Acne Information Today

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The makers of Aczone announced today that Health Canada has completed its review of Aczone labeling supplement for Aczone and has removed the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) screening and blood monitoring requirements.

“We are extremely pleased to report Health Canada’s decision to remove the need for blood monitoring from the Aczone label,” said Bob Butchofsky, President and Chief Executive Officer of QLT. “This positive review, along with the FDA’s recent decision to also remove the need for blood monitoring from the Aczone label, validates our regulatory strategy, increases Aczone’s commercial potential, and enhances the product’s overall attractiveness to potential acquirers.”

Aczone was originally approved by Health Canada in June 2006 with a similar label restriction as that required by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The label called for all patients to undergo G6PD screening and for those patients with this enzyme deficiency, regular blood monitoring was required during Aczone treatment. On March 17, 2008 the Company announced that the FDA removed the G6PD screening and monitoring requirements based on a Phase IV clinical trial in 56 safety-evaluable G6PD-deficient patients. During a six-month period, patients were treated with both Aczone and the Aczone-vehicle (control group) in a cross-over design. Data was analyzed by third party clinical experts in dermatology and hematology who concluded that no clinically meaningful changes in safety-related parameters were observed in the trial. Read the rest of this entry »

Eczema is much less frequent in adolescence than in the first years of childhood. In teen-agers it usually causes a thickening, dryness, and redness of the skin. Itching, and at times pain, may accompany the rash. At this age, eczema is most frequently found in the folds of the elbows and knees and on the wrists. Another common location is the back of the neck and ears.

Eczema may bring scaling of the skin. At times there is marked splitting of the skin and sometimes blisters appear, filled with clear fluid or pus.

The cause of eczema is usually an allergy. Though in infancy, the allergens (allergy causers) are nearly always foods, in later years the eczema is just as likely to be a reaction to wool, nylon, or other materials. Reactions to various plants can also cause the rash. The reactions may be from touching the plants or from inhaling their pollens.

Edna has severe eczema. She has had to give her dog away and must avoid visiting homes where cats or birds are kept as pets, as she is allergic to these animals. Read the rest of this entry »

There are two things you should remember about acne. One is that it is nearly always a temporary condition. The other is that since its blemishes are caused by an increased oiliness of the skin, the methods that work the best in keeping acne to a minimum, until it is outgrown, are those that reduce the oiliness and increase the dryness of the skin.

The increased oiliness of the skin may be cut down in various ways. When these ways are used effectively, the adolescent’s appearance and outlook on life can be greatly improved. One of the methods that works well is washing with soap and water frequently and thoroughly. The soapy solution is an excellent solvent for the oils, and therefore helps make the skin drier.

Some people benefit from any soap. Others may have skin that is sensitive to, and therefore irritated by, a specific kind of soap. In these cases a less irritating soap can usually be found. If not, there are many soap substitutes now manufactured that have the advantages of soap but not the possible irritations. There are also various types of medicated soaps that include extra ingredients such as germ killers and drying sulphur containing products. Read the rest of this entry »

Can food cause acne? I get asked this question all the time.

Food is very important in most cases of acne. Anyone who has acne should think about various foods in relation to how much fat they contain. Sweet cream, whipped cream, butter, the fat part of meats and fried foods (because they are fried in fats)-including potato chips and French fried potatoes-increase the fat content of the blood stream.

This adds to the fat content of the skin and may make acne worse. Olives and nuts contain oils and should therefore be avoided. Peanut butter fits into this category, as do the usual margarines which are made with various hydrogenated fats.

Though sugar does not in itself make acne worse, chocolate is often the worst offender. Any form of chocolate, cookies, cake, syrup for milk and sundaes, cocoa, or ice cream often brings on an outbreak of quite a few blackheads and pimples. Some teen-agers can control acne simply by avoiding chocolate. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the most serious topics of conversation among teenagers is the very common appearance of acne with its pimples, blackheads and pus pockets.

Often the teen-ager is teased about the “meaning” of the pimples. They are an obvious accompaniment of early manhood or early womanhood. They are therefore given many erroneous meanings, sometimes in jest and at other times in earnest.

Occasionally adolescents are told that acne results from working too hard. Counter to this, its appearance is often said to be a sign of too much laziness. Boys and girls are sometimes told it comes from eating too much, sometimes that it is a result of not eating enough of the right foods. They are warned frequently that the acne is a form of punishment for thinking too much about sex or for experimenting with sex. At other times they are leeringly told, “You’ll never get rid of those pimples till you’ve had a little fun.”

Pimples & Hormones

The truth, though somewhat complicated, is easier to understand and much less likely to cause apprehension. Fundamentally acne is brought on by the same life-moving substances that produce the rapid growth and sexual development of adolescence. Read the rest of this entry »

A rehashed story gets legs again. I remember years ago when I took Accutane, actually I took it twice, I did have some of the side effects of depression. As most people that take Accutane are teenagers with hormonal issues already this can be expected. The thing that is most important for any parent or loved one to watch for signs of depression in people taking Accutane.

