Nothing shatters your confidence like having acne.
One day you wake up, and it seems to have infested your face, ruining your skin and your good lucks!
But why do you have acne? That’s what we are here to discuss today!
Let’s get started.
The Root Cause Of Acne Is Too Much Oil
Acne production is complicated, but we will do our best to simplify it as much as possible!
Each one of your hair follicles creates oil, and you have small hair follicles all over your body.
The glands in your skin make sebum (oil), which is typically used to help lubricate your skin and hair — most peoples glands the right amount of oil the right amount of time.
However, in certain instances, like puberty, your body creates too much oil.
This excess oil and other things like dead skin gets trapped in your pores and gets infected by bacteria.
This bacteria is what causes acne, and all of the things that come with it – pimples, acne, red spots, pain, and more.
In reality, it is slightly more complicated than this, but this the root cause of your acne – your body produces too much oil.
Your Lifestyle Affects Acne Production As Well
The root cause of acne for most people is simply genetics, and most people stop developing acne after puberty has ended.
However, your lifestyle can directly influence your skin and, thus, acne regardless of your age.
Below we will touch upon a couple of significant lifestyle factors that lead to acne.
Smoking Leads To Adult Acne
Smokers are much more likely to develop acne, even adults.
The exact science behind this is complicated, but the basic explanation is that smoke blocks your pores, leading to the development of acne in adults.
It also can lead to an increase in sebum (oil) production, and a decrease in Vitamin E, which is a substance that helps your skin fight off infections.
This is a double whammy – your body makes more oil, and you have fewer resources available to fight off acne infections!
This acne is known as “smokers acne” and tends to appear more as blackheads.
As if you needed another reason to quit smoking – do it for your skin!
Your Diet Plays A Role In Acne Production
What you eat won’t directly cause acne, but it can be an enormous aspect that leads to the development of acne.
You want to avoid things like milk, which can alter your hormones since it has cow hormones in it.
Additionally, stay away from sodas and white bread, since they can lead to the production of more oil in your skin.
Stick to healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, and complex carbs like oatmeal. These all positively affect your blood sugar, thus helping to regulate the creation of oil.
It’s important to note that despite the common belief, eating oily foods won’t directly lead to the development of acne.
However, you want to avoid fast-food restaurants, because cooking with large amounts of oil can lead to oil getting into your pores.
Women Are More Prone To Acne
Unfortunately, women are much more prone to developing acne throughout their lives because of pregnancy and menstruation.
Both of these impact your hormone product, and this can lead to the development of acne in women later in life.
To a lot of women, this comes as a shock. Unfortunately, it is just what happens to some women!
If Your Parents Have Adult Acne, Chances Are You Will
Adult acne is an unfortunate condition that many people suffer from. It can be a significant confidence wrecker, especially for women.
Unfortunately, if one or both of your parents currently suffer from, or previously suffered from adult acne, chances are you will as well.
This is distressing news to a lot of people. But unfortunately, there is an element of luck with health.
That being said, don’t stress too much about it! It’s not a 100% confirmation that you will get adult acne as well.
Plus, you can do things like eating right and developing a good skincare routine to help prevent adult acne from appearing.
Are Pimples, Spots, And Zits The Same As Acne?
This is an excellent question that one of our readers asked us.
Pimples, spots, and zits are all components of acne, but they are not the same as acne.
Think about it like this: if you have pimples, you have acne, but if you have acne, you may not have pimples! You may be suffering from zits of spots instead.
The key takeaway is that acne is the overall condition that causes these blemishes. Many people use these terms interchangeably, though, which can make it confusing!
What Types Of Acne Are There?
Most people don’t realize that there are a ton of different types of acne! Whiteheads, blackheads, papules, cysts, and more.
All of these different types of pimples appear differently on the body, and we could write a whole book about each one of them.
The best thing you can do, in our opinion, is to speak to your local dermatologist about your acne. It’s outside the scope of this article.
Should I Wash My Face With Water To Get Rid Of Acne?
Many people wash their skin at night, only to get frustrated that they still have acne.
This is because acne develops in the pores underneath your skin!
When you are washing your skin with water, you are not reaching into the depths of the pores to clean them.
The answer, instead, is to use a face cleaner to get rid of your acne – this can drastically help, although results vary from person to person.
Conclusion
There you have it! A quick dive into the world of acne. We hope we have answered the question, “why do I have acne?” and you feel like you learned a lot from this article.
As previously stated, your best bet is to see your local dermatologist about your skin problems. This website does not provide medical advice.
We wish you the best of luck with your acne-fighting journey!