Clustered acne is a severe nodular-cystic form of acne, with no organ changes. The lesions are located on the face, chest and back. Sometimes they can also appear on the arms, buttocks and scalp. The ailment is much more common in men.
What is focused acne?
Focused acne is the most severe and at the same time the most difficult to treat form of acne vulgaris, which is much more common in the male sex – it is related to the hormonal balance. Of course, women are also at risk for this condition. In addition to the changes characteristic of acne vulgaris, there are blackheads with fistulas, abscesses, fistulas, and scars – both colloidal and atrophic. They arise as a result of the rupture of the cyst and the secretion of serous-purulent discharge. The location of the lesions is the face, back, shoulders and buttocks or hairy scalp. Acne concentrated in many people is a big psychological problem.
The causes and symptoms of concentrated acne
Concentrated acne appears in places with a large number of sebaceous glands. It can be the face, back and chest. The buttocks and groin area are rarer places. In the course of the disease, the skin develops blackheads (they are numerous, closed or open), inflammatory spots and papules. The resulting infiltrates and cysts very often merge into larger clusters, and additionally, scars may appear. Acne scars can be very different and their formation is an unpleasant experience for the patient. They can be atrophic and several millimeters long, or enlarged and protruding. Concentrated acne occurs as a result of excessive sebum production and keratinization of the hair follicles. Excessive blackhead rash leads to inflammatory reactions and thus maculopapular changes.
How To Treat Focused Acne?
Current treatment methods allow not only to shorten the duration of acne, but also to reduce its severity, reduce scarring and improve the general well-being of the patient. In addition to proper treatment, proper skin care is essential. In the process of wound healing, it is advisable to use alcohol-based preparations and use matting papers. In turn, drugs that directly affect the cause of focused acne are antibiotics and vitamin A derivatives. The antibiotic is prescribed to patients whose skin lesions have transformed into inflamed erythema. Then the mainstay of treatment is taking tetracyclines. It is contraindicated to give this type of medication to children and pregnant women! There have been reports of the use of tetracycline causing a dark discoloration of the oral mucosa. Erythromycin replacement may be given to those in whom this drug is contraindicated.
Retinoids are derivatives of vitamin A. However, the most powerful preparation used in the treatment of acne (in all forms) is isotretinoin. It is prescribed in very severe cases where the use of antibiotics is insufficient. This preparation reduces the amount of produced sebum, thus making the skin and mucous membranes dry. In addition, it has properties that eliminate blackheads and micro-blackheads. It has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
Among the other preparations reducing new acne lesions, the following are distinguished:
- salicylic acid (has an exfoliating, bacteriostatic, anti-inflammatory and antifungal effect; unblocks pores and prevents the formation of new acne lesions and accelerates the healing of existing blackheads),
- azelaic acid (has antibacterial, exfoliating and anti-inflammatory properties),
- benzoyl peroxide (has a bactericidal and exfoliating effect, accelerates the healing of lesions and inhibits the multiplication of bacteria).
In the treatment of focused acne, various types of peels are also used, both physical (laser, cryotherapy); mechanical (microdermabrasion, dermabrasion); chemical (AHA, pyruvic, triiodoacetic acids) and enzymes. Peels are best used after pharmacological treatment to get rid of the resulting unsightly scars. Treatment of focused acne can be long-term and there may be periods of remission. The most important thing is to contact a dermatologist as soon as possible and include proper treatment – then the chances of curing the ailments are much greater.
DIG. T-77. Focused acne.
DIG. T-78. Focused acne.
DIG. T-79. Focused acne.
Lit .: [1] Braun-Falco O., Plewig G., Wolff HH, Burgdorf WHC: Dermatology, eds. half. Gliński W., Wolska H., Wydawnictwo Czelej, Lublin 2002, 994-1006. [2] Cunliff e WJ, Gollnick HPM: Acne. Diagnosis and management. Martin Dunitz Ltd. 2001. [3] Webster GF, Rawlings AV: Acne and its therapy. Informa Healthcare USA, Inc., 2007.
Source: A. Kaszuba, Z. Adamski: “Lexicon of dermatology”; XNUMXst edition, Czelej Publishing House