Pimples, Blackheads and Acne – Causes, Prevention and Treatments

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Acne is a skin condition that can strike people of all ages but it usually begins during the puberty stage. Pimples occur when the hair follicles in the skin become clogged with oil dead cells of the skin.

Acne both in teen and adults can occur as blackheads and white heads as its milder form and can develop into pus-filled pimples as its severe form.

 

How Does Your Skin Work?

To gain a better understanding you have to make sure you know the way your skin works. The pores of your skin have oil glands to keep it hydrated.

When you attain the stage of puberty, there is a rise in the production of androgens, which are sex hormones. These hormones can cause the oil glands to become very active, which in turn, get enlarged and produce lots of oil. This can make a blockage in the hair follicles of your skin, which will pave way for the development of bacteria known as Propionibacterium acnes.

 

Causes of Pimples, Blackheads and Acne:

Too Much of Stress: When your skin is under a lot of stress lately either physically or mentally, the white blood cells can come to the skin’s surface to put a fight with the skin offenders. This can cause the pus to develop into blackheads and whiteheads.

Prevention: You can curb this cause by increasing the intake of anti-inflammatory foods such as dark green leafy vegetables and berries. You can also use benozyl peroxide.

 

Accumulation of Oil in Sebaceous Glands:

Sebaceous glands that are present under the skin’s surface secrete natural oil to protect the skin from various elements and keep it well hydrated. When too much sebum is produced, it can clog the pores and lead to pimple formation. When the sebum glands are blocked, it can oxidize and turn dark brown or black, which gives it the name, blackheads.

Prevention: Try washing your face many times a day using a mild soap or face wash to drive away all the excess oil present in the sebum glands.
Unclean Skin:When the sebum glands are accumulated with excess grime or dirt owing to external factors such as pollution or smoke, it becomes breeding grounds of bacteria. Keep your skin clean by cleaning it regularly to prevent bacterial formation and other skin problems.
Prevention: Make sure you wash your face before hitting the bed and change your pillow covers frequently to prevent an outbreak of acne.

 

Clogging of the Skin:

When the skin follicles are accumulated or clogged, it becomes deeper, that takes longer time to heal and can leave a mark on your skin even if is cured. The inflammation associated with this condition is huge and painful too.

Prevention: These skin issues can mainly occur during the puberty stage or during pregnancy as the hormonal imbalance is a major cause behind it.

 

Consuming a lot of Junk Foods:

When you consume lots of pre-packaged junk foods that are not made with fresh ingredients, you will begin to experience lots of skin issues at various places such as forehead, the center of your eyebrows, chin and nose.

Prevention: Try to include a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables that are organically cultivated in your diet and consume fresh meat or poultry, as well.

 

Excess Dead Skin Cells:

When you become old, the turnover of the body cells becomes very slow and this can lead to accumulation of dead cells on the skin’s surface. Consequently, you have to suffer an outbreak of acne.

Prevention: Try to use a homemade scrub to remove the dead cells effectively. This will exfoliate the dead skin cells and will help the skin remain clear. Make sure to scrub gently using circular strokes but refrain from scrubbing vigorously as it will cause the bacteria to get deeper.
Using Heavy Makeup Materials:Using cosmetics for make up that are heavy or have oil based formula can suffocate your skin and cause the bacteria deeper into the skin which triggers various skin issues.

Prevention: Check for the ingredients in the cosmetics you buy and go for water-based ones or mineral-based ones, which will be named as “noncomedongenic”.

 

Treatments to Cure Pimples, Blackheads and Acne:

The treatments for these skin problems are usually based on how serious the issue is. You will be offered prescription based on skin compounds such as:

• Retinoid
• Benozyl peroxide
• Lactic acid
• Azelaic acid
• Fruit acids
• Salicylic acid
• Glycolic acid

There are also many home remedies you can try which have proven effective for many acne sufferers. See this article: Home Remedies for Acne.

Now, you know all the various causes, treatments and methods to prevent these skin problems. Thus, you can easily have a glowing face and flawless skin.
http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/acne/acne-care-11/what-is-acne?page=2

http://www.healthxchange.com.sg/healthyliving/SkinBeauty/Pages/What-Causes-Acne-and-Pimples-in-Teenagers.aspx

http://www.becomegorgeous.com/body-and-skin/acne_and_skin_problems/8_common_causes_of_adult_acne-8465.html

http://www.acnetreatmentcenter.com/blackheadtreatment/

Sam Billings
Sam is a natural health nut. He owns the website Home Remedies Log where you can find many of his articles. Sam writes informative articles about treating common illnesses with natural remedies and is very knowledgeable on matters of natural health and holistic medicine.