Many people all over the world struggle with acne everyday. While it is common in teenagers it also occurs in adulthood. In fact, with the exception of young children, acne can be found in every age group.

However, Acne Vulgaris, as it is commonly referred to, happens most frequently around the age of puberty and throughout the teenage years. It can be a very debilitating condition causing pain from both the physical condition of having pimples, pustules, blackheads and even cysts or boils along with the emotional upheaval of having the appearance of such problematic skin. If acne is untreated it can lead to more severe outbreaks, long lasting red marks on the skin or even permanent scarring.

Causes of Acne

Unfortunately and even though acne is a common problem, most people do not understand how acne develops or how they can diminish the problem or even avoid it completely. Acne is a complex problem and there is no singular reason why one person will suffer from it while another person does not. There are a variety of factors that can cause acne and it affects almost everyone to some extent and different times of their lives.

Hormones and The Sebaceous Gland

Sebum oil is a naturally occurring and generally beneficial substance that the skin produces to protect and lubricate the skin, protecting it from excess exposure and dirt that can cause damage. However, during puberty and at different times of hormonal upheaval, there can be an overproduction of sebum oil. This increase in sebum oil can cause the pores of the skin to clog. The clog then swells and enlarges and creates a bump. Inflammation from the clog can create pus, which can cause a pustule, which is actually just a fancy word for your typical garden variety pimple. If the bacterial infection is only at the surface it may just be a pimple, but if the infection goes deeper it can create much more painful and unsightly cysts or boils.

Heredity

Heredity actually plays a huge role in the development of acne. If your parents sailed through their own puberty and school days with a wonderfully clear complexion and no zits, you probably will also. And of course, the converse if also true. If your parents suffered from acne it is likely that you will too. However, advances in acne care and prevention have taken place in the years in between your parents day and now. It will probably be easier for you today than it was for them.

Stress Can Be A Cause of Acne

Not surprisingly, stress can also exacerbate acne. The stress during the teenage years, when the body is changing, along with stress from schoolwork, friends, family and more can make acne worse. Stress is also a major cause of acne in adults. Acne also causes its own stress as people become more and more self conscious about the appearance of their skin. If you have problems with acne, it is important to reduce your stress level, get plenty of sleep and eat a healthy diet. Also be sure to keep your hands away from your pimples so that you do not make the problem worse.

Persistent Myths About Acne

Throughout history there have been many myths about the causes of acne. From the simple and ridiculous myths to the more believable. One of the most common myths about acne is that it is caused from too much junk food , to much greasy food or too much chocolate. While these myths persist, the majority of experts agree that acne is not caused by eating too much of any specific food including French fries, soda pop, potato chips or chocolate. However, a healthy diet is beneficial for acne as well as for general health.

Symptoms of Acne

Most people are familiar enough with acne to know if they are affected or not. However, a singular zit or pimple may not be a big enough problem to aggressively treat. But if the acne gets worse or flares more frequently you may want to consider more aggressive treatment. Mild to moderate acne vulgaris will present lesions including blackheads, whiteheads, papules, pustules, nodules and cysts. Most of these are just more commonly referred to as pimples or zits.

Blackheads result when a pore is only partially blocked, allowing some of the trapped sebum, bacteria and dead skin cells to come to the surface. The black color is not caused by dirt as is commonly thought but rather it is caused by melanin, the skins own pigment, reacting to the oxygen in the air. A black head is typically less inflamed but it can take a long time to clear.

Whiteheads are a more typical pimple. They are caused when a pore is completely blocked, trapping the sebum , bacteria and dead skin cells and causing a white raised spot on the skin. These typically clear away faster than blackheads unless they get further inflamed. If they develop pus and start oozing, they are then called but if they become inflamed and develop pus, they are then called pustules.

A pustule is a whitehead that has become inflamed and has developed pus. It appears with a white or yellow center and it is usually red and inflamed around the bump. These pimples can be quite painful and care needs to be taken with them in order to prevent the spread of the bacteria and inflammation.

A papule is an inflamed, red and tender bump with no head. It is useless to try to pop a papule as it will not help and it will only cause it to become inflamed and hurt worse. It may also exacerbate scarring and that is something you want to avoid at all costs.

If your acne becomes severe you may also start seeing nodules, cysts and boils. If you are at that stage it is even more important to see a medical professional and start an aggressive treatment program.

Acne Treatments

An overall healthy lifestyle is one of the first steps to take in treating acne. Getting enough high quality sleep, eating healthy and regular meals and drinking eight to ten glasses of water every day can help your acne symptoms. In addition, it is also important to engage in a good skin care regimen.

You should wash your face with a gentle cleanser twice a day, morning and night. Be sure to choose a gentle cleanser and do not over-scrub as this will just irritate your skin further. A mild and gentle cleanser will allow you to gently clean and lift off excess oils and bacteria to prevent further clogging.

If you have quite a few active pimples you can use a drying product such as salicylic acid to help dry them out. Be careful of using scrubs and grainy type cleansers that are typically used for exfoliation as they can often exacerbate the symptoms of acne. Exfoliation can be effective but only if you use a product for sensitive skin and you do not break out after using it.

Another effective treatment is Benzoyl Peroxide. This can help to stop the production of more bacteria. It is also a spot treatment so you can use it directly on the active pimples.

Even though there are many over the counter treatments that can effectively treat acne, it is still a disease and often the best way to effectively treat it is to visit your dermatologist and follow his or her recommendations. Every case of acne is specific to the individual and a prescribed topical or oral medication may be the answer you are hoping for.