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.
|