A skin condition characterised by pimples on the skin, particularly on the face. Acne starts when oil producing glands in the skin called sebaceous glands produce a fatty substance that blocks the small holes where your hair grows from. If the blocked hole is large it makes blackheads and if the opening is small then whiteheads will form. Both types can transform into swollen and painful type of pimples called cystic acne.
Pimples are generally common in adolescents but they are also seen in 20% of adults. Acne starts during ages between 11 and 14 and gets worse in people who naturally have oily skin. Adolescent acne should go away by early 20s. Adolescent boys tend to have more severe pimples than girls and women most often than men tend to have pimples into their 30s and above.
Am sure you have been told that pimples are caused by uncontrolled sex drive, poor hygiene or bad diet. The fact is non of the above causes acne. You can stop eating chocolate or scrub your face several times a day it will not change anything as far as acne is concerned and am sure you have already seen that.
So, the actual cause of acne is not fully understood. In adolescents hormones are believed to be responsible for causing pimples. When the oils block the holes in the skin bacterial infection sets in and that's how pimples develop. Some women who are on hormonal contraceptives get pimples because of the influence of hormones. Stress can induce pimples but it does not cause them.
Treatment
Treatment will depend on the type of pimples that you have and severity. You may contact your doctor for more personalised discussions.
(Image by Springer Science)
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