More often than not, four main factors contribute to acne: genetics, hormonal activity, bacteria, and the inflammatory response. Inheritance is important as family members of people who suffer from moderate to severe acne scarring are usually placed in a higher risk category than others.

Microbes Can Be Found in Hair Follicles or Canals

Another triggering element of acne is the presence of microbes in the follicular canal. This should come as no shock due to the fact that the average adult possesses roughly 1.25 kg of microbes, which is ten times the amount of mammalian microbes present. Moreover, estimates have shown that humans host approximately 1500 different microbial taxa, which in totals more than 200 times as many genes as our DNA. However, because most of these organisms have not yet been grown in the laboratory we know very little about them.

These micro flora have an important role in our bodily functions as the provide as much as 10 percent of our energy requirements, in addition to defending us against exogenous pathogenic microbes, supplying a wealth of vitamins, and developing our natural defense system and mucosal surfaces. On the other hand, when our microbe count is out of kilter our body can experience a series of adverse reactions.

What Causes Acne? P. Acne Microbes

The microbes and bacteria present in the lining of the follicular canal are accompanied by a strand of anaerobic, gram positive organisms known as Proprionibacterium acnes. Also, it is interesting to note that these organisms are also found in abundance in pathologically afflicted sites and because of this they can be reduced with oral antimicrobial solutions. In a practical sense, this can be demonstrated by the fact that they are cannot be found in any forms of nonhuman skin, which as we know, do not contain acne vulgaris.

Our Hormones Influence the Outset of Acne

During our pubescent years our body undergoes a wealth of adjustments and changes. One such change is the synthesis of additional hormones, which consequentially stimulates the glands responsible for producing skin lubricating liquid called sebum. Sebum protects your hair from drying out, prevents exaggerated moisture loss from the skin surface, keeps the skin soft, and inhibits the growth of certain microbes.

Sebum glands are found inside hair follicles (400-800 glands per cm2 in the face, forehead and upper chest) and they come through the surface of your skin via unclogged skin pores. This is important because sebum is a vital component in every natural skin treatment. Exaggerated sebum proliferation can also occur in later stages of life and cause unsightly adult acne inflammations.

Our skin is composed of various tissues (epidermal, connective, nervous and muscular) and is amongst the largest organs of the body in terms of its total area (approximately 1.75 m2) and weight (almost 5 kg). Amongst its plethora of functions, its major role is to protect underlying tissues from microbes.