Acne could be found on skin in the form of pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, red scaly skin, pinheads or papules. The pores on our skin consist of a type of gland called the sebaceous glands. These glands produce a type of oil called sebum which is required as a lubricant to our skin and hair. Most of the time these glands produce only the right amount of oil required. As a teen’s body begins to mature and develop, though, hormones stimulate the sebaceous glands to make more sebum, and the glands may become overactive. Pores become clogged if there is too much sebum and too many dead skin cells. Bacteria can then get trapped inside the pores and multiply, causing swelling and redness — the start of acne.
All these happens due to hormonal changes. But it is also found that acne is caused due to improper diet, psychological reasons of stress and depressions, and due to unhygienic reasons. It could also be caused due to genetic reasons where acne is inherited from parents or ancestors.
Hormonal Changes
One of the major reasons for pimples in teens is due to the hormonal changes happening within their body during menstrual cycles and puberty. In males, during puberty, an increase in male sex hormones results in large secretions of oil clogging the skin pores. Hormonal acne is seen mostly in women due to the natural cycles a woman goes through, such as menstruation, pregnancy and menopause.
Follicle Fallout
As the body sheds dead skin cells to replace them with new ones, the hair follicle gets blocked with the skin cells. This blockage makes it so that the sebum cannot get out which results in acne.
Genetic
Inheritance from parents is also a reason for the cause of acne during adolescence. In inherited cases of acne individual becomes more sensitive to bacteria trapped in hair follicle with dead skin cells and sebum.
Psychological
Stress and acne are somehow related to each other. However, it is also not clear whether acne causes stress and thus perpetuates itself to some extent. Tension causes the glands to close up and that results in the backup of sebum that would otherwise be released.
Diet
Too much of oily food, eggs and even milk in diet may turn out to be a reason for acne.French fries, pizzas, and chocolates in excess consumption can cause acne.
