About Acne

An estimates 90 million people in the United States suffer from acne

Acne is pustular eruptions, localised abscessed formation and local inflammatory conditions of the dermis and epidermis skin layers. Endogenous hormones (mainly androgens), which are present in unusually high concentrations in the blood during adolescence and puberty give rise to an excessive production of sebum (or oil). The condition may worsen by a simultaneous increase in the rate of keratin in the skin's outer layer (the horny layer) that causes skin cell death. As the horny cells proliferate, they can form an occlusive plug or comedone which coupled with the increased production of the sebum, represents an ideal medium for the proliferation of the skin resident anaerobic bacterium, P. acnes.

Plugged follicles may take the form of either whiteheads, where the plug in the follicle remains beneath the skin's surface, or blackheads, where the plug in the follicle extends to the skin's surface and becomes visible. In the majority of these clogged follicles, the bacterium P. acnes will cause swelling, itching, and redness around the follicle.

The bacterium P. acnes is normally present in all skin types as part of the skin's sebum maintenance system. In a hair follicle, P. acnes produces enzymes that break down sebum creating a balance of oil in the skin. However, a clogged follicle creates an ideal environment for this sebum-eating skin bacterium to multiply. Consequently, the increase of P. acnes and its enzymes irritates and inflames the skin resulting in acne. Furthermore, P. acnes is responsible for at least 90% of all acne cases.

There are many myths about what causes acne. Stress does not cause acne, and neither does eating greasy foods. Another common myth is that dirty skin causes acne, but studies have shown that blackheads and other acne lesions are not caused by dirt.

Acne is a medical problem and requires a medical solution.

Acne Treatment

People of all races and ages get acne. Although frequently thought of as a condition that affects teenagers, adult acne is a real problem, and some people in their forties and fifties continue to have this skin condition. For decades, people have experimented with and invented all manner of treatments and medications to clear acne, with varying degrees of success.

There are many over-the-counter and prescription acne medications. Experts recommend different ones for different people, but none have been totally effective in a large portion of the population. Most people do not respond to traditional acne treatment. This is especially true of adults, as most topical acne medications are formulated for teenaged skin. That's why we developed Zeno, a new device for clearing acne.