| Acne General Information Acne is caused by overactivity of the sebaceous glands that secrete oily substances on to your skin. The surface of your skin has lots of small sebaceous glands just below the surface. These glands make sebum (a natural oil) that keeps the skin smooth and supple. Tiny pores (holes in the skin) allow the sebum to come to the surface of your skin. Hairs also grow through these pores. The sebaceous glands of people with acne are especially sensitive to normal blood levels of a hormone called testosterone, found naturally in both men and women. What Causes Acne? For most people with acne, it begins at puberty. This is when the body starts to produce hormones called androgens. Androgens cause the enlargement and overstimulation of the sebaceous glands in people with acne. Sensitivity to these androgens also cause acne to appear during the menstrual cycle and sometimes in pregnancy. The extra sebum (oil) that the sebaceous glands produce mixes with dead skin cells and bacteria on the skin's surface and this blocks pores. Inside the blocked pore, bacteria multiply and cause inflammation leading to the spots and pustules associated with acne. |
