What’s the Best Weapon in Fighting Acne?

What’s the largest organ of the human body? It’s the skin! The skin protects whatever is inside our bodies. If we did not have the skin covering us, we are not that pleasant to look at. You could say we are gory with muscles and tissues, bones and our vital organs dangling. I could imagine we would look like something from a horror movie!

Thanks to the skin, everything is held together tightly. And besides, without the skin, we would be too vulnerable to various infections. The skin is also responsible for keeping the body’s temperature at the right level. A very common skin problem is acne.

Acne breakouts are considered a natural part of growing up. Many preteens and teens experience their skin breaking out because of hormonal changes. When puberty hits, hormones start firing up and this imbalance lead to breakouts. But don’t make the mistake of assuming that just because you have outgrown your teen years, you’re already safe from having acne. Adult acne can still plague most women.

The Different Types of Acne

Acne actually has different types. You probably have seen different bumps on your face. Acne can be whiteheads, blackheads, and those bumps filled with pus called pustules. Many of us have experienced having to sport one or two types of acne while some of us are not too fortunate to have had all types of this skin problem.

So What Causes Acne

Our skin has tiny holes which we call hair follicles or pores. In these pores are our sebaceous glands. These glands produce the skin’s natural oil called sebum which is responsible for keeping our skin and our hair moisturized. Usually, the sebaceous glands produce just the right amount of sebum and if this is the case your pores are doing just fine. But when an overproduction of sebum happens and the pores are clogged with too much sebum, along with dead skin cells and bacteria, the dreadful acne happens. Whiteheads happen when your pores are clogged and they close and they bulge out from the skin. In the case of blackheads, this happens when your pores get clogged and they do not close. The top surface can eventually get a dark color which is why they are called blackheads. When the walls of your hair follicles are damaged, sebum, bacteria as well as dead skin cells get through under the skin which then causes the red bumps we call pimples. One can have a more serious problem called cystic acne if the pores that are clogged open up deep inside the skin.

Fighting Acne

When it comes to fighting acne, your best weapon is going to a dermatologist. They are the experts when it comes to the skin and solving skin issues. A dermatologist will closely examine the type of acne you have and your skin type to get to know the best acne treatment for your case. Plus you’ll also be given advice on how to properly care for your skin.