Acne and psychological factors

  Acne vulgaris is a common chronic inflammatory disease of the hair follicles and sebaceous glands caused by a variety of factors. Clinical manifestations include acne (blackheads, whiteheads), papules, pustules, nodules, cysts, and scars.  Modern research suggests that the cause of acne is mainly related to hyperfunction of male hormones and sebaceous glands, abnormal hair follicle sebum, microbial action in the hair follicle sebaceous units, and inflammatory reactions. In Chinese medicine, it is called “acne”, “lung wind acne”, “wine acne”, and commonly known as “acne” and “pimple”. “Pimples”. Because of its disfiguring nature, it causes not only physical discomfort but also psychological stress to patients.  According to statistics from multinational health surveillance systems, about 8 5% of the population develops acne between the ages of 12 and 24, and about 10% to 30% of acne patients visit dermatologists.  In recent years, with the improvement of people’s living standards, dietary structure and nutritional conditions, the accelerated pace of life, and the increase in mental stress such as work and study, the onset of acne has expanded from youth to middle age and adolescence. Some scholars have studied post-pubertal acne occurring in patients over 30 years of age, with females accounting for the majority of them. Due to the disruption of androgen metabolism in the peripheral skin tissues of these patients, estradiol decreases and serum testosterone levels increase, leading to phenomena such as late-onset acne and aggravation of premenstrual symptoms, and closely related to the psychological factors of patients. Most patients are associated with sleep disorders and emotional instability. Most of them are less emotionally stable and react with more intense intensity to life events. Therefore, it is believed that psychosocial factors are associated with female postpubertal acne and that chronic, long-term mental stress may be one of the important triggers of female postpubertal acne.  When people are under stress from different sources, emotional changes such as depression and anxiety will send nerve impulses to the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis or adrenal axis through the emotional circuit of the cerebral cortex- limbic system, resulting in an increase in androgens.  In addition, the sebaceous glands themselves have increased sensitivity to androgens. The sebaceous gland cells have the highest distribution of androgen receptors and have a special affinity for androgens in the circulating blood. The degree of acne onset varies.  The development of acne and psychological factors are mutually related.  Chronic, long-term mental and emotional factors lead to the occurrence of acne, and the impact of acne on patients’ mental health, especially on their quality of life, which further aggravates their anxiety, depression and other mental, emotional and psychological problems. The prevention and treatment of acne is not limited to the biomedical model, but is gradually developing into a biopsychosocial medical model.  Survival in society from life, work and other aspects of the pressure is inevitable.  However, we should learn to soothe it through communication, narration, sports, excursions, and dietary regimen, which will help prevent the occurrence of acne. After acne occurs, in addition to the necessary medication, we should actively adjust our mindset so that we are not impatient, depressed, or anxious, and correctly face the disease that is prone to occur. This will play a very good and positive role in the healing of the disease.