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Disease & Conditions

Acne

Adult Acne Facts And Fiction

Acne:

Adult Acne is far from a rare ailment. Many of us struggle with this harmless, yet irritating skin condition. Fallacies about adult acne are abundant, as well. Hopefully this article will help you decipher the fact from the fiction.

Fiction: Adult Acne is caused is caused by improper hygiene.

While it is true that acne is caused by blocked pores, better hygiene cannot prevent acne. A person could scrub for 24 hours per day and still not unblock or prevent the blocking of pores, because the blockage is well below the surface of the skin.

Fact: Acne is caused from oil secreted by the skin.

Yes, it is true that one of the major components of adult acne is oil secreted by sebaceous glands, which are found in the skin of all mammals.

Fact: Acne is caused by blocked pores.

Yes, dead skin cells and excessive oil secretions combine to block the pores in the skin. These blocked pores then begin to grow bacteria. The body can then have an allergic reaction to these bacteria. All these factors combine to cause an inflammatory response by your body, which is what we call acne.

Fiction: Acne is caused by certain foods that you eat.

While acne is caused by excessive oil secretions, changing your diet to exclude foods high in oil is not likely to help. These oil secretions are not diet related, but hormonally controlled, responding to hormone levels rather than food intake.

Fact: Adult Acne is related to hormones.

The causes of adult acne are largely controlled by hormones, so acne is often triggered by hormonal changes, such as puberty. Hormonal changes and imbalances can cause the excessive oil secretions, of of the main problems related to acne.

Fiction: Acne is caused by cigarette smoking.

Of course, we all know that smoking is associated with dangerous and life-threatening risks and that smokers would do well to terminate the habit sooner rather than later. However, the notion that smoking causes acne is simply not true. It is true, however, that there are chemicals in tobacco smoke that are absorbed through the act of smoking and subsequently cause damage to the connective tissue beneath
the skin. The end result? Wrinkles. And wrinkles certainly do not radiate the impression of having fresh, healthy, youthful-looking skin, regardless of the presence of acne or not.

Fact: Adult Acne may be caused by medications.

There is evidence to show that Acne can be caused or triggered by certain pharmaceuticals or chemicals, including any medication that contains halogens, Anabolic steroids, and exposure to high amounts of chlorine compounds.

Fiction: Inexpensive or "home" remedies just don't work.

There are a few home remedies that you may discover work as well as some of the over-the-counter preparations you can buy at your local drug store. Many of the over-the-counter acne medications contain benzoyl peroxide, which is a drying agent. While this works fine for some people, others may find that benzoyl peroxide can irritate the skin.

If that applies to you, here's an inexpensive solution: buy a bottle of Witch Hazel at the drug store. It, too, helps to dry those overactive oil-producing glands, but is milder and much less likely to cause irritation for people with sensitive skin.

Being able to sift through much of the erroneous information that circulates in the guise of "truth" can definitely help you to understand what you can do to avoid adult acne breakouts or, when avoiding them is impossible, the best approach to take regarding acne skin care treatment.

Greg Roy is the father of 3 teenagers. To find out more about adult acne, please visit adult-acnetreatment.com.