It would be safe to say that a majority of us, at one point or another in our lives, have experienced the pain and embarrassment of acne. While it is a very common occurrence, acne causes a great deal of discomfort, embarrassment and even depression amongst people, especially teenagers. Most people are not sure what causes acne in the first place and spend more time looking for acne treatment than understanding the acne cause. But lots of us suffer from it and the pharmaceutical industry profits a great deal from the numerous acne medicine and acne remedies that consumers readily apply to deal with acne.

The definition of acne is: a chronic disorder of the hair follicles and sebaceous glands. Acne is characterized by black heads, pimple outbreaks, cysts, infected abscesses, and (sometimes) scarring.

So what’s the real truth about what causes acne ? For reasons no one completely understands, follicles, often called pores, sometimes get blocked. Sebum (oil) which normally drains to the surface gets blocked and bacteria begins to grow. Both whiteheads and blackheads start out as a “microcomedone”. Microcomedones become skin blemishes called comedones, either a whitehead or a blackhead.

Microcomedone
When the trapped sebum and bacteria stay below the skin surface, a whitehead is formed. A blackhead oc curs when the trapped sebum and bacteria partially open to the surface and turn black due to melanin, the skin’s pigment. Blackheads can last for a long time because the contents very slowly drain to the surface. Either way, blackheads and whiteheads are filled with trapped sebum and bacteria. The acne treatment in both cases is the same. Other causes of both adult acne and teehage acne include hormone inbalance, incorrect diet, vitamine deficiency and stress.

Once you suffer from an acne breakout it can get worse due to poor hygiene. This is however, not an acne cause and can be remedied by improving personal hygiene.

Many people, myself included, choose to ponder over the effects of the acne in the comfort of their homes before they do the obvious thing. They go down to the nearest pharmacy to purchase one of the several acne treatment products available. To be honest, the shelves are full of them! American and global pharmaceutical companies are well aware of the desire of all acne sufferers to get rig of their acne. They have left no stone unturned to provide us with as many acne remedies and acne treatments as possible. But turning to these products without determining the acne causes could result in more harm than good. After all, what is the benefit in spending a lot of money on acne treatments if you don’t know what causes acne in the first place. As discussed, the acne causes are many. They are different from one individual to another. So what works for a friend or an acquaintance might not necessarily work for you. Unless you are able to consult a dermatologist to ascertain the acne causes, there is no sure way of finding the solution. And the best thing is that when the dermatologist is able to identify what the acne causes are, he can prescribe the best acne treatment that will cure you of all acne just like that. So consulting a dermatologist to determine what causes acne in your case and the best acne treatment is the sensible step to take. Not sure where to find a dermatologist, consult your doctor.

Adult Acne is more prevalent than one might think.

When most of us think of acne, we think of adolescence. Many people who had acne as a teenager are no longer affected by it, however you may be surprised by the number of people who do battle acne during their adult years. While teenagers do make up a large percentage of the acne suffering population, adult acne is more prevalent than one might think.

It is also becoming clear that the physical, psychological, and social effects of this condition are still affect adults, and do cause them some problems. Also according to recent studies, acne is an increasing problem among adults, but the reasons for this are not clear.

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Acne won’t get you any dates, that’s for sure. Teenagers abhor it, and adults sufferers don’t embrace it either. As most teenage girls will attest, pimples arise at the most inopportune moments, which can be anytime on any given day for them. Acne affects self esteem, self worth, and self identity, and can turn a once outgoing person into a recluse. The type of acne treatment that you choose is most important.

There are different types of acne that occur on the body, and not just on the face, which is the most common. Acne, commonly known as pimples, zits, whiteheads, or blackheads, start to form in hair follicles or pores when the oil or sebum is trapped beneath the skin surface causing bacteria to form. Acne can be mild or severe, which is called acne vulgaris, and can cause disfiguration and severe scarring. It’s important to keep hands off, and if you must, wash the area and your hands first. If you are successful in expelling any of the gooey ingredients, be careful not to spread it to surrounding areas where it can cause another eruption.
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