Acne Free

Posts Tagged ‘oil glands’

Acne is a problem that plagues many people, both male and female. Acne is primarily a problem during the teenage years, but it is common in many adults as well. Individuals who never had an acne problem in their teens can have acne flare ups in their thirties or even later. There are many different treatments for acne, but before treating it, it is important to learn what some of the main causes of acne are. Otherwise, treating it will only be a temporary fix.

Oil glands are found all over the epidermis, which is the top layer of the skin and is also the body’s largest organ. Deep in the skin, these oil glands conatin a single hair follicle. The oils in these glands travel up the hair follicle and lubricates the hair and the skin around it.

At the end of the follicle, there will be a pore in the skin. when the oils are being aggressive, the pore is likely to become clogged, which wil cause a pimple to form over the top of the pore. Certain different changes in hormone levels, like menstruation and puberty, are likely causes to increase the oil production and there will be many more acne flareups during these times.

Acne is basically the result of clogged skin pores. Skin pores can become blocked by dirt, oil and makeup. When skin cells die, they are usually shed off of the body, but can sometimes become lodged in a pore, causing a pimple to form. When this happens, and these dead skin cells combine with the other pore clogging substances, there is a great chance of bacteria growing. This may cause the skin to form a cyst that is filled with pus.

The biggest problem with bacteria is that it can take something small and unproblematic and create a more serious problem. When the body is trying to get rid of the bacteria, there will be inflamation. This can cause swelling and pain and some definite irritations.

The best thing a person can do is to keep their skin clean, so as to not allow bacteria to form. For someone with an acne problem, it is important to cleanse the affected area twice a day with a mild detergent that is formulated for oily skin. It is also important to moisturize after cleaning with an oil-free moisturizer, so as to not dry out the skin and cause it to flake.

The Ugly Truth

Acne that is found on the back is quite like facial acne. It is formed by cysts and pimples. Back acne can be potentially much worse than face acne for the simple reason that there are thousands upon thousands of more pores on the back than there are on the face. These pores all have the potential of becoming clogged with oil, dirt and bacteria.

Back acne is severely more painful than face acne and usually comes with a lot more scarring. It usually occurs at the same time as face acne, during puberty. It is usually gone by the time you hit adulthood, but will often leave behind severe scarring, which can be embarrassing, causing many adults to never wear a swimsuit or backless dress.

Why Me?

No one knows exactly what causes back acne. The back is full of oil glands and these tend to become clogged and inflamed with bacteria, dirt and oil. This causes acne, but it is often a lot harder to treat than that of the face. Back acne is not caused by a poor diet, by exercising or by wearing tight clothing. It is also proven that it is not caused by friction, such as wearing a backpack all of the time. It is also said that genetics do not play a role in back acne, nor does stress. This in itself is stressful, as these are all contributing factors to face acne.

One of the reasons for such severe scarring on the back is that the friction of sleeping, wearing clothes and using a backpack is something that will pop the pimples prematurely, resulting in scarring. This cannot be avoided and therefore, there is nothing you can say that you did wrong to cause the scarring.

What Can I Do? 

What most people choose to do is to scrub their backs with a soap that will dry out the skin, trying to rid the back of grease and sweat. This is not a good idea at all. Scrubbing will cause irritations in the skin and can open it up to infections and breakouts.

The best way to treat back acne is with antibacterial soap. It is best to do it in a warm shower, as that is when the pores will be open. Using a soft back brush and soft strokes, lather the soap over the back, carefully making sure not to cause irritation. After stepping out of the shower, it is best to let the back air dry, rather than rubbing it with a towel. Spread a cream that contains peroxide over the affected area. This can be purchased over the counter and if a stronger dose of peroxide is needed, your doctor can prescribe it for you.

Lastly, once a week, in the shower, it is good to exfoliate with a slat or sugar scrub. This will aid in the removal of dead skin cells, which is likely the cause of back acne. A proper exfoliation  ensures that all of the cells are removed from the body, rather than getting stuck inside and clogging the pores.

One of the best ways to cure a condition is to be aware of the causes of the condition and ensure that you are minimizing the potential causes to reduce the chances of it occurring.  In the case of acne, in some cases, by avoiding the causes, you can avoid an acne outbreak.  Here are some of the most common causes of acne:

Oil Glands

Deep below your skin there are oil glands (otherwise known as sebaceous glands) that produce oil to lubricate the hair follicle that they are connected to as well as the surrounding tissue.  Providing there is no problem with the skin pore that the hair is connected to, there is no problems, but that can change if the pore becomes clogged.

If the pore is clogged and your body starts to produce more oil than normal (which can happen during puberty and menstrual cycles) then the clogged pore can result in an acne outbreak.

Blocked Pores

There are many ways that skin pores can get blocked such as by dirt, oil and makeup.  These blocked pores combined with dead skin cells can turn into acne fairly easily.  Though in this case the result is whiteheads and blackheads, if bacteria gets into these blocked pores, you can certainly end up with a bigger problem.

Bacteria Infections

A clogged pore can become a larger problem when bacteria comes into play.  When the bacteria that lives on your skin gets trapped in a blocked pore, it can result in a more serious outbreak of acne including swelling and irritation.

Though acne can be caused by various means, it can also be reduced provided good skin care hygiene practices are in place.  By taking care of your skin properly, keeping it clean, and watching out for some of the common causes, you can reduce your chance of having an acne outbreak.