When the skin is constantly rubbed, it initially becomes rough and then starts to develop acne-like bumps with continuing irritation like sweating or more friction. If the skin continues to be irritated for a longer period of time, a more serious acne lesion develops that grows in size and redness. They appear as small, red tender bumps called papules. There may be a combination of whiteheads and blackheads that also appear around the area affected, the difference being that whiteheads are closed and clogged pores whereas blackheads are also clogged but open pores. The symptoms may vary also depending on a persons skin type; overly oily or dry skin can cause a number of symptoms that heighten the possibility for acne mechanica to develop. Cause
Repetitive rubbing of the skin, in instances such as backpack strings rubbing on your shoulders or helmet straps rubbing on your chin are actions that can irritate the skin and cause acne mechanica. Acne mechanica is a specific type of acne that is caused by friction, heat, and/or pressure on the skin. Especially occurs when the skin is not exposed to air. It is commonly found in athletes because sweaty, constantly rubbed skin by a tight uniform, for example, can result in a rash. What may look like a rash is actually acne mechanica. Another common area for acne mechanica to show up is on the sides of your face where you hold your cell phone, especially with the added bacteria it carries on it.
When people pop pimples, pus comes out, which has the dead white blood cells in it that originally came to diffuse the inflammation. Depending on the continuation of the stressors, the inflammatory pimples (also known as papules and pustules) can develop into nodules and cysts, which are more severe forms of acne that are rooted deeper within the skin. Diagnosis
Acne mechanica can be diagnosed by a dermatologist via a physical examination. In more extreme cases, a skin biopsy is performed to examine the pathology. Family and medical history are also looked at to see if the patient has a hereditary tendency to certain conditions that cause different types of acne, which may play a role in acne mechanica development. For example, if a patients parents had acne, there is a very strong probability they will also have similar issues. The issues can range from things like overproducing dead skin cells or the pores having a higher tendency to clog. Treatment
Acne mechanica has no direct cure, however, there are preventive measures that can be taken to minimize its breakouts. The most obvious solution to prevent extra rubbing or heat entrapment on the surface of the skin is to wear either loose-fitting clothes or wearing clothes made out of more breathable fabrics, especially during exercising, playing sports, or when performing physical activities such as hiking. Loose clothes will not rub as much and create the mechanical stress on the skin.