18. How to Diagnosis Acne
Acne is very simple to diagnose. No medical tests are required to diagnose it. A physical exam and a medical history will suffice. Doctors decide the severity of the acne by using a graduated scale. They compare a patient's acne with a standardized set of photographs to see if the acne is mild (1 on the scale) or very severe (12 on the scale).
However, doctors do conduct various examinations and tests to rule out the possibility of the acne being a symptom of an underlying medical condition. These tests include:
(1) Microbiological biopsy of an acne lesion to check if:
1 The bacteria, such as Proprionibacterium acnes, react to the antibiotics prescribed by the doctor.
2 The culture obtained shows the presence of yeast or gram-negative bacteria, as this implies that the lesions are a symptom of either folliculitis or dermatitis.
(2) For women suffering from acne, doctors routinely suggest blood tests to check for abnormal levels of hormones (for example, testosterone). Hormone tests will help:
1 To determine whether there are abnormally high levels of prolactin in the body.
2 To check for excessive secretion of testosterone, the predominantly male hormone 3 To check for the possibility of pregnancy, in which case the treatment would have to be cancelled.
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4 To rule out Cushing’s syndrome
Tests, which should be taken in the morning during the first fifteen days of the women’s menstrual cycle, include:
1 Free androgen index (FAI)
2 Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS)
3 Dexamethasone suppression test
4 Luteinising hormone and Follicular Stimulating Hormone Test
(3) A pelvic ultrasound to rule out the presence of tumors
(4) Apart from the tests mentioned above, physicians perform these blood tests to monitor their patient through the course of the prescribed therapy or treatment:
• A test to measure liver functioning
• Total blood count test
• Test to check for the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the body
Prognosis
When the doctor has made his diagnosis and firmly ruled out the possibility of other disorders with acne-like symptoms, (s)he will start the required treatment immediately.
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All patients, especially those suffering from severe forms of acne, are anxious to know what the prognosis of their disease is.
For most of the patients, the prognosis is highly positive. With the right treatment and lots of patience, they will eventually overcome it. For those who have acne scarring, there is no need to be disheartened as there are various ways by which they can be treated to some degree.
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