Unfortunately the exact cause of acne is unknown, but many doctors believe it results from several related factors. One of the most important factors being the rise in a person's hormone levels. Often these hormones known as androgens (male sex hormones) will increase in both boys and girls during the pubescent stage of their lives and can cause the sebaceous glands to enlarge and produce more sebum.

It is believed that the tendency on whether one develops acne or not is hereditary. Many studies have shown that boys who have acne also have a family history of acne. Acne is caused by when the sebaceous glands begin secreting oily substances onto the skin. Those with acne are especially sensitive to testosterone, and it triggers the glands to produce too much sebum, which is an oily substance.

Acne is caused by the sebaceous glands becoming over active and they then secrete oily substances on to the skin and those people with acne are especially sensitive to normal blood levels of the hormone called testosterone and this triggers the sebaceous glands to then produce an excess of sebum (oily substance).

While the oil increases, the dead skin cells that line the hair follicle openings are not shed, which in turns clogs the follicles. With the combination of excess oil and clogged follicles, blackheads and whiteheads form. For many people though, they experience acne only during puberty.

For others, the build up of oil in the hair follicles will create the ideal environment for Propionibacterium Acnes (a bacteria) to grow. This bacteria actually naturally grows on your skin and lives harmlessly, but in the "right" environment it will grow.

Propionibacterium Acnes feeds off the sebum, and then produces a substance causes the body's immune system to react. This then inflames the skin and creates redness and spots.

In the more severe inflammatory acne cases cysts will develop beneath the skins surface and these can then rupture and spread the infection into nearby skin tissue this can often result in scarring to a person's skin.

Hopefully the information above has provided you with some explanation as to the cause of acne and in other articles written we have explained the various types of treatments and products that are available.