Acne is caused by a number of different factors.

Common Causes of acne include:

Heavy or oily makeup

Skin pores are blocked by heavy makeup and oily makeup only exacerbates the problem by adding more oil to the skin. Some cosmetics including foundation and moisturizers contain vegetable oils, lanolin, lauryl alcohol, petrolatum, oleic acid and butyl stearate, which increase oil on the skin.

Diet

For certain individuals, diets that are high in sugars and refined carbohydrates such as white rice, white bread, pasta and noodles made from white flour, worsens their acne.

Squeezing and Picking

Picking and squeezing zits is not good for your skin. It can actually push the infection deeper into the skin aggravating the acne or even causing scarring.

Anxiety and Stress

Tension can lead to the production of hormones like cortisol which can exacerbate acne. Changes in hormonal levels in the body can cause oil glands in the skin to produce more oil. This can result in pimples, black heads and white heads.

Medications

Taking mineral and vitamin supplements is good for your body. However vitamins B1, B6 and B12, if taken excessively can cause acne flare-ups.

Genetics

Acne can also be inherited. Some forms of severe acne such as cystic acne are normally inherited.

Environment

High humidity and pollution are environmental irritants that can cause or exacerbate acne.

Abrasive cleaning

When cleaning your skin care should be taken not to use abrasive products. Harsh exfoliators can not only damage your skin but also spread the infection worsening your acne.

Hormones

Hormones are probably the biggest cause of acne, in particular androgens. This is a sex hormone whose production begins at puberty. This is the reason why most acne sufferers are teenagers. Hormones produced during pregnancy and menstruation can also lead to recurrent acne.

Androgens stimulate the sebaceous glands causing more sebum to be produced. The sebum then mixes with dead skin and bacteria and moves up the hair follicle towards the surface. While this is a normal process the extra sebum produced increases the chances of clogging occurring and thus acne.

The best way to treat or prevent acne is by ensuring your skin pores are unblocked and remain clear on a daily basis.

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