During the early teen years, boys and girls are at greater risk for acne breakouts, when the oil glands in the body start over-producing sebum (a skin oil that can resemble grease).



Adding to the problem, your body sheds dead skin cells constantly ? and some people have "sticky" skin cells that don't shed normally ? they just remain attached to the skin. In people who have acne, These excess skin cells mix can mix with the oil and plug up the hair follicles.

Quite a few myths are floating around out there about what causes acne. Let?s straighten some out right now. Dirt does not cause acne. A blackhead may look like dirt plugging one of your pores, but that is not the cause. The sebum and skin cells mix together and sometimes rise to the opening of the pore. The sticky mixture can attract dirt so the opening looks black. But the real cause is still deep inside the pore.

Enjoy your chocolate and French fries. Stories you?ve heard about them are simply false. Indulging in these favorites does not increase the production of sebum in the skin. Some of you may have been told that sexual activity or masturbation can cause acne. Not true. While there are many other reasons to be careful about sex, acne is not one of them. While both boys and girls can get acne ? it's more likely to be worse in boys because their bodies produce more skin oils. You can also inherit the tendency to develop breakouts. Chances are ? if your mom or dad has had acne -- so will you.

Strangely enough, your immune system can come into play as well ? making you extra sensitive to the bacteria that get trapped in the hair follicles. Antibodies rush to the site and cause the inflammation that can bring on pimples.

Something else you should know ? what can make acne worse. If you use makeup, suntan products or hair products that contain oil ? they can add to the pore-plugging problem. Being under stress ? like applying to schools, or struggling with grades, or even dating pressures ? can help bring out acne. During a girl?s period, hormone levels may create more sebum in the skin, which can worsen the breakouts. And, beware of the sun ? not only can it damage your skin and cause premature aging ? it can also cause pimples. While keeping your skin clean is an important part of treatment, remember to be gentle ? no hard scrubbing, no picking or squeezing. You can survive acne.

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