What Causes Acne?

Contrary to popular belief, acne is not caused by anything you’re doing, what you eat or how often you wash your face or work out; but by a combination of factors at work far beneath the surface of your skin. Here are some culprits that may contribute to the cause of acne:

Hormones

For the majority of acne sufferers, the trouble begins at puberty when the body begins to produce hormones called androgens. It causes the sebaceous glands to enlarge, which is the natural part of the body’s development.

Extra Sebum

When the sebaceous gland is stimulated by androgens, it produces extra sebum. The sebum mixes with common skin bacteria and dead skin cells that been shed from the lining of the follicle. The extra sebum in the follicle increases the chances of clogging and can cause acne.

Follicle fallout

When dead cells within the follicle gradually shed and come up onto the skin’s surface, a person with overactive sebaceous glands shed more rapidly which can form a plug in the follicle preventing the skin from finishing its natural process of renewal.

Inflammation

When your body encounters unwanted bacteria, it sends white blood cells to attach the intruders. This process is called chemotaxis which is the inflammatory response. This what causes the pimples to become red, swollen and painful.

Treating Acne

There are many treatments options that exist. There are over-the-counter and prescription medications that are very effective. Depending on the type and severity of the condition, a topical , oral medications or both might be recommended. The mainstays of therapy are topical retinoids (vitamin A derivatives) to unclog pores and topical or oral anti-inflammatory medications and antibiotics. For girls and women with acne, oral contraceptives and other medications that regulate hormones are used. The treatment of choice for scarring acne is isotretinoin (Accutane), and use of this very effective medication must be monitored closely by a dermatologist.

In addition to medications, there are cosmetic procedures which can improve acne. Chemical peels along with some relatively new, innovative treatments for acne using certain wavelengths of light and lasers are becoming more popular.