Acne Causes

Not every teenager with oily skin has acne. Not every adolescent whose mother and father had acne in their youth develops acne. The exact cause of acne is still not fully understood. So it is not always possible to answer the question " Why do I have acne and my brother, sister and friend do not?

Here are some factors apparently related to acne.

Surprisingly, research shows that most acne sufferers do not have abnormal amounts of hormones for their age and sex. Rather, it seems that, for some reason, their sebaceous glands are reacting more vigorously to normal hormone levels.

Blockage of Follicles

The skin is perforated with millions of holes called pores through which we excrete waste in the form of sweat.  Some pores also contain hair roots and are called follicles.  Follicles are lined with skin which, like all cells, has a life cycle, dies and is replaced with new cells.  Dead skin cells in the follicles are carried to the surface of the skin by the flow of natural oils called sebum. 

Acne occurs when the dead skin cells do not flow to the surface but remain trapped and block the follicle, trapping sebum and bacteria which create a "comedone" or zit.

Bacteria

Acne is not an "infection" in the true sense of the word, but bacteria inside the follicles do contribute to acne inflammation. These bacteria combine with the fatty acid to attract white blood cells, produce chemicals that make holes in the walls of the follicle, then allow the contents of the follicle, the sebum, dead cells, and bacteria, to leak out into the adjacent skin, creating local inflammation. When the area of inflammation is large enough, a papule, pustule, or acne cyst emerges.

Reducing bacteria count through treatment can effectively improve if not eliminate the acne.

Genetic Factors

Acne tends to run in families - if one parent had severe acne, their child has more chance of developing bad acne. Similarly, a parent having suffered persistent acne, passes on increased chances of persistent acne.

This suggests that some hereditary trait or factor can be passed between generations which, in the presence of other existing factors, promotes the development of acne.

Stress

Acne creates lots of emotional problems, like depression, anger and anxiety, for most sufferers. Studies have shown severe stress also can induce acne for some people. Keeping relaxation and coping with stress will certainly help control and improve acne.

Oily Skin

Acne victims tend to have oilier skin than others. Further, the oilier the skin, the worse the acne.

But while oily skin is associated with acne, it is not the cause. Studies reveal many acne sufferers with normal or even dry skin; and conversely plenty of folks with oily skin but not a trace of acne.