How do peels help clear up acne?

Acne is a disease of the skin that may result in severe scarring of the face, neck, and back. It may persist for years, having adverse psychological effects including depression and withdrawal from society. Acne is most common in adolescence and early adulthood.

Hormonal acne in women may smolder on for years. Contrary to popular belief, acne is not caused by dirty skin or impurities in the blood. It is a disorder of the pilosebaceous unit. This is made up of a hair follicle, sebaceous gland (oil) and a hair.

In normal skin, sebum produced by the sebaceous glands combines within the hair follicle with cells being sloughed off. When it “fills up”, the sebum spreads over the skin’s surface. When this process works correctly, the skin remains moist and healthy. Pimples are the result of a sequence of events. There is an obstruction within the follicle itself. The sebum along with the dead cells, get trapped and dry out. This creates a plug obstructing the drainage of sebum. This is known as a white head. As sebum becomes older and drier, it becomes brown and presents as blackheads.