What Causes Acne?

June is Acne Awareness Month!

Did you know?

Acne is most commonly an Inherited disorder of the pore and IS also Largely a Hormonal Condition.

“approximately 50-90% of acne was due to genetic variation in the affected individuals.” [News-Med]

If you have acne, you’re not alone; probably one or more of your family members have/had it, too. Those who experience acne have inherited the tendency for their skin to overproduce “keratinocytes” (aka dead skin cells) -about 5x more than necessary!

Some family members are predisposed to imbalances in hormones, especially androgens, leading to overactive sebaceous (oil) glands. The oil and dead skin cells congest the pores and to make things worse, acne bacteria will feed on the mix, inflammation joins the party, and all together they start growing into one of the many types of acne.

Learn about acne types:

[Thanks to Face Reality for providing the helpful images.]

Although genetics and hormones are the main causes of acne for most people, there are a few things to note:

Even if your family has acne, that doesn’t guarantee you’ll get it- you’re just more likely to.

Harmful products, as well as physical friction, can stimulate irritation and clog pores [worse so for those already prone to breakouts], too.

Other lifestyle factors can contribute to triggering acne. Certain foods, stressors, and habits can cause breakouts in anyone, and make it worse for those who already have acne.

The triggers of acne can vary in each individual. It’s important to learn about yourself to find out how you can stop breakouts in your own skin! Using the right products, following lifestyle coaching advice, and receiving professional treatments have helped so many of my clients.

Have Acne? Want to get Clear? Click Here: How Acne Boot Camp works to Clear Your Skin