As if suffering from acne itself isn’t enough, there are several aggravating factors that can worsen this skin condition. What’s worse, acne is the most common of all skin disorders and hence the chances of you contracting it in adolescence are high.

If all this sounds like bad news, well, there are certain things you can avoid so that you can keep flare-ups to a minimum.

What Worsens Acne?

Acne is a well-researched disease yet scientists are unable to pinpoint its causes. Similarly, there are certain misconceptions associated with how acne is aggravated and what can trigger a bout.

Some people tend to think that eating certain foods can worsen the problem. There is no scientific evidence for this but if you notice a connection between the flare-ups and certain foods, the best thing to do is avoid these edibles.

Cosmetic Triggers

Can the use of certain cosmetics rank among the aggravating factors? Yes and no. Experience has shown that some cosmetics can cause temporary bouts of inflammation and irritation of the skin.

Under such circumstances, oil-free cosmetics are recommended but it is not a foolproof solution. There are also several non-comedogenic or non-acnegenic cosmetics available. Read the label of the product before you pick it off the shelf!

Poor hygiene itself is a bad thing but it does not aggravate acne. This is because the bacteria and infection caused by it is present deep within the skin and mere washing with soap does not affect them.

It is a good idea, though, to keep the skin clean by washing your face, say, twice daily with a mild soap. Never scrub your face. That is one of the aggravating factors. Gently daub it with a soft towel. This tends to clear the surface bacteria from your skin.

Scrubbing Worsens Acne

Some acne patients tend to over wash their skin to scrub the excess oil away. Oil production takes place deep inside the hair follicle and neither its production nor nature can change with a bar of soap and a towel.

Besides, over washing will inevitably result in dry and damaged skin, inviting further infection which could then aggravate your acne!

Perspiration does tend to be one of the aggravating factors of acne and can worsen the condition in about 15 per cent of cases. But don’t confuse sweat and oil in the skin.

Does Sweating Make a Difference?

Both are produced by different sets of glands in the hair follicle and acne is caused by an excess of oil or sebum. But sudden or excess sweating can cause a flare-up as it makes the skin extra-moist. It also attracts dirt to the pores, which could further block them.

Avoid body-hugging attire. Loose clothes allow the skin to breathe.

Acne is a hormonal disease caused by the presence of excess testosterone in the body. While estrogen helps to control the problem, progesterone could make it worse.

Finally, among the aggravating factors you definitely must avoid is picking your pimples or bursting them. Though this is tempting when they seem “ripe”, avoid it at all costs as it is the most aggravating factor.

Aggravating Factors in Acne is a post from: Skincare

Acne is the curse of adolescents and teenagers and usually lasts several years, often extending to adulthood. But what causes acne?

The skin condition called acne results when the oil producing gland (sebaceous gland) in the hair follicle releases an excess of oil (sebum). As more and more oil builds up, it becomes stickier and blocks the skin pore.

What are comedones?

The natural plugs that are formed from the excess oil along with dead skin cells are called comedones. These eventually result in white heads and blackheads that can be seen on the skin’s surface through a dilated pore.

Comedones cause further build-up of sebum and now bacteria begins to grow and bred in the hair follicle. The acne bacteria (Propionobacterium acnes) feed off the sebum and release chemicals that draw white blood cells to the follicle which becomes inflamed.

This produces pimples or papules or zits that look bumpy and white and are the cause of the anxiety most teenagers feel at that young age.

Inflamed Acne Pores

With time, infection sets into the follicle and the papules grow into pustules, with pus formation inside the hair follicle.

As the acne worsens, the inflammation spreads to surrounding areas of the skin. This, coupled with inflammation of the other glands inside the follicle, results in ugly, lumpy nodules or even cysts.

These sac-like structures lumps are deep-seated and grow into the second layer of the skin called the dermis.

How do Acne scars form?

Scarring is a very possibility in a large number of acne patients and this happens when the condition turns severe. Acne scars result from inflammation of the skin which damages the natural collagen in it.

When this happens, the skin gets thin and depressed and results in a scar. Alternatively, the inflammation could result in increased collagen production, which causes raised scars.

Scientists are yet to determine what causes acne but what we do know is that it is basically a hormonal disturbance. It results due to a higher-than-normal amount of the male hormone, testosterone, in the blood.

There are certain situations that tend to trigger flare-ups and bouts and these can be avoided to the condition.

Avoid doing anything that blocks the skin pores as this will lead to a build-up of sebum in the follicle. Therefore do not wear tight clothes, do not use greasy creams and hairsprays and avoid the use of headgear like caps.

Medicines to Avoid

Certain drugs and formulations can also be included in the list of what causes acne to flare up. These are androgenic medications like anabolic steroids and progestin in oral contraceptive pills.

Acne pimples and zits are itchy bit never ever scratch, pick or squeeze the papules. This could disrupt the acne oil sac under the skin. If the contents of the sac leaks, it leads to further inflammation.

