What causes acne?

What causes acne?

An acne lesion (pimple) grows when bacteria, oils and dead skin fill up and inflame pores, the tiny openings in your skin through which oil and sweat rise to the surface. Some 40,000 cells fall off your skin every hour but, sometimes, those dead cells clog up a pore. Sometimes clogged pores are small and result in “whiteheads or blackheads.” Sometimes these pores become inflamed and lead to other types of acne.

If you have acne, you’re not alone! Acne is the most common skin condition in the world. About 80% of people between the ages of 11 and 30 will have it. Teenagers get acne thanks to their changing hormones. Adults have stress, the environment, menstrual cycles, oil-based products and birth control pills to blame, although hormones can still play a role.