Acne affects millions of Americans every year, sometimes causing stubborn scarring that can be difficult to clear. Certain vitamins, including vitamin A, can help clear acne scars, an expert told Fox News Digital. 

Fifty million Americans deal with acne annually, according to the American Academy of Dermatology’s website. Acne is the most common of any skin condition and occurs at any age of life, though it typically begins during puberty. 

When an acne breakout happens, there is a potential for scarring to follow. Acne scars can be difficult to clear and can impact self-esteem. 

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“Acne is caused when the tiny hair follicles on your skin become blocked, and there’s a buildup of dead skin cells, debris and oily material deep in your pores. This forms a pus-filled bump, which ruptures and draws inflammation into the surrounding skin,” Dr. Ife J. Rodney, founding director of Eternal Dermatology + Aesthetics in Fulton, Maryland, told Fox News Digital via email. 

“This inflammation damages both the collagen deeper in the skin as well as the surface cell layers,” Rodney added. “When the surface is damaged, you can get discoloration (brown or red spots), and when the collagen deep in the skin is damaged, you can get uneven texture and ‘ice-pick’ acne scarring.”

There is no one-size-fits-all solution for clearing acne scars. Each individual’s treatment is different.

several vitamins and minerals can help clear acne scars. Read below to learn more about them. 

1. Zinc
2. Vitamin C
3. Vitamin B3

1. Zinc

Zinc is a mineral that users may find helps reduce their acne scars. 

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It can be successful in clearing acne scarring by reducing oil production as well as inflammation of the skin, according to Rodney. 

“It also helps with wound healing and collagen production, a key step in managing acne scarring,” Rodney said. 

While zinc has the potential to reduce acne scarring, it’s important not to take too much. (iStock)

It’s important to be cautious when using zinc as too much can do more harm than good. 

Too much zinc can cause a copper deficiency and acne breakouts due to a rise in testosterone levels, Rodney told Fox News Digital.

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The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) recommends 8–11 milligrams of zinc daily. Check with a physician or dermatologist. 

2. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is abundant in fruits and vegetables and can be taken in supplemental form. 

Vitamin C can help with acne scarring because “it brightens the skin and also enhances collagen production and helps your body repair damaged cells,” Rodney said. 

To prevent acne scarring before it forms, it’s vital to avoid touching pimples. Try your best not to pop a pimple as that could increase the risk of scarring.

Vitamin C can easily be incorporated into your routine by eating more fruits and vegetables or taking supplements.  (iStock)

“When you do get an acne lesion, whether it’s a blackhead, whitehead, a pus-filled bump (pustule) or even an acne cyst, do not try to pick or squeeze the bump,” Rodney said. 

“This only causes more damage to the skin and increases the inflammation, which results in more severe scars that take longer to heal.”

3. Vitamin B3

Vitamin B3 is also often used to help clear acne scars. 

Vitamin B3, “also known as niacinamide, stimulates collagen production and fights hyperpigmentation, improving both skin tone and texture,” Rodney told Fox News Digital. 

While vitamins and minerals can play a role in reducing acne scarring, it’s important to remember that it’s likely going to take more than just vitamins alone to help improve acne scars. 

Vitamins can promote overall skin health, but working with a dermatologist will help you establish a treatment plan that works best for you. 

“Treating acne scars is a gradual process.”

“Vitamins on their own cannot clear acne scars. The way the vitamins work is that they create a healthy overall environment in the skin, which gives the best chance for the scars to improve. The most effective treatments for acne scars are in-office procedures performed by your dermatologist,” Rodney said. 

Acne treatments include microneedling, laser treatments and chemical peels.

“The specific treatment regimen that we recommend depends on a variety of factors, including your type and extent of acne scarring, your skin type and how long the scars have been present,” Rodney said.

“With all of these treatments, we usually recommend a series of 4-6 treatments spaced a month apart. It is important that you understand that treating acne scars is a gradual process. There are no overnight results.”

