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Catelyn Mcclendon

Mrs. Miller

English 12

14 February 2024

All about Acne

I. Introduction

A. Everyone at one time or another has suffered from various forms of acne.

B. Acne comes in many different forms with a wide variety of causes and treatments.

C. There are a few different types of acne.

D. With a few different classifications of acne comes several different causes.

E. All of these types of acne have different treatments ranging from a topical

ointment to an oral medication.

II. Claim 1

A. Acne is caused by a clogged pore or commonly referred to as a clogged

comedone. White heads are closed comedones under the surface, while black

heads are open comedones at the surface of the skin.

1. As best said by Camp “Pimples under the skin's surface that erupt with a

white center are called whiteheads.Pimples exposed to air are called

blackheads and look black.”

2. These are one of the most common types, but they can also lead to “cysts,

nodules, pink bumps, or pus filled pimples” if not treated (Camp) .

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B. There are different stages of acne depending on the type of acne one has and its

severity.

1. Mild is a mix of “open and closed comedones.” Moderate is “open and

closed with some pustules.”

2. Severe is “open, closed, pustules, scarring, and pitting in the skin” (Jade).

C. Although scarring isn’t a type of acne, it is a very common after effect of severe

acne.

1. Brind'amour and Amjera stated that acne “may leave scars or darken the

skin if untreated.”

2. You won't see the scarring while the acne is still festering. You will see it

when “a pimple clears” (American Academy of Dermatology).

3. While scarring is sometimes inevitable it can often be prevented by not

picking at acne.

III. Claim 2

A. Acne can be caused by various factors.

1. One cause of acne may be due to oil and dead skin cells.

2. Camp stated “Acne occurs when oil and dead skin cells clog the pores.”

3. The skin naturally sheds dead skin cells but if they get trapped, it can

cause acne.

B. Acne may also be caused by bacteria.

1. Bacteria may increase or spread if you pick at your pimples or breakouts.

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2. “Bacteria (Cutibacterium acnes) and inflammation can play a role in

determining when pimples crop up…”(Camp).

C. Fluctuations in hormones can cause acne.

1. Schancher said acne can be “…due to changes in hormonal milieu,

including androgens and insulin-like growth factors.”

2. Some hormones cause an increase of sebum production which can lead to

blocked comedones. Sebum is commonly known as oil.

3. As oil is increased, it can block pores.

IV. Numerous treatments and combinations are available for acne.

A. One category that a dermatologist may prescribe for acne is a topical retinoid.

1. The Basic Dermatology Curriculum: Acne & Rosacea published “Topical

retinoids are vitamin A derivatives that act by normalizing the

desquamation of follicular epithelium to prevent formation of new

comedones and promote the clearing of existing comedones.”

2. To put it simply, topical retinoids work by stabilizing the skin cells that are

shedding on the top layer of skin.

3. This would be commonly prescribed for comedonal acne.

B. A second category of treatment for acne is Benzoyl Peroxide.

1. Benzoyl peroxide is a topical medication commonly seen as a wash which

holds antibacterial properties.

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2. Basic Dermatology Curriculum: Acne & Rosacea revealed that “Benzoyl

peroxide is a topical medication with both antibacterial and comedolytic

properties.”

3. This method of treatment would work best for black and whiteheads, as

well as bacterial caused acne.

C. A third arguable treatment is patient education.

1. A prescribed medication treatment will not be effective if the patient isn’t

knowledgeable about how to properly use the medication. It is also equally

important to establish a routine as a preventative form of directives.

2. As best said in Basic Dermatology Curriculum: Acne & Rosacea “Lack of

adherence is the most common cause of treatment failure. Patients will

often stop their topical treatments too early without improvement in their

acne. Topical agents take 2-3 months to see effect. Therapy should be

continued for at least 8 weeks before a treatment response can be

accurately evaluated.”

3. A patient may see short term results very quickly then assume the

medication has done its job and discontinue it, but if they want lasting

results for any acne type, it is best to use medication as prescribed. Paired

with a full proof routine.

V. Conclusion

A. There are several forms of acne, resulting in a variety of causes and treatments.
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B. Acne has various manifestations. Numerous factors contribute to the formation of

acne. Thanks to advances in medicine there are many treatment options available

to treat acne.

C. Although many Americans suffer through the stages of acne untreated, there is

help out there not limited to a ten step skin care routine.
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Works Cited

“Basic Dermatology Curriculum: Acne & Rosacea.” American Academy of Dermatology , 2023.

Accessed 18 Feb. 2024.

American Academy of Dermatology Association. “Skin Healthy Winter 2023.”

Online.Fliphtml5.Com, 2023, online.fliphtml5.com/aqigs/sjrc/#p=4. Accessed 18 Feb.

2024.

Brind’Amour, Katherine, and Rachael Ajmera. “Skin Disorders: Pictures, Causes, Symptoms,

and Treatment.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 8 Mar. 2023,

www.healthline.com/health/skin-disorders. Accessed 18 Feb 2024

Camp, Brendan. “How to Identify and Treat 15 Common Skin Conditions.” Health, Health

Editorial Team, 30 Oct. 2023,

www.health.com/condition/skin-conditions/skin-conditions. Accessed 18 Feb. 2024.

Jade, director. Dermatology - Inflammatory Skin Conditions. YouTube, Medflix, 4 Mar. 2020,

https://youtu.be/XeNmEgZZLko?si=a55cjdEcxFWkVhE6. Accessed 16 Jan. 2024.

Schachner, Lawrence. “Insights into Acne and the Skin Barrier: Optimizing Treatment Regimens

with Ceramide‐containing Skincare.” EBSCOhost Login, Journal of Cosmetic

Dermatology, Nov. 2023, research.ebsco.com/c/sx3oab/viewer/html/pph6xsvpxr.

Accessed 18 Feb. 2024.

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Selby , Mary. “Diagnosing Common Skin Conditions.” EBSCOhost Login, 9 Feb. 2007,

research.ebsco.com/c/sx3oab/viewer/html/nk5ygivnsf. Accessed 18 Feb. 2024.