Acne Center – Acne Vulgaris

Acne Center – Acne Vulgaris




What is acne?
Over eighty percent of Americans between the ages of twelve and twenty-four suffer from acne. Although both genders are affected, many more men than women suffer from the disorder.



Detailed Information

  • Acne occurs when oil becomes trapped in the hair follicles or sebaceous glands. These glands can be found on the face, shoulders, chest
    and back and become inflamed as the trapped oils allow bacteria to multiply
    and infect the skin.
  • Whiteheads appear when, below the surface, the hair shafts fill with
    sebum (oily agent that lubricates the skin). These whiteheads can build
    up over an area and then cause a break out.
  • Blackheads develop when a skin pigment mixes with sebum and plugs up
    the skin pores, appearing as a “black” spot on the skin.
  • Teenagers are most likely to have acne, because high levels of
    testosterone and androgen hormones are present (in girls, it is just
    androgen) and stimulate keratin and sebum production.






References and Sources: Medline, Pubmed, National Institutes of Health.





last update: December 2008


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