What is acne?
The word acne comes from the word acme meaning "the highest point," which comes from the Greek akme meaning "point" or "spot" - it was originally misspelt, with an 'n' rather than an 'm' in 1835.
Acne, medically known as Acne vulgaris, is a skin disease that involves the oil glands at the base of hair follicles.
In humans, spot tend to appear on the face, back, chest, shoulders and neck.
Simply put - skin cells, sebum and hair can clump together into a plug, this plug gets infected with bacteria, resulting in a swelling. A spot starts to develop when the plug begins to break down.
Scientists from the Washington University School of Medicine found that there are good and bad strains of bacteria that determine the severity and frequency of developing acne. They explained in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology (March 2013 issue) that not all acne bacteria trigger spots - in fact, one strain they identified can help keep the skin spot-free.
Causes of acne
Nobody is completely sure what causes acne. Experts believe the primary cause is a rise in androgen levels - androgen is a type of hormone. Androgen levels rise when we reach adolscence.
Rising androgen levels make the oil glands under your skin grow; the enlarged gland produces more oil. Excessive sebum can break down cellular walls in your pores, causing bacteria to grow.
Some studies indicate that a susceptibility to acne could also be genetic. Some medications that contain androgen and lithium may cause acne. Greasy cosmetics may cause acne in some susceptible people. Hormone changes during pregnancy may cause acne either to develop for the first time, or to recur.
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References
Brazier Y (2015) Acne: what causes it and how to relieve it. (online at medicalnewstoday.com) [Accessed 01/03/2017].
Gardner SS (2017) Skin care for those with acne. (online at www.webmd.com) [Accessed 01/03/2017].
Unknown (2017) Acne: skin care and prevention tips. (online at www.webmd.boots.com) [Accessed 01/03/2017].