Archive for August, 2010

Acne causes a large number of people to worry and be stressed about their skin and they start looking for its treatment as soon as possible. Acne is mainly red skin rash that primarily develops in teenagers and young adults. It may however, happen at all ages. There are more than half a dozen forms of acne. All of them are connected with the glands connected with hair follicles. Acne generally begins with blackheads. They are not dirt but actually the result of dead cells and oil getting trapped in a pore of skin. There they mix with bacteria and block the duct and then turn black when they are exposed to air. Pimples build up when blackheads get inflamed and spread when touched with hands. Infected pimples develop whitehead or pustule which can split and cause scars.

Bacteria : Although, the cause of pimples is still unknown and different people have different views, there are some primary factors that contribute to the development of acne. For reasons not completely understood, follicles, called pores, get blocked causing sebum and bacteria to grow. This plays an important role in acne development. Bacteria known as Propionibacterium produce substances that cause irritation and redness, and are mainly responsible for causing acne. They make enzymes that dissolve the oil into irritating substances. Acne scars can become serious if not handled properly in the moderate stage.

Hormones:Certain hormones responsible for acne called androgens are one of many acne causes. Androgens are male hormones which are present in men and women. Androgens, first, enlarge the sebaceous glands in the skin and then cause these glands to increase production of sebum. This increased sebum serves as more food for the bacteria.

Estrogens, the female hormones, actually help to improve acne in girls. A woman’s monthly menstrual cycle is because of the changes in the estrogens levels in the body. That is why acne, in a female, gets better and worse as she goes through her monthly cycle.

Genetic factors:Genetic factors often contribute heavily in cases of acne formations and acne scars. Some people get worse acne than others because their sebaceous glands are extra sensitive to other male hormones. This sensitivity is believed to be inherited, explaining why acne runs in families. Hormones cause the glands to over-react and birth control pills can cause breakouts. Bad quality and cheap cosmetics lead to bacteria-laden pores.

Stress: Stress, many a times, causes oil glands to over-compensate. Be it mental or physical, it is one of the major reasons of acne formation. In majority of cases, the sufferer’s skin consists of clogged pores that are not even visible. Stress causes inflammatory response. As a result of this, walls of the pore break causing redness around the broken pore, and an influx of pus formation. Almost all forms of acne have their origin because of wrong food habits, such as improper food, irregular hours of eating, excess starch or sugar and fatty foods. Acne causes have also been identified because of chronic constipation.