Acne is an extremely common skin disorder. Almost 9 out of every 10 Americans aged between 12 and 25 will succumb to acne at some stage, while more than 1 in 10 Americans aged between 25 and 44 still have persistent acne.
Although often treated as a trivial matter that everyone experiences, it is important to note that if ignored, the acne sites can become infected, possibly creating scars or pockmarks which may become permanent - particularly on the face or back. If you do get acne - and the figures above indicate that you most probably will - you do not want it to become an ongoing problem or to lead to disfiguring scars.
Acne is actually a disease of the skin called seborrhoea or seborrhoic dermatitis. Pimples occur when the sebaceous glands in your skin, became contaminated with toxic, oily matter consisting of a combination of dirt, dead skin cells, excess sebum oil, acidic wastes, bacteria and other toxic materials.
Normally the sebaceous glands release oil through your pores onto the skin surface where it functions to keep your skin moist and lubricated and protects it from the environment. If these pores become plugged, this means that the toxic oil mixture can not be removed from your skin, resulting in swellings or pimples that increase in size as more of the toxic oil is produced. Sometimes the pressure inside the pore builds up to such an amount that the walls burst under the skin and the oil is discharged. If infected, the pimple will also attract white blood cells which arrive to kill off the bacteria. If these white blood cells also digest collagen from around the rough edges of the burst pores then this can result in permanent scarring.
To avoid acne scars then, the best tip is to keep the skin clean and non-oily to reduce the risk of blocked pores in the first place. If you do get pimples - and you will - keep them clean and dry. Do not give them a chance to become infected. Refrain from touching any areas of acne on your face or back (or elsewhere). It is unfortunately often an instinctive reaction to unconsciously touch uncomfortable pimples - so ensure that your fingers are kept as clean and germ-free as possible. Whatever you do - do not squeeze the pimples or blackheads as this just provides an opening that is extremely easy for surrounding bacteria to enter the wound. Further infection, increased swelling and greater chances of scarring will result. Even if you do not squeeze them, the pressure may build up in pimples to the extent that they ever burst of their own accord - but this causes less damage to surrounding tissues and is less likely to force the infection deeper into the skin.
There are many unproven theories as to why acne occurs in the first place. Acne is a complex condition - even though it shows up as eruptions on the skin it can indicate problems elsewhere deep within the body. Acne may be caused by toxicity within the colon, poor food digestion, liver problems or other conditions that result in excessive levels of toxins in the blood. Sometimes these toxins need to be excreted through the skin via the sebaceous glands. Hormonal changes associated with puberty can also cause an imbalance in oil production in the sebaceous glands - to a much greater extent in some individuals than in others.
Unfortunately you have little control over this - so concentrate on the factors that you do have some control over. Many studies have shown that good skin hygiene, a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables and the drinking of lots of pure water will reduce the chances of suffering severe acne attacks. Avoiding stress and getting adequate amounts of exercise and sleep can also be beneficial.
Some of the acne treatments - skin creams, astringents and other preparations - can be extremely effective for some people in reducing the incidence and severity of acne. It is a matter of trial and error to see which combinations suit your skin type and circumstances the best.
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