Acne-prone skin - what triggers it

LONDON - Sept. 22, 2021 - PRLog -- What is Acne-prone skin?

Acne Vulgaris is the most common skin disease in industrialised nations nowadays. It usually begins during puberty, in line with hormone changes, and may persist into later adulthood. Between 70% – 95% of adolescents1 are affected to some degree by acne-prone skin.

Acne-prone skin condition is skin that has a propensity to develop comedones and spots. It is often oily and often appears shiny. Shine skin appears because the sebaceous glands produce more sebum than in other skin types.

Acne typically appears on following areas of the body:  face, neck, shoulders, chest and back and ranges in serverity from light acne through moderate acne to severe acne.

Acne-prone Skin – Causes and Triggers

Read below the key factors that kin professionals know are likely to make some people more prone to acne than others:

Genetics
Genes determine our skin type and some of us have skin that is more reactive and prone to inflammation, blemishes and acne than others. If both your parents had acne there is a higher chance that you will develop the condition.

Hormones
Acne is caused by hormonal changes. Hormones are responsible for the development of the sebaceous glands and they also stimulate sebum production in those sebaceous glands.

Medication
Some medicines are know to aggravate acne.

Diet

Acne is strongly associated with eating a Western-style diet rich in calories, fat and refined carbohydrates. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22870349/)

Stress

Stress can trigger hormones which in turn stimulate sebum production and exacerbate acne.Stress can disrupt the body's metabolism: people may experience trouble sleeping, problems with digestion, may feel depressed and perhaps irritable and out of balance. Disruptions in the body's metabolism can effects skin conditions. Because of stress, the skin becomes itchy with a tendency towards redness and blemishes appear.

When our body is we're stressed, our bodies produce hormones (such as cortisol and androgens), neuropeptides and inflammatory cytokines (small proteins that trigger inflammation) which impact the behavior of the sebaceous glands and can aggravate acne.

Smoking
Research indicates that smoking exacerbates acne-prone skin by causing oxidative stress to the skin and altering sebum composition.

Skincare

While some ingredients might not lead to clogged pores, they can still cause acne. It's important to educate yourself about acne-causing ingredients and read labels carefully as companies do sometimes change their formulations. Harsh, soap-based cleansers and water that is too hot can disrupt skin's natural balance and trigger acne-prone skin.