What Causes Acne
Acne is a problem that is usually precipitated by some hormonal activity in the body. It is a common problem in teenagers, although adults are susceptible to it too, especially pregnant women who are going through hormonal changes. What Causes Acne are a set of biological processes in the skin that are triggered by hormonal activities as well as reactions to some types of foods and chemicals in the body.
The problem of acne begins in the skin as it naturally produces oil in a gland called the sebaceous gland. What Causes Acne to appear is acne-causing bacteria that metabolize this oil that is produced by the sebaceous gland. This metabolized oil irritates the skin. As the skin becomes increasingly irritated by this metabolized oil, the hair follicles become plugged. This results in dirt and debris being collected by the hair follicle. The debris then is pushed down to the lower layers of the skin known as the dermis. This debris, this dirt, is a foreign object in the dermis. As a result, the body's natural response is to get rid of the foreign body and the inflammatory cascade is set in motion. This inflammatory response is the beginning of the formation of acne.
What Causes Acne to become severe is the inflammatory process as the body attempts to remove the foreign debris from the dermis. This causes an eruption of the skin and a wound which is the acne. The eruption becomes infected by bacteria. The presence of bacteria attracts white blood cells to the follicle which produces an enzyme that damages the walls of the follicle. This causes the debris that was mentioned earlier to get pushed down into the dermis and initiate the inflammatory response. This results in the appearance of papules, or red bumps. Acne can also take the form of pustules and nodules, and can lead to acne scars.
Since we know What Causes Acne, there have been many treatments developed to combat acne and treat the skin so it remains clear and dry. Many acne treatments are aimed at cleansing the skin and reducing the amount of oil on the skins surface and killing the bacteria that is associated with acne and is common on the skin's surface. Treatments that focus on drying up the acne and causing the skin to slough off help promote the skin's healing and clears up the red bumps that are common with acne. Acne has several over-the-counter and prescription treatments available, so it is a problem that can be treated over time with a little patience and by following closely a treatment regimen.