Having blemishes and pimples on your face is always a nuisance. Everyone knows about acne and some might even experience a lot of it. Trying to find out how to get rid of acne is understandable as it can decrease a person’s confidence. Knowing about the causes of acne can offer help in treating it.
What is acne?
According to medical research, acne is a condition where the skin is inflamed. It occurs when the hair follicles become blocked with dead skin cells and oil. This often results in blackheads, whiteheads, or pimples which usually appear on the forehead, face, upper back, and chest. While acne is prevalent in teenagers, it can affect people of all ages.
What are the causes of acne?
Acne should be treated immediately to stop it from spreading. If untreated, it could leave scars on your skin. There are numerous reasons for acne such as:
Buildup of dead skin cells
The human skin continuously sheds dead skin cells. Sometimes these dead cells get stuck in the sebum resulting in the blockage of skin pores which turns into pimples.
Hormonal imbalance
Although acne is usually associated with teenagers, it can also occur in adults due to hormonal imbalance. It often occurs among women during menopause and is a common symptom of PMS.
Acne during the teenage years
During teens, the body undergoes some physical changes to get ready for reproduction. This makes the sebaceous glands overactive which blocks pores and causes acne in both boys and girls.
Heredity
Another leading cause of acne is a genetic problem. If that is the case, then you will see a reoccurrence of acne throughout your life.
Bacteria
The sebum that accumulates behind blocked pores contains slow growing bacteria. This bacterium, during suitable conditions, can spread and turn into acne.
Fried Foods
Eating habits play an important role in acne formation. Oily and fried foods are a favorite among today’s generation. These foods trigger the oil glands and produce excess sebum which causes acne, blackheads, and pimples.
Dairy Products
High glycemic foods like sweet beverages and bakery products can also cause acne due to high sugar content. Similarly eating too much dairy products is also not good for your skin.
Skincare and Beauty Products
Always make sure to buy skincare products according to your skin type. Using a product that is not suitable for your skin can also result in acne. Also, frequently changing the products can also be harmful to the skin.
Some medicines can also cause acne
Certain types of medicines (like the medication for epilepsy) can also cause acne.
Stress
Another common cause of acne is stress. Although stress alone can’t cause pimples, it can aggravate the acne problem.
Change in environment
When you travel to a faraway place the change in water, temperature, humidity, etc. can result in acne.
Good quality make-up products
Using oil-based foundations can also result in acne. Whenever you are buying makeup products, make sure that you buy water-based cosmetics. Read the ingredients carefully and go for natural products.
How to get rid of acne
Using oil-based foundations can also result in acne. Whenever you are buying makeup products, make sure that you buy water-based cosmetics. Read the ingredients carefully and go for natural products.
Keep your skin clean
Acne thrives on the dirty and neglected skin. Adult acne occurs, in most cases, due to clogging of pores from dead skin. That is why the first thing that can help you get rid of acne is good cleaning habits. You should follow a skincare routine to keep your skin healthy and clean. For this routine, you can use medicated acne wash to wash your face and then use salicylic or glycolic exfoliating treatment pads. Lastly, cover your face with a light moisturizer. Follow this routine every day for healthy skin.
Add retinol to your routine
Doctors recommend adding retinol to your nightly cleansing routine if acne is not responding to salicylic or glycolic treatments. Retinol is a popular form of vitamin A that promotes skin renewal and helps prevent clogging of pores. It is considered as one of the best scientifically proven treatments for stubborn acne. Furthermore, Retinol reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines and leaves your skin smoother, firmer, and more even-toned.
Regularly clean items that come into contact with your face
Bacteria are a major cause of acne. Our mobile phones are packed with it, and as our phone comes into contact with our face, it can become a cause for acne. Similarly, dirty pillow cases and makeup brushes also carry bacteria. That is why you should regularly clean anything that touches your face at regular intervals.
Read the labels on the products carefully
Don’t just grab the first bottle of sunscreen or moisturizer that you see on the shelf. Take some time to read the ingredients on the bottle. Look for words such as non-comedogenic, oil-free and non-acne genic.
Too much cleansing may aggravate acne
Too much exfoliating and cleansing can also make acne worse. Pores become vulnerable to bacteria if you wash away the skin’s natural oils. Therefore, it is better to cleanse your skin twice a day especially before going to bed and use exfoliating brushes once or twice a week. Doctors also suggest that you should moisturize your skin with coconut oil. This helps to protect your skin against inflammatory bacteria.
Pay attention to your diet
Although it has not been proven that greasy foods cause acne, some foods can help keep it in check. You diet should consists of less processed foods and should be high in antioxidants.
Consult a dermatologist
There are a number of acne medications and therapies such as Levulan PhotoDynamic Therapy or Blu-U Blue Light Therapy offered by dermatologists. These treatments take around three to six months to clear up the skin, but with a little patience and determination, it is surely possible to get rid of acne for good!
List of Effective Acne medication
There are a number of available acne medications that can help treat acne. These include:
Benzaclin
Benzaclin is an antibiotic medicine which is also a drying agent that helps to treat acne.
Differin
Differin is a cream that treats acne by effectively stopping the pimples from forming under the skin.
Differin XP gel
Differin XP gel effectively clears up pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads by removing oil-blocking dead skin cells from the pores. This gel gently exfoliates the skin without overly drying it.
Generic Equivalent (Doxycycline Hyclate Generic)
Doxycycline is used to treat bacterial infections. Take note that this medicine is a tetracycline antibiotic and is not suitable for treating viral infections.
Renova cream (Tretinoin)
This medicine, a vitamin A derivative, is also recommended for treating acne.
Other acne medication options include Minocin Minocycline, Retin A Gel Tretinoin, Retin A Micro Tretinoin, and Vichy Normaderm Acne Prone Skin.
In conclusion, knowing what causes acne can help you get rid of acne by not only taking proper medication but also making certain lifestyle changes for healthier skin.