Please select from the list of medical conditions from the below drop-down list:

• Acne
• Actinic Keratosis
• Albinism
• Alopecia (Baldness)
• Athletes Foot
• Atopic Dermatitis
• Birthmarks
• Cheilitis
• Cold Sores
• Eczema
• Hair Loss
• Hemangioma
• Herpes
• Hyperhidrosis
• Melanoma
• Melasma
• Onychomykosis (Nail Fungus)
• Port Wine Stain
• Psoriasis
• Seborrhea
• Seborrheic Keratosis
• Skin Cancer
• Skin Checks
• Skin Tags
• Vitiligo
• Warts

Acne

Acne can affect people of all ages. Acne can show up as any of the following; congested pores, whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, pustules, or cysts (deep pimples). These blemishes occur wherever there are many oil (sebaceous) glands, mainly on the face, chest, and back.

What causes acne?

No one factor causes acne. As physicians understand it, acne happens when oil (sebaceous) glands come to life around puberty when these glands are stimulated by male hormones that are produced in the adrenal glands of both men and women. The oil glands, which are located just beneath the skin, continuously produce and secrete oil through openings in the skin. The oil lubricates and protects the skin. Under certain circumstances, cells that are close to the openings of the oil glands block the openings. This causes a buildup of oil underneath the skin. Bacteria, which live in everyone''s skin but generally mind their own business, feast on this oil, multiply, and cause the surrounding tissues to become inflamed.

When should you start to treat acne?

Since everyone gets acne at some time, there is no "correct" time to treat it. The best advice is to take action when you think it is out of control. It can be when severe acne suddenly flares up, if you have mild acne that just will not quit, or even when a single pimple erupts. Despite what you read in popular style and fashion magazines, there is no magic product or regimen that is right for every person and situation.

What can the doctor do for acne?

If you have not been able to control your acne well enough with products such as Epionce, you may want to consult a primary care doctor or dermatologist. Here are some of the things they can add:

• Topical (externally applied) Antibiotics and Antibacterials: These include erythromycin, clindamycin, sulfacetamide, and azelaic acid.
• Oral antibiotics: Most doctors start oral treatment with tetracycline or one of the related "cyclines," such as doxycycline and minocycline.
• Isotretinoin (Accutane): Isotretinoin is a wonderful treatment for severe, resistant acne. Used properly, it is safe and produces few side effects beyond annoying, dry lips. The most important issue with isotretinoin is contraception. Women of childbearing age must be sure they cannot become pregnant while taking this drug or for one month after stopping it, because of risk of birth defects.
• Other oral agents