There isn’t one specific factor that causes acne. Hormones may be a factor since a lot of people going through puberty and pregnancy experience acne, but this is not 100% proven. What is known is that the oil secreted from the glands does cause acne. When the oil (sebaceous) glands are active (this usually begins around puberty), this tends to cause acne. This oil is needed to moisturize the skin and hair, but if it builds up, it can cause acne. It does this by stimulating bacteria and causing it to multiply which in turn inflames the pores and causes acne.
A pimple is the inflammation of the surface of the skin resulting in a pustule. When the inflammation occurs deeper in the skin, it is called a papule, and when it is even deeper, it is called a cyst. When the oil breaks through the skin it is called a whitehead and if the oil becomes oxidized or accumulates pigment, it is called a blackhead.
Some factors that people may think cause pimples but usually don’t, at least not on their own, are:
• Heredity: Most people generally do not have the same type of acne as their parents did. The only proven type of acne that is hereditary is the most severe types.
• Junk foods like pizza, fried food, chocolate, and greasy food, may not be the best thing we can eat health wise, they are not proven to cause acne. There have been some studies, though, that have shown that dairy products may aggravate acne, but these studies are in their infancy and are a long way from being proven.
• Dirt and sweat do not cause acne. While it is not good for the skin to be dirty, it will not cause acne. Neither will sweat. But continuously washing your face could dry it out and that will irritate your skin.
• Stress is not proven to cause acne. People may be stressed by their acne and pick at it, but this only prolongs the acne and can lead to scarring.
• Hormones have not been proven to cause acne. Some women may break out during their cycles, but most women don’t. There may be some relief for some women by taking contraceptive pills, but this has not been proven. Unless a woman has excessive hair growth and abnormal menstrual periods, it is not thought hormones cause acne. Pregnancy may cause acne, but some women report that their skin cleared up completely when they were pregnant.
• Make-up and cosmetics may cause acne. Make sure you use light foundation and make-up, or don’t wear any at all. If you do wear it, try to find the comedogenic brands available on the market.
For some people there are factors that do cause acne. Friction from chin straps, collars, or anything that rubs against the skin continuously can cause acne. This is called friction acne and can be treated by trying to prevent repeated rubbing of the skin.
Some medication may also cause acne in some people, or worsen their condition. Medicines containing bromides, iodides, oral or injected steroids, either those taken by athletes or prescribed by doctors, can cause acne. Lithium has also been linked to the cause or aggravation of acne in some people. Most of the time, though, medication does not have anything to do with acne.
There are some jobs that put people in contact with certain products that could contribute to acne such as working with cutting oil or jobs where a person has to wear protective equipment that causes friction acne.