What Causes
Pimples
Pimples can be absolutely miserable to experience. Sometimes
all it takes is one to make you feel self-conscious and
unhappy; most often, you will end up with several pimples at a
time, making things even more difficult and unpleasant. All you
can think about is finding a way to get rid of the pimples and
go back to having clean, clear, smooth skin.
Before you can get rid of pimples, though, you need to
clearly understand what causes pimples in the first place.
Learn what causes pimples?
First, let’s take a look at how your skin normally works.
The surface of your skin has millions of small, hard to see
openings called pores. Some pores also have very small hairs
growing up through them and onto the surface. If you were to
start at the skin’s surface and slide down the pore into the
deeper layers of skin, you would find several tiny glands that
produce natural oils. These glands are called sebaceous glands,
and the oil they produce is known as sebum.
Sebum is produced by your body as a natural moisturizer for
your skin. It also helps to keep the pore clean by carrying
bacteria and debris (like dirt and dead skin cells) up onto the
skin’s surface where it can be removed. This is your body’s
natural way of getting rid of bad things and keeping your skin
moist, supple, and healthy.
When puberty hits, though, your body starts producing lots
of different chemicals including hormones. Because it is rather
new at this process, it takes a while to get things all working
in balance; during this time your hormone levels will rise and
fall a great deal, sort of like a roller coaster. It is these
extreme fluctuations that throw your skin’s normal activity out
of balance and create problems with acne and pimples.
The extra hormones and fluctuations in your body cause the
sebaceous glands to start producing lots and lots of sebum,
much more than is normal. The hormonal changes also interrupt
how your pores shed and get rid of dead skin cells. All of this
extra sebum combined with a lot of stuck dead skin cells leads
to a clogged pore where bacteria can cause this mixture to
become infected and inflamed. This is what we know as a
pimple.
You can’t do much about the natural hormonal changes
occurring in your body, but there are some things you can do to
help reduce the number of pimples you get:
1. Keep your skin clean – It helps to keep your skin clean
by using a mild cleanser each morning and evening. Choose one
that is made for the face, and never scrub your skin harshly;
the irritation this causes can also cause more pimples to
form.
2. Use medication – Anti-acne medications can help reduce the
amount of sebum produced and also help your skin do a better
job of getting rid of dead skin cells. Two of the best
medications (available over the counter) are benzoyl peroxide
and salicylic acid.
3. Keep your skin moist – Dry skin leads to more pimples, so
use a very light moisturizer on your face. Choose one that is
oil-free to get the best results.
Once you understand what causes pimples it is much easier to
understand the best way to treat and prevent them in the first
place. Now that you have found the right information to help
you, it won’t be long until your skin starts looking clean,
clear, and pimple free!
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