Causes Of Acne And How To Treat Acne Speedily

Acne vulgaris which is a medical name for the common acne we all know, is a skin condition that is responsible for the emergence of pimples on the face and not just pimples but nodules too. Acne occurs in most parts of the body but are mainly found in the chest, face, shoulder, forehead and upper back and this is because these are the areas oil glands are mostly found in the body.

The skin pores open to a follicle which is made up of hair and oil gland, acne forms when the skin pores are blocked with dead cells, bacteria or oil. Acne can make someone feel uncomfortable, after all, no one likes their face or skin to be filled with a blemish, and everyone likes a good looking skin or face. In this article, you will learn the causes of acne and how to treat acne speedily.

What Are The Causes Of Acne?

There are many factors responsible for this skin condition:

1. Puberty: Teenagers undergoing the puberty stage are at risk of having acne and this is due to the oil production as a result of hormonal change in their body system.

2. Eating of milk, ice cream and pizza could cause acne for some people.

3. Genetics: Acne could be what runs in a family.
4. Hormones: Acne is triggered by the androgen hormones and when these hormones combine with bacteria on the surface of the skin and fatty acids, acne can burst out especially if they are combined within the oil glands.
5. Stress: Stress can be responsible for the break out of acne on the body and this is because stress increases the hormone cortisol.
6. Hats, collars and sports helmets can cause acne same as high humidity.
7. Using oily products or always coming in contact with grease could be a cause of acne break out.
Acne is not restricted to teenagers alone, it could also appear in older adults but whenever it appears in an older adult, the body should be checked closely because it could just be a sign of an underlying sickness. In teens, acne affects mainly the males while women are the ones it affects most in older adults. Next in the causes of acne and how to treat acne speedily is the types of acne.

What Are The Types Of Acne?

1. Whiteheads:

Whiteheads are bumps that are closed by oil and dead skin. Comedones which is the plural form of comedo are hair follicles that have been clogged with dead skin cells and oil, comedones can form bumps called whiteheads and it can also form blackheads.

2. Blackheads:

They are open bumps on the skin that have dead skin and excess oil in them. The black hue in blackheads come from the unsteady reflection of light coming from clogged hair follicles.

3. Pustules:

They are pimples with pus, they can cause scarring if picked on. Pustules look like whiteheads with a red ring around the bump.

4. Fungal Acne:

This is the type of acne that occurs when the yeast develops in the hair follicles, it can be itchy and could be inflamed.

5. Papules:

They are pink or red bumps that are small in size and are inflamed.

6. Nodules:

These are big pimples that are large and painful, they developed deep within the skin.

7. Cyst:

Cyst are pimples that look like boils, they are large and filled with pus, they can also inflame and cause scar.

8. Acne Conglobata:

These are many inflamed nodules connected under the skin to other nodules. It leaves scars and can be on the chest, arms, neck and buttocks.

9. Acne Mechanica:

They are caused by friction and pressure against the skin and this is as a result of wearing helmet.
Next in this article on causes of acne and how to treat acne speedily is the symptoms of acne.

What Are The Symptoms Of Acne?

• Pains: Pains occur when the face is touched and sometimes, one feels pains even without touching the face.

• Discoloration of the skin. Squeezing the acne on your face can lead to skin discoloration. The skin could be red, pink, black, brown or purple.

• Swelling

• Scarring

What Are The Ranks/ Grades Of Acne?

Acne has been graded by some medical personnel.
A. Grade 1 Mild: One with grade one mild acne has little papules and pustules and also has whiteheads and blackheads.

B. Grade 2 Moderate: A person with this grade of acne has many pustules and papules on the face.

C. Grade 3 Moderately Severe: Here, an acne victim has so many pustules and papules and inflamed nodules.

D. Grade 4 Severe Nodulocystic Acne: This is when a victim has so many nodules and pustules which are large and painful.

How Can I Treat Acne?

In treating acne, we have the topical therapy and the systematic therapy. Topical therapy ate treatment applied on the skin directly just like creams and lotions while systematic therapy are medications taken orally in order to treat acne. Examples are antibiotics like dioxycycline, tetracycline and oral conceptives.

However, a woman who takes antibiotics for more than some weeks could be prone to having yeast infections. Acne can heal without medication but it takes time to heal without treatment. Since acne can be mild, moderate or severe, treatment will depend on the degree of the acne.

★ When getting medication for acne, the medication should include salicylic acid as this acid helps to exfoliate the skin and prevent pores from getting clogged.

★ Use medication that has benzoyl peroxide. Benzoyl peroxide prevents new pimples from forming and dries out the old ones. It also kills bacteria that cause acne.

★ Some contraceptives can help a woman get rid of acne.

★ Use azelaic acid or retinoids: Retinoids keep pimples from forming and affect the growth of cells. When using products containing Retinoids, the acne may seem like it is getting worse and then it starts clearing while azelaic acid can help treat mild acne.

★ Use antibiotics, dapzon, isotretinoin, etc. Antibiotics clear the skin of acne-causing bacteria and reduce inflammation. Isotretinoin should not be taken by a pregnant woman as it could lead to birth defect on the part of the baby, a nursing mother shouldn’t use it too.

★ Laser: Laser is used to treat scars by using heat on the scarred collagen under the skin.

★ Chemical Peel: This is the use of specific chemicals to remove the top layer of an old skin.

★ Spironolactone: This is a medication that is capable of blocking the action of the body’s hormones on the oil glands of the skin.
Some of these medications have side effects so one who is taking any of them should take note of the side effect before proceeding with the treatment.

Natural Treatment Of Acne/DIY

o Apply honey mask and stop touching your face.

o Use tea tree oil, it reduces redness of the skin and has antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-fungal properties.

o Apply aloe vera on your face.

o Use green tea on your face.

o You could also apply toothpaste on the mouth of the acne though this may not work for some people and it is not scientifically proven.

o Add a little amount of water inside baking soda and apply on the affected area.

o You can also use tumeric. Tumeric contains antioxidants that purifies and brightens the skin.

Now we have known the causes of acne and how to treat acne speedily, we will discuss how to prevent it.

How Do I Prevent Acne?

✓ Wash your face daily
✓ Cleanse your face before sleeping at night and remove any makeup on the face
✓ Wash your face after exercising
✓ Stay hydrated
✓ Reduce any form of stress
✓ Always moisturize your face
✓ Reduce your intake of oily food
✓ Also avoid doing any activity that leaves oil or grease on your face or body if you want to prevent an acne breakout on your face or body. Remember, acne can also be on one’s body not just on the face.
✓ Avoid applying hair sprays or gels on your face, do not let it get to your face
✓ When buying skin or face product like your make up, read the label and make sure it is labeled nonacnegenic or noncomedogenic. This simply means that the product won’t clog your pores because it doing so will lead to acne.

What Food Should I Avoid If I Have Acne?

➢ Reduce your intake of milk and ice creams
➢ Cut down on your intake of fast food especially foods like hot dogs, French fries and sodas, they could increase your risk of having acne break out especially if your take them often.
➢ Cut down on your intake of chocolates

Foods To Eat To Reduce Acne

▪ Eat foods rich in zinc and vitamin A and C
▪ Take Oranges, it is rich in vitamin C
▪ Take lemon
▪ Eat sweet potatoes
▪ Never forget to add vegetables like cabbage, kale and spinach to the list. There are other vegetables you could eat too.
▪ Papaya which is also known as paw paw is a good fruit to take to reduce acne
▪ Take food rich in omega-3 fatty acid like fish, soybeans, etc.
▪ Take red grapes and nuts