What are the Causes of Acne?

What are the Causes of Acne?

Just about everyone has experienced a breakout at least once in their life, generally when they are teenagers or during puberty.

However, some people have acne frequently and when you have constant breakouts, this takes a major toll on your self-esteem.

In this society, your looks are very important and acne works to negatively affect your looks. This is even worse during the teen years when confidence is already fragile.

Blackheads, whiteheads and those angry red blemishes can make it hard for you to go out into the world because you do not feel beautiful.

If you often have breakouts to the point where you feel less than beautiful and people make comments, it is time to learn more about acne so that you can work to get your skin under control.

It is easy to feel self-conscious even if no one ever makes any comments about the condition of your skin. Teenagers often stop going out and doing things with friends and peers because their acne has such a profound impact on their self-esteem and their want to be involved in social situations.

There are times that even when the acne is gone, the person is still left with physical and emotional scars that last for years. These can be devastating and even when your skin is clear, you can feel the effects on your self-esteem.

When you have acne, it is common to try everything and anything to get rid of it and this can do more harm than good in some cases. People think that they are doomed to always have bad skin, but once they know what causes acne, they can use the proper treatments so that they can enjoy clear skin and start working on increasing their self-esteem.

What are the Different Causes of Acne?

The exact cause of acne remains unknown, but there are different risk factors that experts do know about.

When it comes to acne, scientists know that it stems from over-production of sebum that accumulates in the pores and clogs them. The end result is an angry red pimple that is infected and swollen.

It is important that you understand what the contributing factors are so that you can make the necessary lifestyle changes to help reduce your risk of experiencing breakouts.

Unhealthy diet

Most experts agree that your diet plays a role in whether or not you have acne, but how big a role it plays is still being debated.

Because of this, it is important that you eat a healthy diet because you want your immune system to be able to fight against the pores becoming infected and causing breakouts.

If your immune system does not have the nutrients that it needs, it is unable to fight against breakouts.

Vitamin deficiencies

This is still being investigated, but there is research that suggests that a vitamin D deficiency may play a role in whether or not someone has acne.

The research is ongoing and it is not known at this time if a deficiency can be the sole cause of acne.

Hormonal changes

This is a fairly established belief, but scientists are not exactly sure why. Since most people who have acne develop it during puberty or pregnancy, it is thought that the hormonal changes during these times have a role in causing acne.

This is especially true when a person has more androgen being produced in their body.


Stress does a number on your skin and one of the negative effects is causing breakouts to occur.

This is especially true during the teen years when teenagers are under a lot of stress with social issues, academics and other aspects of life that are not easy to handle. The immune system takes a hit when someone is under a lot of stress so this may have something to do with it.


If there is a history of acne in your family, experts believe that you are at a greater risk for experiencing it. Why this happens is not yet known, however.

Improper skin care

You know that poor hygiene can increase your risk of breakouts, but the products that you use to ensure good hygiene may also influence whether or not acne is a problem for you.

It is important that you wash your face two times per day with gentle cleansers that are free from harsh and synthetic ingredients.

Do not over wash your skin or use hot water because this can cause dryness and trigger more sebum production. Make sure to use a gentle moisturiser after you cleanse to keep your skin hydrated.

There are many factors associated with acne and it is important to attend to all of these. You do not have control over things like your genetics, but when it comes to things like your diet and the products that you use, make sure that you are only eating and using things that are gentle to protect and nourish your skin and body.

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