Acne

Acne is a big concern, especially for women in their 20s. However, it would be wrong to say that men don’t suffer from acne. To many, acne is also known as blemishes, blackheads, whiteheads, pimples or cysts. It is most common during puberty and adolescence. According to recent data, almost 80 per cent of people in the age group of 11 to 30 years have acne outbreak at least once. Having said that, even adults are not fully immune. The number is low, but people in their 40s and 50s also get acne. There are also cases when a woman does not suffer from acne during teen but gets it in adulthood before her menstrual cycle.So what exactly is acne? Your skin has small holes (pores) that are connected to the oil glands lying under the skin through follicles. These glands are responsible for producing sebum, an oily substance. When these follicles get clogged, it leads to the outburst of acne. The reason acne occurs more around puberty or at the time of hormonal changes, is because there is excess secretion of oil.Acne, most commonly, does not have any serious health concern, but are distressing for the sufferer. Having said that, not all acne-like skin problems should be left untreated. Sometimes acne can have a more serious underlying cause such as polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD). The faster the issue is diagnosed, more effective will be its treatment.Acne should not be treated with antibiotics but can be fixed with certain dietary changes. For example, avoiding oily foods, preservatives, sweeteners, having two liters of mineral water along with having foods rich in Vitamin B6 helps dealing with acne.Oil-based products make acne worse, so do oil-based cosmetics. So for people with a family history of acute acne, must opt for water based products.