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Acne
The Philosebaceous unit (PSU) of the skin consists
of the sebaceous gland and the hair follicle.
The sebaceous gland secretes an oily substance
called sebum which protects the hair and skin and
prevents them from drying and irritation.
Sebum may collect excessively as a result of poor
hygiene, genetic predisposition or accelerated
glandular activity, especially during adolescence.
Overproduction of sebum is related to the disease
called acne or commonly pimples.
Commonly involved areas are the face, neck, chest,
shoulders and upper back.
During an acne breakout, the pore of the hair
follicle is plugged by a mixture of sebum and
cells that line the hair follicle. The trapped
sebum allows bacteria to grow in the plugged
follicles. This forms the primary acne lesion
called a comedo. There are of 2 types of comedos,
whiteheads and blackheads.
When the sebum and bacteria stay below the skin
surface, a whitehead is formed.
A blackhead occurs when the trapped sebum and
bacteria partially open to the surface and turn
black due to melanin, the skin's pigment.
Treatment includes:
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