Acne can be both a pain and a problem to anyone who has experienced it at some point in his/her past or is still doing so in his/her current day to day life. For many, acne will come and go, but for others, adolescence doesn’t rid them from the problem as it does for others. In turn, acne is defined as “the occurrence of inflamed or infected sebaceous glands in the skin, in particular, a condition characterized by red pimples on the face, prevalent chiefly among teenagers.” 

Consequently, this can cause a number of individuals to feel self-conscious when seen by the outside world and enable an increased amount of damage to be done to their self-esteem and/or character. Yet, even so, some fail to understand the cause – and/or causes – of their acne, but some are listed as follows; “excess oil production, hair follicles clogged by oil and dead skin cells, bacteria, excess activity of a type of hormone (androgens).” With that being said, these causes are four of the main overall factors that have a direct connection to the development of acne. 

First and foremost is excess oil production. A misconception that many live by is that oily skin is bad, but the fact of the matter is that oil is good for your skin. Sebum is “the waxy, oily substance that protects and hydrates the skin.” Without this substance, the skin wouldn’t be protected in the way that it should be, but for some their glands can produce an excess amount of oil, which is one of the ways that acne begins to take place, as pores become more and more clogged. Then there are things like bacteria that can cause the skin to become aggravated – or irritated – resulting in a breakout, among other factors such as clogged hair follicles, dead skin cells, and overactive hormones. 

In conclusion, it’s important that all of these factors be taken into consideration so that one can better determine the reason why he/she has just recently begun to develop acne or is dealing with acne that is reoccurring, stubborn, and/or refuses to go away. Although most acne can be prevented from right in the comforts of one’s own home – when recognizing these factors – others may need the assistance of someone with a broadened knowledge in regard to the issue like a dermatologist, doctor, and/or other medical experts.