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Integumentary System
Acne is a skin disease that deals with and affects the follicles, or the pores, that
cover someone’s face and body and is an inflammatory skin eruption caused by some
plugged sebaceous glands, which results in papules and pustules. (Ceaser 9, Bruck,
108). The Integumentary system is the largest body system that includes: the skin,
hair, nails, and certain glands (Bruck,
91). The skin or cutaneous
membrane has two basic layers: the
epidermis and the dermis (Doyle).
Acne affects the skin and the
Integumentary system and is all
connected together.
There are five human systems:
circulation, brain and nerves,
digestion, bones and joints, and the
skin, hair, and nails otherwise referred to as the
#2 Layers of the Skin
Integumentary system (Green 4). The Integumentary system includes: the skin, hair,
nails, and certain glands and accounts for fifteen percent of body weight (Bruck, 91).
The skin or cutaneous membrane has two basic layers: the epidermis, the dermis, and
the subcutaneous layer, but technically is not a layer, but it does have significance
structurally, which is able to be seen in the diagram (Doyle). The epidermis is
between less than 0.1mm to more than 1mm thick. It is worn away continuously and
renewed and contains melanin which is a brown pigment that helps to filter ultraviolet
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light. The dermis which is also called the corium is an elastic system that contains and
supports blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, nerves, and epidermal appendages, made
up of matrix. This matrix contains connective tissue fibers including: collagen,
elastin, reticular fibers, and it also insulates the body (Bruck, 91-92). “The function of
the skin is to regulate body temperature, defend the body against harmful substances
that try to enter it, protect structures and internal organs from injury, and it is
involved with the secretion of waste” (Doyle).
Acne is a skin disease that deals with and affects the follicles, or the pores, that
cover someone’s face and body and is an inflammatory skin eruption caused by some
plugged sebaceous glands, which results in papules and pustules (Ceaser 9, Bruck,
108). A follicle is a tiny duct where
hair grows and at the bottom of the
follicle is a sebaceous gland which
produces oil called sebum (Ceaser 9).
Acne is caused by the action of
hormones on the oil gland. The glands,
which can be viewed in the picture,
become overactive and then pimples
develop which often are accompanied
by inflammation (Doyle). There are
four main types of acne lesions: comedo, papule, pustule, and
#1 Pore
cyst. There are three kinds of acne types: a blackhead, whitehead, or a pimple. A
whitehead occurs when an oil gland is blocked by sebum, which is an oily secretion,
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which then appears on the surface of the skin. A blackhead is the external opening of
the duct when it is evident (Crump 30). When the sebaceous glands produce too much
oil, the increased amount of oil causes the follicle to become sticky and clogged with
oil and dead skin (ACNE 2005). Then bacteria mixes with oil and gets into the
follicle which cause it to get infected which then cause it to become red and inflamed,
inflammation causes redness and swelling,
and inflamed pores are skin blemishes
known as acne lesions, which are noticed
in the picture. The hormone that causes
acne is androgen and for women acne
likely to happen 2 to 7 days before a
woman’s menstrual cycle because,
#3 Acne
hormonal changes go on around then and the androgens
can
take advantage of it. Acne is inherited or runs in the family meaning if both of
someone’s parents had problems with their skin then so will their child, because oily
skin is inherited from parents. Some things that are assumed to cause acne but really
aren’t proven to do so are: diet, hygiene, stress, and sex, although some people still do
believe that they do. Some things that could cause it are tanning, some sweating,
touching the skin, clothing that puts pressure or irritates the skin, some cosmetics, and
hair can help or sometimes cause it (Ceaser 9, 11-13, 42-44, 46-48.
Symptoms of acne include: blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, which are some that
are large red bumps, and oily skin. The oily skin is from the over production of the
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sebaceous gland and this gland makes oil due to the hormone androgen (Ceaser 1112).
There are many current treatments today. Some include over the counter
treatments and prescription treatments. Over the counter treatments are topical which
means that they are put on the surface of skin. They help control how much oil is on
the face and help to make the shedding of skin cells normal. Prescription treatments
are oral medications, which can lower the inflammation of acne lesions, decrease the
size of the sebaceous glands, lower the amount of sebum that is being produced, and
help balance the effect of the androgens in the females only (Ceaser 19-20, 27).
Future treatments are being worked on daily.
Statistical information show that 73 percent of teens will sometime suffer from
breakouts ranging from twelve to nineteen years of age. It also shows that up to 70
percent of young women notice their acne worsens around their menstrual cycles
(Ceaser 13).
Acne affects the Integumentary system by the way it is formed. It also is because
there is too much oil causing pores to be clogged which then leads to bumps, which
can be painful, blackheads, or whiteheads (Ceaser 9).
Acne is a skin disease that deals with and affects the follicles, or the pores, that
cover someone’s face and body and is an inflammatory skin eruption caused by some
plugged sebaceous glands, which results in papules and pustules (Ceaser 9, Bruck,
108). The Integumentary system is the largest body system that includes: the skin,
hair, nails, and certain glands (Bruck, 91). The skin or cutaneous membrane has two
basic layers: the epidermis and the dermis. Acne is produced because of the action of
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hormones on the oil gland, the glands become overactive and then pimples develop
which often are accompanied by inflammation (Doyle). Some medicines to help acne
are over the counter and prescription treatments (Ceaser 19, 27. Acne affects the skin
and the Integumentary system and is all connected together.
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References
ACNE. (2005). In CareNotes. Thomson Healthcare, Inc.. Retrieved November 29,
2006, from Expanded Academic ASAP via Thomson Gale:
http://find.galenet.com/ips/infomark.do?&contentSet=IACBruck, L., Donofrio, L., Follin, S.A., Levine, J.,Thompson (Ed.). (2005). Medical
terminology made incredibly easy. Ambler, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Ceaser, J (2000). Everything thing you need to know about Acne A helping book
for teens. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
Crump, M (2002). Don't sweat it!. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing Inc
Doyle, M. (Ed.). Human Body on File: Physiology (1996). Skin: Structure and
Function. New York, NY: Facts on File, Inc.
Green, J (2006). Your body and health Skin, hair, and hygiene. Mankato, MN:
Aladdin Books Ltd.
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#1 Pore
#2 Layers of
the Skin
#3 Acne