What Can Lead To An Acne Breakout?

The exact cause of acne in most cases is not known. Many doctors believe that acne results from several different factors. One of such factors, and that is very important, is the rise in one's hormone levels. During the pubescent years, the male sex hormones called androgens increase in boys and girls. This can cause the sebaceous glands to enlarge and produce more sebum, which results in acne.

A cause of acne is heredity or genetics as researchers believe that there is a tendency to develop acne as it can be inherited from your parents. In fact studies have shown that many school-age boys who are suffering from acne have a family history of the disorder.

Acne is caused by the sebaceous glands becoming over active and they then secrete oily substances on to the skin and those people with acne are especially sensitive to normal blood levels of the hormone called testosterone and this triggers the sebaceous glands to then produce an excess of sebum (oily substance).

But at the same time the dead skin cells lining the openings to the hair follicles are not shed properly and they begin to clog up these follicles. The effect of the excess oil and the blocked follicles results in blackheads and whiteheads forming. However for some people once they are out of puberty they will no longer suffer from acne.

For others, the build up of oil in the hair follicles will create the ideal environment for Propionibacterium Acnes (a bacteria) to grow. This bacteria actually naturally grows on your skin and lives harmlessly, but in the "right" environment it will grow.

Propionibacterium Acnes feeds off the sebum, and then produces a substance causes the body's immune system to react. This then inflames the skin and creates redness and spots.

With worse inflammatory acne, cysts will develop under the skin's surface. These will then rupture and spread infection into nearby skin tissue. This can often result in one's skin scarring.

This article has provided some information as you the cause of acne. Other articles we've written include the types of acne explained, as well as acne treatments that are available.