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Acne vulgaris is a true equal-opportunity disorder. Acne affects men and women equally, and while it’s chiefly a scourge of adolescents, it can strike children as young as 9 and women in their late 40s. Fifteen per cent of women who see a doctor for acne are over 35, said Elgin Duke, an Ottawa dermatologist and spokesman for the Canadian Dermatology Association.

Acne is caused by an over-supply of the skin’s natural oil, called sebum, with the result being blocked hair follicles.

It’s that build-up of sebum that causes blackheads and pimples to form.

In severe cases, the acne can lead to painful, inflamed cysts.

Consult your doctor if the problem doesn’t respond to simple, over-the-counter remedies.

- Prevention strategies: Avoid heavy make-up, which can aggravate pimples.

Don’t wear sweatbands on your forehead when exercising.

Don’t scrub the skin when washing (too much pressure can make the problem worse.)

A little bit of sunshine can help, but be careful not to burn.

- Drugstore remedies: These include topical lotions and creams that contain benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid to help reduce bacteria and loosen dead cells on the skin’s surface.

Prescription creams or lotions containing tretinion, a Vitamin-A derivative, or topical antibiotics, such as erythromycin or clindamycin, can help in moderate cases.

In severe cases, an oral antibiotic, such as tetracycline, or Acutane, an oral tretinion, can be prescribed.

Acutane, however, can have serious side effects, such as birth defects in children.

- Natural remedies: Vitamins A and E strengthen skin and prevent scarring. Zinc supplements (30 mg to 80 mg a day), garlic and a B- complex supplement can help.

Tea-tree oil products can help keep skin healthy.

Granular lecithin, about three tablespoons a day with meals, may help reduce residual lumpiness from acne scarring.

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