Adult Acne: Causes and Solutions
Acne is a skin condition of the
hair follicles of the face, chest and back that affect most of the teenagers
during their puberty. While some teenagers are lucky enough to outgrow acne,
it’s not unusual for some to develop acne in their mid to late 20s, 30s or even
up to 50s.
Acne occurs on the skin as
- Occluded
pores ("comedones"),
also known as blackheads or whiteheads,
- Tender red bumps also known as pimples or zits,
- Pustules (bumps containing pus), and
occasionally as
- Cysts (deep
pimples, boils).
What causes acne?
There is no one specific causes
of acne. Mostly acne occurs sebaceous (oil) glands attached to the hair
follicles are stimulated. This can happen at the time of puberty or due to
other hormonal changes. Sebum (oil) is a natural
substance that lubricates and protects the skin. Increased oil production is a
change in the manner in which matures skin cell, predisposes them to plug the
follicular pore. The plug can appear as a whitehead if it
is covered by a thin layer of skin, or if exposed to the air, the darker
exposed portion of the plug is called a "blackhead." The plugged hair follicle gradually enlarges, producing a bump. As the follicle
enlarges, the wall may rupture, allowing irritating substances and normal skin
bacteria access into the deeper layers of the skin, ultimately producing
inflammation. Inflammation near the skin's surface produces a pustule; deeper inflammation results in
a papule (pimple); if the inflammation is deeper still, it forms a cyst.