Causes of Acne by:Rachelle Dupree
Our bodies are covered with sebaceous glands, hair follicles and of course
, hair. These glands, follicles and the pores on the surface of our skin work together to nourish and moisturize our skin and hair. When something goes awry, acne appears. Despite what some people think, it usually has very little to do with hygiene. Instead, it's a skin disorder that can affect anyone. Below, are a few explanations of the process your body goes through to produce acne.
Acne Begins In Your Glands
Your sebaceous glands are attached to hair follicles. Hormones act as a catalyst for these glands, causing them to create sebum, an oil that helps your skin and hair retain a healthy sheen. Ideally, the sebum would fill the follicles and overflow onto your skin's surface through your pores.
Unfortunately, your pores can become blocked. Your skin cells are constantly sloughed off. They can fill the follicle and close the exit through your pores. In essence, they plug the pores. When the sebum is blocked from reaching your skin's surface, it builds and eventually created whiteheads and blackheads.
Your Body Fights Back
Your body produces a bacteria called Propionibacterium acnes. It's not harmful. In fact, its primary function is to deflect other bacteria from your skin. However, when sebum is confined within the hair follicle, this bacteria is drawn to it to feed. When this happens, the follicle attracts white blood cells. Over time, the walls of the follicle begin breaking down, allowing the sebum to penetrate the dermis.
When the contents of your hair follicles begin to infiltrate the dermis, your body's immune system reacts. It realizes that the sebum and chemicals entering the dermis from the follicles shouldn't be there. When your immune system attempts to purge these elements, your skin can become inflamed. As a result, you'll often see swelling in the affected area of your skin. This inflammation can manifest as pimples and even small cysts.
Understanding Outside Stimuli
You've probably heard that acne can emerge as a result of your diet, stress level, use of cosmetics and even tight clothes. These things, by themselves, don't cause acne. Rather, they can often exacerbate the blockage of your pores. For example, some cosmetics are comprised of heavy creams and oils. They can clog the pores, preventing sebum from escaping the follicles to the surface of your skin.
Acne Can Affect Anyone
Again, acne isn't typically a hygiene issue. Instead, it's a matter of hormones producing oil (sebum) which can't reach the skin's surface because the pores are blocked by dead skin cells. But, the road to curing (and preventing) acne is paved with the understanding of how the body produces it. If you're dealing with mild acne, any number of over-the-counter remedies can help. If your acne is severe, a dermatologist can provide a more appropriate treatment.
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