Acne is one of the most frequent skin diseases during adolescence and affects millions of young people around the world. Although it is often seen as a normal growth phase, acne can cause physical discomfort, impact self-esteem and, when left untreated, leave permanent scars.
The good news is that there are currently effective treatments to control acne and prevent its consequences. The sooner appropriate treatment is started, the better the results tend to be.
Porque aparece a acne na adolescência?
During puberty, the body produces greater amounts of hormones, which stimulate the sebaceous glands to produce more oil.
When this excess sebum combines with dead skin cells and bacteria naturally present in the hair follicle, the typical acne lesions appear.
The most affected locations include:
- Rosto
- Testa
- Queixo
- Costas
- Peito
- Ombros
Porque é que algumas pessoas têm mais acne?
The severity of acne varies from person to person and depends on several factors, including:
- Predisposição genética.
- Alterações hormonais.
- Produção excessiva de oleosidade.
- Inflamação da pele.
- Alguns medicamentos.
Contrary to what is often thought, acne does not result from poor hygiene.
Quais são os tipos de acne?
Acne can come in different forms.
Acne ligeira
It is mainly characterized by:
- Pontos negros.
- Pontos brancos.
- Pequenas borbulhas.
Acne moderada
In addition to comedones, inflamed lesions such as:
- Pápulas.
- Pústulas.
- Vermelhidão.
Acne grave
In the most severe cases, the following may appear:
- Nódulos profundos.
- Quistos dolorosos.
- Cicatrizes permanentes.
The greater the inflammation, the greater the risk of developing permanent marks.
Espremer as borbulhas ajuda?
In most cases, no.
Squeezing the lesions can:
- Agravar a inflamação.
- Favorecer infeções.
- Aumentar o risco de cicatrizes.
- Prolongar a recuperação da pele.
Proper treatment is always more effective than trying to manually remove the lesions.
Quais são os tratamentos disponíveis?
Treatment always depends on the type and severity of acne.
Options may include:
Tratamentos tópicos
- Retinoides.
- Peróxido de benzoílo.
- Ácido azelaico.
- Antibióticos tópicos.
Tratamentos orais
When necessary, the following can be used:
- Antibióticos.
- Terapêutica hormonal (em situações específicas).
- Isotretinoína oral.
The choice should always be made by a dermatologist, after clinical evaluation.
Os produtos de supermercado são suficientes?
Not always.
While some products can help control oiliness, many cases require medical treatment to control inflammation and prevent scarring.
In addition, using too many products at the same time can irritate the skin and aggravate acne.
Como cuidar da pele com acne?
Some simple precautions can make a difference:
- Lavar o rosto duas vezes por dia com um produto suave.
- Utilizar um hidratante adequado para pele acneica.
- Aplicar protetor solar diariamente.
- Evitar manipular as lesões.
- Utilizar produtos não comedogénicos.
Consistency is more important than using many different products.
Quando deve procurar ajuda médica?
It is advisable to make an appointment if:
- A acne persistir durante vários meses.
- Surgirem lesões dolorosas.
- Existirem nódulos ou quistos.
- Começarem a aparecer cicatrizes.
- Os produtos utilizados não apresentarem resultados.
- A acne estiver a afetar a autoestima ou a qualidade de vida.
It is not necessary to wait for acne to be severe to start treatment.
O tratamento precoce faz diferença
Acne is a treatable disease. Early diagnosis allows inflammation to be controlled, the appearance of new lesions to be reduced, and the risk of permanent scarring is significantly reduced.
If you are looking for a specialized evaluation, learn more about the Acne and Rosacea consultation, where a personalized approach is carried out to define the most appropriate treatment for each case.