Why Did I Get Acne?

Acne may result from a number of factors, not dissimilar from other skin conditions and disorders. In addition, there are a multitude of contributing factors, such as environmental conditions. Other factors may range from the food we eat and the body’s related response, to the practices we use to maintain healthy skin.

Medically, researchers believe that there are three main causes of acne:

• hormonal imbalance
• bacteria P. acnes, and
• over-production sebum by the sebaceous glands

Diet may also play a major role in the development of acne. It is primarily the lack, or the addition, of certain nutrients from the food we eat. Under certain conditions, the body may react in response to the specific food by secreting certain hormones that may bring about the onset of acne. According to recent studies, the chemical imbalance of your body may be due to the body’s reaction to certain chemicals, and in some cases hormones, found in foods.

Studies strongly indicate that the good bacteria, or the probiotics, greatly help in the maintenance of the skin. This good bacteria also aids in reversing the causes of the acne. These bacteria are known to have certain properties that eliminate toxins derived from foods that were not properly digested. Unfortunately, these toxins are sometimes eliminated through the skin in the form of acne or eczema.

Also, the friendly flora found in the intestinal tract may be reduced as a result of an unhealthy diet or erratic lifestyle. In these cases, the toxins produced by unprocessed food may manifest themselves as digestive or skin disorders. One of these forms is acne.

To clarify this point, it is not the specific food that triggers the outbreak of acne, but the process of decomposition of the food in the digestive tract that adds, or aggravates, the acne breakout.

Food is not the only suspected cause of acne (and this relationship is not yet firmly established). Digestive issues caused by the lack of hydrochloric acid in the stomach may also be a contributor. For this reason, the body may not be able to absorb the essential nutrients of the food, therefore weakening the immune system. As a result, the white blood cells in the skin tissue are more susceptible to being eaten or destroyed by the bacteria. Thus, even if your nutrient intake is sufficient, the spreading of acne bacteria may be unhindered. This may be corrected by taking food supplements and vitamins. 

Cosmetics may also encourage the onset of acne through the chemical ingredients found in these products. It is not recommended for an individual with acne to use oil-based cosmetics, not even those that are oil free. Legally speaking, such cosmetics may really have no oil content in them; however synthetic oil may be as equally bad as those of organic. Additionally, oil-based cosmetics will further increase the oil present in the skin, thus allowing more furtile conditions for the breeding of P. acnes bacteria. Even water-based cosmetics may worsen the acne condition. In certain products, the ingredients may contain certain chemicals which cause the skin to react. To be on the safe side, an acne sufferer should avoid the use of cosmetics, if at all possible.

Moreover, recent studies may have an answer to the question; Can stress cause acne?   These studies indicate that stress may trigger an acne breakout. It has also been established that stress is a significant factor which may aggravate the condition of acne.

The weather environment may also contribute to the worsening of acne breakouts, citing both heat and humidity. Excess perspiration can irritate existing blemishs and pimples, and result in acne sufferers rubbing or scratching the affected area. As you can imagine, scratching the pimples can lead to a local infection or the spreading of the acne bacteria.