Acne-like condition is a common skin condition that occurs when hair follicles under the skin might be all clogged. Sebum—oil which shall help to keep the skin from drying out—and dead skin cells might be plugged about the pores that shall all lead to outbreaks of lesions, which are commonly known as pimples or zits. Most often, the outbreaks might occur on the face but can also appear on the back, chest, and shoulders.
Acne is an inflammatory disorder of the skin. It has sebaceous (oil) glands that shall connect to the hair follicle that is known for containing fine hair. In healthy skin, the sebaceous glands shall make the sebum that might empty onto the skin surface through the pore that is about an opening in the follicle. Keratinocytes, which is a type of skin cell, include the line of the follicle. Normally as the body might shed skin cells, the keratinocytes rise to the surface of the skin.
Who Gets Acne?
People of all races and ages might get acne, but it is known to be the most common in teens and young adults. When acne appears while the teenage years, it is more common in males. Acne can continue into adulthood, and when it might be done, it is more common in women.
Types of Acne
Acne shall all lead to some of the causes of several types of lesions, or pimples. Doctors might further refer to enlarged or plugged hair follicles as comedones. Some types of acne are mentioned below:
- Whiteheads: They have plugged hair follicles that might stay beneath the skin and shall produce a white bump.
- Blackheads: Plugged follicles shall all reach the surface of the skin and can open up. They might look black on the skin surface as the air discolors the sebum, not because they are dirty.
- Papules: Inflamed lesions might all appear as small, pink bumps on the skin and they can be quite tender to the touch.
- Pustules or Pimples: Papules are topped by white or yellow pus-filled lesions which might be red at the base.
- Nodules: Large, painful solid lesions which shall be lodged deep within the skin.
- Severe Nodular Acne (sometimes they are called cystic acne): They are deep, painful, pus-filled lesions.
Causes of Acne
Doctors and researchers all believe that one or more of the following causes can lead to the development of acne:
- Excess or high production of oil might occur in the pore.
- Buildup of dead skin cells right in the pore.
- Growth of bacteria in the pore.
The below-mentioned factors might all enhance the risk of developing acne:
- Hormones. An enhancement in the androgens that are about the male sex hormones and might all lead to acne. These shall enhance in both boys and girls usually while their puberty age and it can all lead to the sebaceous glands enlarging and might make more sebum. Hormonal changes are all related to pregnancy and can also lead to acne.
- Family History. Researchers have all believed that you might be more likely to attain an acne-like condition if your parents had acne once.
- Medications. Some specific medications like solutions that are composed of hormones, corticosteroids, and lithium, can all lead to an acne-like condition
- Age. People of all ages can get acne, but it is might be all common in teens.
The following might not lead to acne, but it might further make it worse.
- Diet: Some of the studies have all shown that eating certain foods might make acne worse. Researchers have all continued to study the role of diet which is the main cause of acne.
- Pressure from sports helmets, wearing some tight clothes, or using more of those filled backpacks
- Environmental irritants, like pollution and high humidity.
- Squeezing or picking at blemishes.
- Scrubbing the skin too hard.
Why Is Acne Often Most Severe During Teenage Years?
The precise reasons why acne is most severe while in the teenage years are being studied. There are various theories.
There are higher levels of sex hormones post-puberty than in younger children.
- Sex hormones that are well converted in the skin for dihydrotestosterone (DHT) shall further stimulate sebaceous (oil) which is the gland at the base of hair follicles to enlarge.
- The sebaceous glands are known for producing sebum. Alterations in sebum composition might lead to acne lesions.
- The activated sebaceous gland cells (sebocytes) might be also about producing pro-inflammatory factors that shall include lipid peroxides, peptidases, cytokines, and neuropeptides.
- Hair follicles are known to be those tiny canals that open into skin pores (about the tiny holes) on the skin surface. The follicles normally carry sebum and keratin (scale) from the dead skin cells to the surface. Inflammation and debris shall all lead to blockage of the skin pores — which forms comedones
- The wall of the follicle might then rupture, which shall enhance the inflammatory response.
- Bacteria within the hair follicle might all boost up the inflammatory lesions.
While acne is known to be the most common in adolescents, acne can further affect people of all ages and all races. It might be about becoming less of a problem post the age of 25 years, although approx. 15% of women and 5% of men shall knowingly continue to have acne as adults. It might also start in adult life.