne?

     

    Acne is rarely very severe (fulminant). type) may cause joint pain, fever, and systemic involvement that may affect bone tissue.

     

    Why is acne more common in women than men in adulthood?

     

    The frequency of acne in women in adulthood is higher It is thought to be 4-5 times more common in men and due to hormonal and immunological reasons.

    It is thought that the increase in the acne microorganism (Cutibacterium acnes) that causes acne and is found in the sebaceous gland may create an immunological response.

     

     

    What additional clinical findings should be investigated in female patients with acne?

     

    The presence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in women develops due to the increase in hormones secreted from the ovaries in the development of acne.

    Female patient PCOS should be considered in cases of sudden onset, very severe acne and treatment-resistant cases.

    Serum total and free testosterone levels should be checked in these patients. Ultrasonographic examination should be performed to investigate ovarian cysts in these patients.

    Increased body hair growth and menstrual irregularities along with acne should suggest polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

    Very rarely, in cases of sudden onset, severe course, and treatment resistance in adulthood, acne may be due to hormones originating from ovarian tumor

     

    Protein used for bodybuilding Is there a relationship between powders, hormones and acne?

     

    Andogen-containing drugs and protein supplements used for bodybuilding (whey protein powder; IGF-1 and 2, platelet derived growth factor, fibroblast growth factor 1 and 2) cause the development or aggravation of acne.

    In these patients, acne lesions develop on the back and shoulders as well as the face.

     

    What is the psychological state of patients with acne?

     

    Acne can cause psychological effects such as anxiety, social isolation, lack of self-confidence and depression in patients. The unemployment rate is higher in individuals with acne.

     

    Is there a relationship between acne and stress?

     

    Due to the effect of stress, there is an increase in the release of cortisol from the adrenal gland cortex and adrenaline from the adrenal medulla. It is thought that increasing stress hormones in the body suppress the immune system and increase the virulence and proliferation of acne-causing bacteria (cutibacterium acnes), causing acne to worsen.

    There are studies showing that stress negatively affects acne by disrupting the microbiota in the intestines.

     

    Can cosmetics cause acne?

     

    The cosmetics used contain zinc, copper, resveratrol, Kaolin, essential and vegetable oils can cause acne in some people, especially when used as a scrub.

     

    Is acne a genetic disease?

    Genetic factor in acne development Examples are important risk factors and are effective in approximately 80% of cases.

    In patients with a genetic predisposition, that is, a history of acne in their parents and siblings, the course and severity of acne varies depending on personal and environmental factors.

     

     

    What are the personal and environmental factors that can be effective in the development of acne?

     

    It has been reported that nutrition, cosmetic products used, medications, air pollution, lifestyle, stress, mechanical and hormonal factors may affect the development of acne, especially in individuals with genetic predisposition.

     

     

    What is the relationship between acne, diet and nutrition?

     

    Until recent years, it was accepted as a doctrine in dermatology that diet had no direct relationship with acne. Due to this definitive judgment, the relationship between diet and acne has not been investigated for many years, but in recent years, studies and developing medical knowledge have been published showing that diet may be effective in the development of acne.

     

    In these studies, especially carbohydrates with a high glycemic index. It has been observed that excessive consumption of foods and dairy products (Western diet "fast food") is effective in the development of acne. It is thought that the increased plasma (insulin-like growth factor) and IGF-1 levels of these products cause acne through hormonal mediators.

     

    In addition to medical treatments, it is important to make nutritional arrangements in acne patients. Especially in our country, Mediterranean type nutrition can be recommended as the best option.

     

    How do milk or dairy products cause acne?

     

    Anabolic steroids found in industrial milk, It is thought that growth factors, progestin, testosterone precursors and 5 alpha reductase molecules may cause acne development by increasing the production of sebum (oil production in the sebaceous glands).

    It is thought that UHT (Ultra High Temperature) technology in industrial milk does not affect the androgenic hormones found in milk.

     

    Is it oily? Skim milk? What causes acne?

     

    Especially with full oil Consumption of whole milk (skimmed milk) has been found to be more effective in the development of acne. Industrial skim milk may increase acne because it is changed during processing or contains less estrogen. It is thought that IGF-1 in skim milk and the estrogen hormone found in fatty milk may be effective.

     

    IGF 1 increases the synthesis of androgen hormones in both the ovary and testicles, and at the same time reduces the synthesis of sex hormone binding protein in the liver. Increased androgens in the blood cause acne development.

    What is the relationship between acne and obesity?

     

    Between acne development and obesity The information differs from each other. However, in a large study conducted by Igor Snast and his colleagues in Israel and published in J Am Acad Dermatol magazine in 2019, covering 600,404 people, it was found that as body mass index (BMI) increases in both men and women, acne severity increases. was observed to decrease. Presumably, androgens are converted to estrogen in the increased fat tissue. Estrogen reduces the severity of acne by reducing acne sebaceous gland secretion.

     

    Doesn't Eskimos have acne?

     

    Hunters and hunters, who constitute the largest group of Eskimo-Aleut peoples, The fact that acne is not observed in foraging people, but acne begins to develop in groups whose diet changes, supports the existence of a relationship between diet and acne.

     

    Is there a relationship between acne and prostate cancer?

     

    Int. conducted in Sweden in 2018 by Henrik Ugge and his friends. In a study of 243,187 people published in the journal J. Cancer, it was reported that acne in adult men increases the risk of prostate development at later ages by 6 times. The risk of developing prostate cancer increases due to the microorganism that causes acne (cutibactrium acnes) causing chronic inflammation in the prostate tissue and/or the effect of hormonal factors.

     

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