Whooping cough (pertussis) infections continue to rise in the U.S., with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimating more than 17,600 cases as of Oct. 5.

That’s more than a 340% increase over the 3,962 cases reported last October.

Pre-pandemic, cases would typically exceed 10,000 per year, spiking to 18,600 in 2019.

Post-pandemic, whooping cough diagnoses plummeted, with just 2,100 cases reported in 2021.

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The 10 states with the highest number of cumulative (year to date) cases include Pennsylvania (2,209), New York (1,228), Illinois (1,153), California (1,123), Wisconsin (903), Washington (844), Ohio (814), Texas (676), Oregon (546), Arizona (491).

What’s causing the uptick?

One theory for the spike is that cases fell sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic, as mask-wearing, social distancing and other infection protocols helped to protect against whooping cough.

“They are increasing more now as our immune systems are exposed to viruses and bacteria we haven’t seen and are slower to respond,” Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, previously told Fox News Digital.

WITH WHOOPING COUGH CASES ON THE RISE, DO YOU NEED A BOOSTER VACCINE?

Whooping cough outbreaks typically occur when there are populations with low vaccination rates, Katy Dubinsky, a New York pharmacist and the CEO and co-founder of Vitalize, a private supplement company, previously told Fox News Digital.

The DTaP vaccine protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis infections in children. (iStock)

“Pertussis is highly contagious, and in areas where herd immunity is not strong due to insufficient vaccination, the disease can spread more easily,” she told Fox News Digital.

“Additionally, the immunity from the vaccine or previous infection wanes over time, which can also contribute to outbreaks.”

What is whooping cough?

A highly contagious respiratory tract infection, pertussis gets its more common name, “whooping cough,” from the severe hacking cough that some people develop.

In addition to the cough, initial symptoms mimic those of a cold — including nasal congestion, runny nose, fever, and red, watery eyes, according to Mayo Clinic.

While the vaccine offers protection against severe illness for children, infants who are too young for vaccination are at the highest risk. (iStock | National Institutes of Health)

Symptoms get worse over time, often leading to severe and uncontrollable coughing fits, which end with a “whooping” sound after the patient breathes in due to a buildup of mucus in the airways, the same source noted.

“This is an underappreciated problem, and a good reason why I am giving out Tdap vaccines to my adult patients regularly,” Siegel told Fox News Digital on Friday.

“This disease is especially problematic in young children, because they have less developed airways.”

Tdap is a combination of three vaccines that protect against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis infections in teens and adults.

The DTaP vaccine is the same trio of vaccines administered to children.

“Pertussis is highly contagious, and in areas where herd immunity is not strong due to insufficient vaccination, the disease can spread more easily,” a doctor told Fox News Digital. (iStock)

“The vaccine works — and it lasts three to five years,” Siegel said. “Everyone should have an up-to-date vaccine.”

While the vaccine offers protection against severe illness for children, infants who are too young for vaccination are at the highest risk.

“This disease is especially problematic in young children, because they have less developed airways,” Siegel cautioned.

It is recommended that pregnant women get the Tdap vaccine during each pregnancy, as it helps protect the newborn until they can receive their own vaccinations.

When to seek medical attention

Due to the potential severity in young infants and those with weakened immune systems, it’s important to seek medical attention if pertussis is suspected, experts advise.

In addition to the cough, initial symptoms mimic those of a cold — including nasal congestion, runny nose, fever, and red, watery eyes. (iStock)

“Unfortunately, the diagnosis is often missed because the dry cough may be mistaken for a virus,” Siegel said.

Adults can be treated with doxycycline, a type of antibiotic that prevents the growth and spread of bacteria.

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Azithromycin is the common treatment for children, according to Siegel.

“The condition becomes dangerous when it leads to severe coughing spells that cause difficulty breathing, vomiting or interrupting normal breathing patterns in infants,” said Dubinsky.

