Acne is a disease of the sebaceous glands. It expresses itself with pimples, pustules and blackheads. Particularly disturbing is that it occurs in visible areas: face, neck, décolleté, upper arms and back. Adolescents suffer most from it.

How to prevent the onset of acne, what options medicine offer and what a dermatologist can do for you will be discussed in this article.

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The contents of this article:

• Why does acne develop?

• In what forms does acne occur?

• What one can do about acne?

• What is special about our practice in regard to acne?

• What are the possibilities for alleviation and prevention?

• Our services

• Conclusion and summary

Why does acne develop?

During certain stages of life hormone production changes: e.g. during puberty, during pregnancy and during menopause. This stimulates sebum production. If the sebum cannot drain from the glands, blackheads and pimples form, and the skin looks impure.

Environmental influences can promote acne as well as stress and non-balanced nutrition. Even in modern cosmetics we find a variety of cosmetic products that cause acne with specific skin types (acne cosmetica). Chlorine, iodine, tar or oil can trigger acne venenata and some medications are the cause of acne medicamentosa.

In which forms does acne occur?

Acne vulgaris, is the correct medical term is further described to show the severity of the impurities / inflammation of the skin:

• Acne comedonica: when blackheads are prevalent
• Acne papulopustulosa: papules, pimples (pustules), some of which have already been inflamed
• Acne conglobata: Deep inflammatory nodules in the skin cause Abscesses. There abscesses could leave deep scars on the skin which often scars patients for life.

What can you do about acne?

The good news is that acne usually disappears in early adulthood (from the age of 25). However, to avoid later scarring, medical treatment should start as early as possible.

In our practice we experience many manifestations of acne. Acne can be caused by severe mental stress. Treatment therefore covers a wide range of possibilities. Depending on the degree of severity, it starts with adapted skincare, medical care and applications to systemic therapies including drug treatment. Our practice use holistic approaches such as targeted micronutrient administration and individual microbiome diagnostics to address the causes of the disease.

As dermatologists we pay particular attention to factors that characterize the skin and discuss with our patients other possible causes such as psychological issues (stress, anxiety, etc.). We use this info as well as the severity of the disease to decide on a therapy. Only after obtaining a detailed history and an examination of the problem, will we, together with our patients, draw up a treatment plan based on our discussion.

We will gladly advise you in person about all possibilities and you are welcome to Book your appointment here.

What is special about our practice in regard to acne?

 
Prof. Dr. Rzany is co-author of the acne treatment guideline. He combines decades of experience from his dermatological work with a scientific background. The treatment approaches are Dr. Bisschoff, Dr. Maggoschitz and Dr. Pesendorfer very well, which is why you can confidently turn to all four dermatologists in our practice with your acne. You can also see from the following range of services from our Vienna practice in the treatment of acne that we can offer a holistic concept from a single source, which we are particularly proud of.

What options are available to sufferers of acne?

For people who are prone to acne, regular care and cleansing is an important factor. In the more mild forms, peels and cleansing lotions with neutral or slightly acidic pH are suitable. If the clogged pores open, the sebum can drain away.

However in the inflammatory stage peels can lead to even more irritation. Fruit acid and moisturizing, low-fat creams and preparations are then a better choice while facial steam baths could be very beneficial.

Foods can have a big impact on skin. It is known that milk and dairy products can have a negative effect on the skin. Avoid sweets, alcohol and nicotine in excess. This not only promotes acne but can be the cause of many other ailments.

Direct sunlight or tanning beds can relieve acne, but inflammatory comedones can darken (postinflammatory hyperpigmentation) under the influence of UV light. It is known that intense sunlight accelerates skin aging and is involved in the development of skin cancer.

Another factor that favours the development of acne is stress and nervous tension. Stress changes our immune system and even our microbiome. People who are nervous often wipe their faces with their hands, press the skin on their cheeks or stroke their foreheads. Bacteria are distributed, which in turn promotes the formation of pimples.

Under no circumstances should pimples and blackheads be simply "squeezed" or "popped". This can aggravate the inflammation and damage the surrounding healthy skin.

Our services for acne, prevention and treatment

In the run-up to comprehensive treatment there is always an intensive diagnosis and recording of the history of the problem. Based on this, considering the individual skin needs, the therapy is planned:

• Individual measures for skin care and cleansing, as well as for the independent (treatment) care of blackheads and pimples will be recommended.
• Local and systemic acne therapy.
• Advice on lifestyle and environment changes to improve the appearance of the skin (nutrition, stress, environment).
• Further diagnostics, e.g. blood collection and microbiome diagnostics.
• Nutritional advice from specialists in our network.
• Scar treatment (peels, microneedling, surgical treatment, etc.)

Summary Acne: Symptoms, Prevention and Therapy

Acne of varying degrees of severity can form during puberty (hormonal changes) and often disappears from the age of 25 years. Menopausal women also often suffer from acne while mental stress is also associated with this disease.

In many cases, with the change in lifestyle, the progress of the disease can be slowed down.

A timely and thorough examination and treatment recommendation by a dermatologist prevents the inflammatory course and unsightly scarring.

You are welcome to make an appointment for a first consultation in our practice in Vienna.

Book your appointment here