Acne is a disorder of the pilosebaceous unit, which consists of a hair, a hair follicle and sebaceous gland. Pilosebaceous units are located all over your body, except for your lower lip, palms, soles and tops of feet. Most of these units can be found on the face, neck and chest. The sebaceous gland produces sebum, an oily substance that keeps your skin moisturized. At adolescence, sebaceous glands enlarge and make more sebum due to an increase of hormones called androgens and bacteria on your skin increases overall.
Types of bacteria that begin to appear on your skin during the teen years include proprionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), staphylococcus epidermis and proprionibacterium granulosum. There is also a substantial increase of Melassezia yeasts. Although the severity of acne is not contingent on the number of bacteria on the skin, the P. acnes bacteria specifically can produce inflammatory agents and active enzymes that could contribute to the activity of acne. These agents and enzymes include proteases, hyaluronate lyase, lipases, phosphatase and smooth-muscle contracting substances. Such bacteria can penetrate the skin, causing inflammation resulting in external eruptions and pimples that appear on the skin.
The formation of free fatty acids is also caused by bacteria. These free fatty acids are irritants that increase inflammation in the follicle. When follicles become obstructed by excess sebum, the process is referred to comedogenesis. This process results in a type of acne called comedones, commonly known as blackheads and whiteheads.
To minimize bacteria on your skin, make sure to wash your face twice a day with a suitable cleanser. Using an astringent, clay facial mask and exfoliator can also remove surface sebum from your skin and prevent potential blemishes. Natural antimicrobial ingredients to look for in the products you choose include tea tree oil, sage oil, thyme oil, eucalyptus oil and witch hazel extract. These natural elements gently remove oil and bacteria from the surface of your skin. Consuming greasy foods can also increase the amount of sebum produced within your body, ultimately causing an oilier complexion externally, and should be avoided.
With a little extra attention, you can keep your skin free of bacteria and blemishes for a porcelain perfect complexion everyday!
Ryan Cote is the owner of ChinaDollSkin.com, a website providing spa-quality, women & men skin care products. Experience the difference great skin care products can make.
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
- Acne Skincare Tips You Can Use Now
- Here's 7 Great Tips For Sensitive Skincare
- Top 7 Acne Skincare Tips
- Best Natural Skincare and Scientific System Combination
- Decoding Dna Skincare Products
- Why Natural Skincare Remedies Work Wonders?
- The Science Behind Popular Skincare Products
- 4 Things You Must Know About Summer Skincare
How to Naturally Cure Thinning Hair in Men Or Women
By: Joseph Pittman | 14/11/2009Do you need to discover a cure to cure thinning hair? This isn't just a male problem, women also are susceptible to the condition. In fact nearly as many girls as men suffer from baldness of some form. However you can cure thinning hair naturally, the very last thing you need to experiment with are products that are based on chemicals that will make the condition worse. Why do we suffer from thinning hair? A question that has many answers. Some or all may contribute t...
The Raw Food Detox – Simple, Effective And Fun
By: sarkar kumar | 14/11/2009The raw food detox diet can be a life changing process. The personal growth that can be achieved as the body gains its new state of health can often be nothing short of breath taking. The physical illnesses that people have reversed, and healed, is a very long list. More though is the simplicity of the approach. No fad attitudes just a basic and nutritious approach to the concept of ‘we are what we eat’. Eating high energy, live food has the effect of passing those attributes onto the eater. Som
Lose Belly Fat Now - Five Easy Ways to Lose Belly Fat
By: Philip Mallows | 14/11/2009It can be easy to lose belly fat, if you just follow these five easy ways. Sit-ups are not the answer. Read on to discover how you can start to lose belly fat starting today!
Lose Weight Fast - Five Easy Ways to Lose Weight Fast
By: Philip Mallows | 14/11/2009It can be easy to lose weight fast if you follow these five easy ways. Each one will help you shed some pounds, but if you follow all five easy ways, you'll really begin to lose weight fast!
