During the early years of growing up, acne affects nearly everybody. Some people get off lightly, for others it becomes a big problem. What causes acne, and how can it be controlled? In this guide, we have a close look at acne, what the causes are and how to treat it.

The causes behind acne

Acne happens when pores become clogged with oil called sebum. Normally, Sebum lubricates skin and hair to optimal levels of that they stay soft and smooth but not greasy or oily, as long as proper hygiene is followed. However, during puberty, hormones surge and can cause the skin to produce more Sebum than it needs, which can cause acne. Most of the time, acne occurs on the chin, nose and forehead, also known as the “T zone,” because this is where the most oil-producing glands are. This is where acne usually strikes first and the hardest.

When pores become clogged, they become inflamed, which can cause pimples. Most often, you see “whiteheads” appear in these areas, which is an inflamed area surrounding a small white “capsule.” The top of the capsule may also grow dark and form what’s called a “blackhead.” Much to people’s surprise, whiteheads only become pimples once bacteria enters and infects the whitehead.

Essential Tips for Acne Care

Giving your face a good scrub a few times a day will not stop acne. In fact, because acne is usually caused by overproduction of Sebum, over-cleansing areas by scrubbing too hard can actually make the problem worse, because you’ll stimulate more oil production. As the skin is already suffering from Sebum over-production, increasing this will only make things worse.

What you can do to control acne

Washing your face gently twice a day with specialized acne soap will remove cleanse the pores without increasing Sebum levels. DON’T SCRUB. Applying the soap and lightly lathering in circular motions on the affected skin is the ideal way to treat acne.

The next step is to find and apply a skin lotion that contains benzoyl peroxide, which will remove bacteria and reduce oil production. Many of these lotions also contain moisturizer, which is good for your face, because having a mild anti-acne lotion that nonetheless moisturizes will help keep acne at bay.

A list of things for acne sufferers to avoid.

Do not use just any moisturizer, only use moisturizers that are specifically designed to treat and combat acne.

Other creams will only server to make your acne worse. DO use moisturizers specifically made for oily skin and/or those that contain benzoyl peroxide.

Don’t pop pimples.

I know its difficult sometimes, but when you realize it causes infection to spread and even scarring, you may find it a lot easier to resist the urge.

Do not touch your face, if you have to, ensure that you have washed your hands first.

Common sense should rein here as you will have to touch your face during the washing process, but resist the urge during the day when your hands are dirty. You can transfer bacteria or other people’s sebum to your face, which can make breakouts worse.

Don’t wear tight clothing, and keep glasses and sunglasses clean.

Constrictive and form fitting clothing, including scarves and headbands, does not let your skin breathe, encourages sweating and will only serve to spread acne. People who wear glasses or sunglasses should keep them clean as often as possible to avoid spreading germs around the bridge of your nose. Not doing this will cause re-infections with bacteria from previous usage.

If you must wear makeup, take it off before you go to sleep.

Make sure your makeup is labeled as being water-based. This will indicate that it is “noncomedogenic” or “nonacnegenic on the label.

Wear your hair back off your face.

If your hair is always in your face and touching it, this can make acne worse.

If you have tried these techniques and are still being plagued by acne, you should book a consultation with a dermatologist. He or she will have treatments and other options available for you if you can’t seem to keep it under control with normal methods. For most, though, acne can be controlled with a few simple steps such as those described above.

To find out more, visit a page on solutions for acne.