About Acne Vulgaris

Most teens have some experience with acne vulgaris. Acne vulgaris is just the more technical name for common acne. Despite how common acne vulgaris is, however, many teens have learned misinformation that prevents them from fully understanding why they have pimples and how they can treat them effectively. The internet rarely helps because it gives a voice to people who spread old wives’ tales. Learning about current acne research, however, will help you take control of your skin’s health.

What are the causes of acne vulgaris?

The simplest explanation comes down to skin oil, called sebum, and dead skin cells. When these two get together, they can form a seal over hair follicles and skin pores. This creates a little environment where bacteria can incubate and spread. The bacteria cause redness, irritation, inflammation, and often pus. The end results are pimples.

While sebum, dead skin cells, and bacteria are at the root cause of every pimple, there are some genetic, environmental, and behavioral factors that can encourage some people to experience bigger problems with acne vulgaris than others.

  • Genetic Factors

If your parents had problems with acne vulgaris, then you have a higher chance of developing pimples too.

  • Environmental Factors

Most teens experience acne vulgaris because puberty causes an increase in male hormones called androgens. This is true of both males and females. The hormone causes your skin to produce more oil, which creates an environment where pimples flourish.

Some women also experience an increase in pimples during periods and pregnancies. The body’s hormones change rapidly during these times, which often leads to a higher number of pimples. The good news is that environmental factors don’t last forever. Once the hormones return to normal levels, the pimples usually disappear.

  • Behavioral Factors

Eating a diet that’s high in refined sugars and carbohydrates can cause your skin to produce more sebum. Research has shown that chocolate and greasy foods don’t necessarily contribute to acne vulgaris as much as many people once thought. Your diet can, however, have a significant influence on your skin’s health.

Stress can also contribute to acne vulgaris. Many researchers believe that stress lowers the skin’s ability to heal itself, which means pimples can flourish for longer periods of time.

Are there effective treatments for acne vulgaris?

Teenagers with acne vulgaris can often treat the problem with medications sold over the counter in drug stores. Severe cases, however, might require treatment from a dermatologist.

When choosing acne vulgaris treatments at the store, you want to look for options that contain benzoyl peroxide. Benzoyl peroxide has proven itself as one of the most useful acne treatments because of its antibacterial, oxidizer, and cleansing properties. When you apply a cream or gel that contains benzoyl peroxide, the substance starts to break up the sebum and dead skin cells that cap your pores. This allows the medication to get into the skin and use its antibacterial properties to eliminate the bacteria. In addition, benxoyl peroxide acts as an oxider, which introduces more oxygen to your skin. This improves general skin health and makes it more difficult for bacteria to grow in your pores.

Important Considerations When Treating Acne Vulgaris

It is important for teens to recognize that acne vulgaris is not caused by dirt. It’s caused by oil, skin cells, and bacteria. Cleaning your face daily can help eliminate excess oils and skin cells, but you can overdo it. Some teens believe that they have pimples because their skin is dirty, but this isn’t true at all. In fact, cleaning your face too much can irritate acne vulgaris, creating more inflammation. It is best to wash with a mild soap and use benzoyl peroxide products to eliminate acne. Scrubbing hard with harsh cleansers will only make your acne worse.