Written by Ahmad Naily, Marketing Executive
WHAT IS ACNE?
Acne is a skin condition that occurs when your hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells. It often causes whiteheads, blackheads or pimples, and usually appears on the face, forehead, chest, upper back and shoulders. Acne is most common among teenagers, though it affects people of all ages.
Effective treatments are available, but acne can be persistent. The pimples and bumps heal slowly, and when one begins to go away, others seem to crop up.
WHAT ARE SYMPTOMS OF ACNE?
The symptoms of acne are:
- Persistent, recurrent red spots or swelling on the skin, generally known as pimples; the swelling may become inflamed and fill with pus. They typically appear on the face, chest, shoulders, neck, or upper portion of the back.
- Dark spots with open pores at the centre (blackheads)
- Tiny white bumps under the skin that have no obvious opening (whiteheads)
- Red swellings or lumps (known as papules) that are visibly filled with pus
- Nodules or lumps under the skin that are inflamed, fluid-filled, and often tender; these nodules may become as large as an inch across.
WHAT CAUSE ACNE?
Acne occurs when the pores of your skin become blocked with oil, dead skin, or bacteria.
Each pore of your skin is the opening to a follicle. The follicle is made up of a hair and a sebaceous (oil) gland.
The oil gland releases sebum (oil), which travels up the hair, out of the pore, and onto your skin. The sebum keeps your skin lubricated and soft.
One or more problems in this lubrication process can cause acne. It can occur when:
- too much oil is produced by your follicles
- dead skin cells accumulate in your pores
- bacteria build up in your pores
These problems contribute to the development of pimples. A pimple appears when bacteria grows in a clogged pore and the oil is unable to escape.
4 STEP SKIN CARE ROUTINE FOR ACNE
Step 1: Cleanse Gently but Well
Using only your fingertips or a soft washcloth, thoroughly cleanse your face, including your jawline, neck, and 