There’s a belief that once teenagers cross the threshold from adolescence into adulthood, the distress caused by acne will be forever left behind. The reality is that there is no guarantee that adulthood will offer the safe, acne-free haven that so many teens long for. Statistics indicate that 25% of the male population is plagued at some point by adult acne, while 50% of females will similarly find themselves contending with the condition as adults.

It seems that no one is exempt. Infant acne can appear on the faces babies who are only three or four weeks old, or even on the faces of newborns. Since so many are afflicted – adult and child alike – there’s an obvious need for real information on acne skin care that cuts through all the myths and separates fact from fiction.

Let’s begin at the beginning.

Sebum is the natural oil produced by the skin’s sebaceous glands. For reasons that aren’t fully understood, the pores of the skin can become plugged with sebum, and once plugged, bacteria and dead cells can become trapped in the pores, resulting in the lesions common to acne. Acne can be defined as a condition describing blocked skin pores that result in lesions.

The most common lesions are called comedones. There are two basic varieties of comedones: ‘white heads’ and ‘black heads’. A white head is an occluded pore that has begun to bulge outward from the skin due to dead skin cells, bacteria, and other contaminants that have become trapped inside. This bulging dome shape often assumes a white appearance. Black heads are simply comedones that have opened, exposing the dark follicle mass inside. Acne comedones are often referred to colloquially as “zits” or “pimples.”

Microcomedones are a less common form of acne lesion, sometimes referred to as papules. These are basically small comedones that form from localized cellular reactions to the processes that cause acne. They usually occur in clusters and are sometimes too small to see. They can be felt as a series of little bumps along the skin surface.

In more severe forms of acne, cysts, pustules and nodules and can form.

A pustule is like a normal comedone, but larger due to a higher amount of dead white cells, or pus, trapped inside the plugged sebaceous follicle.

Nodules are a more severe form of papules, extending deeper into the skin tissue and resulting in large raised legions that are usually inflamed and painful to touch.

Finally, cysts are very large fluid filled sacs that can result from pustules or nodules.

Though none of these forms of acne are dangerous or life threatening, they can leave scars and are sometimes very disfiguring.

What causes acne? This is a question that scientists and doctors still haven’t been able to completely agree upon. Today, most theories seem to point to a combination of factors that include genetics, hormone changes, and stress. For years it was thought that diet was a strong component to acne, but most evidence today suggests that hormones and stress are more likely to be the culprits.

Almost everyone will have some form of acne in their lives. Most people suffer from outbreaks of acne during their teenage years. These outbreaks are associated with hormone changes that occur during puberty. It is equally common to men and women, and usually outbreaks appear on the face. However, acne can strike at any stage in adult life, and outbreaks can appear not only on the face, but on the back, neck, arms and legs.

The good news is that the situation regarding acne and acne skin care is by no means hopeless. Acne treatment exists. And while it might not be realistic to expect some sort of magical acne cure, there are ways to effectively tackle the problem. Once you can find easy to implement acne tips and information at websites like www.acneskincareatoz.com, there’s a good possibility you’ll be able to minimize your breakouts or avoid them altogether.

There are a number of skin conditions that babies can get, and two different types of acne. Each one has different treatments and recommendations, so it’s good to know the symptoms of each.

Cradle Crap

Like neonatal acne, cradle crap and seborrheic dermatitis are related to the hormonal changes associated with pregnancy, which cause the oil glands to go into overdrive. Cradle crap is:

* crusty, scaly, red patches on baby’s scalp
* caused by overactive sebaceous glands (these produce the skin’s oil)
* there can also redness in the crease of the baby’s neck, armpits, and behind his ears
* when it is only on the scalp, it is cradle crap. When it spreads all over the face, and in the diaper area, it is called seborrheic dermatitis. You should contact your doctor to get a stronger shampoo or alternative treatment if this occurs.

Heat Rash

Heat rash can occur in anyone, though babies are more vulnerable because their sweat glands aren’t fully developed. Thus, they are less able to re-balance their core body temperature. Heat rash is characterized by very small bumps on the skin, surrounded by a red area. Heat rash:

* usually breaks out on areas of the body covered by clothes
* this includes the trunk, groin, and armpits
* it can cause fever and heat exhaustion in severe cases
* hot and humid environments tend to be associated with it more
* it can feel prickly or stinging

Baby Acne

Like teenage acne, baby acne occurs more often in boys than girls. Unlike later forms of acne, it is generally mild or moderate, and rarely severe.

It generally occurs on the face of infants – usually the cheeks, though it can spread to the chin and forehead. When this type of acne is mild to moderate, it is unlikely to lead to permanent scarring. However, if the acne is severe, scars can occur that last into adulthood. Those babies who develop severe acne usually get acne vulgaris when they reach the teenage years. Acne vulgaris is the most common type of acne people suffer from.

Neonatal acne can include features of regular acne like whiteheads and blackheads, as well as papules and pustules. Papules do not have pus in them, and look like small, solid, raised areas of the skin. Pustules do have pus in them, as the name suggests. Pustules generally form in sweat glands or hair follicles. It is composed of inflammatory cells as well as pus.

When there are no comedomes (whiteheads and blackheads), babies may have what is call neonatal cephalic pustulosis. This is a result of an infection by a genus of yeasts called malassezia. There are a number of different species belonging to this genus, although it has not been established whether the different species cause particular skin conditions. Malassezia yeasts can cause seborrhoeic dermatitis and dandruff, as well as neonatal cephalic pustulosis and a range of other conditions.

Neonatal cephalic pustulosis doesn’t usually need treatment, though a topical antifungal cream can be applied.