What Causes Acne?
There are several different kinds of acne, all of which are linked to a disorder of the pilosebaceous unit (see image), made up of a sabaceous gland (responsible for producing oil for the skin), a hair follicle (pore) and a hair.
Acne occurs when the sebaceous gland produces an excess of sebum (oil) and plugs the hair follicle. If preventing any oxygen from reaching the skin. This effect can produce a variety of results; if the pore remains open, it causes a blackhead; if the pore is closed it will produce a whitehead; If too much of the bacteria Propionibacterium acnes becomes present, the pore will become infected and produce a papule or pustule (also known as a pimple). If the oil gland bursts internally, it can become large and inflamed and more infected- this is a more severe form of acne known as cystic or nodular acne.
