The Underlying Causes Of Acne
Acne is something of a misunderstood condition. It can affect anyone and in fact does affect up to 90% of people in North America and Europe at some point during their lives.
It is most likely to affect a person during their teenage years, but can follow a person into adulthood. Despite the prevalence of the condition at varying levels of severity, many people still fail to understand its underlying causes. While some people have such severe acne that it is impossible to treat without the help of a dermatologist for the majority of people having a better understanding of the causes of acne can significantly improve the odds of properly treating the condition.
The exact cause can vary from person to person. However, at the most basic level, it is most often a hormonal condition. Androgenic hormones (otherwise called “male” hormones but they are also present in women though at lower levels) prompt the skin to produce a protective oil called sebum. Under normal circumstances sebum is beneficial and even in acne sufferers it would cause problems if sebum was no longer produced. Acne sufferers tend to produce more sebum than people with regular or dry skin. This does not always cause a problem and some people can have an oily skin type without developing acne. But the sebum often combines with dead improperly shed skin cells which in turn block the skin’s pores.
There is a bacteria involved in the process called P. Acnes. It exists on almost everyone’s skin in small quantities. However, it is an aerobic bacteria, which means that it finds it difficult to survive in oxygen-rich environments. When the pores are blocked the ideal oxygen-free environment is created which allows P. Acnes to increase in numbers. This prompts the body’s immune response to activate. Among the symptoms of the immune response is inflamed skin, which most people would refer to as a pimple.
With this in mind, to get rid of pimples, you should look for products that contain ingredients that kill bacteria, unblock the pores or help to properly control the shedding of skin cells. A chemical called benzoyl peroxide is one of the most effective chemicals that targets all three of these areas, which is why it is included in a multitude of over-the-counter products.
Cindy is a professional blogger who has done over 100 hcg drops reviews, and specializes in the hcg diet plan.
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