Why does Acne Occur
By: Mary GoodsTotal Views: 286, Word Count: 462,
Young people are confronted with a peculiar problem: acne and pimples. At the age when they want to look the best, they end up having acne on their faces, chest and backs! Do you know that 90% people have had acne or pimples or even whiteheads or blackheads at some stages of their lives? Acne is most common at ages 15-25 and is one of the major causes of skin blemishes and scarring! But why does acne occur at all?
How do I get acne?
Under the skin surface, there are millions of sebaceous glands which produce sebum. But, what is sebum? Sebum is the oil which the sebaceous glands produce. This oil travels through the hair follicles (where the sebaceous glands are located) and keeps the skin soft and smooth. Dead cells in the follicles mix with the oil and are naturally removed from the skin surface. However, when these dead cells mix with the sebum and are not removed from the surface evenly, they simply clump together and clog the pore on the skin which is also called the plug or comedo.
The question is: how does comedo become acne?
As the body keeps producing more and more sebum, all the sebum adheres at the comedo along with more dead cells. Bacteria also begin to invade that area. As a mechanism of immunity, our body then sends a swarm of white blood cells to fights the bacteria. This inflamed region which looks pink on the skin surface is called a pimple. It is tender to touch and often painful.
But, why do I have pus in my acne?
While our body’s defenses fight the bacteria with the white blood cells, pus begins to form which is nothing but dead cells, white blood cells of the body and dead materials of the bacteria. We end up getting acne with “pus heads”.
How do hormones cause acne?
Hormones are produced in large quantities especially during puberty. These hormones increase the sizes of sebaceous glands and also the pore sizes on the skin. As a result, more sebum is produced which mix with the dead cells of the hair follicles, and acne or pimples are the result.
Bacteria and acne.
A particular strain of bacteria found on our skin surface is known to multiply in clogged pores of the skin. It is Propinibacterium acnes. Its activity on the pore causes inflammation of the skin and results in acne or a pimple “break-out”
How do I treat acne?
One of the most popular forms of treating acne is to apply topical skin creams which not only treat the acne but also prevent its further outbreaks. Blemishes and scars on the face, chest and backs can be lightened using these skin care creams.
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 to effectively treat them. She is also involved in publishing a series of papers dealing with the effect of acne and pimple scars on the behavior of teenagers. She recommends topical application of skin creams to get rid of acne, blemishes and even whiteheads and black heads.
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