Science Of Acne In Layman's Terms

 In a nutshell, a few simple steps occur that cause skin blemishes. First, acne occurs when for some unknown reason or combination of reasons, hair follicles, also known as pores, become blocked. Although the exact combination of reasons that pores become clogged may not be fully known, many contributing elements for teenagers and adults alike can include; genetics (whether or not there is a history of acne problems and if so, to what extent), hormones, dietary and vitamin make up (or lack of /deficiency) and stress related factors. Other denominators could include factors like how your body normally rids itself of its dead skin cells and influences that may be working against this regularity (for example climate and other environmental forces or overall body health at the time) and your hormones and their effect on your own body's sebum production (especially for females).

Second, the normal dead skin cells that combine with your body's natural sebum oil as it drains through the skin's surface become clogged in these blocked pores. This substance becomes somewhat sticky, further clogging the passageway.

Third, bacteria begins to grow around these clogged areas. As a normal reaction your, your body's white blood cells attack the bacteria, fighting it and pushing it out of the body.

And forth, the resulting growths during this 14-day to 21-day battle are called microcomedones. Microcomedones turn into comedones, commonly referred to as blemishes, pimples or acne.

There are basically four types of acne; whiteheads, blackheads, pimples and nodules. Whiteheads are when the sebum (oil) and resulting bacteria are trapped below the skinÕs surface and you can actually see a white head appear above (or near popping out of) the skin. Blackheads are when the sebum and resulting bacteria are only partially trapped, slowly draining out the surface and turning black because of your skinÕs melanin or pigmentation. In the absence of either white or blackhead are generally (but not always) smaller pimples. And the often deeper, boil-like lesions are referred to as nodules.

All forms of acne can be mild, moderate or severe. Typically, mild acne is visible in the form of whiteheads and blackheads, sometimes pimples. With moderate acne, more pimples and pustules are present on the face, some may appear on the back or chest. And with severe acne, many nodules develop, often large and sore, over parts of the face, back, chest and other body areas. This type of acne can lead to scarring. Actually, lesser cases of acne have been followed by scarring. So for those with possible nodular acne, seeking advice from a healthcare provider as soon as possible is recommended.

A gender issue to note is that males more often have the severe form of acne rather than females, due to their hormones. And the areas where they tend to break out most frequently are unfortunately more difficult to treat, the chest and back.

About the author:

Kirsten Hawkins is a freelance writer specializing in skin conditions such as acne and rosacea. Visit http://www.acnesolution411.com/ for more information on acne and acne treatments.

 Kirsten Hawkins

More Articles 

Acne treatments for teenagers - Marc Howlett
Acne treatments for teenagers The Teenagers' Guide on Treating Acne Acne is truly one of the big problems faced and most feared by teenagers anywhere around the globe. To some, it is a nightmare to have acne that truly gives very unfavorable...

Acne Vulgaris - The Whole Truth - John Wellington
Acne vulgaris is commonly referred to as just acne. From the start of the teenage years, almost everyone will suffer from some form of acne. It is ain inflammation of the skin that causes irritated sores, commonly on the face. This can...

Types of Acne Treatment Solutions For Your Skin - Ashley Green
Treating your acne can be an overwhelming task what with all of the medications available these days. The best way to find treatment for your acne is to first learn about your skin. There are 3 main skin types. Knowing what type of skin you have...

Skin Care For Acne - Ron King
Caring for your skin is important for good health and beauty, but especially so if you are prone to acne. One of the best ways to keep acne under control is to maintain your skin's health as much as possible. This means keeping the skin clean...

Proactive Facial Cleanser For Acne - MD Stracener
Acne can be a tough problem to fight but it can be done. The question always becomes what is the best acne treatment? The answer is always the same, the product that works for you is the best treatment. One product that many have had success with...

Acne: Here's What the Doctor May Do. Know Before You Go - Martin Stephens
Acne is a skin condition that has plagued teenagers and adults for centuries, and there are a lot of myths about what causes acne and how to cure it. The fact is we still don't know exactly why some people suffer from acne and others don't. ...

Privat rengøring - Ole Hansen
Privat rengøring kan være svært at finde. Markedet er ofte uigennemskueligt og der er mange forskellige firmaer med privat rengøring at vælge imellem og mange firmaer, der tilbyder forskellige services i forbindelse med rengøring. Derfor...

The Complete Acne Treatment Regimen - Jim Christian
When it comes to caring for and treating an acne condition, many people fail to take a full blown approach. In other words, many people with acne tend to do "one thing" when it comes to "treating" their condition. For example, they might buy a...

Can Acne Affect Your Social Life? - Jonathan W
You know how when you're a kid and your mom and dad always told you that its not what's on the outside that matters, its what's on the inside? Well in my opinion that is far from being the whole truth and closer to being a half-truth...if not...

Acuzine Acne Treatment - Ratliff J
If you have any kind of acne, even very severe acne, there is nothing you will find that works better to clear your complexion than our revolutionary Acuzine anti-oxident! Acuzine is all-natural and scientifically formulated to treat acne from the...