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Read articleAcne is inflammation of the skin's oil glands, producing blackheads, pimples and, in some, deep painful nodules. It is not caused by uncleanliness, and treating it early is the most reliable way to avoid permanent scarring.
Symptoms
Not everyone gets every symptom, and the pattern can differ in older people, in people with diabetes and in children. These are the ones most often reported.
- Blackheads and whiteheads over the face, chest and back
- Red inflamed pimples, sometimes with pus
- Deep painful nodules or cysts in severe forms
- Oily skin and enlarged pores
- Dark marks left behind after lesions heal
- Pitted or raised scars in long-standing disease
When to see a doctor
Do not wait these out
If any of the following applies, arrange to be seen the same day. For anything sudden or severe, call 9281862028 or come straight to the emergency department at SIMS — it is open 24 hours and does not need an appointment.
- Acne that is leaving scars or dark marks
- Deep painful nodules or cysts
- Acne with irregular periods, excess facial hair or rapid weight gain, which suggests a hormonal cause
- Acne that is affecting confidence, sleep or social life
- Sudden severe acne after starting a new medication or a fairness or steroid cream
Tests that may be advised
Your consultant will order only the investigations that change the plan. Most of the following are available on the SIMS campus, so results usually come back the same visit.
- Clinical assessment of type, severity and scarring
- Hormone testing and pelvic ultrasound in women with irregular cycles
- Blood sugar and lipid profile where PCOS is suspected
- Baseline liver function and lipid profile before certain oral treatments
- Pregnancy testing before starting retinoid therapy in women
How it is treated
Treatment is decided case by case — by how advanced the problem is, what else you are being treated for, and what you can realistically sustain. Broadly, it involves the following.
- Gentle cleansing twice daily; scrubbing and harsh soaps make acne worse
- Topical retinoid and antibacterial treatment used consistently for several weeks
- Oral antibiotics for moderate inflammatory acne, for a defined course
- Hormonal treatment in women with an underlying hormonal driver
- Oral isotretinoin for severe or scarring acne, under close supervision and monitoring
- Stopping steroid and unregulated fairness creams, and treating scars only after acne is controlled
This page is general information, not a diagnosis
Acne can look like several other conditions, and the reverse is equally true. Nothing here can replace an examination, your test results and the judgement of the doctor treating you — and no medicine mentioned by name to a friend or relative should be started on the strength of this page. If you recognise yourself in it, book a consultation with the Dermatology department. If a symptom is sudden or severe, call 9281862028.
