Acne - Introduction
Reports show that over 90 percent of all adolescents and almost 25 percent of all adults
are acne sufferers. And although acne affects about 50 percent of all adult
women, acne does affect males and females worldwide, regardless of nationality.
This series of articles includes information based upon research about acne.
It strives to help clear up myths from facts and present an overview of the
issues surrounding acne along with possible solutions available to help with
the prevention and treatment of acne, all based upon the most recent studies, reports,
articles and findings available, so that you can learn more acne health care. To access our collection of articles about acne, please go to our sister site,
acne-lessons.com.
For example, does chocolate really cause pimples? And how about oily foods? Do
French fries bring on the acne? The latest reports show that although
scientific evidence is not 100% accurate in this area, your diet does
not directly cause acne. And by diet, this means not only chocolate and French
fries, but also any other dietary combinations with sugar and oil or other ingredients.
The real cause of acne can actually be a blend of several factors that we’ll
discuss here. Note that the contents here are not presented from a medical
practitioner, and that any and all health care planning should be made under
the guidance of your own medical and health practitioners. The content within
only presents an overview of acne research for educational purposes and does
not replace medical advice from a professional physician.
Science of Acne in Layman’s Terms
In a nutshell, a few simple steps occur that cause skin blemishes. First, acne
occurs when for some unknown reason or combination of reasons, hair follicles,
also known as pores, become blocked. Although the exact combination of reasons
that pores become clogged may not be fully known, many contributing elements
for teenagers and adults alike can include; genetics (whether or not there is
a history of acne problems and if so, to what extent), hormones, dietary and
vitamin make up (or lack of /deficiency) and stress related factors.
Other denominators could include factors like how your body normally rids itself
of its dead skin cells and influences that may be working against this
regularity (for example climate and other environmental forces or overall body health
at the time) and your hormones and their effect on your own body’s sebum
production (especially for females).
Second, the normal dead skin cells that combine with your body’s natural sebum
oil as it drains through the skin’s surface become clogged in these blocked pores.
This substance becomes somewhat sticky, further clogging the passageway.
Third, bacteria begins to grow around these clogged areas. As a normal reaction your,
your body’s white blood cells attack the bacteria, fighting it and pushing it out of the body.
And fourth, the resulting growths during this 14-day to 21-day battle are called
microcomedones. Microcomedones turn into comedones, commonly referred to as blemishes,
pimples or acne.
There are basically four types of acne; whiteheads, blackheads, pimples and
nodules. Whiteheads are when the sebum (oil) and resulting bacteria are
trapped below the skin’s surface and you can actually see a white head
appear above (or near popping out of) the skin. Blackheads are when the sebum
and resulting bacteria are only partially trapped, slowly draining out the surface and
turning black because of your skin’s melanin or pigmentation. In the absence of either
white or blackhead are generally (but not always) smaller pimples. And
the often deeper, boil-like lesions are referred to as nodules.
All forms of acne can be mild, moderate or severe. Typically, mild acne is
visible in the form of whiteheads and blackheads, sometimes pimples. With
moderate acne, more pimples and pustules are present on the face, some may
appear on the back or chest. And with severe acne, many nodules develop, often
large and sore, over parts of the face, back, chest and other body areas. This
type of acne can lead to scarring. Actually, lesser cases of acne have been
followed by scarring. So for those with possible nodular acne, seeking advice from a
healthcare provider as soon as possible is recommended.
A gender issue to note is that males more often have the severe form of
acne rather than females, due to their hormones. And the areas where they tend to
break out most frequently are unfortunately more difficult to treat, the chest and back.
To access our full collection of articles about acne, please go to our sister site,
acne-lessons.com.
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