What’s the point of acne? Why does it appear in an especially turbulent point in people’s lives? What’s the most effective treatment for it?
Chances are ur probably below 21. Your body is just producing more juices as one could say ,which come out in the form of pimples. I had a lot of them (whatever you do dont sctrach them off and avoid touching them. Wash ur face 3 -4 times a day) I used to apply a lotion which had tretinion 0.025% w/w(the active chemical) which I applied for 3 months and they were gone although one month of no usage and a few were back but it definately helped me. As of now I dont apply any cream or stuff probably harming my face more than erasing the marks , just patiently waiting for hormone production to reduce 
Jolly good question Keeblerelf. What IS the point of acne, except to make teenagers lives a misery? Most of our bodily functions have a ‘function’ you might say, but I can’t see any for acne.
Now, depending on the sort of zits you have, there are a number of treatments. Generally, washing your face and zitty areas regularly will keep most of them from turning into big red nasty horrors. Sometimes an antibacterial lotion might help, or using some sort of astringent or drying agent on the skin like witchhazel. Some Dr’s will also prescribe a course of broad spectrum antibiotics to see if they help.
If they are really evil pimples and cover a large area with inflammation, you might have what is called ‘cystic acne’ which needs a more agressive treatment. One of these is called Accutane (or Roaccutane here in Aus). AFAIR, it can only be prescribed by a dermatologist, 'cos it’s a pretty heavy drug with all sorts of unpleasant side-effects. But it DOES work wonders if you are afflicted with the gruesome sort of zits, and may be worth enquiring about from your doctor.
Oh, and you don’t have to be a teenager to get them by the way. Every now and again I’m still prone to finding a big, fat juicy one on my chin or cheek…and I’m ancient!!
Why does there need to be a point of acne? There’s no “point” of ear infections. Some people are just prone to them.
I think you’re implying that because it is a common affliction it has some evolutionary benefit, which isn’t necessarily the case. It doesn’t hamper you from producing offspring, so it won’t be weeded out through natural selection. You can have acne and still be “fit” in evolutionary terms.
Of course some common ailments are thought to be associated with fitness. Sickle cell gene carriers are thought to be more resistant to malaria. Some consider allergies to be a side-effect of an immune system that is better prepared to deal with parasitic infection, IIRC.
But AFAIK, acne isn’t like that.
The evolutionary benefit to acne is that it makes you look mingin’, and therefore unattractive to the opposite sex: this means that you are unable to breed before you are emotionally and socially responsible enough to bring up kids. Perhaps it’s not a coincidence that the average age people start settling down to have kids (24-27) is about the time that acne starts to disappear…
Quite a theory Quirm, I never thought of my acne that way.
[Common Sense] Hmmm … [/Common Sense]
There was some correspondence in New Scientist on this subject a few years ago and one suggestion was that teenage acne was a signal that one is sexually mature: basically, I’ve the requisite hormones, I’m fertile, so hump me. One of the more implausible scientific theories I’ve read in the letters page of New Scientist.
I think it is to attract potential mates. When I see zits, I have a strong urge to pop them. The urge to groom others is strong in primates.
Deleting nuts from my diet cured my acne. At age FORTY-TWO I finally figured out that nuts were causing my acne. Almonds were the the worst.
I disagree with the advice that one shouldn’t pop pimples (with whiteheads on the top). I’ve done many experiments, and pimples go away quickest when gently pricked with a sanitized needle and the fluid is allowed to drain out. After that rinse with antibacterial soap. I’m compared this to applying pimple medication and letting the fluid drain through the body. The body takes forever to drain that fluid and the whitehead is usually painful in the meantime. Try an experiement yourself to see which method makes the pimple go away in the shortest amount of time; you might have different results.
Hyjack. about about black heads. I seem to have a large consintration just below my hair line…anything to prevent them…and what are they for?
Mingin’?
LOL!
Has anyone tried Windex on zits? Saw this in the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” and it seems logical. Windex might be antibacterial.