Acne Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment & Insurance | Royal Sundaram
Acne
We will be covering the following:
- What is Acne?
- Acne Symptoms
- Acne Diagnosis
- Acne Treatment and Cost in India
- Health Insurance in India
- Other Diseases
What is Acne?
Acne is an inflammatory skin condition caused when your hair follicles become plugged with dead skin cells and oil, causing spots and pimples. Whiteheads, blackheads, cysts, pimples are all types of acne. These spots usually appear on the face, chest, forehead, shoulders, and upper back. Although it can affect people of all ages, it is more common among teenagers. It can occur during puberty when sebaceous glands activate. Acne may not be as threatening, but it can leave skin scars.
Acne is a type of skin disease involving the oil glands at the base of the hair follicles. It is so common that it affects 3 in every 4 people aged 11 to 30 years. Some of the common causes of acne include genetics, hormonal imbalance, Menstrual cycle, anxiety, emotional stress, humid weather, using oil-based cosmetics, and squeezing pimples. Treatment of acne depends upon the severity. If it is chronic, it is advised to seek medical help at the earliest.
Acne Symptoms
According to the severity of the condition, the signs and symptoms may vary.
- Whiteheads (closed plugged pores)
- Blackheads (open plugged pores)
- Small red tender bumps
- Pimples which are papules with pus at the tip
- Big, Hard, painful lumps beneath the surface of the skin
- Painful, pus-filled cystic lumps beneath the surface of the skin
Some women try to treat acne with lotions, cleansers, etc. However, the FDA has warned against using non prescribed cosmetics to treat acne as it can lead to reactions. Seek immediate medical help if you experience any of the below symptoms after using a skincare product:
- Faintness
- Swelling of face, eyes, lips, or tongue
- Difficulty breathing
- Tightness of throat
Acne Diagnosis
Your doctor will examine the bumps and the spots to check if it is acne or any other skin condition. Your doctor is most likely to ask you the following questions:
Do you have a family history of acne?
When did you first develop this condition?
For women: Do you have regular menstrual periods?
Have you used any self-care products before?
What treatment methods have you tried before?
What medications have you been taking?
Is your acne affecting you emotionally?
The above information will help your doctor determine the cause and severity of your acne issues, and accordingly, the treatment will be suggested.
Acne Treatment
Treatment of acne depends on how severe the acne is:
Mild acne can be cured with over the counter medicines such as creams, lotions, gels, etc. OTC acne remedy products may contain ingredients like Sulfur, Retin-A, Recorcinol that help in dealing with this condition.
Most people use home-based treatment to deal with acne, and it has proved to be effective in most cases.
Diet: Consuming a diet that is rich in Vitamin A and E can reduce the risk of developing acne. However, there are also some contradictory reports that doubt the role of diet in treating severe acne.
Tea tree oil: This type of essential oil may help treat mild to moderate acne.
Moisturizer: Moisturizer containing Aloe Vera can have smoothening and anti-inflammatory properties.
You can continue to use home-based treatment for mild acne. However, if the symptoms worsen, seek immediate medical help.
Health Insurance in India
To cope up with rising medical cost in the country, many people are now buying health insurance policies. A health insurance policy agrees to compensate for the expenses incurred during treatment, thereby reducing the financial burden on the insured.
Here is what to look for in a good health insurance policy:
A good health insurance policy covers the cost of medicines, doctor’s fees, cost of diagnostic tests, ambulance charges, hospitalisation, pre and post hospitalisation, etc.
The coverage under a health plan may vary from policy to policy and provider to provider.
Look for claim settlement ratio of the provider before purchasing a health plan.
Other diseases
Lifestyle-related ailments are on the rise in the country. The number of people suffering from diabetes, cancer is increasing every day. In such a scenario, the importance of health insurance increases manifold.
Below is the list of other diseases covered by most health insurance plans:
- Cancer
- Brain tumour
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Respiratory diseases
- Mental illnesses
- Neurological condition
Coverage for some of the above conditions may start after a pre-specified waiting period.