Common Questions About Acne What causes acne? Your skin has thousands of oil glands that produce sebum to moisturize your skin and help it act as a protective barrier. Sebum within each oil gland is carried to the skin’s surface through pores. The highest density of oil glands is found on your face, especially at the nose, forehead and mid cheek areas. The largest oil glands are found on the back and mid-chest. This explains, in part why acne appears mostly on the face, chest and back. What actually causes acne is still unknown. Hormones may play a role in pore blockage and increased oil production. Unfortunately, you may inherit acne-prone skin, particularly the type associated with more severe, scarring forms of the condition. Who gets acne? More than 85% of teenagers get acne, but anyone can get acne, including adults.1 Where does acne develop? You can have acne on any part of your skin where sebaceous glands are found. These are the glands that produce oil for the skin. Acne can appear on the face, chest and back, and even on the arms and thighs. What is severe acne? Severe acne is when many red, swollen, tender lumps form in the skin. These can be the size of pencil erasers or larger. If untreated, some types of acne can lead to permanent scars. What is persistent acne? Persistent acne, also known as recalcitrant acne, is acne that is resistant to oral antibiotics or topical antibiotic lotions, creams or gels. What is acne scarring? Acne scarring is just that — scars left behind once acne lesions heal. The amount of time that passes before acne is treated can increase the amount of acne scarring. Treatment of acne is recommended as early as possible to minimize acne scarring What can make acne worse? The most common things that can aggravate your acne are: cleansing your skin too much, and squeezing, picking, or popping zits. Excessive cleansing, particularly with overzealous use of abrasive facial scrubs, can irritate your skin and worsen inflammation. How is acne treated? Acne treatment ranges from cleansers, topical gels and creams for mild acne, to antibiotic or hormonal pills for moderate cases of acne. Clarus® is a medicine used to treat severe acne (nodular and/or inflammatory acne) and acne that cannot be cleared up by other treatments including antibiotics. The first signs of healing most often occur after two to three weeks of treatment. It may take one to two months before beneficial effects are seen. Please work closely with your doctor and take your Clarus® as prescribed. Where can I get more information about acne? You can find out more about acne on the following websites: • www.clarusclearprogram.ca