Acne is a disease that needs to be treated regardless of a person's age. Squeezing and picking pimples should be avoided, as well as using homemade or unfamiliar products. One should also not believe in miraculous solutions, as they only make the situation worse. Acne can be distressing and irritatingly persistent. Your injuries heal slowly, and often when they start to get better, others seem to pop up.

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There are different types of acne. The most common acne is the type that develops during adolescence. Puberty causes hormone levels to rise, especially testosterone. These hormones cause changes in the glands in the skin, which start producing more oil (sebum). This oil happens to protect the skin and keep it moist. Acne starts when oil mixes with dead skin cells and clogs pores – bacteria can grow in this mixture. If this mixture leaks into nearby tissues, it can cause swelling, redness, and pus. A common name for these bumps is pimples.

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Depending on the severity, acne can cause emotional distress and lead to skin scarring. The good news is that there are effective treatments available – and the sooner they are started, the lower the risk of damage to the skin and self-esteem. Depending on the degree and intensity of acne, treatment is given orally or locally, depending on a careful evaluation by the dermatologist.

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Available treatments for acne therefore include creams, gels, soaps and oral antibiotics in addition to isotretinoin. Complementary treatments that may be recommended by the dermatologist are: extraction of comedones, puncture or drainage of pustules, nodules and pseudocysts, infiltration of specific medications, when necessary, such as corticosteroids, and the treatment of scars associated with peelings, laser and other procedures, such as dermabrasion, subincision and skin fillers with fat or hyaluronic acid.

Acne-associated blemishes can be treated with in-office procedures and at-home creams. Some new methods, such as blue light phototherapy, may be indicated in specific cases.