Understanding Acne and the Bacterium That Causes It.
Acnes Vulgaris, as doctors name any outbreak of whiteheads, blackheads and pimples is caused by a convergence of changes that will occur while the body is maturing from childhood to young adulthood and very few people escape from it.
As hormones production rises, our skin adapts and during this process, the balancing out of the right amount of skin oils can cause some unwelcome side effects. Every now and then, some individuals will have to cope with more of these than others.
It would be an error to think that the acnes bacterium is the villain in the causing of acne. As a matter of fact, this very resistant microbe is a helper and is useful in maintaining ideal levels of sebum, the oil that the skin produces to remain supple and protected, at efficient levels.
One could state that our skins would not be maintained as well without the acnes bacterium, as it consumes the overproduction of skin oils. It is a symbiotic relationship.
However, when our skin pores become clogged with too much sebum, the bacteria can proliferate, which causes the infections that can lead to local red skin outbreaks and whiteheads. Although it has been established that 90% of acne outbreaks are caused by the acnes bacterium because of an overproduction of sebum, the real culprit is hormonal unbalance.
There are numerous things one can do to alleviate symptoms and limit the consequences when outbreaks announce themselves. Some are quite obvious, like keeping dirty hands away from skin surfaces or changing the pillow case more often.
Contrary to popular belief, changing ones’ diet will not bring about a radical change in hormone production levels, it is an illusion that diets will make acne go away.
So what will? That is a question that goes beyond the scope of this article, but you could have a look at our product review page if you are considering doing something about acne because you suffer from it.
