There are many reasons for why people get acne. I believe, that it is usually a combination of several factors that create the ideal conditions for someone to get acne. Here is a breakdown of what I believe to be the top 5 reasons that people get acne:
Acne is caused when your skin produces more sebum than it can excrete. There are these gland in your skin called sebaceous glands, and their function is to produce an oily secretion called sebum. Sebum basically helps your skin stay shiny and elastic among other things. When your sebaceous glands produce more sebum than your skin can absorb, you get oily skin. If you have very oily skin, and your pores become clogged somehow, then you get acne.
2. Dirty pores
If you have dirty pores, then the sebum gets stuck behind the clog and produces the zit on your skin. Cleaning your pores can help with easing how your skin handles the secretion from your sebaceous glands.
In some cases, I’ve read that certain allergies to foodstuffs can create conditions that foster the appearance of acne. Some people have very mild allergies to certain foods and those allergies manifest themselves as acne. I’ve read that adhering to a gluten free diet seems to do wonders for someone’s skin. I don’t think I’ll try a gluten free diet myself, but I can see that experimenting with cutting out some food would have value when trying to figure out if a food allergy is to blame.
Yep, there are some cosmetic products out there that are oil based, or that have an ingredient in them that can exacerbate your acne. Most cosmetics companies go through a great deal of hassle to test their products to make sure that they are allergen free, but there may be something that you’re using that could be causing your acne. Maybe a certain brand of lip gloss, or a certain brand of chap stick may be at fault. Try out different brands and see if you notice a difference.
5. Improper cleansing.
This is a doozy, as they say. If you use an astringent that is too harsh, you risk aggravating your skin and exposing more of it to potentially harmful elements. How do you clean then? Well, the most prudent advice is to wash your face with a mild soap at least twice if not 3 times a day. Gently scrub your face with your hands or a wash cloth. The key phrase is to use a wash gently and to use a mild soap or cleaning solution. Nothing harsh.
There are a lot of different points of view on what to do to handle your acne. I have a list of resources about acne on the acne page on my website. Sign up to receive a free article with instructions on how to institute a multi-pronged approach to managing your acne. Visit http://rafaelpublishing.com/acne/3days.html
