What Causes Acne

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably had a pimple in your lifetime. You might even have one right now.

If you have several pimples at once, and they happen often, you may believe or have been told that you have acne. 

Whether you have one or several blemishes, odds are, you probably want them to go away. The more you know about how pimples form—and how they’re best treated—the more you can do to eliminate the pimples you already have, and prevent new ones from ever making an appearance. 

	Hair Follicles Pimples start out innocently enough. They’re conceived in hair follicles—about two to three weeks before you ever see them on your skin. You have the power to stop them before they begin, with a good preventative skin care regimen
Sebum in the Follicle Hair follicles contain a substance called sebum. It’s produced by the sebaceous glands, and over time the sebum travels through the follicle to the skin’s surface. The sebaceous glands of people with acne are especially sensitive to normal blood levels of the hormone androgen, found naturally in both men and women. Androgen in people prone to acne triggers the sebaceous glands to produce an excess of sebum.
	Debris Clogs the Pore As this excess sebum travels through the follicle, it may pick up debris such as small dirt particles and dead skin cells.  As this mix of sebum and material reach the surface, the debris may collect and block the opening, clogging the follicle.  Other factors may also contribute to clogging the follicle -- e.g., certain types of makeup (called "comedogenic"), clothing or hats blocking the skin during periods of  perspiration and environmental conditions may contribute to development of acne.
Bacteria Enter Once the follicle is clogged, the bacteria that causes acne, P. acnes, enters the picture. These bacteria normally live harmlessly on your skin, but in the anaerobic environment of a clogged follicle, they grow and thrive.
	Blackheads and Whiteheads Form Blackheads and whiteheads may form. These lesions typically stay below the surface of the skin, and are known as non-inflammatory acne.
Ruptured or Inflamed Follicle If bacteria infect a whitehead, papules or pustules (i.e., “pimples”) may form. This is known as inflammatory acne. In more severe inflammatory acne, cysts or nodules may develop beneath the skin's surface. These acne cysts can rupture, spreading the infection into nearby skin tissue. This can result in scarring.

Now that you know what breakouts really are, you can take control of them by choosing the right weapons to prevent them, and to fight them when they appear. Learn more about the recommended treatments for breakouts here. 

As important as it is to know the causes of acne, it’s equally important to understand what doesn’t cause it. Read about some common acne myths here.