What are the Causes of Acne?

Many people have suffered from acne at one time in their lives.  This skin affliction, though its common, has negative connotations attached to it that cause self-esteem issues among some.  The causes of this affliction have caused many miconceptions.  To understand how to treat acne, we need to discuss what may lead to an outbreak of this skin problem.

Hormones Can Lead To Outbreaks

Extra hormones in the body is something that is often linked to acne.  For women, outbreaks can be more severe during the menstrual cycle than at other times.  Acne outbreaks often happen to boys and girls during puberty because the body produces extra hormones at this time.  Since stress stimulates the adrenal glands to produce more hormones, acne can occur when someone is really stressed out.

Is The Culprit Dirt?

The appearance of acne on the face often included little black spots in the skin called blackheads.  While this looks like it may be the result of having a dirty face, it is not true.  The black spots are usually made up of a skin and hair cell substance composed of keratin.  The black spots often show because a persons pores are being blocked by unshed skin cells.  This is common and really reflects a symptom and not a cause.

Bacteria

Pores that are clogged by bacteria is the ultimate cause of ance.  These bacteria breed and result in the inflammation that usually shows itself as reddened skin or as pimples.  The bodys immune system fights the bacteria which often forms the whiteheads, which consist mostly of white blood cells.  A whitehead on a pimple is a sign that your body is working to destroy the bacteria.

Is Food A Cause?

Currently, the jury is still out as to how much or how little food contributes to outbreaks of acne.  While Grandma may tell you to stop eating chocolate and fried foods, there have been no studies to prove this will help.  The hormones in milk however, may be a reason why it can cause acne.  There have also been suggestions that people who eat a lot of refined sugars also suffer from acne at a higher rate.  With this information you should now have a better understanding of what causes an acne outbreak and how to prevent it.