How to Stop Acne - Mimics of Acne

How to Stop Acne

Mimics of Acne
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Mimics of acne are skin conditions that may look acne at first glance, but which are not. These skin conditions often do not respond well to standard acne treatment and require different treatments. Your dermatologist is trained to distinguish acne from mimics and should be consulted if you have any doubts.

Rosacea

Early rosacea is characterized by flushing and blushing with sun exposure, alcohol, spicy food, and strong emotions. Later, inflamed papules and pustules resembling acne may appear, together with persistent redness of the face, visible fine blood vessels and swelling of the skin. In the late stage in men, the nose may become enlarged and deformed.

Steriod-induced Acne

Acne induced by the prolonged use of steroid creams on the skin, or the ingestion of steroid tablets, or by repeated injections of steroids, differ from regular acne in that the lesions tend to be monomorphic (uniform in size and appearance). Inregular acne, a variety of different acne lesions (non-inflamed comedones and inflamed papules, pustules, nodules and cysts) are present at any one time.

Perioral Dermatitis

The patient has acne –like papules and pustules appearing symmetrically around the mouth while the rest of the face and often results from prolonged inappropriate use of steroid creams.

How to Stop Acne

Gram-negative Bacterial Folliculitis

The condition is due to infection of the hair follicles by gram-negative bacteria. It often shows up as multiple small, inflamed, pus-filled lesions that do not respond to standard acne antibiotics. It may be a complication of repeated antibiotic acne treatments.

Pityrosporum Folliculitis

This is caused by the infection of the hair follicles by a yeast called Malassezia furfur (previously called Pityrosporum Ovale). Small red papules and pustules centered around hair follicles are seen on the shoulders, back and chest. The lesions are monomorphic and develop suddenly over a short period of time. Young, healthy adults involved in high levels of physical activity, with increased sweating and occlusion are usually affected.

Pseudofolliculitis

Pseudofolliculitis occurs mostly in men with kinky or curly hair, in hair-bearing areas such as the chin. It arises when the tip of shaved hair pierces the hair follicle wall, causing inflammation.

Keratosis Pilaris

This common condition involves rough red bumps around the hair pores on the upper arms and thighs. It tends to be persistent and is associated with dry skin and atopic dermatitis.

How to Stop Acne