The moment you notice that you have acne on your face, you become disturbed, restless and anxious and perhaps you may ask yourself, what is the number 1 cause of acne, wanting to quickly get at the root cause and eliminate it there and then. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy to do as you’ll find out in this article because there is not one but many causes of acne. Read on and learn more.

What is acne?

Acne is an unwelcomed condition of the skin that makes its first appearance as spots and pimples on your face, neck, chest, upper arms, shoulders and back. They appear in different forms as pimples, whiteheads, blackheads and cysts.

The condition is very common worldwide and in the United States alone, a total of 50 million people are affected each year. It normally appears during puberty when special glands in the body called sebaceous glands are activated and although non-fatal, it usually leaves scars.

Oil is produced by the sebaceous glands which are stimulated into action by male hormone made by the body’s adrenal glands for males and females alike. The majority of people in the U.S. aged between 12 and 24 succumb to acne and its effects.

Some solid facts about acne

Before diving into more detailed description of acne you should familiarize yourself with known facts about acne that are listed below:

• It is definitely a skin disease that begins in the oil glands where you hair grows known as hair follicles.
• On average, it impacts the lives of nearly everyone aged from 11 to 30 years of age.
• While it’s not dangerous or fatal, it can leave ugly scars after they leave your body.
• There are different treatments for the condition depending on the severity and persistence of acne in and on your skin.
• There are several risk factors that may give rise to the appearance of acne as follows:
  • Hereditary transmission from person to person
  • Onslaught of the monthly menstrual cycle
  • Anxiety and/or stress
  • A hot and humid climate
  • Use of makeup containing oil
  • Your personal act of squeezing your pimples.

The process of acne formation

As already discussed, there’s no single factor that acts as the main cause of acne however, by discussing the actual process that causes the formation of acne, some understanding on what may be the common cause and how to stop its progress.

So let’s go through the dynamics of how acne makes its appearance on your skin:

Pores, Glands and Follicles

The most consequential part of the skin in terms of acne formation is the skin structure itself. The skin has pores which connect directly to oil glands located under the skin.

The pores are connected to oil glands under the skin through follicles which has the ability of producing and secreting a type of liquid.

An oily liquid known as sebum is constantly produced by your body glands. The oily liquid transports cells of dead skin through the follicles up to the skin surface causing a small hair to grow through the follicles and out from the skin.

The blocking of the follicles signal the beginning of pimple growth because oil begins to build up under the skin.

What becomes the blocking material is the accumulation of dead skin cells, oily sebum plus hair inside the follicle becoming a plug. The plug then becomes infested with bacteria that cause swelling.

When the plug starts to disintegrate a pimple begins to form where the oil gland is located. A particular bacteria, called Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) found on the skin is responsible for you being infected with pimples!

Research studies have suggested that the frequency and seriousness of acne may depend on the kind of bacteria present when pimples start to form. It is however known that not all bacteria will trigger pimples with one type known to actually keep pimples at bay.

Causes

Hormonal factors

It been suggested that the main cause of acne in an increase in androgen levels. What is androgen? It’s another type of hormone which begins to increase in response to the start of the adolescence growth cycle. In women, androgen is changed to become estrogen.

Other Possible triggers

The flare up of acne may be triggered by the following factors:

• Although some cosmetic products may trigger acne, it has become less common due to strict testing of most of these products so that they do not cause spots.
• Some steroid treatments for depression and bipolar disorder such as lithium and drugs used to treat epilepsy such as steroid medicines and some drugs used to treat epilepsy may also trigger acne outbreaks.
•  Pressure on the skin from constantly bearing strain or weight on the same skin surface such as wearing a head band or backpack may also trigger the formation of acne.
• Smoking may also add to the risk of developing acne especially in older people so if you fall in this category, it’s time to quit the habit.
• Hormonal changes triggered by the onset of pregnancy and puberty may also spark an outbreak of acne on your skin.
• Some birth control pills or natural and synthetic steroids may also cause acne outbreaks.
• When consumed in liberal amounts, refined sugars or carbohydrates such as bread and chips may potentially cause acne.
• Hereditary traits that you’ve inherited from family lineage may also be capable of causing acne for you.

Conclusion

It appears certain from information provided in this article that there are certain causes that are likely to act as the main cause for acne outbreaks. The prevalence of bacteria is perhaps the most likely main cause followed by the hormone androgen and next would be the whole list of minor causes that may from time to time act as the number 1 cause of acne especially in starting off the process.