Severe Acne: Information and Treatment
Acne can affect a person in various forms. Acne can be in mild form like whitehead or blackhead or it can be in inflammatory and infectious form like pimples. The fact is acne is a chronic skin problem which does not have any cure. But yes, it can be treated. Sever acne is such acne which does not respond to most of the treatment methods. These are stubborn kind of acnes. Severe acne ruins the looks of the person and is very irritating. Severe acne has lots of impact on the psychological condition of a person. It lowers the self esteem of the patient and limits the social life of the person. Sometimes it affects the employment chances of the person where looks and personality play a major role.
For treatment of severe acne you need to have advice of an expert dermatologist and patience as treatment can take many months to show results. Severe acnes are different from other kinds of acnes and need special attention.
Generally severe acnes are characterized by deep cysts, scarring, deep damage to the skin and inflammation. Inflammation in severe acne is caused by the girdling of fine hairs on face and chest by tiny oil glands. Sever acne leads to scarring of skin in the form of pits and pockmarks. Even when the acne gets healed, there is a change in color on the site of acne; it becomes red or brown mark. You just can not treat sever acne with over- the-counter drugs or a home treatment. As some drugs have some side effects also, so you need to consult a doctor.
It happens most of the times in the case of severe acne that acne break outs stop within the period of medication but once you stop medication, it relapses. Dermatologist has to find the root cause of the acne before prescribing any drug for acne treatment. But one thing, a patient should keep in the mind that acne and pimples should not be picked or scratched as it will increase the infection . Severe acnes are of four types generally.
It can be one of the following types:
Acne conglobata
Acne fulminans,
Gram negative folliculitis
Nodulocystic acne
Acne Conglobata:
AcneConglobata is the severe and chronic form of acnevulgaris. It causes severe damage to the skin, because of deep abscesses and swelling. Around the multiple comedones, inflammatory nodules get created and discharge pus after increase in size. Some times very deep ulcers get formed under the nodules and it keloid like scars takes the shape. Doctor may prescribe antibiotics and some other therapies to be continued for a long period for its treatment. For treating acne Conglobata, Isotretinoin is a very effective medicine. There are great chances of its reoccurrence so person should be touch of doctor regularly to be examined.
Acne Fulminans :
This severe acne has sudden breakouts on the skin causing very irritating inflammations. This acne is of ulcerating kind and is accompanied by mild to high degree of fever. Other symptoms associated with this acne are aching and inflammation in joints knees and buttocks are the most affected. In case of acne Fulminans, corticosteroids or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are administered to reduce the pain and inflammation. This condition can relapse even after treatment so person should go for a long term treatment which includes isotretinoin.
Nodulocystic Acne :
This is very severe and peculiar type of acne with larger size which may extend up to many centimeters in diameter. There may be one cyst or number of cysts on face, neck, back, chest or shoulders. There is a severe pain and inflammation the pus filled cysts. Nodulocystic acne is different from the common cyst of acne but is the dilation of skin texture. Treatment of this type of acne is quite complicated. It includes prescription of isotretinoin, broad spectrum antibiotics, and corticosteroids. When some larger cysts do not respond to any medicinal treatment, doctor may consider surgical removal of pus from the cyst.
Gram-negative folliculitis:
With long term use of antibiotics treatments, there may be built up of bacterial infection in follicles. When patients are given antibiotics for treatment of severe acne, Gram negative folliculitis might occur. Bacteria causing this problem are immune to antibiotics. To treat it, isotretinoin and antibiotics are given.
