Even when acne is not serious, it can cause stress to the sufferer. Many times, a person with acne suffers low self esteem, damaging their psychological health and creating stress. An understanding of what causes acne may help reduce breakouts and emotional damage.
Most of the time, hormones are the cause of acne. The oil glands in the skin produce excess oil, which mixes with dead skin cells. This blocks the hair follicles. As the pores become blocked, they continue producing oil, providing an environment that promotes the formation of Propionibacterium acnes – a skin bacteria. This inflames the skin, causing a lesion visible to the naked eye. While about 85% of all people between age 11 and 30 have occasional breakouts, they can happen long into adulthood.
Most often, however, those who suffer most frequently from acne are adolescents and young adults. Acne can be caused by many factors:
• Menstrual cycles and puberty bring on many hormonal changes.
• Stress creates an increased hormone output from the adrenal glands.
• Overactive sebaceous glands produce too much oil.
• Dead skin cells fail to exfoliate, and clog pores.
• Bacteria trapped in pores cause acne.
• Scratching and other skin irritation can cause inflammation.
• Anabolic steroids can cause acne.
• Halogens in medication can cause acne:
o Iodides
o Chlorides
o Bromides
o Lithium
o Barbiturates
o Androgens
• Chlorinated dioxins cause acne when you are suddenly exposed to them.
In adult acne, about one fourth of adult men and half of adult women will battle acne occasionally during their adulthood. It can have the same psychological effects as with adolescents. While the exact causes of adult acne are uncertain, it is usually traced to one of two things:
• Recurring adolescent acne
• Occasional flare-ups after lying dormant for a while, as during pregnancy.
If you are an adult beset by acne, it’s best to go to a dermatologist for treatment. You can also use Clear Skin Regimen with benzoyl peroxide. Adult and teen acne are treated the same way.
Body acne is quite common, and occurs on the chest, buttocks, and back most commonly. The cause of body acne is the same as face acne – stress and hormones. Other contributors to body acne are perspiration and tight clothing. The tight clothing traps the moisture from perspiration against the body, where it mixes with body oils, clogging pores and creating acne.
Treatment of body acne is usually directed toward healing lesions and preventing the formation of new lesions, thereby preventing scarring. Dermatologists will recommend many different OTC medications which contain the following:
• Benzoyl peroxide, which reduces oil secretion and destroys acne.
• Resorcinol, which breaks down whiteheads and blackheads.
• Salicylic acid, which also breaks down whiteheads and blackheads, but also helps keep the hair follicles from shedding so many cells.
• Sulfur, which works on the whiteheads and blackheads.
The dermatologist may also write prescriptions for medications which contain the following:
• Antibiotics, which slow or stop the growth of bacteria that cause acne, and reduce inflammation as well.
• Vitamin A, which helps to unplug comedones (whiteheads and blackheads) so that topical medication can be more easily absorbed.
• Benzoyl peroxide
• Sodium sulfacetamide (sulfur)
• Azelaic acid, which reduces oil production and slows the growth of bacteria. It also eases inflammation.
If you receive these treatments, you may cure your acne, and spare yourself the psychological pain that is caused by this disease. Also taking colon cleanse tablets will help rid your body of toxins that cause acne.
