What Causes Acne?

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by Karen Jessett
updated about 1 year ago

Hormones

For most people with acne, it begins at puberty. This is when the body starts to produce hormones called androgens. Androgens cause the enlargement and overstimulation of the sebaceous glands in people with acne. Sensitivity to these androgens also cause acne to appear during the menstrual cycle and sometimes in pregnancy. The extra sebum (oil) that the sebaceous glands produce mixes with dead skin cells and bacteria on the skin's surface and this blocks pores. Inside the blocked pore, bacteria multiply and cause inflammation leading to the spots and pustules associated with acne.

Stress

Stress can also cause the production of hormones, such as cortisol, which can aggravate acne.

Other Causes

• Acne is often genetic

• Some medications and steroids

• Heavy or oily make up

• Over abrasive cleansing

  • Astringent facial products can dry the skin out causing the body to create even more sebum to compensate

  • Use of harsh exfoliators can damage existing spots and spread infection

  • Picking or squeezing of blackheads, whiteheads and spots can send the infection deeper into the skin and cause scarring

• A diet high in foods that can aggravate acne

What Doesn't Cause Acne

• Dirt/lack of hygiene, unless you get your face dirty on a daily basis (e.g. a mechanic)

• Catching it from someone else - it is not contagious

Why Is Diet Important?

Refined carbs/sugar = more insulin = more hormones = more sebum (oil) = more bacteria = more acne

How You Can Help Yourself

Skin needs to be cleansed from the inside out, there is no quick fix. If you really want to help your skin, you'll follow a healthy eating plan and exercise regularly. If you're healthy on the inside it will show on the outside.

• diet

• exercise

• relaxation

• treatments

How To Get Rid Of Acne

You really can get rid of acne, naturally. How? By learning about the causes of acne and how to rebalance the body. By understanding that applying harsh chemicals to the skin can actually exacerbate the skin's natural oil production and make acne worse. To really get rid of acne, you need to equip yourself with information about hormones, food, skin care products, dehydration, yeast and antibiotics. By listening to your body you will find the long-term path to clearer skin.

Skin Sinners

We all have friends who seem to be able to eat as much "bad food" as they like and never suffer from spots. This is generally why people argue that these foods don't cause acne. However, some of us are susceptible to break outs if we eat lots of the food in the left hand column below. Cutting down your intake of these foods will not only help your acne but it will help keep you healthy for life. Try and cut down on the food in the left hand column. You can replace it with food in the right hand column, but try not to rely too much on this sort of food in your diet. Your skin will benefit most from including mostly the food on the skin savers list.

Tips

• Read the labels of everything, look out for:

  • Milk proteins

  • Whey powder

  • Additives (E numbers)

  • Preservatives (especially sulphates such as sulpur dioxide)

  • Sodium (salt)

Copyright © 2002-2004, Acne-advice.com and Karen Jessett

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