Acne Part 3

Pathology of acne

Hair follicles are present on all parts of the body, except for the soles and palms of the extremities. Inside the hair follicles are glands which also secrete sebum (oil). The sebum is secreted at a constant rate and lubricates the skin. These sebaceous gland are specially prevalent on the face, back, axilla and chest.

It is believed that in acne, there are a lot of dead cells and debris inside the hair follicle which plug the pores of the skin. The pores are unable to release their oily secretions and tend to enlarge. When these pimples grow to a certain size, they become conspicuous on the face and may even rupture.

Once the pores are plugged, the bacteria that normally live on the skin start to grow in the pores and are responsible for the acne. The bacteria cause the redness and skin irritation. When the bacteria mix with the oils from the hair follicles, it secretes substance which can cause skin irritation.

Acne is always worsened in the presence of the male hormones. These hormones are present in both males and females, but in a much higher concentration in males. These male hormones can cause enlargement of the sweat glands on the skin and cause these same glands to increase the production of oil. This increased oil secretion then causes the pores to plug up and lead to acne. In all males, there is a surge of the male hormones at puberty and this is the time when most males show the development of facial acne. In some men, the condition progresses leading to severe acne on the face and back.

Estrogen, the female sex hormone, on the other hand helps to improve the acne. This is the major reason why during the menstrual cycle the acne is variable. This is one of the reasons why most women who take the birth control pill, almost never develop acne. In fact, some dermatologist will even prescribe oral contraceptives for a short period for the treatment of acne.