Finally, careful not to use abrasive soaps and towels and don’t over wash your skin. Cleansing should always be with a mild soap. Washing your face frequently will likely lead to dry and damaged skin and make it more inflamed.

Understanding what causes acne makes it easier to take the necessary precautions.

What Causes Acne? is a post from: Skincare

Common questions that confront the acne patient are: “Can I eat French fries?” “Will chocolates make it worse? Or “I’m 16 now and I haven’t got a single zit. Can I still develop the disease?” Let’s try and address some of the common acne myths and misconceptions.

Acne could be a traumatic skin condition for most teenagers. I can leave scars on the face and depending on the severity, it could be pretty disfiguring as well. Add to this a list of dos and don’ts and it could make life quite miserable for the acne patient.

Should you avoid oily foods?

One common concern centres on foods and beverages that may =need to be avoided for the acne patient. Do fried oily and fatty foods aggravate the condition?

Acne is caused by an excess of oil production by the oil glands in the skin. As the oil builds up and bacteria grow in the hair follicle, pimples, pustules and even nodules could form.

That’s why most patients believe they should avoid foods like pizzas, fried chicken and French fries. There is no evidence to support this but if you suspect that acne flare-ups are linked to something you’re eating, try avoiding it to test your hypothesis.

If the flare-up subsides when you avoid the suspect food, abstain from it for about two weeks and then eat it again, just too see if there is another bout.

Can cosmetics trigger acne?

There are some cosmetic products that could indeed aggravate your skin condition. Try and use only non-oil-based creams and cosmetics. Also, read the label of the product and pick those that say it is “non-comedonegenic” or non-acnegenic”. These are safer bets.

Certain drugs and formulations also precipitate acne. For instance, those that contain progesterone. Also, hormonal medications like anabolic steroids that contain androgens can also trigger acne. The same applies to oral contraceptives that result in lowered levels of estrogens, or the female hormone.

Acne and hygiene

Does poor personal hygiene cause acne to spread? There is no direct connection between the two but it is a good idea to keep your face clean and free of dirt.

While this applies to everyone, what it means for the acne patient is that it clears away skin debris and bacteria on the surface area and helps to not exacerbate an already bad situation.

Try not to wash your face too often or use a rough towel “to wash off the excess oil”. This will only cause your skin to dry and get damaged and lead to further inflammation of the acne spots.

“Should I get a sun tan?”

Some acne patients believe that increased exposure to the sun dries up the excess oil and eases the condition. Wrong! Sun exposure results in tanned skin that only temporarily camouflages the acne.

If at all, it could cause redness, itchiness and dryness of the skin. Hence, this is another among the list of acne myths and misconceptions.

Acne Myths and Misconceptions is a post from: Skincare

Acne is known as a skin disorder of adolescents and teenagers and is typically marked by oily skin and the presence of pimples on the face. It is in fact the most common kind of skin disorder and is widespread across demographics.

What is Acne?

There are some basics or facts you need to know about this skin condition. Acne, which is also called acne vulgaris, is caused by the excess secretion of oil in the skin or sebum. The oil is produced by the sebaceous glands present inside the hair follicle deep within the skin.

The build-up of oil in the follicle causes leads to the typical pimples or lumps on the face. These bumps can be classified into five categories. Comedones are plugs in the skin that develop when the oil blocks the pore.

What are comedones?

Comedones turn into white heads and blackheads when there is a build-up of oil and keratin squamae or dead skin cells in the pore. The opening of the pore also tends to get dilated.

The next stage if the growth of papules or pustules, which develop when bacteria multiply in the pore and cause infection. The bumps then turn into lumps deep in the skin and are inflamed and painful.

Finally, cysts or boils are fairly large sac-like structures that develop in the hair follicle and are very painful even to the lightest touch.

When does Acne set in?

There are rare cases of infant acne but the disease usually appears in puberty and adolescence. In fact, 85 per cent of cases fall into this age bracket and are the cause of much anxiety among teenagers.

When acne sets in before this, it mainly affects girls, and when it persists stubbornly into adulthood, once again, females are more widely affected. During the teen years, the more severe cases usually affect boys.

The disorder usually marks the face but in some cases, it can spread to the neck, chest and back as well.

What Causes Acne?

Little is known about the cause of acne though, as mentioned earlier, it is the direct outcome of excess oil production in the skin. This is caused by the presence of raised levels of testosterone, or the male hormone in the body, which explains why it sets in at puberty.

This is a stage when there are several hormonal changes as the boy matures and an imbalance in androgens causes the skin to flare up. Acne usually lasts for about five years but often lingers for a longer period.

Here’s another acne basic fact: picking, plucking, poking acne pimples or pustules greatly aggravates the condition. Bursting zits causes the infected matter to spread across the surface of the skin, further aggravating the problem. Also, certain drugs can trigger or worsen the skin condition, including certain steroids.

Basic Facts of Acne is a post from: Skincare