subject: Main Features Contributing To Acne Development [print this page] There are many myths associated with acneThere are many myths associated with acne. If you are suffering from this skin condition, deciphering between what is real and not can be very important. There are typically three deciding factors on what induces this skin condition. Over production of oil in the skin, agitation of hair follicles as a result of abnormal shedding of flaky, dead skin cells and the build-up of bacteria can all lead to this skin condition. Although acne is typically associated with adolescents, it can occur in adulthood as well. This skin condition is the result of clogged hair follicles. When follicles become clogged with oil and dead skin cells, the result is irritated skin. How does this work? Well, each individual hair follicle is in someway connected to a sebaceous gland. This gland's job is to create oils. The medical term for these oils is sebum. The job of this oil is to soften your skin and hair through lubrication. The sebum begins its travels through the hair tunnels in order to find its way out of the hair follicle in order to do its lubrication duties. The problem occurs when too much oil is produced and then mixed with dead skin cells. Both the oils and dead skin cells mix together and create a clog. The pimple you see on your face is the result of this clog. It causes the follicle wall to expand and this is when you see the white head of a pimple. On the other hand, the clog may be open to the skin's surface and cause a blackhead. If the clog happens deep in the hair follicle, as opposed to beneath the skin's surface a lump often will form. This lump is known as a cyst. This will show up on the skin often as a red bump, and does not have a white head. If you are wondering how sweat glands impact this skin condition, they typically do not contribute to the acne problem. So, the cause of how pimples are formed may be clear, but the reason behind the increased amount of oil production is still not clear, even to researchers. There are some indications of why this production increases. Hormone imbalances, bacteria, side effect of medicines and simple heredity factors all play a role. Often, people will wrongly assume that acne is the result of poor hygiene, which is not the case. In reality, too much cleaning of the face with soaps can irritate the skin and cause a batch of other skin problems. Normal washing of the face with gentle soap is helpful for skin maintenance. If you continuously feel stressed about your skin condition, consult a doctor.
