Tag: Cause Of Acne

What factors causes Acne?

What causes Acne?

Did you know that common Acne, also known as Acne Vulgaris, is suffered by up to 85% of adolescents and young adults? That is an extremely high portion of the population which is affected by this skin disorder.

The cause of Acne is not fully known, but there are several factors which contribute to the development of this inflammatory skin disorder. Your genes play a role in this, meaning if your parents or grandparents suffered this skin condition, you will be prone to getting Acne yourself.

Most notably, there is a link to a change in hormonal activity, such as menstrual cycles and puberty. In the past the over production of sebum was considered to be the main cause of Acne. Sebum is an oily secretion of fats and the remains of fat producing cells, caused by hyperactive sebaceous glands in the skin.

However, it appears as though the narrowing of follicle channel, where the hair is rooted in the skin, is also a major factor causing common Acne. There are several other factors which can contribute, such as Stress, accumulation of dead skin cells, an allergic reaction to bacteria in the pores, scratching and the usage of anabolic steroids.

What has not been confirmed in any way, is the contribution a fatty diet, including chocolate, potato chips and French fries, may have on Acne. Generally, sufferers should experiment with their diet to ascertain what food stuffs affect the severity of their Acne.

What could have an influence on Acne is a diet high on refined sugar products. Acne is rare in societies which have not been influenced by our western way of life. These people have a low glycernic level in their diets. However, if the reduction of high glycernic foods, such has soft drinks, sweets and white bread, has a significant effect on alleviating Acne disorders has yet to be proved. Keeping a low consumption of these kinds of foods will influence your general health for the better.

Another misconception concerning Acne is personal hygiene. Acne is not caused by dirt, so a poor personal hygiene is not a factor. To make this clearer, Acne causes blockages to occur deep within the follicle or hair channel and as such cannot be washed away. In fact, anything more than a gentle cleansing can cause new lesions by damaging or over drying skin.

On a lighter note, if you have heard that celibacy or masturbation can cause Acne and sexual intercourse can cure it, I have good news for you. There is absolutely no scientific evidence at all that this is true.

Find Out What Really Causes Acne

All of the factors that affect acne are not completely understood. However the main cause of acne is well known. Excess production of an oily substance that helps keep the hair and skin soft is a prime ingredient. This oil is Sebum, during adolescence the amount of sebum produced by your body is greatly increased.

This sebum when combined with naturally occurring dead skin cells can block hair follicles which then turn into an acne lesion.

Not only will this mixture block pores it also provides a growing environment for bacteria. It is the growth of bacterial that causes what is commonly called a pimple.

The male hormone testosterone is what causes your body to create excess sebum. Testosterone is produced by both males and females. During puberty the increase of testosterone causes the body to have an abnormal reaction which manifests itself with the excessive production of sebum. This excessive oil is commonly found on the facial skin, as well as back and shoulders. In most people the testosterone levels have normalized by the time they are 20 and any acne issues will clear up.

Recent studies seem to indicate that acne is at least partially hereditary. In many cases though it is not possible to determine why some people are susceptible to it and others are not.

Other contributing factors can be; stress, diet, skin irritation, hormonal changes and some medications.

When it comes to diet skim milk seems to be a substantial contributing factor. Many people believe that chocolate, dark soft drinks and greasy foods will cause acne outbreaks. There is not statistical evidence supporting any of those beliefs.

Acne can also be induced or aggravated by medications such as; lithium, barbiturates, anabolic steroids and androgens.

Recent studies of acne may have found another cause of acne, narrowing hair follicles. These narrower hair follicles can prevent dead skin cells from being expelled from the pore. These trapped skin cells then mix with sebum and bacteria on the skin to form the acne lesions. The are several different issues that can cause the narrowing of the hair follicle, excessive shedding of cells within the follicle, abnormal cell binding and water retention.

It is commonly believed that you should squeeze a pimple to remove the blocking sebum as well as the bacteria. This can actually make the problem worse by spreading the bacteria to other areas of your skin as well as possibly causing scarring. This scarring if severe enough can be permanent.

In reality touching the area that has acne can actually make it worse as you transfer some of the oil from your hands to an area that already has excessive skin oil. Your hands can also carry bacteria which will aid in the spread of the acne.

Your hair can also exacerbate the acne problem by adding oil to areas it touches. It is important to keep your hair clean so it will not contribute to the problems. You should also try to avoid wearing hats and sweatbands as they will help trap the skin oils and just cause more problems.

Treating Back Acne

Although acne is more frequently found on the face, there are instances when acne skips that part of the skin and goes to other parts of thee body such as the back, the chest and the buttocks. There are still no clear explanation why this happens except that maybe oil glands in affected parts of the body are more active than those in the face.

The cause of acne is actually the same as the causes of acne on the face. Often, eruptions are caused by the over activity of the oil glands that produce excess sebum on the skin. Experts believe that this is mainly due to changes in the body brought about by the male hormones testosterone and androgen. When there is overproduction of oil on the skin, hair follicles on the face, dead skin cells on the lining of the pores and dirt from the surrounding areas all combine to trap the sebum into the pores causing the swelling.

