According to the American Academy of Dermatology, acne is the most common skin ailment in the United States. It affects nearly 80% of the youngsters aged 11 to 30 and impacts their lives very badly such that their self-esteem vanishes. Characterized by pimples, whiteheads, and blackheads, acne usually targets the face, back, chest, neck, and upper arms. While the most basic form of acne signifies a disorder of the hair follicle or pore, there are extremely severe forms of acne that are characterized by chronic inflammation.
Acne occurs when the dead skin cells and sebum oil get trapped in the follicle due to which a cork known as comedo is created within the pore. When this comedo is in its non-inflamed stage, blackheads and whiteheads tend to surface. As and when the breakout advances and bacteria attack, the follicle wall within the dermis can burst to trigger redness and inflammation. The severity of inflammation tends to vary as per the damage caused to the follicle wall along with the level of infection.
Talking about the causes of acne, there is no straightforward answer because there are many factors that come together to trigger the condition. An individual who is susceptible to acne often possess oilier skin than normal. Such skin also generates more dead skin cells that are not discarded properly due to which they cling to the skin surface as well as to the follicles. When this debris and oil block the pore, the Propionibacteria acnes or P. acnes bacteria normally present in the pore tend to grow unimpeded.
Furthermore, androgens kindle the sebaceous glands due to which an oilier complexion is given a boost to make skin vulnerable to breakouts. Androgens are present in high quantity during puberty, due to which teens are more likely to suffer from acne. In adults, hormonal and immune system imbalances are the causes of acne symptom, inflammation.
