Acne is a skin condition that present typically as a combination of blackheads, whiteheads and spots or cyst, usually on the face however it can affect other areas such as the back and chest. We know that is can cause great distress and have a dramatic impact on individuals slef esteem.
Although we often think of acne as a teenage issue, it can impact people at any time during their lives.
There are four main things that interact to cause acne:
Excess sebum production by sebaceous glands. These are tiny oil-producing glands that sit alongside our hair follicles.
A build up of dead skin cells inside the follicle. These cells then mix with the sebum forming a blockage that obstructs the opening of the pore (hair follicle). If the blockage is near the surface of the skin, exposure to the air causes it to turn black, usually know as a “blackheads”.
Cutibacterium acnes. This bacteria lives on the skin and thrives in an airless, oily environment like those found within hair follicles. It turns the sebum into fatty acids, deactivating enzymes that usually help to limit inflammation.
Release of inflammatory mediators. Once the the enzymes have been deactivated, chemicals are produced be skin cells, leading to the type of inflammation that causes acne.
