Acne affects most people at some point in life - it is believed that around 85% of teenagers suffer from acne and it affects many adults too. There are different schools of thought on the subject of the causes of acne but the main theories are that acne can be caused by hormonal activity, genetic history, poor skin hygiene, stress, the use of anabolic steroids, some medications and downfalls in diet.
Genetic history can be a cause of acne if your family have a history of acne. If this is the case, it does not necessarily mean that you need to suffer from acne for the rest of your life as there are some effective acne treatments out there. It will mean that you probably need to work a little harder to free yourself of acne though.
Hormonal activity is often blamed for acne. It is true that most people do get acne during adolescence - during a period of high hormonal activity. Some women suffer from outbursts of acne during menstrual cycles and the menopause and some women suffer from a hormonal imbalance, although this is rare.
Poor skin hygiene can be a factor in acne. For instance, if you have flaky skin but do not exfoliate properly, dead skin cells can block the pores and aggravate acne and help create spots. Also, many people squeeze spots which can make the problem much worse as this can create further spot-forming bacteria as well as redness and possible scarring.
Diet is another important factor when it comes to acne. The body has an amazing healing capacity if it is well nourished. Many people though have a poor diet due to the increase in the consumption of refined foods, processed foods and sugar. Nutritional deficiencies, food allergies and food intolerances can be a key factor in the causes of acne and handling these can go a long way in helping you become free of acne. A great many people may see their acne improve but not totally disappear through nutritional programs.
There are other causes of acne such as anabolic steroids and certain medications but these causes are not so common. If you are on medication and fear this may be making your acne worse, you should see your doctor. Other causes include stress and hyperactive sebaceous glands. Stress is a often a factor which aggravates acne and you can take simple steps and make lifestyle changes to help address this.
Most people will find that it is a variety of causes which are creating their acne - for example, teenagers often experience acne partly down to hormonal changes but the acne can also be caused or made worse by poor diet and poor skin care. There are some causes of acne for which little can be done - like genetic factors and hormonal changes. However, much can still be done to improve acne and the best acne treatments would include proper diet and nutrition, skin care and handling of poor lifestyle habits. A total approach to handling acne is usually the most successful as there may be a variety of causes creating or irritating acne.
1 comments:
Nicely written. As an adult, I find that diet is a big cause when I have acne. Too much Kentucky Fried Chicken or some other oily and greasy food and pimples start popping up again.
When this happens, I find that basic hygiene + an OTC topical cream (Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5% or Tea Tree Oil 5% or Salicylic Acid) + a moisturizer works well most times. This article on acne care treatment explains things quite well.
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