Acne- Causes And Effects!

Just hearing the word "Acne" automatically has you associating it as a teenagers condition. So often it is surrounded by myth and misconception and numerous 'old-wives tales' about the best ways to cure it. Unfortunately this does very little to genuinely help the teenager that's afraid to come out of the dark corner due to their embarrassment of their appearance. The cause of acne has long been debated with little resolution as to the actual cause of it. It still baffles and mystifies even the most senior specialists. What is known however is that acne originates from the sebaceous glands beneath the skin. What happens is that these sebaceous glands release an oil that turns into a firm white substance known as sebum. This then permeates up through the entrance of a hair follicle and bursts out through the surface of the skin to appear as a pimple. The exact type of acne one may suffer from may be classified into either a non-inflammatory or an inflammatory form of acne. Non-inflammatory acne is the least severe of the two and is seen by the occasional breakout of a pimple, blackhead or whitehead. This is the form of acne that nearly everyone will experience at some point in time. The more severe form of acne is inflammatory acne and is usually characterized by excessive pimples and zits and pocks on the face as well as other areas such as the back, neck and groin. One thing that we must never forget about acne is it's psychological effect! Being a teenager isn't easy in fact it can be quite a difficult period at the best of times just trying to identify where you fit in the world. Add an acne problem and it just gets even tougher. Pimple or zits on a teenagers face can severely dent their already fragile self esteem and lead to poor confidence, shyness and even seclusion. As we continue to strive to find the cause and cure for acne, we must never loose sight or overlook the effects it can have on our young.