Various Causes of Acne
Although much has previously been researched about acne, there is still no clear preventive measure or even a treatment method that will completely eliminate its occurrence. This is perhaps for the reason that acne is not caused by just one reason but a host of factors that are all interrelated, contributing to the end product. To cure it, one need to take care of every aspect, and to tell you the truth, there are a lot.
What Are Some Causes of Acne?
Before delving into the mysteries and procedures of acne occurrence, one must first determine what acne is. Acne is a skin condition characterized by the occurrence and the occurance of bumps on the skin. These bumps may be a whitehead; a blackhead, which is a whitehead with a black center; some pustules, which often have yellow or white center filled with pus and some nodes. A skin condition that involves only one or two pimples or a condition that you can count your pimples with your fingers is not acne but simply the flare-up of the skin.
Acne can occur in all ages, although teenagers are often beset by it because of changes in their bodies during the adolescent period. Adult acne, in reality is quite common, affecting 25 percent of men in their mid-twenties to their early forties and 50 percent of women in the same age range.
Acne occurs when the pores of the skin is blocked by surplus oils, dead skin cells that line up the pores and dirt. This often happens when the hair follicle in the skin is trapped within by sebum and dead cells. When these three factors act together with each other, eruptions may occur. When the acne bacteria, propionibacterium acnes, which is in fact part of the skin's natural environment, mix with the surplus sebum, it will multiply and sooner or later lead to skin eruptions.
Scientists believe that acne is by and large due to the change in the levels of androgenic hormones in the body, the hormone that is connected with the male and with growth and development. When testosterone is created in the body, the hormone is metabolized in the skin producing dihydrotestosterone. It is this chemical that causes the sebaceous glands to produce surplus oils on the skin.
Although, sebum, dead skin cells and bacteria are the main culprits, there are some factors that also play a role in the development of acne. One of these factors is medications or any chemicals that are put on the skin. Let's face it, there are skins that are too sensitive for their own good. This is why it is imperative that one should confer with a dermatologist before putting chemicals on the skin.
Other causes of acne include the changes in the body system, which often occurs during pregnancy, menstruation and other hormonal abnormalities.
Although propionibacterium acnes, the skin's resident and natural bacteria is already present in the skin, there are other unwelcome bacteria that may attack the skin. Inflammation occurs when the body sends white blood cells to fight off the bacteria and gets clogged in the pores.
Additional causes of acne while not proven irrefutably as of yet, some believe that stress can also play a part in the development of acne. This may be tied up with the fact that stress in the body may also produce changes in the internal body system, which in turn can prompt abnormal hormonal response.
