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More often than not, four main factors contribute to acne: genetics, hormonal activity, bacteria, and the inflammatory response. Inheritance is important as family members of people who suffer from moderate to severe acne scarring are usually placed in a higher risk category than others.

Microbes Can Be Found in Hair Follicles or Canals

Another triggering element of acne is the presence of microbes in the follicular canal. This should come as no shock due to the fact that the average adult possesses roughly 1.25 kg of microbes, which is ten times the amount of mammalian microbes present. Furthermore, estimates calculate that humans host more than 1500 different microbial taxa, which equates to more than 200 times as many genes as human DNA. However, our knowledge of these organisms are limited due to the fact that scientists are yet to discover a way to synthetically replicate these cells.

These micro flora have an important role in our bodily functions as the provide as much as 10 percent of our energy requirements, in addition to defending us against exogenous pathogenic microbes, supplying a wealth of vitamins, and developing our natural defense system and mucosal surfaces. These microbes can also be damaging to us when their numbers skew out of equilibrium.

What Causes Acne? P. Acne Microbes

The lining of the follicular canal produce a series of microbes and bacteria flora which possess anaerobic, gram positive organisms known as Proprionibacterium acnes. Also, it is interesting to note that these organisms are also found in abundance in pathologically afflicted sites and because of this they can be reduced with oral antimicrobial solutions. An outcome that is further backed up by their absence in nonhuman animal skin, a surface that is immune to acne vulgaris.

The Influence of Hormones on the Prevalence of Acne

During our pubescent years our body undergoes a wealth of adjustments and changes. One such change is the synthesis of additional hormones, which consequentially stimulates the glands responsible for producing skin lubricating liquid called sebum. Sebum assists in moisturizing your hair while preventing exaggerated moisture loss from the skin surface, as well as keeping the skin smooth and inhibiting the development of particular microbes.

Sebum glands are found in the interior of hair follicles (400-800 glands per cm2 in the face, forehead and upper chest) and appear on the surface of your skin through unclogged skin pores. It is necessary to mention this because the monitoring of sebum levels is paramount in every natural skin treatment. Exaggerated sebum proliferation can also occur in later stages of life and cause unsightly adult acne inflammations.

A number of tissues make up our skin (epidermal, connective, nervous and muscular) and it has one of the largest surface areas and weight of all the body's organs (approximately 1.75 m2 and almost 5 kg). Amongst its plethora of functions, its major role is to protect underlying tissues from microbes.