What is Acne: Causes & how to treat it at home

Acne is not only the most common skin disease in the world, but also one of the common causes of low self-esteem, complexes and even depression in people of any gender, age and status. Thanks to popular culture with its ideals and standards of beauty, acne has long been considered a sign of underdogs and nerds, but, fortunately, times are changing. Today, dozens of superstars publicly share their stories of years of struggle with skin imperfections. Proving that acne is normal and a new pimple is not a reason to hide your face behind a ton of makeup or not leave the house at all.

Let’s talk about how to get rid of acne, when it is worth contacting a dermatologist with this problem, and what acne remedies will help in the difficult battle with comedones, inflammation and blackheads.

Causes of acne in teenagers and adults

Acne usually begins during puberty or adolescence, when the body increases the production of a hormone called androgen. This hormone stimulates the production of sebum, which mixes with dead skin cells and hair follicles. This accumulation of skin cells, sebum and hair, causes inflammation. Acne bacteria ( Cutibacterium ) live on everyone’s skin, usually without causing any problems. In people with acne, the accumulation of sebum creates an ideal environment for them to thrive.

Acne is most often localized on the face, forehead, chest, upper back and shoulders, because these areas of the skin have the most sebaceous glands. Facial acne in adults and adolescents tends to be different, with adults affecting the U-zone (cheeks, lower chin, and around the mouth), while adolescents affect the T-zone (forehead, nose, upper chin).

The main, but not the only, cause of acne is hormones, so this inflammatory skin condition most often occurs during puberty in adolescents.

Adult acne is most common in women during their hormonal changes due to menstruation, pregnancy, or breastfeeding.

Causes of acne exacerbation can be:

stress (when you feel scared or anxious, your adrenal glands release the stress hormone cortisol, which causes an imbalance in your skin)
medicines (containing corticosteroids, testosterone, or lithium);
foods with a high glycemic index ;

How to treat acne at home?

A modern range of cosmetic products allows you to fight mild forms of acne without leaving your own bathroom, without the help of cosmetologists and dermatologists. The main thing is to remember a few simple rules and choose products with ingredients that deeply cleanse, relieve inflammation and heal the skin.

cleansing

Choose cleansers with acids, they are effective in reducing cystic acne, removing excess sebum, exfoliating dead skin cells. A cleanser needs sufficient contact with the skin for the active ingredients to work. Let the product work on your skin, wait a few minutes and only then rinse with warm water. Be careful, do not injure, do not rub, and in any case do not scrub your face. This will only increase the inflammation.

Moisturizing

You must use a facial moisturizer regularly to maintain a healthy skin barrier. Use oil-free, non-comedogenic moisturizers that contain ceramides, niacinamide, or hyaluronic acid. These ingredients help reduce redness and inflammation, which is important because many acne-fighting active ingredients tend to dry out and irritate the skin.

Care

Look for products with ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide, alpha hydroxy acids, tea tree oil, and zinc. They have antibacterial properties that help kill acne causing bacteria. To heal the skin and relieve irritation, look for aloe and centella asiatica in the composition.

The best and easiest way to treat or remove the acne is to make a use of different cosmetic ingredients daily. These ingredients should work differently with each other. For example, choose a facial cleanser with salicylic acid, then apply a soothing toner or centella serum, moisturize the skin with a light but caring cream, and complement your skin care with a spot treatment of inflammation with a topical benzoyl peroxide.