Acne is a skin disease that occurs when oil (sebum) produced by our adrenal glands gets trapped inside our pores, bacteria will then start to accumulate causing our white blood cells to react and fight the bacteria. These cause the swelling otherwise known as blackhead, whitehead or pimple.
Who are prone to acne? Everybody is prone to acne, our oil glands regularly produce sebum to maintain the moisture of our skin and without proper hygiene our pores could get clogged causing the unwanted acne. It is also most common to adolescents since their increased hormonal activities stimulate the oil glands to produce more sebum.
The face is most prone to acne since it has more oil glands however infection can also be found in the neck, chest and back.
5 Causes of Acne
There is no specific cause of acne however some factors do contribute to its presence such as:
1. Diet – Our diet contributes to our overall health including that of our skin. Without the proper food intake that helps flush out toxins and excess sebum we increase our risk of getting acne.
2. Stress – There are hormonal changes associated with stress that stimulates the oil glands making it produce more oil or sebum.
3. Vitamin Deficiency – Vitamins A,B,C and E are known contributors to good health and skin, the lack of these increases our risk of getting acne.
4. Oily Hair Products/Make Up – Sometimes people tend to forget to wash their hair or wash away make up before going to sleep. This clogs the pores causing acne.
5. Pollution – Environmental irritants such as smoke, humidity and dirt could contribute to acne infection.
8 Prevention Tips of Acne
Prevention is always better than cure. Before you or your loved ones get infected with acne, it is better to be aware and start taking steps to prevent it. Here are some tips to help you.
1. Eat Healthy – A balanced diet helps in ridding your body of harmful chemicals and excess oil.
2. Water,Water,Water – Drink more than just 8 glasses a day. The more you drink, the cleaner your system will be.
3. Prune Juice – This might not taste that good but it also helps flush out toxins and oil from your body.
4. Proper Hygiene – Regularly wash your face with an exfoliating cleanser. There are popular facial cleansers that has all natural components, it can help lighten acne scars and blemishes without drying your skin.
5. Exercise – Regular exercise helps alleviate stress and keeps the body healthy.
6. Keep Your Hair out of your Face – Your hair may have dirt that could irritate your skin.
7. Always Wash out your Make up Before Sleeping – Make up will clog your pores and will contribute to acne build up.
8. Make Sure that your Pillow is Clean – Dirty pillows can have harmful bacteria that could transfer to your skin causing infections.
For some cases you might have to consult a physician to help you prevent infection as some hereditary factors may also be present.