Beware of Uncontrolled "Acne Fighting"
Recently, I visited the dermatology department of Liaoning Provincial People's Hospital and met a 14-year-old girl accompanied by her mother seeking treatment for acne. When asked about medications she had used, the girl lowered her head and whispered, “I’ve been taking birth control pills every day for the past month.” The doctor explained that using birth control pills to treat acne (commonly called “acne”) is relatively common among female students in cities like Beijing and Guangzhou. She noted that acne typically results from excessive male hormone secretion, disrupted sebaceous gland metabolism, clogged pores, and overgrowth of Propionibacterium acnes bacteria, leading to inflammatory reactions such as papules, pustules, nodules, and cysts. Birth control pills mainly contain estrogen and progestin, which do indeed help regulate acne. However, long-term, unsupervised use by girls under 18 can lead to side effects such as suppressed ovarian function, menstrual irregularities or amenorrhea, breast hyperplasia, and reproductive system tumors. Therefore, female students should not take birth control pills to treat acne. Seek professional medical advice if you have acne. The doctor also shared that acne is no longer exclusive to teenagers. They frequently see middle-aged adults with severe acne—mostly well-paid working women who pay great attention to appearance. Due to improper selection of cosmetics based on skin type, their pores become blocked, sebum cannot be released, and bacterial infection occurs, leading to “cosmetic acne.” The doctor warned that many cosmetics today claim functional benefits, but their ingredients are not always reliable. Some claim to whiten, but actually contain acids—human skin has limited tolerance to acids. Others claim to reduce wrinkles and spots, but contain retinoic acid, which is highly irritating. Some claim to soothe sensitive skin, but actually include steroids, causing irreversible skin damage. The doctor advises all beauty-conscious women: Do not misuse cosmetics. Do not self-treat acne—seek proper medical consultation at a specialized clinic.<Acne>