The How's and Why's of Acne

First, acne occurs when for some unknown
reason or combination of reasons, hair follicles, also known as pores,
become blocked.

Although the exact combination of reasons that pores become
clogged may not be fully known, many contributing elements for
teenagers and adults alike can include; genetics (whether or not there is
a history of acne problems and if so, to what extent), hormones, dietary
and vitamin make up (or lack of /deficiency) and stress related factors.

Other denominators could include factors like how your body
normally rids itself of its dead skin cells and influences that may be
working against this regularity (for example climate and other
environmental forces or overall body health at the time) and your
hormones and their effect on your own body’s sebum production
(especially for females).

Second, the normal dead skin cells that combine
with your body’s natural sebum oil as it drains through the
skin’s surface become clogged in these blocked pores. This
substance becomes somewhat sticky, further clogging the passageway.

Third, bacteria begins to grow around these
clogged areas. As a normal reaction your, your body’s white
blood cells attack the bacteria, fighting it and pushing it out of the body.

And forth, the resulting growths during this
14-day to 21-day battle are called microcomedones. Microcomedones
turn into comedones, commonly referred to as blemishes, pimples or
acne.

Whiteheads, blackheads, pimples and nodules.

Whiteheads are when the sebum (oil) and resulting
bacteria are trapped below the skin’s surface and you can
actually see a white head appear above (or near popping out of) the
skin.

Blackheads are when the sebum and resulting
bacteria are only partially trapped, slowly draining out the surface and
turning black because of your skin’s melanin or pigmentation.

In the absence of either white or blackhead are generally (but not
always) smaller pimples.

And the often deeper, boil-like lesions are referred to as
nodules.

All forms of acne can be mild, moderate or severe.

Typically, mild acne is visible in the form of whiteheads and
blackheads, sometimes pimples.

With moderate acne, more pimples and pustules are present on the
face, some may appear on the back or chest.

And with severe acne, many nodules develop, often large and sore,
over parts of the face, back, chest and other body areas.

This type of acne can lead to scarring.

Actually, lesser cases of acne have been followed by scarring.

So for those with possible nodular acne, seeking advice from a
healthcare provider as soon as possible is recommended.

A gender issue to note is that males more often have the severe form
of acne rather than females, due to their hormones.

And the areas where they tend to break out most frequently are
unfortunately more difficult to treat, the chest and back.