Acne (acne vulgaris) is caused when the pore openings on the face, neck, back, chest and arms become plugged with to much oil (sebum) production made by the oil glands. Increased oil (sebum) is produced particularly during adolescence when the sex hormones are elevated and the oil glands have increased in size. As the pores become plugged with the excess oil and loose skin, blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, and even deeper lumps, (cysts or nodules) occur. The oil is irritating to the surrounding skin causing redness seen in the pimples and pustules. Bacteria can also more readily grow in this environment further aggravating the acne.
Acne affects mostly teenagers; however, the disease can affect both men and women into their 40's. While acne usually clears up after several years even if untreated, you need not wait to outgrow it. Untreated acne can leave lifelong scars. While not a life threatening condition, acne can be upsetting and disfiguring. When severe, acne can lead to serious and permanent scarring. I consider acne to be 75% inherited from one's parents, 12% caused from not cleansing the face and 12% caused from diet.
Treatment: Wash your face with a facial cleanser or soap and warm water twice a day. Washing too often may actually make your acne worse. There are many cleansers, select the one for you that is right for your skin type, whether it be dry, oily, or sensitive. Removing your makeup each night to keep the pores from becoming plugged. Avoid removing makeup by roughly wiping the make up off.
