Saturday, August 15, 2009

Guide To Acne And Its Terminology

By Ryan Maine

Acne is a very common problem amongst teenagers, but not many people realise that it can affect people of any age. That means that although most people will have got rid of their acne naturally by the time they reach twenty, adults can have outbreaks too and this isnt unusual.

There are loads of myths surrounding acne and what causes it. For example youll probably have been told in the past that it is caused by eating chocolate or other kinds of food. Some food may contribute to acne, but chocolate is definitely not one of them youll be pleased to hear!

You should always talk to you doctor before believing anything you hear about acne through other people, as the chances are they arent correct. Dont worry about eating chocolate, but other foods have been shown in some cases to make acne worse, so eating a healthy diet is definitely a good idea anyway.

Now onto what actually causes acne. The problem arises when a hair follicle in your skin becomes trapped. This means that the sebum in your skin begins to build up beneath the skin, and means that bacteria builds up which then causes spots. This is the process that causes whiteheads and blackheads.

When the sebum breaks out of the skin becomes oxidised, this is when you get a blackhead. The sebum becomes oxidised by the surrounding air and hence becomes black. Blackheads are usually a lot more difficult to get rid of than whiteheads, and hence stay around for longer.

Apart from whiteheads and blackheads, the reason acne can cause so many problems on the face is because of the irritation of the skin. For example in not so severe cases you may get a papule, but in severe cases you can get a cyst which is an area of inflammation filled with pus.

If you are worried about your acne, and want to know how to get rid of it, then your doctor will usually be able to provide the best advice or at least refer you to someone who will be able to help.

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