What Causes Acne?

Acne is caused a number of things, but dirt isn’t normally one of them. Acne blemishes form when dead skin cells mix with your body’ s nutritive (serum) oil, forming a plug in the hair follicle.

Dirt may play a role in clogging the follicle but more often than not, the culprit of the plugged pore is "scale" or dead skin cells that slough off the inner lining of your hair follicle.

Because dirt is not causing your acne, over washing your face or body (more than 2–3 times per day) will not make your it better.

In fact, too much washing or overuse of harsh scrubs and “pore strips” can actually strip the skin of the oil it needs to stay soft and pliable. Over washing may stimulate your skin to create more oil, thereby worsening the problem.

Rising hormone levels during puberty may cause acne. In addition, acne is often inherited.

Other causes of acne may include the following:

Hormone level changes during the menstrual cycle in women. Certain drugs (such as corticosteroids, lithium, and barbiturates). Oil and grease from the scalp, mineral or cooking oil, and certain cosmetics. Bacteria growth inside pimples. Acne can be aggravated by squeezing the pimples or by scrubbing the skin too hard. Some environmental conditions such as pollution or humid conditions can also irritate the skin.

Acne may also be caused by the over activity of the sebaceous glands that secrete oily substances onto the skin.

The sebaceous glands of people with acne are especially sensitive to normal blood levels of a hormone called testosterone, found naturally in both men and women.

Testosterone in people prone to acne triggers the sebaceous glands to produce an excess of serum.

At the same time, the dead skin cells lining the openings of the hair follicles (the tubes that hold the hair) are not shed properly and clog up the follicles.

These two effects combined cause a build-up of oil in the hair follicles. This causes blackheads and whiteheads to form.

For some people, their acne does not progress beyond this stage. However in other people, the build-up of oil in the hair follicles creates an ideal environment for a bacterium called Propionibacterium acne to grow.

These bacteria normally live harmlessly on your skin but when this ideal environment is created, they grow. They feed off the serum and produce substances that cause a response from your body's immune system.

This inflames the skin and creates the redness associated with spots.

In more severe 'inflammatory acne', cysts develop beneath the skin's surface. These acne cysts can rupture, spreading the infection into nearby skin tissue. This can result in scarring.

Contrary to popular belief acne is not caused by eating fatty food or chocolate.

Dirt - blackheads get their dark colour through excess skin pigment - not dirt so washing more does not help, although if you do not wash your skin at all, bacteria will be able to multiply.

Acne is not contagious, so you cannot catch it.

There are a number of things that can make your acne worse.

Picking and squeezing the spots may cause further inflammation and scarring stress can make acne worse in some people, although it is not clear why in women, outbreaks may be affected by the hormonal changes that occur during the menstrual cycle excessive production of male hormones such as testosterone from conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome may be another cause.

Some contraceptive pills may make acne worse. This is due to the type of progestogen hormone in some pills whereas some other types of contraceptive pills can improve acne.

Adult Acne Care

Acne Care Steps

Acne Causes

Acne Nutritive Relief

The Bad Products

Teens Acne Care

Why Nutritive Soaps?

To help your acne, start a daily care routine designed with the complete health of your skin in mind.

People that suffer with acne all their life would be surprised that they may have created their problem by using skin care products containing chemicals.

A typical example is the regular soap that you have used since childhood on your body, hands and hair. Remember, all those cleansers are made with harsh detergents and in time can create allergic, sensitive reactions and persistent acne condition.

Many people find that with traditional acne treatments their acne and skin becomes worse.

The chemicals used in most acne products can actually irritate your skin, causing redness and inflammation.

Our acne products will help promote a clear complexion.

I have been using this acne polish for over a year now and my skin has never looked better. You only need a tiny bit and the beads are perfectly round so I don't get any irritation. It's amazing!!

Pat Willis Hamden CT

I love this stuff. It amazingly and makes your skin feel so soft. I have adult acne and notice that when i use this stuff before i go to bed y skin is much less irritated in the morning. Love it love it love it.

Susan L Rumson NJ

After giving birth and having my skin go nuts from hormonal changes, the spot treatment was the ONLY product that worked. Blemishes that would not get smaller in months were gone in days. Well worth the price!

Victoria W Excelsior MN

I've tried a lot of treatments and this one really works. I like that I can wear it during the day as well as at night. Works exceptionally well. Clears pimple faster than other types of treatments I have used and reduces the redness very quickly.

Victoria W Excelsior MN