Getting to the Root of What Causes Acne

Acne is that common yet unsightly skin condition that’s found mostly among those in their adolescent years. In and of itself, acne isn’t a harmful disorder. Though it can potentially scar the skin, especially when not treated properly or abused through scratching and picking, it doesn’t have any lasting health effects that are associated with it. Since it is a physical blemish though, and adding to that the fact that it is most prominent, though not limited to, people who are in their vulnerable adolescent years, acne has been linked to mild and severe forms of depression.

While acne can technically be used to refer to a number of different skin conditions, it’s usually meant to refer specifically to acne vulgaris, the more common form. This is where skin blemishes appear on the face and the upper neck, and occasionally on the forearm and other parts of the body. Common acne is made up of non inflammatory comedones and papules. For cases that are more severe, one may find inflammatory comedones, papules, and nodules. In common, everyday language, acne is referred to as pimples. Another common term for acne is zits. Whichever word is chosen, they all refer to the same thing.

Much has been done to research cures for the condition as a whole. The problem is that there is still no known root cause of acne. As it stands, science can only point to more general causes. What actually leads to acne directly is still unknown.

Genetics has been considered as one of the possible causes of acne. No matter what missing links are left in the causal chain, it’s still clear that someone with certain acne traits will produce children with similar traits. If you, for instance, developed acne early or had acne problems later in life than most other people, your children, should you have any, will likely experience acne in that same way.

It has been established that acne springs directly from the increase in male sex hormones-which both genders develop. As this is most common throughout puberty, the condition is mostly seen during that time. Stress, genetics and some forms of food have been linked to acne in various ways. For the most part, these things are actually being linked to the production of hormones, and not specifically to acne.

The scarring that often results from acne is caused by a lack of collagen production. This happens as the inflammation damages collagen making cells, an occurrence that happens only in certain situations. Once this happens; there is less collagen being produced, which leads to thinner skin. The result is what appears as scars.

In the future, a more direct and specific cause may be discovered and, should this ever happen, people can certainly expect to see an onslaught of more specialized treatments.

When it comes to acne, you don’t have to suffer. Finding acne relief is possible for the majority of people, and there are many acne solutions available.