Bacteria - How Acne Develops

Many people think they know what causes acne, the inflammation of skin pores that results in problems such as blackheads, whiteheads or pimples, primarily in teenagers. There are a lot of misconceptions about acne though. Officially common acne is known as acne vulgaris. And in explaining it, the answer becomes bit complicated.

Acne is an inflamed disease of the skin, and it has many causes, one of which is bacteria in the pores of the skin. The body in many ways becomes allergic to this type of bacteria. This attracts while blood cells to fight the allergy, and the pores become blocked. Oil secretions will build up and provide a breeding ground for even more bacteria. Then pimples will form. These red bumps resemble small boils, which fill with a nasty puss caused by the body fighting the infection of the bacteria.

There is probably no perfect cure for acne other than outgrowing it but there are a number nothing that can be done to lessen the physical effects.

First, remember that for many years, people thought that acne was caused by poor hygiene and by eating certain foods. Fried foods and chocolate were especially blamed for acne, probably because teenagers eat fried foods and chocolate commonly, but that may have been blaming the messenger for the message. There is no scientific evidence linking diet to acne.

Also, while personal hygiene is important and a good thing, over washing can damage skin and actually make acne worse. But good hygiene and a good diet can't hurt, and they might just help a little. Also using makeup that doesn't clog pores but can at least assist the body in not making acne worse.

Treatments that kill the bacteria that cause acne included the use of antibiotics like tetracycline, doxycycline and minocyclne, which are taken orally. Also topical antibiotics or bactericides like Benzoyl peroxide or erythromycin can help. The bacteria also known as "P. acnes", does however become resistant to the antibiotics eventually. However Benzoyl peroxide, an oxidizer, does not seem to generate resistance by the bacteria. While the acne will come back, it is a short term and temporary cure and is applied topically.

Exfoliating the skin can also help. This method can be done by using a cloth or a liquid scrub, or by using certain chemicals. Chemical exfoliating substances include salicylic acid and glycolic acid. Both of these agents cause a peeling of the top layer of skin, which prevents a build up of dead skin which blocks pores when combined with oil.