Acne is caused when tiny holes in the skin, known as hair follicles, become blocked. Sebaceous glands are tiny glands found near the surface of your skin that are attached to hair follicles, which are small holes in your skin that an individual hair grows out of. The glands lubricate the skin to stop it drying out. They do this by producing an oily substance called sebum. In acne, the glands begin to produce too much sebum. The excess sebum mixes with dead skin cells and both substances form a plug in the follicle. Normally harmless bacteria that live on the skin can then contaminate and infect the plugged follicles, causing papules, pustules, nodules or cysts.

The main reasons of having acne are varied: it can be hormonal, genetic, it can be triggered by smoking or even by spending too much time in the sun. It can be also caused by not choosing the right kind of make up or skin products and can also be stress related. There are several ways to treat acne and it’s definitely worth visiting a doctor to ask for advice. There is a number of ways they can help like subscribe antibiotics, chemical peels or a hormonal treatment, just to mention a few.

However there are plenty of things you can do in your everyday life to help to prevent acne or to make it better like cleansing your face twice a day, pay attention to the cosmetics you use trying to get water based ones that won’t block the pores, eating healthily, exercising regularly and drinking plenty of water. One last note, it’s never advised to pick at acne as it spreads the bacteria causing more to surface. Instead visit an experienced beautician who can thoroughly cleanse your skin with the right products and techniques.