By: Marilyn Thompson


Excessive secretions by your sebaceous glands cause acne, which is nothing but an inflammatory skin disease. Increase in hormone levels produces excess sebum, which act as nutrition for propionibacterium. This bacterium is responsible for infecting skin pores thereby giving birth to pimples, inflammatory cysts, pustules, nodules, and papules, which are different types of acne.

What is Acne?

The word acne comes from Greek word 'akun' meaning skin eruption. Sebaceous gland secretes oil, which combines with the dead skin cells and blocks hair follicles. This is the perfect setting for the growth of infectious bacteria causing severe inflammations on most parts of the body. The most common skin parts affected by acne are the face, neck, shoulders, chest, upper arms, and back.

Interesting Statistics

Although it is most prevalent among adolescents, acne affects almost everybody at some or the other time of their life. More than 17 million people across the United States have acne. It is common among small and adolescent boys and more prevalent among adult women than among adolescent girls. This disease affects more than 85% of people in the age group of 18-24. Ninety percent of adolescents develop acne and more than twenty-five percent of all adults between 25 and 40 years develop mild to moderate acne. Five percent of people continue having it well into their thirties and forties.

Although acne occurs commonly during puberty, it also affects pregnant women and during menopause. Acne outbreaks occur due to body responses to normal levels of testosterone, the male hormone. Male hormone androgens are present in both males and females. Increase in androgen levels during puberty causes acne. Female hormone estrogens prevent occurrence of acne. However, such eruptions occur in females having higher levels of androgen. Similarly, during menopause and pregnancy, fall in estrogen levels cause acne.

Teenagers face the brunt of acne as that is the period your body undergoes various hormonal changes and imbalances in hormonal situations. Of course, sometimes, genetic factors also act as boosters for such eruptions and pimples. However, you cannot avoid occurrence of such eruptions at any stage of your life; instead, you can only minimize them.

Which foods could cause acne?

Despite of there being no scientific proof about particular foods or diets causing acne, most skin care professionals and dermatologists are of the opinion that oily foods, intake of excessive diary products, and fatty foods are the main cause for such eruptions. Such intakes increase oil secretions leading to breakout of pimples. Hence, reducing intake of fat rich food can help reduce your inflammations and pimples greatly.