The Root Cause of Acne

Contrary to belief of many people and some cultures, acne is not caused by chocolate or potato chips. I always asked myself, why, why do I have acne and other people do not.  There are about 100 million people worldwide, who suffer from acne like I did.

I did some research and talked to my doctor to find the most common causes of acne. The list below highlights some of the most prevalent causes of acne.

Hormones: The number one cause of acne is the production of sex hormones, known as androgen that begins at puberty. This is why majority of acne sufferers are adolescents and teens. Hormones are responsible for then acne flare-ups during menstruation and pregnancy.

When the sebaceous gland is stimulated by androgens, it produces extra sebum. In its journey up the follicle toward the surface, the sebum mixes with common skin bacteria and dead skin cells that have been shed from the lining of the follicle. While this process is normal, the presence of extra sebum in the follicle increases the chances of clogging — and acne.

Stress: can also cause the production of hormones, such as cortisol, which can aggravate acne.  Stress brings upon different hormone levels. With hormone changes the body prompts the skins oil glands to enlarge, secreting more oil. Which causes whiteheads, blackheads and pimples?  

Oily or heavy make up: Heavy make-up clogs the pores and oily make-ups add more oil, which only adds to the cause of acne  if oily skin already exists. Cosmetics, especially certain moisturizers, foundations and pomades contain lanolin, petrolatum, vegetable oils, butyl stearate, lauryl alcohol and oleic acid.  

Certain medications and steroids: Vitamins are good for your body, But an excess of vitamins B1, B6 and B12 can be cause of acne flare-ups. These vitamins are good for the skin, but avoid overuse.

Diets: For some people, a diet that is high in refined carbohydrates and sugars can actually aggravate their acne. 

Over abrasive cleansing: Harsh exfoliators can damage skin and spread infections. 

Picking and squeezing: This can actually send the infection deeper into the skin and can cause scarring. 

Environmental irritants: such as high humidity and pollution.  High humidity actually causes swelling of skin.  Pollution is of course is a big cause for clogging your pores.

Genes: Family members who are also acne sufferers. Acne is inherited and severe cases known as cystic acne usually come from heredity.

The graphic on the left depicts how the pores become clogged with dead skin cells and lead to the formation of acne. The graphic on the right depicts clear pores, completely unobstructed.

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