What is acne and how is it formed?

What causes acne?

Acne is an abnormal skin condition that causes blemishes on the face, chest, or back , in the form of pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, or comedones. It occurs when sebaceous glands – glands in the follicles of the skin that produce sebum, an oily substance, to prevent skin from drying out – become overactive, resulting in the overproduction of sebum.Pores become clogged when there is an overproduction of sebum and buildup of dead skin cells. Bacteria can then get trapped inside the pores and multiply, causing swelling and redness, eventually resulting in acne. While the effects of acne are generally not serious, it can cause scarring.Acne can be caused by hormonal changes, most commonly seen in teenagers undergoing puberty, or in women experiencing challenging menstrual cycles or pregnancy.Acne can also form due to a change in lifestyle habits, such as wearing comedogenic cosmetics that tend to cause the formation of comedones, experiencing stressful situations, or stopping the intake of birth control pills.There are a number of myths surrounding the formation of acne:Greasy foods are often blamed for causing acne, but there is little scientific evidence to prove a relationship between such foods and the formation of acne. However, dairy-related products have been scientifically proven to aggravate acne formation.Acne is commonly believed to be caused by dirt or uncleanliness, but the bacteria that causes acne – p. acnes – does not come from dirt. Rather, p. acnes occur naturally in healthy skin follicles, but if too much accumulates in clogged pores, the bacteria will multiply, eventually leading to an acne outbreak.