Anyway this is a true side effect that was reported originally back in the 80’s.

Canadian scientists believe that taking Accutane, the most commonly used acne drug, is associated with a higher risk of depression.

According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, isotretinoin, the active ingredient of Accutane, doubles the risk of depression.

CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre scientists say while depression is a rare side effect of isotretinoin therapy, close monitoring of isotretinoin users is necessary due to the serious consequences of depression.

They concluded that psychiatric assessments of patients prior to and during isotretinoin therapy are crucial. Read the rest of this entry »

We all think of acne as a teen problem and feel really bad about our acne issues as we get older, let’s face it we think that we should be done with our acne already. Well if you are out of your teens and still struggling with acne a new study shows that you are not alone.

While acne may traditionally be viewed as a teenage “rite of passage,” results from a groundbreaking national survey released show that acne is a problem that also commonly affects adults. The survey finds that acne can negatively impact many aspects of a person’s life — professional, academic, physical and social — and a basic lack of knowledge may be preventing or hindering appropriate treatment options.

Conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Retin-A Micro(R) Pump, the Skin Matters 2008 Survey is a comprehensive analysis designed to address acne-related issues and treatment considerations among teens, adults, parents and dermatologists.

Adults with acne report that the condition affects multiple facets of their lives, with 38% agreeing it is more stressful having acne as an adult than as a teenager, and 50% finding it to be unappealing, more so than having facial wrinkles (36%) or gray hair (29%). Adults with acne also state that it negatively impacts their self-confidence (41%) and mood (31%). Some report acne’s negative impacts on their lifestyle, such as refraining from asking for or accepting a date (9%), canceling social plans (7%), getting passed over for a promotion or raise (3%). Read the rest of this entry »

Acne is the medical term for common acne. Acne is widespread among teenagers, although a smaller percentage of adults in their 30’s and 40’s still get acne. Common acne is characterized by the presence of one or all of the following: whiteheads, blackheads, papules, pustule or pimples that are seen on the face, chest, back, shoulders, even neck.

Thousands of oil glands can be found in the skin. The oil glands produce sebum, needed to help the skin stay moisturized and effective in its duty as the body’s protective barrier. The face, especially the nose, the mid -cheeks and the forehead have the highest density of oil glands. The back and mid-chest are the parts of the body where the largest oil glands are located. This explains why acne is mostly found in the greatest concentrations on the face, chest and back

Acne begins with clogged skin pores. The early, not-so-noticeable lesions are called comedones Comedones are either open like blackheads or closed like whiteheads. An open comedo is called a blackhead because of the blackish appearance of the skin pore clog. Likewise, a closed comedo is called whitehead because its pore plug is white or skin colored. In terms of openings, blackheads have distended opening around the follicle while a whitehead has a very narrow one, close to the hair follicle. While it’s very tempting, never squeeze your whiteheads or blackheads. Read the rest of this entry »

Sometimes acne is nothing more than a simple pimple, a bit of trapped pus consisting of sebum, dead skin cells and white blood cells. But it can be more severe. Knowing which type you have is key to a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.

Professionals recommending a course of treatment will rank acne by Grade.

Grade I includes milder, non-inflamed types such as blackheads, whiteheads or milia. Grade II involves a larger number of these, and frequently includes papules or pustules that are mildly inflamed.

Grade II Acne. Papules are small lesions, a change or break in the skin, that is smaller than 5 mm - about the width of a thin cigarette. They’re in the form of a bump that rises above the surface. A pustule, by contrast, is pus-filled - a mixture of bacteria, white blood cells and dead skin cells.

Grade III is more severe. The papules or pustules will be red, larger and more numerous. Grade IV is the most severe level, and includes nodules and cysts. The inflammation is usually wide spread and includes more than just the face. Read the rest of this entry »

There are numerous safe and effective treatments for acne. Over the counter medications do a good job of treating mild forms. Prescription medications and advanced treatments can cure almost all acne within a few months. But in the meantime, and afterward, it can help to hide it as well as possible.

It does little good to tell people they should be less concerned about their appearance. That only adds unnecessary guilt to an already unpleasant situation. For a whole host of valid reasons individuals may be interested in optimizing their appearance. Superficial vanity or excessive concern with what others think is one thing. Wanting to look one’s best as a reflection of a healthy and confident inner self is quite another.

How girls hide acne

For women, the situation is both more difficult and easier. More difficult because they tend to be judged more, and more stringently, on their looks. Easier, because they have more tools to meet the challenge. Makeup is the most obvious one.

First and foremost, look for makeup labeled ‘non-comedogenic’. ‘Comedones’ is the general term for certain types of mild acne, including whiteheads and blackheads. Those types of makeup are specially formulated to minimize clogging pores, one of the major contributors to acne development. Read the rest of this entry »