2. Acne is caused by over activity of the sebaceous glands that secrete oily substances on to your skin Acne treatments in Cheshire
3. The surface of your skin has lots of small sebaceous glands just below the surface. These glands make sebum (a natural oil) that keeps the skin smooth and supple. Acne treatments in Cheshire
4. Tiny pores (holes in the skin) allow the sebum to come to the surface of your skin. Hairs also grow through these pores. Acne treatments in Cheshire
5. The sebaceous glands of people with acne are especially sensitive to normal blood levels of a hormone called testosterone, found naturally in both men and women. Acne treatments in Cheshire
6. If you are prone to acne, testosterone triggers the sebaceous glands to produce excess sebum. At the same time, the dead skin cells lining the openings of the hair follicles (the tubes that hold the hair) aren't shed properly and clog up follicles. Acne treatments in Cheshire
7. The combination of these two effects causes a build-up of oil in your hair follicles. This causes blackheads and whiteheads to form. Acne treatments in Cheshire
8. For some people, their acne doesn't progress beyond this stage. Acne treatments in Cheshire
9. However, in other people the build-up of oil in the hair follicles creates an ideal environment for a bacterium called Propionibacterium acne to grow. Acne treatments in Cheshire
10. These bacteria usually live harmlessly on your skin but when the conditions are right, they grow. They feed off the sebum and produce substances that cause an immune response. This inflames the skin and creates the redness associated with spots. Acne treatments in Cheshire
11. In more severe inflammatory acne, cysts develop beneath the skin's surface. If these cysts rupture, the infection can spread. This can result in scars. Acne treatments in Cheshire
12. All types of acne — blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, and cysts — develop when pores in our skin become clogged. The culprit is sebum an oil in our skin . Acne treatments in Cheshire
13. Our bodies make more sebum when our hormones surge. This is why teens get acne. This is why women often breakout before their periods. Since hormones fluctuate in the years leading up to menopause, many women in their 40s and 50s get acne. Acne treatments in Cheshire