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Acne Glossary
A Abscess: An abscess is a collection of pus collected in a cavity formed by the tissue on the basis of an infectious process (usually caused by bacteria or parasites) or other foreign materials. Acne vulgaris or “Acne”: Is an inflammatory disease of the skin, caused by changes in the pilosebaceous units (skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland). Acne lesions are commonly referred to as pimples or zits. The condition is common in puberty as a result of an abnormal response to normal levels of the male hormone testosterone. Excessive secretion of oils from the glands combines with naturally occurring dead skin cells to block the hair follicles. Oil secretions build up beneath the blocked pore, providing a perfect environment for the skin bacteria. Allantoin: Helps to heal wounds and skin irritations and stimulate growth of healthy tissue. Antibiotic: An antibiotic is a drug that kills or slows the growth of bacteria. There are both topical and oral antibiotics for acne. B Benzoyl Peroxide: Is a chemical in the organic peroxide family. Benzoyl peroxide is highly effective in the treatment of most forms of acne. It is typically placed over the affected areas in gel or cream form, in concentrations of 10% and lower. Blackhead: A blackhead is anotther type of acne. They are typically caused by excessive oil, makeup, and dirt. C Closed Comedo: When a hair follicle stays bellow the skin it forms a white bump called a closed comedo or more commonly known as a whitehead. Corticosteroids: Are a class of steroid hormones that regulate inflammation. They can be used to help fight acne. These hormones are produced in the adrenal cortex. D Dermatologists: are physicians (medical doctors) specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and tumors of the skin and its appendages such as acne. Dermis: The dermis is the layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain. It contains the hair follicles, sweat glands, sebaceous glands, apocrine glands and blood vessels. E Epidermis: Epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin. It forms the waterproof, protective wrap over the body's surface and is made up of stratified squamous epithelium with an underlying basement membrane. It contains no blood vessels, and is nourished by diffusion from the dermis. H Hair Follicle: A hair follicle is part of the skin that grows hair by packing old cells together. Attached to the follicle is a sebaceous gland, a tiny sebum-producing gland found everywhere except on the palms, lips and soles of the feet. The thicker density of hair, the more sebaceous glands are found. I Inflammation: Acne can cause inflammation, which is the first response of the immune system to infection or irritation. Inflammation is characterised by the following 5 signs: redness, heat, swelling, pain and dysfunction of the organs involved. Isotretinoin: is a generic medication used for the treatment of severe acne and most commonly known under the brands Accutane, Roaccutane, Amnesteem, Claravis, Isotane, Sotret and Oratane. It is a retinoid, meaning it is derived from vitamin A and is found naturally in the body, produced by the liver in small quantities. K Keratosis pilaris: is a very common genetic follicular disease that is manifested by the appearance of rough bumps on the skin. It is also referred to as "chicken skin". It appears mostly on the back and on the outer sides of the arms. It is more common in women than in men. M Macule: The macule is the simplest dermatological lesion. It is flat and can only be seen and not felt. The macule is noted by a change in color of the skin. It may be brown, blue, red or exhibit a lesser pigment or an absence of pigment. The color of the lesion is one way in which a diagnosis may be focused. O Open Comedo: Is a yellowish or blackish bump or plug on the skin. An open comedo or blackhead is a type of acne vulgaris. It is caused by excess oils that have accumulated in the sebaceous gland's duct. Oral antibiotics: Oral antibiotics used to treat acne include erythromycin or one of the tetracycline antibiotics (tetracycline, the better absorbed oxytetracycline, or one of the once daily doxycycline, minocycline or lymecycline). P Papule: A papule is a small, solid and usually conical elevation of the skin. Papules do not contain pus, which distinguishes them from pustules. Papules often occur in clusters and can accompany rashes. Papules can be caused by inflammation. Pimple: A pimple is a type of skin lesion caused by inflamed and/or obstructed pores. The most common cause of pimples is acne. Pore: a pore is an opening into a sebaceous gland that secretes oil to lubricate and protect the surface of the skin. Propionibacterium Acne: This bacteria is largely commensual and thus present on most people's skin; and lives on fatty acids in the sebaceous glands on sebum secreted by pores. Puberty: The stage of adolescence in which an individual becomes physiologically capable of sexual reproduction. In this stage the body produces a large amount of hormones which is often followed by acne. Pustule: A small inflamed elevation of the skin that is filled with pus; a pimple. R Rosacea: Causes the vessels to dilate too easily and stay dilated for longer periods of time or remain permanently dilated, resulting in flushing and redness. This is an acne like condtion. People of all ages can get rosacea but there is a higher instance in the 30-50 age group. The first signs of rosacea are said to be persisting redness due to exercise, changes in temperature, and cleansing. S Salicylic acid: Also known as Beta Hydroxy Acid (compare to AHA), salicylic acid is the key additive in many skin-care products for the treatment of acne, callouses and corns, keratosis pilaris and warts. Sebaceous Glands: The sebaceous glands are glands found in the skin of mammals. They secrete an oily substance called sebum. Sebaceous glands can usually be found in hair-covered areas where they are connected to hair follicles, deposit sebum on the hairs, and bring it to the skin surface along the hair shaft. Sebum: Sebum acts to protect and waterproof hair and skin, and keep them from becoming dry, brittle, and cracked. T Topical antibiotics: Externally applied antibiotics such as erythromycin, clindamycin or tetracycline can be used to fight acne. They aim to kill the bacteria that are harbored in the blocked follicles. Z Zit: Another word used to describe a pimple. (All definitions in this glossary derive from http://wikipedia.org/ )
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