Acne most commonly rears its head around the age of adolescence For some people, it's particularly severe. What causes acne, and how can it be controlled? In this guide, we have a close look at acne, what the causes are and how to treat it.
The causes behind acne
Acne happens when pores become clogged with oil called sebum. Sebum is responsible for lubricating skin and hair to an optimal level to ensure that it stays soft and smooth, or greasy when washing is undertaken irregularly. However, during puberty, hormones surge and can cause the skin to produce more Sebum than it needs, which can cause acne. The most frequent place acne occurs is in the 'T zone' which is the forehead, nose and chin. This is where acne usually strikes first and the hardest.
As soon as the pores become blocked, the Sebum begins to collect behind the blockage. Most commonly called “whiteheads", these are deposits of white liquid just behind the blocked pore. The top of the capsule may also grow dark and form what's called a "blackhead." Much to people's surprise, whiteheads only become pimples once bacteria enters and infects the whitehead.
Taking care of acne
Giving your face a good scrub a few times a day will not stop acne. Scrubbing is actually counter productive to reducing acne, as the action of scrubbing cleanses the pores but at the same time, stimulates more oil production in the scrubbed area. The extra oil production, along with the irritation caused by the over-scrubbing, can actually make pimples worse.
What you can do to control acne
Taking the time to get ahold of proper ance soap and lightly washing twice a day will help. It is critical here that you DO NOT SCRUB! Instead of scrubbing, massage the soap in circles over the affected areas taking care not to further inflame the irritated area.
After you clean your face, apply a mild over-the-counter lotion with benzoyl peroxide, which will kill bacteria and lower oil production. The moisturizer in these lotions will also help with keeping your skin fresh and holding back the acne.
Things acne sufferers should avoid
Don't use moisturizers unless they are specifically formulated for oily skin or for those with acne.
Other creams will only server to make your acne worse. DO take advantage of moisturizers that are specifically designed with ance sufferes in mind.
Avoid popping pimples.
Popping only spreads the problem (along with infection) and can also lead to scarring.
Do not touch your face, if you have to, ensure that you have washed your hands first.
Of course, you have to touch your face when you're washing it with clean hands, for example, but don't touch your face throughout the day with hands that are not clean. Your hands contain more bacteria (and other peoples Sebum) from daily interactions, so transferring this to your face will only make your acne worse.
Avoid wearing tight clothing if possible and be sure that you keep your glasses or sunglasses clean.
Clothing that is tight or constricting (even headbands and scarves) pushes oil back into the pores and causes oil buildup. The bridge of your nose is in constant contact with glasses or sunglasses, which is why its important to keep them clean. Not doing this will cause re-infections with bacteria from previous usage.
If you must wear makeup, take it off before you go to sleep.
Buying water based makeup will be a step in the right direction. Keep your eyes peeled to ensure that it is labeled "noncomedogenic" or "nonacnegenic".
Keep your hair tied back as much as possible.
If you hair is in constant contact with your face, it will carry around and spread bacteria to other susceptible parts of your face.
Lastly, if you are still still having trouble with acne outbreaks, you should book an appointment with a dermatologist. He or she will have treatments and other options available for you if you can't seem to keep it under control with normal methods. For most, though, acne can be controlled with a few simple steps such as those described above.
To find out more, visit a page on solutions for acne.
