Acne

It is something of a cosmic joke, that a disease like acne 1) develops at an age when appearance is particularly critical and 2) breaks out on the face, the most exposed part of the body. If acne developed in our 60s, on our buttocks, it would be thought of as a much less serious problem.

But acne remains the bane of teens, and increasingly adults, for whom it is a daily embarrassment. Millions of dollars are spent every year on treatments, many of which are only minimally effective. The need still exists for better treatments, and MedaPhase has had a leading role in the development of new treatments such as Aczone and Epiduo.

About Acne

What is acne? Why is it so common in teenagers? What causes it to persist in some adults? What are treatments intended to do? Acne is fundamentally a hormonal disease. It is so common in teenagers due to the enormous hormonal changes that occur during puberty. It is the changes in hormones, especially the reproductive hormones like testosterone and estrogen, that lead to changes in the skin. The earliest change is a marked increase in the size and activity of the sebaceous "oil" glands, which are found mainly on the face, as well as the chest and upper back--the areas where we see acne. A second change occurs in skin pores. These pores are lined with skin, and just like skin elsewhere, it is continuously growing and sheedding the old dead skin cells on the surface. Normally these dead skin cells are washed out of the pore by the oil produced by the oil gland. However, in acne, a change in the skin lining the pores occurs. Instead of shedding individual skin cells, the skin begins to shed in sticky clumps of dead skin cells. These tend to "plug up" the pore, forming the plugged pores that we recognize as blackheads and whiteheads. If the pore remains blocked, the oil can no longer drain. The pore swells up like a balloon, and ultimately bacteria begin to build up in the swollen pore. If the pore ruptures, it triggers a powerful local inflammatory response, and the body rushes in white blood cells to clean up the bacteria and debris. This causes the formation of the large red pimples and pus bumps that are seen in more advanced acne.

Treatment

Treatment targets many of these steps. Vitamin A derivatives like Retin-A or Differin prevent the formation of the plug that blocks the pore. Antibiotics, both oral and topical, and benzoyl peroxide reduce the buildup of bacteria and reduce the inflammation that leads to pimples. Hormonal treatments like Yaz block the effects of hormones like testosterone on the skin. Isotretinoin (Accutane) dramatically reduces the size and activity of the oil glands in a lasting fashion. Despite the many available treatments, many patients still suffer with continued breakouts, and MedaPhase continues to work on developing better treatments for the future.