For years, modern medicine has diligently sought out a specific cause for acne. Many people who are lucky enough to avoid serious acne problems mistakenly think of acne as only a "skin disorder". However, anyone who has suffered through even a single acne outbreak can tell you that the emotional toll it burdens you with is as aspect of this disorder that simply can't be ignored.
It's good to know that modern medicine is moving ever closer to figuring out the cause of this chronic skin problem. Once determined, more effective treatments can also be developed in order to help people quickly end the pain and embarrassment that often accompany acne. And with studies estimating that nearly 90% of people suffer from acne, it's good to know that at least some progress is being made in analyzing this wide-spread skin problem.
Most researches think that there's not just a single cause for acne but that it is triggered by a range of related conditions. These factors include excess oils and bacteria on the skin, hormonal factors, genetics and other factors that contribute, either in whole or in part, to the development of acne.
Oil and Bacteria
Hormonal changes can cause the oil-producing sebaceous glands to enlarge. Since the sebaceous glands produce sebum, this increase in their size leads to an overproduction of this substance. The excess sebum, in turn, blocks the pores and leaves more oil and dirt present for bacteria to feed on. As bacteria feed on this excess oil they cause inflammation and redness that contributes to acne. Since this is all triggered by hormonal changes, this helps explain why we often see acne start to develop in our teenage years. The same hormonal changes that result in other bodily changes during puberty can also trigger this domino effect in our skin, leading to acne development.
Hormonal Factors
In women, estrogen and other hormones are also responsible for acne formation. Since the monthly menstrual cycle is a result of changing hormone levels, it makes sense that the level of acne in women can vary depending on where she is in her cycle. For this reason, often times doctors will recommend birth control pills in order to help control the level of estrogen and, consequently, the development of acne.
Genetic Factors
Even though there's not much you can do to prevent it, it's important to realize that your genetics can play a part in how severe your acne is. Some studies have shown that a predisposition to acne development can be passed down from one generation to the next. So if you have close family members that experienced acne at some point in their lives, this is something to keep in mind.
Other Causes
Other factors that can contribute to acne formation include reactions to cosmetics and related products, side effects from other medications, improper diet and stress. These factors can all lead to major acne outbreaks even though their influence on acne development isn't as strong as the other causes mentioned earlier.
It's also important to realize that very rarely do these factors come about solely on their own. And in terms of acne development, it is usually the combination of several of these factors that leads to acne outbreaks.
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