Acne is not typically itchy, but tender

Dear Dr. Roach: How do pimples form? Why do they itch?— B.B.

Acne is caused by plugged hair follicles. These are more likely to be plugged under control of androgenic hormones; with increased oil production; in the presence of the bacteria Cutibacterium acnes; and with inflammation. These are in turn affected by many factors. Acne is very common in adolescents, but can continue to be a problem.

Itching is not common with acne, but tenderness is. Itching is more common with drier skin, and I often see itching in people who are treating their acne with excessively drying treatments. You really want to avoid scratching or squeezing because this can rupture the acne, causing scarring and potential spread of bacteria. All theseworsen symptoms.

Acne is better prevented than removed. Your general or family doctor or a dermatologist can help design a program to reduce acne.

Dear Dr. Roach: I am a 68-year-old woman recently diagnosed with hearing loss, and I amdevastated. About a year ago, mydoctor toldmeI have very narrow ear canals and that it can contribute. I was also told our ear canals narrowaswe age.— J.B.

The causes of hearing loss are divided into those that cause loss of conduction of sound to the cochlea, which is the organ of hearing, and those that affect the nerves from the cochlea to the brain, called sensorineural hearing loss.

Conductive hearing loss can be caused by a blocked ear canal. The ear canal itself can swell due to chronic inflammation or infection. It may also be blocked by tumors. The small bones of the middle ear may develop a condition called otosclerosis, which is a very common cause of hearing loss.

Unless you have chronic inflammation of the ear canal or a tumor, progressive blockage of the ear canal is quite a rare cause of hearing loss.