What is Acne

What is acne? It is an inflammatory disease of the skin which is caused by the clogging of hair follicles (also known as pores). Hair follicles are found all around the human body except for the palms and the bottom of the feet. They are supposed to be where hair grows, although humans don’t actually grow hair in all of these areas.

No one is 100% sure why the hair follicles get clogged although there are several theories including genetics, hormonal changes, stress, and chemicals. We aren’t completely sure how it happens but we are sure that when the follicle gets blocked the oil glands continue to create sebum (oil which normally lubricates the skin) and since it has no where to go it builds up. This leads to the growth of bacteria which causes the acne that people despise so much.

Since acne is essentially caused by oil buildup, people with oily skin are more likely to get it. The most likely places to get it are those which contain the most oil glands such as the back, chest, shoulders, and face. The growth of the bacteria caused by the oil leads to swelling and the formation of acne lesions. People usually refer to these lesions as pimples, spots, and zits. Many people have these lesions at least for a little while during the course of their lives. Skin blemishes are common during acne and include blackheads, whiteheads, papules, pastules, nodules, and cysts. The former four are inflammatory and they are often what we see as pimples, redness, and bumps in the effected area.

Acne is the most common in teenagers, affecting about 85% of people sometime during their teens. It is not as common at other stages of one’s life although it is certainly possible to get it at any age (about 20% of all acne cases occur in adults), especially when hormonal changes are occurring (such as during menstrual periods and pregnancy). Most cases of acne are not severe, as only 15% seek medical attention and even all of those people don’t necessarily need it.

It is recommended to try home remedies or over the counter medication for at least a month before visiting a dermatologist (a skin doctor). Most acne doesn’t leave permanent marks (most of the time it is gone within 3 to 4 years) and once it is gone it is nothing but your past. There are a few very rare types of acne which are severe and may lead to disfiguration and pain.

There are tons of companies and people researching acne and discovering treatments for it due to the public’s demand for such information and products. Most people (especially teenagers) see acne as an embarrassing disease to have and there is a huge market for products to cover up or get rid of acne. The positive thing is that it is curable and it usually doesn’t last for too long. Also, there are more and more treatments, both home made remedies and artificial solutions coming out everyday.