What can cause acne to occur?
Unfortunately the exact cause of acne is unknown, but many doctors believe it results from several related factors. One of the most important factors being the rise in a person’s hormone levels. Often these hormones known as androgens (male sex hormones) will increase in both boys and girls during the pubescent stage of their lives and can cause the sebaceous glands to enlarge and produce more sebum.
It is believed that the tendency on whether one develops acne or not is hereditary. Many studies have shown that boys who have acne also have a family history of acne. Acne is caused by when the sebaceous glands begin secreting oily substances onto the skin. Those with acne are especially sensitive to testosterone, and it triggers the glands to produce too much sebum, which is an oily substance.
Acne is caused by the sebaceous glands becoming over active and they then secrete oily substances on to the skin and those people with acne are especially sensitive to normal blood levels of the hormone called testosterone and this triggers the sebaceous glands to then produce an excess of sebum (oily substance).
But at the same time the dead skin cells lining the openings to the hair follicles are not shed properly and they begin to clog up these follicles. The effect of the excess oil and the blocked follicles results in blackheads and whiteheads forming. However for some people once they are out of puberty they will no longer suffer from acne.
For others, the build up of oil in the hair follicles will create the ideal environment for Propionibacterium Acnes (a bacteria) to grow. This bacteria actually naturally grows on your skin and lives harmlessly, but in the “right” environment it will grow.
The bacteria feeds off the sebum and will produce substances that cause your body’s immune system to respond and this in turn inflames the skin and creates the redness that we associated with spots.
With worse inflammatory acne, cysts will develop under the skin’s surface. These will then rupture and spread infection into nearby skin tissue. This can often result in one’s skin scarring.
Hopefully the information above has provided you with some explanation as to the cause of acne and in other articles written we have explained the various types of treatments and products that are available.