When this happens, resident bacteria that are normally found in the pores are activated, thus causing the skin eruptions. There are also times when bacteria outside come into the picture and settle on the pores of the skin. To fight off the attack, the body send white blood cells on the area. This then results in further swelling.

Still, many believe that body acne, particularly back acne is more of a hereditary problem than a hygienic one. People who have family history of acne are more prone to develop this kind of acne problem. There are also evidences that perspiration and tight fitting clothes may also help develop the problem. This is perhaps the reason why a lot of really active people, especially those that deal with a variety of sports have back acne.
Spandex for instance traps perspiration and dirt on the skin. When these two mixes with the natural oils produced by the body, acne can come about. Blemishes in the form of whiteheads, blackheads, papules and postules may appear.

Compared to facial acne, back acne and other types of body acne is harder to treat. They also do not respond well to scarring treatment. This is why it is important that one nip the problem in the bud before it spreads to other areas of the body. Aggressive treatment is often called for as this problem can be really stubborn.

Often, dermatologists will prescribe oral medicines, antibiotics, to help fight the problem. Medicines such as tetracycline or minocycline can often be found on the prescription paper. Retin A and benzoyl peroxide are also other options. If the problem still persists, accutane is often prescribed as a last resort because of its side effects.

Milder cases of back acne is treated with salicylic-acid cleanser. Patients are advised to wash the area every day for optimum results. They are also asked to take a shower after perspiring so as to minimize the development of the acne problem. Benzoyl peroxide is also applied on the problem area. Benzoyl has been proven to be quite effective in fighting off the problem. This is followed by a moisturizer made from alpha hydroxy acid. This will help exfoliate the skin while making sure that it does not dry out. Salicylic acid and Benzoyl peroxide are also used to treat the pimples individually.

As pieces of advice, people dealing with back acne or other forms of body acne should avoid wearing spandex clothes. As much as possible, they should wear cotton and should keep dry all the time. Apply powder or antiperspirant to prevent excessive sweating. Being hygienic and clean all the time will also help minimize the problem.

Knowing the Right Acne Medication for You

Most often than not, the physique becomes the innermost reflection of people, their lifestyles and their personalities. Everybodyeven those who are evidently endowed with almost flawless skin and perfect bodystill wants more that is why they continue to search for products that would maintain and enhance their physical wellness.

But sometimes, it is quite unavoidable to encounter problems when it comes to achieving physical beauty. One of the most common problems people have to deal with is having various skin disorders or skin diseases.

Peopleregardless of their gender, age, and nationalityexperience different kinds of skin disorders. But among the so many skin diseases, majority of them agree that acne is indeed one of the hardest to get rid off.

Ccombating Acne

People who have skin diseasesespecially those who are suffering greatly from a skin disorder like acneendlessly search for products to cure their skin imperfections. And with the growing popularity of different acne medication, more and more people often resort to these products and treatments without consulting a dermatologist or a physician. More often that not, the result is more devastating than their current uncomfortable situation.

In order to avoid mistakes in choosing medications and treatments to acne, people should first gain information about the general cause of acne, its types, and the products appropriate for each kind.

For people who suffer from this skin disorder, it is very important to learn the current and future physiological and psychological effects of acne apart from focusing too much on the aesthetic aspect. It is also equally important for the acne patient to get support and advice from family members and relatives in combating this skin disease because getting improper acne medication may lead to a worst physiological shape in the future.

Basically, the use of any acne medication will depend on the kind of acne the person has developed. Most studies show that acne cases depend on the life stages of a personinfantile acne, juvenile or teenager acne, and adult acne.

Knowing the type of acne the person has is quite significant in determining the kind of acne medication required. This is a very significant factor because this is where the calculation of dosage and span of time the acne medication depends.

In giving any acne medication, it is also quite important to take note of the type of acne the patient has, his or her age, the prevalence of acne organism present, and the overall well-being of the individual. These pieces of information will determine the kind of acne medication to be given in order to avoid possible allergic reactions due to the antibiotics.

Recommended Acne Medication

Since antibiotics have been known as effective solution for moderate to severe and persistent acne, doctors and dermatologists continue to administer the use of it for years now. Through the years, medical research, and developments also proven that antibiotics can be more effective when taken orally.

Today, acne medication is usually administered through oral antibiotic medication or medicine taken by mouth usually prescribed by a physician or a dermatologist.

Of all the existing oral antibiotics for acne out there, oral tetracycline remains one of the most widely used. Tetracycline medication starts from 500 to 1000 milligrams a day. When developments occur, lesser dosage is given until the bacteria that caused the disease have been suppressed. Oral erythromycin on the other hand serves as an alternative to tetracycline safe for the consumption of pregnant women and very young children.

Other acne medications that are derived from tetracycline include oral minocycline and oral doxycycline these are both believed to be more effective than tetracycline itself but are dangerous to pregnant women and kids. Physicians also consider oral corticosteroids and isotretinoin as effective acne medication. Topical acne medication or treatments through surgery are also other options to treat acne.