“The diagnosis is often missed because the dry cough may be mistaken for a virus.”

In addition to giving antibiotics, it’s important to manage symptoms, especially in severe cases, she said.

“This might include hospitalization for infants or those with severe symptoms to monitor and treat complications.”

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Approximately 160,000 children under the age of 5 die globally of pertussis each year, and there are 24 million cases annually, per CDC data.

Many favorable Halloween activities, such as strolling through a haunted house or watching a horror movie, are filled with elements designed to elicit fear, yet they are still enjoyable pastimes for many.

When it comes to horror movies specifically, several polls have pointed to a fairly even overall split between those who enjoy them and those who would rather do without.

For example, a 2022 survey conducted by Statista found that 64% of adults ages 30 to 44 either liked or loved watching horror movies.

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So why do some people enjoy participating in scary activities while others do not find the same amusement? 

When watching a horror movie, viewers know that what they see while watching can’t actually hurt them — yet the viewing experience can still be a terrifying one. 

“When we think about triggers, we all come to our lives with a different story of experiences, and that’s a piece of it, but when we kind of pull the lens out a little bit more and take a look at all of our fears, they kind of fall into one of two buckets when we’re talking about an internal fear,” Dr. Mary Poffenroth, a scientist and fear expert based in Los Angeles and author of “Brave New You,” told Fox News Digital in a phone interview. 

“Either fear of not enough or fear of losing control,” she added. 

An example of the fear of losing control could be a person experiencing a jump scare, according to Poffenroth, which can be viewed as something that can’t be controlled. 

Self-confidence could be another factor that comes into play. 

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“If you’re somebody that maybe is struggling with self-confidence … and [you’re] putting yourself into scary situations or scary movies or haunted houses like that, you may feel like that fear [of] not enough, of not being courageous enough or brave enough or tough enough,” Poffenroth said. 

Such feelings that develop inside when a scary element is present start in the brain — which can signal to the body that it’s in danger, even though it may not actually be, according to experts. 

Even though a horror movie can’t actually hurt you, it could cause a reaction like a jump scare — which can trigger a feeling of not being in control. (iStock)

“In our brain, we have two almond-shaped structures, one on the left, one on the right, that we’re going to refer to as the amygdala,” said Poffenroth. 

“Even though the entire process is a little bit more complicated, in easier terms, it’s the amygdala that is going to be the driver of our fear response, and the amygdala works in an on-off switch, even though there’s a spectrum of intensity.”

“When we overcome any obstacle, we not only feel better about ourselves, but we get those dopamine hits.”

The amygdala can either signal a person is in danger or alert the body that everything is safe. 

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“That amygdala can get turned on so easily in our modern world, and it’s super overprotective,” Poffenroth added. “It’s trying to get us to stay in the blanket cave as much as possible and not go out in the world, because the world is big and scary — but that’s not truly living the life that we say that we want.” 

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Some find an enjoyable adrenaline rush when it comes to activities that scare them. They can feel a strong sense of pride after overcoming an obstacle that stood in their way. 

“When we start to do scary stuff, and we overcome that kind of level or barrier, and then we level up, if you will — then we become more confident that we can handle bigger and bolder types of opportunities,” Poffenroth said.

Those who enjoy scary activities often find excitement in overcoming something outside their comfort zone. (Creative Touch Imaging Ltd./NurPhoto via Getty Images)

For those who find enjoyment in accomplishing scary feats, it could also simply be their personality that makes them this way, causing them to always want to step out of their comfort zone and push their limits.

“Sometimes that’s just a personality trait,” Poffenroth said. “For me, I really enjoy pushing the boundaries of what I think I can do, what society says I’m allowed to do, and that’s just something I enjoy.”

“When we overcome any obstacle, we not only feel better about ourselves, but we get those dopamine hits, and that reward center gets fired up,” Poffenroth continued. 

“If we found it a positive experience, then we’ll want to do it more.”