While all of these efforts and more have helped push the conversation about acne into the mainstream, why is there still so much shame and stigma when it comes to having it?
Here at Teen Vogue, we think it’s due to a lack of education and knowledge about what causes acne and how to properly treat it. We don’t want you to be left in the dark any longer, so we spoke to some experts about all things acne, and here’s everything we learned.
What actually is acne?
Acne is a skin condition that happens when you develop inflammation within your oil glands, and the pores become blocked. Accordingly, Joshua Zeichner, dermatologist and director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, tells Teen Vogue that this “leads to skin-colored and red bumps on the face, as well as the chest and the back.” Acne is an inflammatory response that impacts the hair follicles — as dermatologist Dr. Howard Murad, M.D., says, “you don’t get it on your palms or fingers because there are no hair follicles there.”
Fun fact: pimples can actually start two to three weeks before they reach the skin’s surface and once they do, they are already towards the end of their life cycle, according to dermatologist Dendy Engelman, M.D. Still, the first noticeable sign of acne is a flat red bump, which Dr. Engelman says is a signal to start acting by removing any makeup or product that will potentially irritate the area even more.
So, why am I cursed with acne breakouts?
There’s actually a lot of factors that contribute to breakouts. First, some people tend to make more oil than other people due to their genetics as we are genetically programmed to make a certain amount of oil. Dr. Zeichner says, “When skin cells stick together within the follicles, they trap the oil from reaching the surface of the follicle. This allows oil levels to increase within the pore, along with overgrowth of acne causing bacteria.” All of this ultimately leads to inflammation in the skin.
Also, some people have conditions that others don’t, such as polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormonal imbalance that can result in small acne cysts. “Unfortunately, we cannot change our genes, but we can’t control the way they are expressed and use treatments to keep the skin under control,” says Dr. Zeichner.
Plus, certain foods can come into play — for example, sugary foods and iodine supplements can contribute to breakouts, particularly in people who are predisposed genetically — while picking your skin can cause further breakouts. Fun fact: washing your face or not doesn’t actually make you break out but when you touch or pick at your skin, it brings different bacteria, so to combat this you must wash your face.
Danuta Mieloch, an aesthetician and owner of Rescue Spa NYC, says lifestyle and skincare (or lack of), including living certain climates, humidity and heat can also impact your skin while another contributor is hormones. With this, someone who works out a lot and is prone to more breakouts could experience more acne whenever they sweat.
“When hormone levels rise, it can stimulate oil production and lead to acne flares,” says Dr. Zeichner. “Hormone levels rise right before women get their period and even during times of stress. It has been shown that students tend to break out and during testing periods.” So, if you’re stressed out, your skin will likely reflect this. And when you get acne, this can cause even more stress. Ugh.