Acne, What You Need To Know

Acne, a non-life-threatening but equally devastating skin disorder, is the factor that can cause a terrible case of low self-esteem in teenagers and young adults. If left untreated or treated incorrectly as to leave scars, it can also lead to depression.

Acne is a type of skin inflammation that is triggered by the plugging of the sebaceous gland. Sebaceous glands produce natural oil to protect our skin from drying. Some people might have slightly more active sebaceous glands than others.

Other factors that can trigger the growth of acne are hormones, diet, weather and unhygienic environment. Some bad habit can cause acne, including not cleansing the skin from makeup and using dirty makeup brushes. The state of a person’s peace of mind might also contribute the growth of acne. Psychological stress, as we all know, causes hormonal imbalance which is partial to androgenic hormones. These hormones increase the activity of the sebaceous glands and therefore, increase oil production. Aside from the above mentioned factors, we also cannot ignore the significance of genetics in the problem of acne.

The location of acne is not always on the face, but also on the chest, the back, the neck, and even the scalp. These areas have an abundance of sebaceous glands and have high oil production. Higher number of sebaceous glands in an area increases the risk of developing acne.

To treat acne, we need to focus on reducing oil production and preventing bacterial infection. One advice that has been the golden rule of handling acne is to never touch the acne with unwashed hands. Better yet, do not touch, period! Forget picking at it. Do not look at the mirror unless you need to apply acne medicine to prevent the urge to pick at the acne. The most important thing to do is to keep the face clean by washing it twice daily, using the correct cleanser (preferably containing salicylic acid). Avoiding excessive use of makeup and stress can reduce the risk of acne significantly, as well as avoiding acne-inducing food.