Why Do I Have Spots?
Acne. We’ve all heard of it, and most of us have suffered with it at some point in our lives, but what exactly is it?
Why is it so difficult to get rid of? And what’s the best way to treat it?
Acne is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition that causes spots and pimples. It’s most common on the face, back and sometimes the upper arms too.
It affects 75% of 11 – 30 year olds. That’s an enormous number of people!
Which is why I’m still amazed at some of the myths, unproven treatments and remedies, and general mis-understanding surrounding this skin condition.
First of all let’s go into exactly what causes acne.
We have loads of small pores all over our skin. These pores are connected to follicles that produce oil. This oil (or technical term, Sebum) keeps our skin hydrated and supple, it offers protection and helps keep the skin remain youthful too.
But when this oil, or sebum, gets stuck underneath the skin… A dreaded pimple appears!
We all have bacteria on our skin, so inflammation and swelling can follow if the dead skin cell and sebum mix gets infected, resulting in an unsightly and sometimes painful end result.
So why does this happen in puberty?
Well the increase in levels of the hormone Androgen, cause the oil glands under the skin to grow. These then produce more sebum, which means more chance of it getting stuck underneath the skin.
But to make matters worse, excessive sebum can break down cellular walls in our pores meaning bacteria will grow more readily.
It’s a perfect storm.
One that can cause real embarrassment, anxiety and a devastating effect on our confidence and mental well-being.
Look out for my emails throughout this month (June is acne awareness month, which I am jumping on board with!) as I am going to be busting some acne myths and getting into the detail of how to best treat this skin condition.
In the meantime, some quick tips are drink plenty of water, treat your skin kindly, drink some water, avoid products that are too harsh, and have another glass of water.
