By: Maryanne Mundia
There is a lot of misconception on what are the causes of Acne. Chocolate, french fries and dirt have had their fair share of blame in this game.
But it is really is not known what causes the increase of sebum (oil) production in the skin that leads to Acne. But a number of factors do play a role, hormonal changes,some medications and genes. Acne is believed to be as a result of the imbalances and impurities within the body
However, for the start let us debunk all those myths that have been handed down through the generations as truths.
Diet and certain foods like chocolate,french fries, potato chips and sugar do not cause acne. But it is important to avoid these foods because they are the causes of other health complications.
Acne is not caused by dirt though it is beneficial to maintain a good basic skin care.Excessive scrubbing or cleansing with harsh soaps or chemicals would just aggravate the acne further by inflaming the skin. Another myth is that intercourse causes Acne; this is untrue as celibacy has not been proved to be a cure for Acne.
So what are the real causes of Acne?
There are several factors linked to Acne:
- Hormonal changes either during puberty or menstruation.
- Increased hormonal production as a result of stress.
- Accumulation of dead cells and bacterial activity at the pore.
- Certain medication like use of anabolic steroid, cortisone, halogen, lithium, barbiturates and androgens.
- High exposure to chlorine .
- Acne in adult could also be a symptom of underlying disorder like polycystic ovary syndrome or the rare Cushing's syndrome.
- Lately dematologists are seeing more cases of menopause-associated acne due to the low production of the natural anti-acne ovarian hormone estradiol, lack of which would trigger acne.
- Certain cosmetics that are applied directly on the skin can cause the clogging of pores and eventually acne.
- Hereditary genes can cause acne where one has a family history of acne.
Acne does not plague teenagers only; it is a disease which afflicts millions of Americans and it sometimes continues to affect them as adults if it is not treated properly.
