Causes Of Acne - Getting To The Root Of The Problem

There are many causes of acne. Understanding these causes can help us deal with our acne more effectively. Many people, especially teenagers, do not know much about pimples and that is why they end up using wrong methods to treat them. Many teens squeeze their pimples to get rid of them. Now, only if they knew that this would cause scarring! Many teenage girls use lots of cosmetics to hide their pimples. They don't know that this would make their condition worse!

Understanding The Causes

Hormones
So, let us start the discussion with the causes of acne. Hormones called androgens are often cited as one of the main culprits. It has been noted that for most people acne begins at puberty, which is also the time when body starts producing androgens. Androgens cause over stimulation of the sebaceous glands. The oil gets mixed up with dead skin cells and bacteria present on the skin, thereby blocking the pores.

Many women experience premenstrual flare of acne. Some researchers blame this on the hormonal imbalance. During the menstruation period the estrogen-androgen balance gets altered in favor of androgen and thus acne gets triggered.

Another hormone called cortisol is also cited as one of the causes of acne. It has been noted that stress often causes overproduction of hormones like, cortisol. Cortisol is a steroid hormone that is produced in the adrenal glands. Its function is to regulate blood pressure, cardiovascular functions, and the body's use of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

Bacteria
Bacterium Propionibacterium, which is present in every skin type, often causes acne. When the pores get blocked due to oil or dead skin, this bacterium gets a very healthy environment to multiply rapidly. The pores get further blocked and the bacteria end up inflaming the follicles.

Makeup
Heavy makeup can also cause acne in people. Heavy makeup blocks the pores thus providing a perfect environment for skin bacteria to multiply. Use of strong cleansers also causes acne to flare up. Strong cleansers end up robbing our skin of essential oils. In response, the body creates more sebum to compensate for the loss. Overproduction of oil ends up blocking the pores and thus results in acne.

Genetics
Genetics could also make a person predisposed to acne. Children whose parents have had acne during their teenage years have a greater chance of getting acne. So, in some cases acne cannot be avoided.

Diet
Diet is also blamed for acne though the exact co-relation has still not been established. Some experts believe that allergies to certain food can trigger acne in people.

Understanding the causes of acne can help us treat our acne problem more effectively.