“The main goal of the campaign is to attract public attention to this most common skin disease, which affects up to 90% of teenagers and young people. Unfortunately, acne often leads to permanent and severe mental consequences “, said Mira Draganova, director general of Noos Bulgaria, Serbia and Macedonia at a special press conference, held at the Pressclub BTA on 27 September 2017.

The campaign is social and has the task to bring reliable information to the youth and their parents, as well as to promote the key role of the dermatologist in the treatment of acne. Main messages of the campaign are prevention, early treatment, the need to seek help from a specialist dermatologist, and especially the indisputable fact that acne is a curable skin disease.

The campaign is year-round, consists of several stages, which include lectures with students, dissemination of information materials for acne patients and information media and online platform.

270 Dermatologists will review free acne patients
Between 9 and 13 October 2017

Following the success of #ЗаедноСме in 2016, the existing partners confirmed their unpaid participation in the new edition of the campaign. These are over 60% of dermatologists in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Dermatological Society, the Association of Private Practitioners, the parents Association, the Association of medical students in Bulgaria. The Bulgarian Pediatric Association and the Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Student Association were also involved.

Acne is the most common multi-factorial skin disease
and treated by a dermatologist

. Grisha Mateev, president of the Bulgarian Dermatological Society clarified that acne is an inflammatory, but not an infectious skin disease that encompasses seborrheic areas of the body: face, neck, shoulders, back, chest. The causes are hormonal changes, a change in the quality of sebum, which clogs the outlet of the sebaceous glands, the excessive spread of the anaerobic bacterium P. Acnes in the clogged local duct, which in normal skin is a natural saprophite. . Mateev also indicated worsening acne factors such as stress, women’s monthly cycle, smoking and unhealthy diet, use of inappropriate comedonous cosmetics, poor hygiene and – contrary to most popular perceptions – sun exposure. It has a fleeting beneficial effect, and then leads to hyperkeratosis.

Among the most common mistakes is the expectation that acne will pass away in the growth of teenager.

The recommendation is to avoid self-treatment and squeeze of pimples, treatment with aggressive products such as alcohol and soap, which dry the skin. Sun exposure without proper sun protection for oily and acneic skin, as well as layers of makeup for masking of pimples and inflammations are inappropriate.

Dr. Petyo Breoev, chairman of the Private Practitioners ‘ Association, focuses on the severe consequences of the untimely treatment of acne.

An untreated acne in the middle and severe stages can last for years
And often leads to permanent sunken scars and pigment patches on the skin,
Who remain as stigmine for life

The correction of this type of scars and skin damage is costly, painful and prolonged endeavor with hardware procedures – lasers, radiofrequency or surgical subcizii.
That is why Dr. Breoev drew attention to the importance of the treatment of inflammatory acne to begin at the latest 2 to 4 weeks after the onset, to prevent the formation of scars. Lost time affects self-esteem, school results, relationships and the future life of teenager. Communication with the opposite sex, finding a job, social contacts is difficult. It is important to know that the first results of treatment come after 2-3 months.

The psychic aspect of acne, the teenager-parent relationship and the role of the participants in the campaign as active conductors to find a solution in time affected the psychologist Yana Aleksieva, executive director of the Parents Association. The teenager can also visit the dermatologist’s office himself, directed by his parent, and not be forced and ashamed of it. She reminded that in teenage age The mirror is peers, and parents need to keep a calm tone and guide the children.

The team of Bioderma has partnered with the associations of medical students and students of pharmacy, as the main topic of the trainings is the biology of the skin and the essence of the problem of acne. For their part, the trained students chat on the topic of accessible language with students in five major cities in the country – Sofia, Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Varna and Pleven.

For the future doctors, the trainings for the skin and guided tours for acne with students are an opportunity to acquire additional knowledge and valuable practical experience, said Ivan Atanasov, chairman of the ABBB.