In the surface of the skin are pores. Deeper inside the pore there are glands that produce sebum, a natural type of oil. This oil helps keep the skin flexible and protected. When the pores close, the natural secretion process is interrupted and that's when bacteria forms inside them, resulting in acne.



The white pimples that sometimes form are usually a combination of dead skin cells, white blood cells and bacteria. The trapped pus often creates an inflamed, red area around it. The term 'pus' is an adaptation of 'pustule', a type of acne that results when the follicle wall bursts and the white blood cells rush into the area as part of a healing process.

What we look at next is who gets acne, this is an important aspect.

Who Gets Acne? At some stage in life, almost everybody gets acne.

Acne typically develops in teens, girls around age 11 and 13 in boys, reflecting the average age at which puberty starts.

It is more often that males get acne, mostly because they produce more of the androgen hormone than females do, so their cases are mostly more severe.

Women have a greater chance of getting acne than men, as a young or mature adult.

Acne affects back and neck areas in one quarter of people, so it is not unusual if the acne spreads to more than your face.

Studies show that the monthly hormonal cycle of women has an effect on the occurrence of acne. Nearly 44% of women between the ages of 20-32 experience premenstrual related acne. According to one of the largest studies of the menstrual cycle's effect on acne, the odds for women aged 33 and older are much higher.

Often acne is related to taking certain drugs. It can appear at age 50 or older, proving that it can occur at any age. Acne can have various causes, so the statement: "It is a teen disease" is thus not true.