What Causes Acne
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by: melba.mocco.chaka
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Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2010 Time: 3:38 PM
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Almost all of us are going to have or have had some problems with facial spots and acne, even if it is just a few blackheads.
Acne is a very common condition and we can describe in great detail what goes on in the skin to produce the various types of spot. What we don't know so much about is why it all happens. This applies to many medical conditions but research is always going on to try to improve our understanding. It is very frustrating not to have an answer to the question 'Why me?' but it would be wrong to pretend that there will ever be one simple answer.
Genetic factors certainly play a part but an acne gene has not yet been identified. Environmental factors are also important and there may be various triggers that set the whole process off. The control of sebum production is thought to be most important in causing acne, and more study of why some people respond differently to the same levels of hormones circulating in the blood will help us to understand this. The bacterium P. acnes was once thought to be the cause but we know now that it is not, though it is a very important part of the process. These bacteria live naturally in our skin, as do many others, and in normal circumstances cause us no problems at all.
In the past, doctors felt that a variety of other factors caused acne, including constipation! They also believed that diet was very important and advised a very plain diet avoiding soup, pastries and alcohol. We now know that this is not true but many people still search for a miracle cure for acne, be it a special diet or a new acne cream. This is natural if you don't know enough about a subject. In this article you will find information that should help you avoid wasting money on 'quack' acne remedies that won't work.
Who Gets Acne, And Why?
My doctor had a go at me about smoking and said it would make my acne worse. I think he is just using that as an excuse to try to get me to stop. Am I right?
Some scientific reports of surveys studying people with and without acne suggest that smoking cigarettes makes it more likely that you will develop acne or, if you already have it, make it worse. One such survey studied almost 900 people aged from 1 to 87 and found that almost double the number of smokers had acne. However, even this report concludes that, although there seemed to be an association between acne and smoking, there was little if any scientific evidence to prove this.
Nevertheless, smoking has its own risks and implications for your long-term health. If your acne might improve as a consequence of giving up smoking, why not use that as your motivation? Just think how good you'll feel in six months' time ... and all the money you'll have saved'
If acne is caused by hormones from puberty, why does my baby brother have acne?
Newborn babies do sometimes get a form of acne called infantile acne. It relates to hormones but these have come from the mother while the baby was in the womb. Infantile acne usually appears in the first few weeks after birth and can persist for several months. Although pustules may be present, it is usually just comedones and papules on the cheeks and chin. Anything more severe or long-lasting than this needs investigation and treatment, as there are some conditions in which babies start to produce hormones.
It has been suggested that if you get acne as a baby, even if for only a short time, when you are older you might develop a more persistent type of acne. This could be an early warning to get treatment at the first sign of spots appearing in later years.
While there is no cure for acne, there's lots you can do to help prevent it or reduce its effects if you already have it. Get help finding the best acne treatment for your needs, and check out these natural acne remedies for sensitive skin.
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Michelle Spencer
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