Before you can effectively treat your acne or pimples you need to know what causes acne. The exact reasons for acne, or more specifically, why some people get acne and some people don’t are not clear.

First let’s look at how the skin protects itself.  Skin excretes an oil known as “sebum” through hair follicles/skin pores, this oil lubricates the skin and hair.  Sebum also helps carry dead skin cells to the surface.

Acne is caused when your skins pores are blocked with dead skin cells, the sebum that usually gets released through these pores gets blocked.  when the sebum is blocked a bacteria known as “P. Acne” grows, this bacteria causes the external result we call a pimple. So the reason for acne is because dead skin cells block the sebum from being released through your pores.

What causes acne bacteria production?

Whenever the skins pores become blocked, P. Acne can grow, below are few reasons why the pores can become blocked.

· Certain medications for tuberculosis and epilepsy and some medications for treating stress can assist the onset of acne.

· Over washing of the skin can have an adverse effect on clear skin and certainly does not help reduce acne.

· Changes in your hormones, particularly during puberty, menstruation or pregnancy can upset your skin, causing an increase in sebum production and increase the risk of your pores becoming blocked.

What causes acne to spread or become worse?

Certain types of acne treatments, which most people believe will help acne, could actually make acne worse.

· Food, there is little scientific evidence to prove a link between certain foods and acne, but common sense should tell you that food is likely to be a reason for acne.  The foods which affect acne vary from person to person, so take note of the foods you eat before you get a major acne outbreak.

· Sweating and the rubbing of sweaty skin have been linked to acne, sweating and the rubbing of clothing could help spread the P. Acne bacteria.

· Certain skin care products monitor what you put on your skin and the reactions you get in the following days.

· Scratching or popping a pimple will not make it go away and is more likely to make it look worse and it will take longer to clear up, in addition your are likely to spread the bacteria causing more acne.

How can you reduce your risk of getting acne?

You can reduce your risk of getting acne by better understand the reasons for acne and by following a simple skin care routine and keeping your skin clean.  Please refer to our preventing acne page for more information on how to decrease your chances of getting acne.