Dealing with acne can be very stressful. Trying to figure out what causes it may be even more confusing. There may be many myths that surround this type of skin condition, and debunking these myths can help you deal with this skin condition better. There are a few major factors that contribute to the cause of irritable skin problems. These factors include: overproduction of oil in the skin, abnormal shedding that occurs with dead skin cells and the build up of bacteria.

Although acne is typically associated with adolescents, it can occur in adulthood as well. This skin condition is the result of clogged hair follicles. When follicles become clogged with oil and dead skin cells, the result is irritated skin. How does this work? Well, each individual hair follicle is in someway connected to a sebaceous gland. This gland's job is to create oils. The medical term for these oils is sebum. The job of this oil is to soften your skin and hair through lubrication.

Once produced the oil moves through the hair shafts and out of the hair follicles, in order to do its lubricating job. The problem occurs when excess oil is produced and then mixes with dead skin cells. This combination forms a clog under the skin's surface. This is how pimples begin to form on the surface of the skin.

The actual pimple you see on your skin is a direct result of this clog. This is because the mix of oil and dead skin cells push against the follicle wall, causing it to expand. You will then see the white head of the pimple. If the clog is exposed to open air and bacteria, a blackhead is formed.

If the clog happens deep in the hair follicle, as opposed to beneath the skin's surface a lump often will form. This lump is known as a cyst. This will show up on the skin often as a red bump, and does not have a white head. If you are wondering how sweat glands impact this skin condition, they typically do not contribute to the acne problem.

It is not known what exactly causes the increased amount of oil in the follicles that lead to this skin condition. However, there are few indications of these causes, which include hormone imbalances, bacteria, medications and heredity. These are just a few of the indicated factors that increase the production of oil, or sebum, as it is known in the medical community, in the hair follicles.

Often, people wrongly associate acne with poor hygiene. This is not true. Cleanliness is not the matter in this case. Scrubbing your face with soaps trying to get rid of the "dirt" may increase skin irritation. If you find that you cannot deal with your skin problem on your own, consult a doctor for further assistance.