• Acne: A Common Skin Disease in America

    February 26, 2008Comments (0)

    Do you know that acne is one of the most common skin diseases in America? In fact, it is a very common skin disease throughout the world. In the US alone, studies show that three out of four people suffer from acne, and the bad news is, acne has no cure. However, it can be treated and controlled. There are various ways to treat acne, and the length and type of treatment will depend on the severity of the acne.

    What Causes This Common Skin Disease?

    There are many factors that can contribute to the development of acne. They can be hereditary, hormonal, and environmental. Basically, acne occurs because of clogged pores that are infected by bacteria. The skin?s pores become congested with excess oil produced by the skin?s sebaceous glands, and this oil is called sebum. When too much sebum is produced, it clogs the pores and traps the dead skin cells. When bacteria from dust, dirt, and other outside factors touch our faces and come into contact with the clogged pores, the result is infection. This infection is what we call acne.

    Then, you may be wondering, what causes the bacteria and the excess oil? It?s easy to determine the occurrence of bacteria since it is common knowledge that they can be found on any dirty object that we get into contact with, or they are just floating in the air. In other words, bacteria are caused by environmental factors or the dirty things that surround us. The other question is, what causes excess oil and how do our sebaceous glands produce too much sebum? That?s when hereditary and hormonal factors come in. Our sebaceous glands may function improperly when hormonal imbalance occurs. Hormonal imbalance happens during puberty and the teenage phase when hormonal activities are more vigorous than normal. For some women, hormonal imbalance takes place when they are nearing their menstrual periods. Whatever causes hormonal imbalance may lead to over production of sebum, and this will result in the occurrence of acne.

    Struggling With Acne

    Probably most of us have suffered from acne, whether mild or severe. And we probably understand the emotional deal that comes with acne. People who have acne will lose their confidence and self-esteem, which is especially true for teenagers. In fact, most teens may not want to go out when they have acne showing on their faces. Acne can ruin one?s social life and cause embarrassment. Therefore, people with severe cases of acne will experience great emotional struggle.

    If you are among the three out of every four Americans suffering from acne, you will want to find an effective treatment for acne. Basically, there are creams and other skin products that will help you get rid of acne. However, if you suffer from a severe case of acne, then it would be best to leave the treatment to a skincare expert or a dermatologist. Meanwhile, you can check out other resources such as ?Acne ? How to Treat It?, ?Treating Your Acne?, and ?Acne Treatment? to get useful tips on how to treat acne.

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