What Does and Does Not Cause Acne?
At some time in their life, most people have suffered from acne. Although very common, this skin condition can cause self esteem issues because of the negative connotations associated with it. In addition to these negative connotations, many people have misconceptions regarding what causes this afflictioin. To understand how to treat acne, we need to discuss what may lead to an outbreak of this skin problem.
Outbreaks Caused By Hormones
One thing that is often linked to acne outbreaks is the presence of extra hormones in the body. For women, this can mean that outbreaks are more severe during one point in the menstrual cycle than during others. In all people, the extra hormones the body produces during puberty often results in outbreaks of acne, making it a normal part of growing up. Since stress stimulates the adrenal glands to produce more hormones, acne can occur when someone is really stressed out.
Is Dirty Skin A Cause?
Often, the appearance of acne on the face includes blackheads, which are little black spots in the skin. Because of how blackheads look, it is often misinterpreted as a result of dirt on the face or poor personal hygiene. The black spots are usually made up of a skin and hair cell substance composed of keratin. Because this affliction is caused by unshed skin cells blocking pores, these black spots often show. This is normal, and reflects a symptom, not a cause.
Bacteria
The cause of acne is small bacteria that infect clogged pores. These bacteria breed and result in the inflammation that usually shows itself as reddened skin or as pimples. The whiteheads that form come from your immune systems response. So though whiteheads are unsightly, its a sign that your body is working to wipe out the bacteria.
Is Food A Cause?
There is still a lot of debate regarding how food contributes to acne outbreaks. While Grandma may tell you to stop eating chocolate and fried foods, there have been no studies to prove this will help. Milk, however is a culprit in causing acne, though doctors arent sure why yet; they suspect its the hormones in the milk. There have also been suggestions that people who eat a lot of refined sugars also suffer from acne at a higher rate. Now with this information you should be better prepared to prevent an acne outbreak.
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