Why do I have Acne
By: Mary GoodsTotal Views: 199, Word Count: 579,
Often, parents of teenagers are confronted with this question: Why do i have Acne? Acne is now more or less synonymous with skin inflammations in adolescents. Acne is perhaps the most common skin problem that occurs in mostly young people. It is seen as pimples on the face, chest and even backs of those who end up getting it. You get pimples when the pores of your skin are blocked by oil, dead cells and inflames due to bacterial action.
Understanding Acne Better:
There are sebaceous glands just beneath our skin surface that keep producing sebum or oil. The purpose of producing sebum is to keep the skin soft and young. The produced sebum travels through hair follicles and comes over the surface of the skin through millions of tiny pores. However, sometimes, these glands produce more sebum and when this excess sebum comes out of the pore; it does not get easily removed. Apart from the excess serum, the dead cells in the follicle also start to clump together. Hence, the excess sebum and the dead cells plug the pore. Nothing is visible on the skin, however.
But the moment, this blocked pore swells, it becomes visible as a white bump on the skin which is called a white head. If the blocked pore opens up, it reacts with the air on the surface and darkens. This is then called a blackhead. Sometimes, a particular bacteria called Propionibacterim acnes infects that blocked follicle and the end result is a pimple on the skin.
Acne and other related Terms:
- The skin that is inflamed as a result of bacterial action is pink and tender to touch. It might also be painful. This stage of a pimple is called papule.
- When our body’s defense system starts to battle with the bacteria, the papule gets filled with pus cells and is called a pustule.
- Instead of rupturing, when the pustule enlarges and becomes hard and painful under the skin, then it is called as cyst.
- Many cysts that form under the skin are called nodules. It is found that these cysts and nodules leave marks as blemishes on the surface of the skin.
But why of all do I get acne?
If you are a teenager, or between the age of 15-25, you are more likely to get acne on your face, chest and back. This is because at this age, sebaceous glands are most active. Moreover, hormonal imbalances cause production of testosterones, more in males and a little bit in females. Pregnancy is again a clinical condition that can cause change in the hormones of a woman. Hence, excess production of sebum takes place causing some or all of the clinical stages as explained above.
How do I get rid of acne?
People who have break-outs of pimples and acne should first take medical advice from a doctor. The doctor can provide the right kind of antibiotic treatment to battle out the bacterial infection of the skin. Also, some effective acne treatment solutions can be applied on the skin, which have been found to be effective in not only treating can, but in preventing and even removing the blemishes.
About the Author
Mary Goods is a researcher in skin problems and their treatments. She is currently involved in the study of acne, their causes and how effectively topical application of medicines can treat them. She is also involved in writing a series of papers on how acne and other skin blemishes are influencing temparaments and behaviors of teenagers.
Advice Rating: Not yet rated
Login to vote