What Are The Causes Of Acne?

The majority of people have suffered from acne at some point in their lives. This skin affliction, though it is common, has negative connotations attached to it that result in self-esteem concerns among some. As well as the damaging connotations, or perhaps as a result of them, there are many misconceptions over what leads to the problem. To better understand what causes acne and how you can treat it, we have to look at how an outbreak occurs in the first place.

The Link Between Hormones And Acne

One thing that's frequently linked to acne outbreaks is the presence of additional hormones within the body. Females naturally experience a surge of hormones at certain points within the menstrual cycle, and this can lead to greater difficulties with acne. However, both men and women go through massive surges of hormonal activity throughout puberty, and that is when most have their initial experience of those colorful blotches and bumps. Women and men also encounter tension at numerous times in their lives and the resulting stimulation of the adrenal glands can also result in outbreaks of acne.

Dirt Isn't A Culprit

Often, the appearance of acne on the face includes blackheads, which are little black spots within the skin. Because of the way these appear, men and women often misinterpret acne as a result of dirt and grime on the face, meaning that individuals with acne have poor personal hygiene. Actually, keratin - the substance that makes up hair and skin tissue - as opposed to dirt is what causes the black spots. Because this condition is caused by unshed skin cells blocking pores, these black spots frequently show. This is normal, and reflects a symptom, not a cause.

Acne Bacteria

While it is keratin that blocks the pores, it is the microorganisms that thrive inside that cause acne. These microorganisms breed and result in the inflammation that usually shows itself as reddened skin or as pimples. While blackheads are the result of dead skin cells blocking the pore, whiteheads occur when the white blood cells sent by the body to fight the infection do their job, die and build up in the same area. Although it may not appear that way at the time, whiteheads are actually a sign that your body is responding healthily towards the bacterial invasion.

The Role That Food Plays

Food is often believed to contribute to outbeaks of acne but its role is far from obvious. While old-fashioned suggestions for preventing outbreaks involves cutting out things such as chocolate and fried foods, scientific studies have not demonstrated that easing up on eating either definitely helps. Milk, nevertheless is a culprit in causing acne, though doctors aren't sure why yet; they suspect it's the hormones in the milk. Processed sugars have also been proven to be a contributory factor. Whatever the effect that food plays, genetic makeup, age and sex are probably the most essential contributory factors. You have most likely heard about all of the numerous natural home remedies to cure acne but do you know there is now even an Apple iPhone App that claims to be able to do the same thing - no, I couldn't believe it either! Full scoop at http://www-advice.com