Acne Continued pt 2 - Causes

What causes acne?

There are 5 major causes of Acne Vulgaris

1. Hormonal/chemical & puberty changes
2. Hyper secretion ( an over production ) of sebum (oil) in the sebaceous glands
3. Bacteria ( NOT DIRT ) inside the hair follicle
4. Blockage of the hair follicle
5. Type of hair follicle

1. Hormonal Changes - Male hormones called androgens, secreted by both males and females, causes an enlargement of sebaceous glands. males secrete more androgens than females which is why their acne tends to be worse.

2. Hyper Secretion - Sebaceous glands are found most predominantly your scalp and face, chest and back. few glands are on our extremities, accept for the palms of your hands and soles of your feet there are none.

Some people produce a lot of sebum and some need actual medication to control this. This is where seeking out a dermatologist comes into play or your family doctor. We estheticians can treat mild to normal clients with certain facial treatments and products. How do you know if you need to seek more medical help?
When you have tried everything and yet you are covered with pimples, pustules and or blackheads.

3. Bacteria can form from the pollutants in the air and the makeup that you are not washing off your face before bed. Don't lie! You do it, done it, still do it. I know because so do I!

4. Blockage of the hair follicle - By means of sebum, dead skin cells that cause the follicle walls to burst and thus a papule is formed.For a visual look to my post titled "For those who'd like to know" and look at the diagram of the hair follicle.

5. Type of hair follicle - There are two types of hair follicles. Vellus and Terminal. Vellus hair on the face are those very "fine" soft little hairs. Well they are not strong enough to push the oil out of the hair follicle during a certain phase of the hairs growth (Anagen phase). It is because of this these types of hairs develop the most issues with acne.

Terminal hairs would be your eye lashes, your eye brows, head hair, and for males their mustaches and beards. These have an easier time pushing out the oils because they are larger. They push the dead cells to the surface of the skin more easily. On average there are less issues with acne in those areas. ( Providing that the proper measures for skin hygiene.)

Additives

This is the section I like to call additives. There are two additives in this category and they are: Genetics and diet.

When I say genetics I do not mean: Oh my father had bad acne so now I do too.
I mean genetics as if in something wrong in the hypothalamus, pituitary portion of the brain. The part responsible for hormones. Something happening in the Endocrine system through generations and can affect the body. As a result, horrible acne/skin conditions arise from underlying conditions such as over active hair growth.

When I talk about diet it is VERY important to know that you CANNOT get acne from soda or chocolate. So when I say diet, I mean consuming meats that are high in hormones and steroids, high fats. Diet can worsen pre-existing acne or stimulate new outbreaks of it. The Diet is linked closely to hormones here.

Next time I will get into the different types of Acne. Remember, if you have any questions don't hesitate to leave a comment. Or if you just want to talk, share, leave a comment! Show some love and subscribe.

Until next time...Enjoy life, Love, liberty, and always yourself.