Causes of AcneReview of the main causes & misconception on AcneCauses of acne are obvious. It is not perfectly clear yet why some people get acne and some do not but it is known that acne is partly hereditary. There are also factors that strongly influence acne such as hormonal activity which is increased during menstrual cycles, puberty and situations with stress. Other important processes aggravating acne are the hyperactive sebaceous glands, accumulation of dead skin cells and bacteria in the pores which causes inflammation, as well a skin irritation or scratching of any kind. Some
chemicals are also known to activate acne –the use of anabolic
steroids, for instance, or any medication containing halogens
(bromides,chlorides or iodides), androgens, barbiturates and
lithium. There is a form of long lasting acne known as Chloracne
caused by repeated contact with high levels of chlorine
sbustances , particularly chlorinated dioxins.
The
main factors contributing to acne breakouts are the
over-production of sebum – a process regulated by hormones,
and the narrowing of the follicle channel. The hormones
linked to acne are the male hormones testosterone, DHT or
dihydrotestosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEAS), as
well as the insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-I).
Processes
related to the follicle channel are the abnormal cell binding
within the follicle, abnormal shedding of the cells lining
the follicle and water retention in the skin which
presses the follicles shut. These are all important
mechanisms for the acne outbreak. Of
course there is also a plenty of misconceptions about the
causes of acne which are also wide-spread and most people are
sticking to the rules recommended in these flawed studies and
still wondering why the acne does not disappear.
The
most common misconception is that diet is the main cause for
acne. Foods like
chocolate, French
fries, potato chips, peanut butter and sugar are
marked as the worst enemy of your skin. But this one cannot
be affirmed by recent scientific research. One
thing that health professionals agree upon is that acne
patients should try to make change to their diets
to find out which food affects the severity of
their acne. A recent study did find a positive
epidemiological link between acne and eating of
specific skimmed milk. Seafood,
because of the relatively high levels of iodine it contains
is also considered as one of the “dangerous” foods for
blackheads. But the quantity of iodine in it is not enough to
cause an acne outbreak. That’s why the advice to people who
are prone to is to avoid excessive consumption of
foods high in iodine. Another
misconception is that acne is caused by dirt. It is good to
keep a good personal hygiene for general health reasons but
this cannot save you from acne. What
really cause acne are the blockages occurring deep within the
narrow follicle channel where it is impossible to wash them
away. They are formed by the cells and sebum created by the
body. Therefore regular cleansing of the skin can reduce, but not
prevent acne. As
for one of the most wide –spread misconceptions that sexual intercourse can cure
acne, there has been no scientific evidence for this
one.
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