Have you been wondering lately what causes Acne? There seem to be a lot a factors that contribute to the formation of Acne. Trying to first find out the real culprit causing your Acne is definitely the right approach to handle it. In some cases there will be more than one factor causing Acne.
Your Acne could be hormonal, due to some medication, overactive oil glands or it could even be stress-related. Understanding the cause of your Acne will definitely help you chose the right treatment
Hormones:
There are several stages in human life when hormones get unbalanced and create havoc. During puberty, pregnancy, menopause etc.
Researchers believe that the primary cause for Acne is the rise in Androgen levels. Androgen is a type of male hormone that is responsible for development and maintenance of masculine properties. It is present in both men and women, but are higher in men.
Androgen levels rise during the period of adolescence. Adolescence is a stage when a human is transformed from childhood to adulthood. It is the period between puberty and maturity. During this phase of life, when androgen levels rise and become the cause for Hormonal Acne
Overactive oil glands:
When Androgen level rise, it stimulates the sebaceous gland (oil gland) ; resulting in secretion of sebum in huge amounts. Sebum helps protect the natural hydration of our skin. When excessive oil is secreted, it gets combined with dead skin cells and blocks the hair follicle. Bacteria that is present on skin multiply by feeding on this oil and causes inflammation on the skin.
Bacteria:
Propionibacteria acnes or P acnes are usually present on pilosebaceous glands of an adult skin. It usually does not harm the normal skin. But when there is excess secretion of oil from sebaceous glands, resulting in blocked pores lacking enough oxygen and creating anaerobic situation. P acnes multiply in such an environment and cause acne lesions like papules, pustules and even nodules. P acnes release acne causing substances like sialidases, lipases, neuraminidases, phosphatases etc.
Medication:
Unfortunately, there are cases where Acne is caused due to some drugs or medications. Addictive drugs like sedatives or drugs used to treat stress etc may cause acne. Drugs used for body building purposes by athletes. Steroid hormones like Dehydroepiandrosterone, corticosteroids may also cause Acne. And, drugs like lithium prescribed for people suffering from depression may also cause acne.
Stress:
Stress is one of the main culprits that people believe may cause or worsen acne. But stress may not play a direct role in causing acne. Medical studies have proved that stress can cause not just acne, but many other health problems. When you are under anxiety, the body’s healing power is slowed down. Stress can trigger hormones and create imbalance. Whether stress causes acne or not is still debatable. But the other way round is true in many cases. Acne can actually induce stress in its sufferers.
Some people believe that the food that you intake can aggravate Acne. Like chocolates, carbonated drinks, milk and dairy products, peanuts etc. But there is no scientific evidence to prove this. However, a healthy diet will definitely improve the overall appearance of your skin.
If you are suffering from severe Acne, it is worth a quick dash to a dermatologist at the earliest. A good dermatologist may help you formulate a fool proof plan against acne.
In future articles we will see different remedies and treatments for acne. Stay tuned!
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