Are you tired of having a constant battle with your skin? Do you want to understand why acne appears? And how to get rid of it? Then keep reading to learn all about the causes of acne. Once we understand what is causing our acne and why they appear, we can work on eliminating those causes and preventing acne from happening again.
Firstly, there are a few different types of acne, and they can all have various causes. And we should treat every kind in its specific way. There are many different causes of acne, but some can include blocked hair follicles, hormones or bacteria.
Where does acne appear?
Usually, acne appears in the areas of the body where there are a lot of sebaceous (oil) glands. Those areas are:
- face
- forehead
- upper back
- chest
- shoulders
That being said, acne can also appear on other parts of the body, such as the thighs, buttocks, or even the tummy. When acne appears in those areas, it is usually a sign of too-tight clothing or if you are wearing synthetic clothes and sweating a lot.
Causes of acne
There are many possible causes of acne. And, of course, it isn’t possible to list them all. But let’s look at the most common ones and what we can do to combat those causes and prevent acne from happening in the first place.
The most common three causes of acne are:
- blocked pores
- hormonal imbalance
- bacterial overgrowth
Causes of acne: Blocked pores
We all know what pores are, as they are often spoken about in negative terms. But even though their size can be annoying, they have an essential role. Pores are tiny openings in our skin that surround our hair follicles and sweat glands, allowing the oils to pass through our skin and moisturize it.
The problem arises when those pores become blocked. That can happen due to two reasons:
- our sebaceous (oil) glands produce too much sebum – this can happen due to hormonal imbalances, nutrient deficiencies or dehydrated skin trying to compensate by producing more oil
- excess of dead skin cells – this can happen when we don’t exfoliate our skin enough to help get rid of some dead skin cells
How to combat blocked pores
Unfortunately, we can’t do too much if the excess oil production is caused by hormonal imbalance. But in other cases, we can do some things to help prevent our pores from getting blocked. Those include:
- hydrating our skin enough to prevent dehydration – don’t be afraid of serums and oils, even if your skin is oily. Use humectants such as hyaluronic acid, glycerin, or even aloe vera.
- ensure you have a good, balanced diet to give your body all the nutrients it needs
- exfoliate regularly – you can do this by using exfoliating acids in your skincare routine or enzyme exfoliators. You can use exfoliating acids, such as AHA’s or BHA’s few times a week and an enzyme exfoliator once a week. I use both.
Causes of acne: Hormones
Hormones are something that we all have. And sometimes, they can be imbalanced due to many reasons. But, most often, it happens in puberty when our bodies are going through massive changes and trying to re-adjust and become an adult bodies.
The hormone that is mostly linked to the appearance of acne is the male hormone testosterone (androgen hormone). Both men and women have some amounts of it (men more than women), and sometimes those androgen hormones can overstimulate sebaceous glands, which then leads to blocking the pores and causing acne.
Those testosterone hormones usually balance out once puberty is over, and that’s why most boys won’t have acne after their teenage years.
Unfortunately, we ladies aren’t as lucky. We still have hormonal fluctuations at different times in life, such as during PMS, pregnancy and menopause. PMS acne can be particularly annoying, as it happens monthly.
How to combat hormonal acne
As I said, hormonal changes are something we all go through at some point in our lives. And, even though it might seem it will never pass, trust me – it will. The only advice I can give to help combat that hormonal acne is to give your body the best possible care you can. That includes eating a good variety of foods, having a good night’s sleep and giving your body the movement and exercise it needs.
But, if you are taking good care of your body, and your hormones still seem to be out of whack – think very heavy, irregular periods, awful cystic acne, fatigue, depression or anxiety, weight gain or weight loss – you should see your doctor. There is so much you can do on your own.
Causes of acne: Bacteria
We all have countless types of bacteria everywhere around our bodies, both inside and outside. Most of that bacteria are beneficial to us and help us stay healthy, but there is also a certain amount of harmful bacteria.
An overgrowth of bad bacteria in the follicles can lead to inflammation and acne. The severity and frequency of acne usually depend on the strain of bacteria.
An overgrowth of bad bacteria can happen if we damage the delicate skin barrier that keeps our skin safe and healthy. We can damage it by using products that are too harsh for our skin, such as products with a lot of alcohol denat, or AHAs or BHAs that are too strong for our skin. Also, if we over-exfoliate or expose our skin to too much sun can cause damage to our skin barrier.
How to combat bacterial owergrowth on our skin
Now that we know what can cause bacterial overgrowth, we should know how to prevent it. The best and easiest way is to keep our skin barrier happy and healthy. We can do so by using products suitable for our skin and protecting and nourishing our skin. That means hydrating it enough and doing just the right amount of exfoliation.
And if you do somehow damage your skin’s barrier, here is a post on how to repair it.
If your acne is caused by an overgrowth of bad bacteria, your doctor might prescribe an oral or topical antibiotic. Antibiotics will kill off all the bacteria – good and bad. So you will have to work on repairing and replenishing the good bacteria back into your gut or onto your skin. You can do so by taking probiotics or taking good care of your skin’s barrier.
Other possible causes of acne
Those three are not the only reasons we can get acne. Some other indirect factors that can trigger acne might be:
- stress levels
- skincare
- hair and make-up products
- diet
- smoking
- some medications
Luckily, there are many ways in which we can adjust our lifestyles to prevent the appearance of acne. Everything is much easier if we know what is triggering our acne. No matter what the causes of acne are, just know that they can all be treated, and you will have clear skin eventually.
Causes of my acne in the past
As I said in some of my previous posts, I have been fighting acne for a few years, and I learned a thing or two about my body and acne. My acne began appearing in puberty, so there is nothing new there. It is very common and not something I was worried about too much, as I knew it would pass. And now, looking back at the pictures, my acne was not that bad at all.
After that, when my acne was following me in my twenties, I knew there was something wrong, and I started experimenting with my skincare in hopes of getting rid of the acne. Some products were helpful, some weren’t, but it still wasn’t terrible.
And then, the worst years of my acne came. I bought a meal plan and a workout plan with the hopes to achieve the best shape of my life. And I did accomplish it. But at what cost? The meal plan – even though it gave me fantastic macronutrients for my goals, was also full of dairy and chicken, something I didn’t realise until after I stopped following it.
All that dairy (and maybe chicken, too – there was a lot of chicken) must’ve messed up my hormones because the acne got so bad that I couldn’t lay on my sides.
Anyway, once the meal plan was out of the picture, my acne began disappearing, and all I was left with were acne scars.
And now we are all caught up.
My skin today
These days I only get acne if I eat some junk food or a lot of sweets (hello, PMS). My skincare is so on point that I know it’s not some product that will cause a pimple (unless it’s a brand-new product I am testing), and I pay attention to the food I eat and can see if I get a pimple next day (hello Pot Noodles).
So, I know that some doctors say that there is no connection between your diet and your acne, but that’s not the case in my situation. There most definitely is the connection, and I know my body well enough to connect the dots.
Conclusion
There are many possible causes of acne, but the most common ones are blocked pores, hormonal changes and bacterial overgrowth. Some of the causes of acne are easier to combat than others, but they are all treatable.
The best thing you can do for your skin is to treat it gently and appropriately. That means using gentle yet effective products that will get rid of excess dead skin cells and products that will hydrate and moisturise your skin.
And, alongside products you put on your skin, it’s important to be mindful of how you treat your body from the inside. Give your body what it needs in the food you eat, drink enough water, and give yourself enough sleep. Even if those things don’t get rid of your acne, they will help you feel better.
If you want to learn more about me you can do so here.
