Acne Vulgaris

Learn what acne vulgaris is.

The common form of acne we are all familiar with is actually called acne vulgaris. Acne vulgaris is caused by changes in the pilosebaceous units in the skin. These are made up of hair follicles and sebaceous glands. The lesions produced from this disease are known as zits, pimples, spots, and blemishes.

Acne vulgaris affects more than 80% of teenagers. It is during adolescence that acne is most common due to an increase in hormones. This type of acne most commonly affects the face. However, acne vulgaris affects the area of the skin with the densest amount of sebaceous follicles, which also include the shoulders, chest, and back.

Acne vulgaris is more common in males during adolescence but is more common in females during adulthood. Caucasians and African Americans are equally affected by this disease.

We see that acne vulgaris can affect people of all races, sex and ages. So what are the known causes of acne vulgaris?

What we know that contributes to acne vulgaris forming:

• Hormones – Puberty, Pregnancy, and menstrual cycles particular seem to encourage acne vulgaris to begin forming
• Genetics – There is some evidence that points to acne running in families. If your parents had acne, you are more at risk to getting it
• Stress – Defiantly a key factor. If you have a lot of stress in your life, you are putting yourself in a position to get acne
• Medications – Studies point to medications containing lithium, barbiturates, and androgens can increase the likelihood of a person getting acne vulgaris
• Halogens – Halogens such as iodides, chlorides, bromides, and fluorides have shown to increase acne risk factors
• Overactive sebaceous glands – Overproducing sebaceous glands produce excess sebum which clogs pores, directly leading to acne
• Bacteria – Bacteria sitting in pores is a perfect setting for acne vulgaris to form. Fingers are a main source of bacteria.
• Skin inflammation – Scratching of irritated skin is just setting the stage for acne vulgaris
• Steroids – If you are taking steroids, you have significantly increased your chances of getting acne vulgaris
• Drugs – Drug use, especially amphetamines will increase the chances of acne vulgaris forming on your skin
• Milk – Some studies have shown that the hormones present partially skimmed milk can increase risk for acne vulgaris

As you can see, there are a lot of factors that contribute to acne vulgaris forming. Luckily, A lot of them you can control. But what if you have done everything you can to control acne vulgaris risk factors, and you still have zits all over your face or back? Luckily, treatments such as Acne no More, exist.