What is Acne?

Acne is a skin disease that results in pores being blocked which leads to the development of whiteheads, blackheads, inflammatory lesions or cysts.

Acne is one of the most common skin problems affecting everyone from babies to adults. Acne shows up as whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, and, in some people, deep painful bumps that look and feel like boils.

Acne is commonly found on the face but can also appear on the neck, chest, back, shoulders and even the upper arms.

Acne is not a life threatening condition, but can be upsetting and disfiguring to the individual who has it. Acne can cause scarring depending on the severity of the condition and how it is treated.

It is estimated that acne affects one in ten adults. It affects 25% of all adult men and 50% of adult women at some time in their lives.

How Acne Begins

Acne begins in your pores. Pores are considered hair follicles, even though not every pore grows a hair. Every pore contains an oil secreting sac called a sebaceous gland and is attached to the follicle. Sebum, the oil that keeps your skin from drying out, is produced from the gland. When dead skin gets stuck in a follicle it combines with the sebum and creates a plug called a comedo.

The comedo is plugged with oil, dead skin cells and bacteria. A whitehead is a closed comedo since the plug lies beneath the surface. A blackhead is an open comedo, the follicle's dark plug is visible.

Acne usually begins around puberty when males and females experience an increase in the production of sex hormones called androgens. Androgens regulate the activity and size of the oil producing sebaceous glands that reside in the pores of the skin. There is an increase in the production of these hormones causing the oil glands to get larger in the areas where acne occurs (the face, chest, back, etc).