Understanding Acne and Its Causes

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Acne is by no means a serious condition, in and of itself, but it is one that has been known to cause serious problems. Though merely a superficial blemish, it has been linked to depression, even severe depression and, according to some studies, suicide, due to the mental anguish it’s been known to cause. The key problem is that it typically affects both males and females in their adolescence, which is a time when physical appearance and self esteem are both put to the test. Because of this, it’s been looked upon more and more as a serious issue.

Technically speaking, acne is just one part of a larger issue affecting the skin. More specifically, acne is the disturbance’s visible part. The overall condition that gets treated by pimple creams and other medications is actually deeper down. The condition is actually inflammatory, bacterial and hormonal disturbances. Most of the action actually takes place at the level occupied by what is known as the oil pore. The oil, in this case, is within the sebaceous glands. A sticky buildup is formed inside the walls of hair follicles, and the buildup eventually blocks the pores. This process causes the appearance of whiteheads and blackheads.

What’s interesting about this condition is that it often appears during a specific time in a person’s life. While a large minority of individuals suffers from milder forms of acne throughout much of their adulthood, very few have to experience severe acne for any lengthy period of time. It’s really just teenagers who see the worst of it. This has sparked questions as to why that is. In fact, much research has gone into discovering the causes of acne, but there are still more questions than answers.

One cause of acne might be related to genetics. What about someone’s genetics causes the acne, though, isn’t actually well understood. In a way, it can be said that the way someone’s body produces and responds to hormones is the genetically inherited trait, and the actual cause of acne is left as a mystery.

It has been established that acne springs directly from the increase in male sex hormones-which both genders develop. As this is most common throughout puberty, the condition is mostly seen during that time. Stress, genetics and some forms of food have been linked to acne in various ways. For the most part, these things are actually being linked to the production of hormones, and not specifically to acne.

There are some things that are known to directly lead to acne. Dead skin cells are one of the big ones. People who accumulate dead skin cells in a certain area will inevitably experience blocked pores as a result. Once that happens, they are far more likely to experience acne. Of course, they will still need to be, in most cases, at an age where the hormonal activity is still consistent with that of acne sufferers.

Bear in mind that while all of this explains how acne is caused, none of it fully explains its origins. More research is being done every day though, and some scientists are hopeful that acne will be fully understood in the coming years.

Acne is a problem that can happen to anyone, no matter their age or lifestyle. Fortunately, there are a number of different ways to get acne relief, from over the counter acne relief products to more sophisticated measures like laser treatment.

Tags: Acne, Acne Causes

Under Acne Tags: Acne, Acne Causes