Affordable Acne Treatments

At some time in their life, most people have suffered from acne.  This skin affliction, though its common, has negative connotations attached to it that cause self-esteem issues among some.  In addition to these negative connotations, many people have misconceptions regarding what causes this afflictioin. 

Hormones Lead To Outbreaks

One thing that is often linked to acne outbreaks is the presence of extra hormones in the body.  This can mean that for women, outbreaks can be more severe during one point in the menstrual cycle than during other times.  In all people, the extra hormones the body produces during puberty often results in outbreaks of acne, making it a normal part of growing up.  If you are really stressed out you can also have an acne outbreak because of the increased hormone levels caused by the adrenal glands.

Is Dirty Skin A Cause?

Blackheads, those little black spots in the skin, often appear with acne on the face.  Because of how blackheads look, it is often misinterpreted as a result of dirt on the face or poor personal hygiene.  The black spots are usually made up of a skin and hair cell substance composed of keratin.  This is causes by unshed skin cells blocking pores.  This is not a cause of acne, but reflects a symptom.

Bacteria

The ultimate cause of acne is small bacteria that infect the clogged pores mentioned.  The bacteria multiple and cause an inflammation that shows as pimples or reddened skin.  The bodys immune system fights the bacteria which often forms the whiteheads, which consist mostly of white blood cells.  The whitehead means your body is actively working to elminate the bacteria.

Food As A Contributor

Currently, the jury is still out as to how much or how little food contributes to outbreaks of acne.  While old-fashioned suggestions for preventing outbreaks includes cutting out things such as chocolate and fried foods, studies have not proved that easing up on consuming either definitely helps.  The hormones in milk however, may be a reason why it can cause acne.  There have also been studies that indicate that cultures that have fewere people eat refined sugar have fewer cases of acne.  However, since acne outbreaks can also be determined by genetics, this is not absolutly clear.  With this information you should now have a better understanding of what causes an acne outbreak and how to prevent it.