October 6, 2010

Acne – The Formation and 6 Causes of Acne

W. Darren asked:

You've probably seen numerous infomercials on acne - what causes it and how to treat it. Often, dermatological companies would introduce new quick acne treatment. If you are plagued with acne and you have not bothered to visit your healthcare provider for this condition, you probably have tried almost every product in the market. At the end of the day, you'll be saying, "Nothing works! I've tried everything!" Well, you probably have not even tried to determine what really causes your acne. This is crucial to determining the proper treatment.

The Start of Acne

Usually, acne occurs during puberty. This is triggered by hormonal changes that occur during this stage. The testosterone is converted into dihydrotesterone which set off excessive oil secretion. This excess oil then blocks the skin pores. The skin is then unable to shed the dead cells causing these dead skin cells to stay in the pore and eventually cause the acne. People with oily skin tend to suffer from acne. However, it is not just trapped excess oils that cause acne. Dirt and bacteria may also cause the blockage and the acne.

How Does Acne Occur?

Your acne may start and be categorized as inflamed or not inflamed. Not inflamed blemishes are known as whiteheads and blackheads. A whitehead is a pore clogged with bacteria and dirt. When this clogged pore opens up, this exposes the oil to oxidation which causes the blackish color and this is known as blackhead. When the clogged pores do not turn into blackheads, the body will then try to dispel of the dirt and bacteria. When inflammation develops, you have acne condition.

What are the Causes of Acne?

Acne is fairly common amongst teenagers. However, there are a lot of adults that share the same condition. The causes of acne, regardless of who is suffering from it, are almost all the same. These are:

1) Rapid dead skin cells shedding. When a person hits the age of puberty, his skin would start to shed a bit more rapidly. Unfortunately, the dead skin cells may buildup and block the pores.

2) Bacteria. The dead skin cells and oils make it perfect for many bacteria to populate people's skins. These bacteria are known as Propionibacterium acnes. The excessive growth of these bacteria causes acne and large lesions.

3) Heredity. Unfortunately, heredity can indeed play a factor on acne development. If any of your parents suffered from severe acne breakouts, you will probably share the same fate.

4) Hormonal changes. Rioting hormones can cause imbalances and excessive oil production. This is why acne is common among teenagers, menstruating women and pregnant women.

5) Diet. Although there are no specific findings that would really relate diet to acne, people have different reactions to various foods. Too much caffeine, carbonated beverages, fatty foods, sweets, processed foods and pasta may cause acne. It is actually up to you to take notice if you experience acne breakouts with some foods.

6) Severe stress. Daily normal stressors like spilled coffee do not actually cause acne, but people who are severely stressed emotionally may suffer from acne breakouts.

Digital Camera