Hi, I'm Cathy with Level Up RN. In this video, I'm going to continue my coverage of integumentary system disorders from our pediatric nursing flashcards. Specifically, I'll be talking about acne. And at the end of the video, I'm going to give you guys a little quiz to test your understanding of some of the key points I'll be covering, so definitely stay tuned for that. And if you have our flashcards, go ahead and pull out your flashcard on acne so you can follow along with me.
Acne is an inflammatory skin disorder that is very common during adolescence. Acne results when hair follicles or pores become clogged with sebum and dead skin cells, which in turn leads to bacterial colonization and inflammation. The reason that acne is common during puberty is that hormonal changes lead to enlargement of the sebaceous glands as well as an increase in oil production. Signs and symptoms include closed comedones, which is a fancy name for whiteheads. These are clogged hair follicles that are beneath the skin surface. We also have open comedones, which is a fancy name for blackheads. These are clogged hair follicles that reach the skin surface and open up, and they appear black because air discolors the sebum. Other signs and symptoms include erythema as well as the presence of pustules, papules, and nodules. Topical agents used in the treatment of acne include retinoids such as tretinoin, topical antibiotics such as clindamycin, and benzoyl peroxide. So if your patient will be using benzoyl peroxide, it's important to warn them that it has a bleaching effect on sheets, towels, and clothes.
Systemic agents used in the treatment of acne include antibiotics such as doxycycline, isotretinoin, which is brand-name Accutane, as well as oral contraceptives. So if your patient will be taking isotretinoin, you need to provide education that this medication is teratogenic, meaning it could cause severe birth defects. So effective birth control is going to be essential, and your patient will need to provide two negative pregnancy tests prior to initiating therapy with isotretinoin, and they will also need to provide a negative pregnancy test every month while taking this medication. In terms of patient teaching, the skin should be gently cleansed twice a day using a mild cleanser, and you should advise the patient not to pick or squeeze pimples because this can result in infection as well as scarring.
All right. It's quiz time, and I've got three questions for you.
Question number one. What is a closed comedone?
The answer is, this is a white head, so a clogged pore that is beneath the skin surface.
Question number two. What topical treatment for acne can have a bleaching effect on sheets, towels, and clothes?
The answer is benzoyl peroxide.
Question number three. What key teaching do you need to provide a patient who will be taking isotretinoin for acne?
The answer is, this medication can cause severe birth defects, so effective birth control will be essential as well as negative pregnancy tests before and during therapy.
All right. That's it for this video. I hope it was helpful. Take care and good luck with studying.
