Acne. If you’re a teenager,you can’t wait to get rid of it. If you’re an adult . you can believe it’s back. Fortunately, improverment in acne treatment over the last decade mean you don’t have to put upwith it anymore. The major determining factor in who gets acne is genes,according to Albert M,kligman,M.D.,Ph .D emeritus professor of dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania school of Medicine in Philadelphia.

In other words you may have inherited a skin characteristic that makes you more likely to develop acne. You have thousands of oil glands in the skin on your face ,chest ,and back that lubricate the skin by producing sebum,or oil,explains Alan D. Klein ,M.D., a member of the teaching staff at Ventura Country Medical Center in California and a spokesperson for the  American Academy of Dermatology .”You have as many as 2,000 oil gland per Square inch in the central part of your face,”he says. the oil from the gland flows through tiny ducts to the skin  surface.

Sometimes,these oil ducts become plugged with sebum, bacteria ,and dead skin cell that are shed from the lining of the duct. that’s acne .the condition often appears during adolescence because of changing hormone levels,which enlarge the oil gland and encourage them to produce more oil.Although the process is not well understood ,the increase in oil appears to fuel acne,perhaps by stimulating the production of “sticky”skin cell that,when shed tend to plug the duct . the situation usually settles down by the end of the teen years of during the early 20s

So why do adults develop  ance? there are a variaty of reasons,among them:

Hormones

“Premenstrual acne is real,” kligman says.Pregnancy,changes during the menstrual cycle,and birth control  pill can cause fluctuation in hormone levels and  subsequent fluctuation in acne in women.In some women,low-dose oral contraceptives improve acne; in other,they  make acne worse .Ifyou have acne along with menstual irregularities, you may want to see a physician to see if abnormal hormone levels are to blame.

Stress

Dermatologists agree that high levels of stress can affect hormone levels.

Cosmetics

Wearing  heavy ,oily makeup may clog pores and cause acne.

Occupational exposure

If you’re a mechanic or you’re stending over the deep-fat fryer at the local you’re  fast-food joint ,your face may be getting assaulted by oil,some of which may cause  acne.Numerous
chemicals in the workplace can also cause acne .

Certain medication

Some drugs such as Dilantin (which is used in the treatments of epilepsy),can cause acne ,Alan N. Moshell ,M.D., director of the skin Disease Program at the National Institute of Arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin Diseases. No matter whats causing your acne there are step you can take to help clear your skin.

Do no harm

In other works ,don’t pick ,press ,rub,or otherwise manipulate those pimples,warns kligman.” You risk speading the bacteria and increasing the chances for scarring ,”explains Klein. Vincent A.  eleo,M.D., assistant professor of dermatology at columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New york,Gets even more descriptive:the plug at the top of the pore is like a balloon. you can pop it, but below the surface,the sebum,bacteria,and skin cell may leak into the surrounding tissue,causing inflammation.

Use Benzoyl peroxide

A number of over-the-counter products contain this ingrediant,which helps break up the plug of dead skin cell ,bacteria,and oil in pores and cuts down on the bactiria as well .start with the lowest concentration and work your way up ,especially if you have sensitive skin,because the higher the concentration,the more irritating it may be,use it once or twice a day.If it dries the skin too much, kligman suggests applying a mild moisturizer.

Don’t exfoliate

that refers to removing the top layer of dead skin cell.some dermatologists recommend using a rough washcloth or specially designed product to do just that.

Screen out the sun

At one time ,sun exposure was believed to help acne,sey  klein. however,too much sun can lead to skin cancer and premature aging,making the risk outweigh the benefits. he suggest protection the skin a sunscreen that has  sun protection factor(SPF)of 15 or higher.

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