Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Facts on Acne


Teenagers are concerned about acne on a large scale these days. Having a clear-skin is dreamt by many. Again acne is a skin condition that persists in people well in their 30s, 40s, and beyond. The causes of adult acne are many, but the main cause is believed to be heredity.

Acne is a skin disorder caused by the sebaceous glands which are present in the skin of the face, back, and chest. These glands discharge an oily secretion into the skin shaft. The secretion that is referred to as sebum is formed when cells of the glands deteriorate. These glands are regulated by the male hormone androgen. It is stated that when the female hormone estrogen is given in high doses, it may repress sebum production.

While the exact cause of acne is still unknown, we do have a fair idea about the difficult problems that lead to causing acne. When the sebum collects, bacteria is accumulated which leads the follicles to expand, and thus a closed comedo sets in which looks like a small raised area. Sometimes it is also referred to as whiteheads by some individuals. With further dilatation, an open comedo with a brown-black head starts to show up which is also called as blackheads.

If this continues, it causes inflammation. Acne papules are red, small swellings. Pustules are of the same size but they differ because of the presence of pus in them. Nodules on the other side are larger and deeper examples of inflammation. Acne cysts are big nodules filled with pus that are also responsible for causing skin-scarring.

People with acne are those who have higher amounts of sebum. As the sebum accumulates, some bacteria produce enzymes known as lipases which crash the compound fats in the sebum into minor units called free fatty acids. These contribute to skin irritation that accompanies some types of acne.

Acne is usually worsened when it is picked and squeezed. Irritant oils and synthetic creams and medications with chemicals in them could worsen things. It is common now-a-days to seek help from natural treatments. They work from within the body to inhibit excess sebum production in a totally natural way without causing inflammation or side-effects. For more details, visit the website – www.fitoderm.com