AcneDay

You probably often wonder whether everyone gets acne. The truth is, people of all races and ages get acne. Acne is the most common in teenagers and young adults. 80% of all people get acne outbreaks between the age of 11 and 30. But some people get it even in their 40s and 50s. Most acne tends to go away when people reach their 30s.

There are also many myths about acne causes such as greasy foods. But the truth is, there’s hardly any evidence that shows greasy foods causing acne.  Stress and dirt are also commonly cited as acne causes. They can make it worse, but not causing you to have acne.

When your acne gets worse, often referred to as acne flare by most people. For girls and women, 2 to 7 days before their period starts, the hormone level changes which can cause the acne to get worse. The 2nd factor is skin products. It’s not that skin products can make it worse, it’s the oil that’s contained in most of these products. Anything with oil will make your acne worse. Even a greasy kitchen where you work at. Number 3 is sports equipment such as a helmet. Number 4 is dirt, pollution and high humidity. Number 5 is man made by yourself. Don’t pick or squeeze your acne, it’ll just make them a lot worse. And lastly, don’t scrub the skin too hard. Use mild soap and warm water.

Acne is a disease that affects the skin’s oil glands. The small holes in your skin (pores) connect to oil glands under the skin. These glands make an oily substance called sebum. The pores connect to the glands by a canal called a follicle. Inside the follicles, oil carries dead skin cells to the surface of the skin. A thin hair also grows through the follicle and out to the skin. When the follicle of a skin gland clogs up, a pimple grows.

Most pimples are found on the face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders. Acne is not a serious health threat but, it can cause scars.

Source: NIAMS