Do you suffer from Unsightly Acne Breakouts

Acne can be a disaster for anyone at any age. No one likes to get acne at any point in his or her life. But it is nearly inevitable – it seems like at some point everyone has had his or her share of acne. There are ways to treatments for acne when it arises, but the best way to prevent it (at least I’ve found) is to simply avoid the common triggers of this skin ailment. Although, this is typically found more commonly in teenagers when those hormones are high, adults are not exempt either.

Biologically Speaking

The biological origins of acne arise when a pore in the skin is clogged, usually begging with dead skin cells. Our bodies produce sebum oils to keep the skin from drying out, and when a dead skin cell blocks a pore, this sebum oil builds on top of the pore. The result is dead skin cells sticking together thanks to the sebum oils, thus forming what we know today as acne.

Three of the things mentioned in the above paragraph are four of the main causes of acne. Those being; oil production (and overly productive oil glands), dead skin cells, clogged pores, and the fourth, unmentioned, cause bacteria. Generally speaking, acne is most commonly formed on the face, neck, chest, back, and shoulders. These areas of the body are home to the regions containing the most sebaceous glands, which produce the oils that clog the skin forming acne.

Lifestyle Habits That Can Make Acne Worse

In addition to oily glands that produce acne naturally, there are other factors that have the possibility to worsen acne. Hormones are the biggest of these possibilities, thus why teenagers going through puberty generally have worse acne. An improper diet can also worsen acne in people. Such diets would include carbohydrate rich foods like bread products, chips, etc., and even excessive dairy products can have the same effect. Additionally, chocolate has long been suspected as a culprit in the worsening of acne. Lastly, copious amounts of stress, or constant stress, can cause acne to worsen, pretty severely at times.

Treatment and Prevention

There are three types of drugs that have proven themselves to be extremely effective in combating acne. These drugs are benzoyl peroxide, antibiotics, and retinoid. All three of the products are available over the counter, meaning you do not need a prescription from a pharmacist. Antibiotics for treating acne generally work more effectively when combined with either benzoyl peroxide or retinoid products.

There are also methods people can take to avoid getting acne altogether. The most common of these methods is using a facial cleanser that is designed for acne. Most of these facial cleansers have benzoyl peroxide within them. In addition, you should wash your face softly, vigorously washing the face can lead to irritation of the skin – something you should avoid if you are prone to acne.