Causes of Acne

When it comes to the causes of acne, there are a lot of debates. There are two things you want to think about when it comes to acne- causes and triggers.

The most common causes of acne include: bacteria, clogged pores, triggers, cosmetics or skin care products.

Clogged pores occur due to old skin cells that are still on the skin. Whether someone is not using a mild scrub to remove the excess skin cells, or the subject has Retention Hyperkeratosis where your skin cells replicate very quickly, the outcome is the same. With these extra skin cells on your face, and then the mixture of sebum (oil), it causes a sticky mixture that blocks your pores up. This gets stuck in the hair follicles, and before you know it, your pores are clogged. This is how the acne forms.

In this hair follicle, this sticky mixture of cells and sebum is now stuck in place. Oxygen is trying to get down to the opening of the hair follicle, but can’t reach it. This is how the acne bacteria form. Now you have a hair follicle with bacteria growing, no oxygen can get through, and next thing you know you start to have inflammation. The pimple is forming, and pushes against the hair follicle. At the point of the hair follicle wall breaking, these bacteria spill into the skin around it. Pus starts to fill up around the hair follicle, and a pimple is now a small infection. It presents itself as a red irritation, and as it slowly fills up with pus, becomes a whitehead. Cystic acne is a deeper infection.

Often times skin care products or cosmetics can lead to problems. Some products have fatty ingredients which can clog pores and cause dead skin cells to stick also. Look for non-comedogenic products for the best results. If you’re prone to acne breakouts, opt for water based skin care products and cosmetics over oil based products.