Why Should I Lose Weight? - Five Reasons Why I Should Lose Weight
By: Philip Mallows | 14/11/2009Why should I lose weight? Here are my five reasons why I should lose weight. Read on and see how my reasons compare to yours.
Birth Control Drugs
By: caryfank | 14/11/2009Birth control drugs are used to avoid unwanted pregnancy. Various birth control drugs are available in market are ACTOS, ALDARA, AMARYL, ANUCORT-HC, AVANDIA, etc. Birth control pills are preferred by many women prevent unwanted pregnancy but both the partner should discuss about birth control as both share responsibility if an unwanted pregnancy occurs.
How Does Birth Control Drugs Work?
By: caryfank | 14/11/2009Birth control drugs are used to avoid unwanted pregnancy. Basically there are two options if you want to avoid pregnancy: first don’t have sex, or if you are going to have sex then use birth control drugs.
Colon Cleansing-- Does it Really Help You Lose Weight?
By: C.D. Watson | 14/11/2009Popular opinion would have you believe that colon cleansing will help you lose weight fast and have the kind body you have always wanted. It is pretty obvious that the effect of eliminating years of junk from the colon walls can make your tummy much flatter, but besides that, how does it help you to lose weight? Let's look at what happens in a colon cleanse...
The Benefit Of Regular Exercise - Physical Activity For Better Health
By: Ryan Cote | 10/01/2007 | HealthWhat is the difference between exercise and physical activity? Physical activity is any type of movement of the body that increases your metabolism and causes your muscles to contract. Examples of physical activity range from playing basketball to making beds. Exercise itself is actually a subcategory of physical activity. When...
How To Prevent Acne - An Insiders Guide
By: Ryan Cote | 02/01/2007 | MedicineWhether you are a teen or an adult, a popular question is whether it's possible to prevent acne. The truth is, because both internal and external factors can cause acne, there is no magical way to completely prevent acne. However, taking certain precautions will definitely reduce the number and severity...
Eating 5 To 6 Meals A Day For Optimum Health
By: Ryan Cote | 30/12/2006 | HealthA recent debate questions whether we should eat three meals a day or five to six meals a day for optimum health and fitness. Nutritional experts are divided about this, but all of them agree that skipping meals is detrimental to overall fitness success. Individual metabolism seems to be the key...
Bacteria, Acne And Your Skin - What You Need To Know
By: Ryan Cote | 21/12/2006 | HealthAcne is a disorder of the pilosebaceous unit, which consists of a hair, a hair follicle and sebaceous gland. Pilosebaceous units are located all over your body, except for your lower lip, palms, soles and tops of feet. Most of these units can be found on the face, neck and...
Relax And Get Fit With Yoga Positions, Stretching And Meditation
By: Ryan Cote | 11/12/2006 | HealthOften the most effective ways to lose weight and stay fit involve some extra time and effort. Yoga positions, stretching and meditation require no specialized equipment and little more than your time and the desire to learn, relax and feel healthy. Hatha yoga is the most commonly practiced type of yoga...
Top 10 Health And Fitness Tips - Get In The Best Shape Of Your Life
By: Ryan Cote | 06/12/2006 | AdviceBelow are our top 10 health and fitness tips, in no particular order. From healthy eating habits to exercise programs, these health and fitness tips will help you get smarter about weight loss, wellness and healthy living overall. 1. Drink more water.
How To Boost Your Metabolism With Diet, Exercise And Supplements
By: Ryan Cote | 03/12/2006 | AdviceIn the days of our youth, our metabolism is naturally high but as the years add on that is simply not the case. Gone are the days when you could eat anything you desired and yet never gain a pound.
Your Metabolism And The Mediterranean Diet
By: Ryan Cote | 03/12/2006 | AdviceBecause Mediterranean diets offer low carb, low fat alternatives to traditional American diet foods, they are increasing in popularity.