All About Acne Series: What is Acne and What Causes It?

Acne is an extremely common skin problem that 90% of the population will experience at some point in their life. With that said, it needs no introduction in its potentially devastating effect on self-esteem. Many people experience acne for the first time when they are teenagers, a time when people are starting to develop their adult self-esteem. However, acne often persist throughout adulthood either consistently or intermittently. In order to properly treat acne and its effects, it’s important to understand what causes it.  

Acne is simply the occlusion of hair follicles. This occlusion occurs in four stages:  

Stage 1: Oil occlusion  

During the teenage years, the human body ramps up its production of hormones such as testosterone (in both men and women). While these hormones help develop our bodies to be stronger and more adult, it also stimulates the glands in the skin that produce oil. These glands are located in the hair follicles (also known as pores) so this overproduction of oil plugs up the follicle.  

Stage 2: Dead skin cell occlusion  

The increase in oil production causes sticking of skin cells together, especially dead skin cells. With this happening, you now have a soup of oil and skin cells clogging your pores.  

Stage 3: Bacterial proliferation  

Stage 2 causes stage 3 which is bacterial proliferation. Where do these bacteria come from? It is actually normal for bacteria to live on the skin. For many individuals this cause no harm and people don’t even notice that they are there. However, for people with acne, this bacteria population can overgrow and cause the next stage.  

Stage 4: Inflammation 

If you have ever gotten a bug bite and notice the redness and swelling of the skin near the bug bite you know what inflammation is. It’s the body’s response to something it perceives might hurt it. In this case, it’s the bacteria. However, inflammation is often an overreaction and instead of getting rid of the bacteria, it often causes people pain and discomfort. Inflammation is the reason why acne pumps are often red and sore.  

Now that we understand the cause of acne, we will discuss treatment in the next blog.     

At Solangel Med Spa, we fuse science, technology, and skin care to deliver the best results so you can look and feel your best. With treatments targeting anti-aging, skin brightness (such as our vitamin C skin care products, vitamin C Micro-derm polish, and vitamin C serums), hyperpigmentation, acne and more, there is a treatment out there for whatever goals you have. From peels to lasers to micro needling, the options are endless. Give us a call today to talk with our highly trained and friendly staff to book your next appointment! Call soon as appointments are going fast!