What Causes Acne?

There are three basic elements that can cause acne. Keep in mind that everyone is made different so the cause of acne may differ from one person to the next.

Hormones Between your teenage years and young adulthood, your body’s hormone production is the most active. The increase in androgen hormones (namely testosterone) is what causes your sebaceous glands to over-produce sebum (oil) which is why many teenagers and young adults have oily skin. In some cases, this increase in androgens can continue into your late 20’s or early 30’s.

Plugged pores When the duct of the oil gland (sebaceous gland) or the pore becomes blocked by skin cells, this leads to the production of comedones (whiteheads or blackheads). Comedones are caused by these blocked pores which prevents the natural flow of oil (sebum) out of your pore. Some individuals over-produce skin cells which then block the pores in the skin and cause comedones.

Bacteria Within everyone’s skin pores, there is a bacteria present called Propionibacterium acnes (P. Acnes for short). Once your pore gets blocked, the P. Acnes bacteria will infect the sebaceous gland as well as the pore. P.Acnes thrives on the sebum which is now blocked within the pore creating a large infection within. The depth and intensity of the infection will determine weather the infection creates just a classic pimple or is the cause of a cyst or nodule, which is a deeper and more severe infection that can cause scarring.