Acne

There are Reference different types of acne. The most common acne is the type that develops during the teen years. Puberty causes hormone levels to rise, especially Reference testosterone Opens New Window. High hormones cause skin glands to start making more oil (sebum). Oil releases from the pores to protect the skin and keep it moist. Reference Acne begins when oil mixes with dead cells Opens New Window Reference Opens New Window and clogs the skin's pores. Bacteria can grow in this mixture. And if this mixture leaks into nearby tissues, it causes swelling, redness, and pus. A common name for these raised bumps is pimples.

Certain medicines, such as Reference corticosteroids Opens New Window or lithium, can cause acne to develop. Talk to your doctor about any medicines you are taking.

It isn't just teens who are affected by acne. Sometimes newborns have acne because their mothers pass hormones to them just before delivery. Acne can also appear when the stress of birth causes the baby's body to release hormones on its own. Young children and older adults also may get acne.

A few conditions of the Reference endocrine system Opens New Window, such as Reference polycystic ovary syndrome Opens New Window and Reference Cushing's syndrome Opens New Window, can lead to outbreaks of acne.

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