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Where Does Acne Come from?
Though usually regarded as one of the nuisances accompanying adolescence, acne is not restricted to the teen years. It can also affect babies - though, in their case, the symptoms are usually mild and never last long - and adults as well - in which case it can be quite painful. Everyone has had trouble with acne to a lower or a higher degree, from mild and moderate forms with just a pimple or two now and then, to more serious outbursts, with lesions and cysts that persist for a long time. In this article, we'll have a look at the causes of acne. Acne can frequently start from the level of the epidermis. When dead skin cells are improperly shed and skin pores fill with dust and toxins, the bacterial activity that develops in those regions generate rashes and inflammations of the skin, leading to the formation of pimples, papules, whiteheads and blackheads. On the one hand, the bacteria feeding on the dead cells produce chemicals that are harmful to the skin. On the other hand, the infection caused by the same bacteria alerts the body and prompts it to produce leukocytes, also known as white blood cells, which are very important elements in the body's defense against infections. Your skin basically becomes a battlefield. The buildup of dead cells -- whether skin cells or bacteria -- and toxic substances resulting from the chemical reactions all combine to cause acne. But acne can also have hormonal origin. The processes connected with the production of sex hormones during puberty, such as increased activity of the sebaceous glands, can also cause the skin pores to become clogged. Bacteria are thus kept below the epidermal surface, generating processes similar to those described above. Hormonal phenomena can also account for acne in pregnant women, due to the changes happening in the body during that period. The condition is, however, unlikely to persist. Baby acne can be caused by the mother's hormones traveling through the placenta and reaching the fetus, but the outbursts are not severe and they usually disappear before the age of nine months. Genetic causes can also be blamed for acne. The influence can go as far as two generations, so even genes inherited from your grandparents can lead to the occurrence of acne. If one of the parents has had acne problems, the risk that you might experience this condition is higher. Frequent touching of the skin and squeezing of the pimples can make acne worse, by further irritating the skin and spreading the infection to other regions, as well as by facilitating the access of the bacteria present on your hands to your face.
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