What Causes Acne > Hormones Can Also Cause Acne

With the onset of puberty, the human body starts to produce hormones called androgens or male sex hormones, increasing in both boys and girls.

These androgens cause the enlargement and over stimulation of the sebaceous glands which are found in the hair follicles or pores of the skin.

The extra sebum or oil that the sebaceous glands produce mixes with dead skin cells and bacteria on the skin's surface and this blocks pores. Within the blocked pore, the bacteria multiply and cause inflammation. All of this leads to the lesions that are associated with acne.

Teenagers are the most common sufferers of acne, purely because of the hormonal shifts that are associated with puberty. Current figures indicate nearly 85% of people will develop acne at some point between the ages of 12 and 25.

It is also important to note that the hormonal changes associated with both the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and even menopause have been shown to be culprits in the creation of acne.

Also, when women are either beginning or ending their usage of birth control, the hormonal fluctuations that can occur at this time can cause acne in some women.

Furthermore, fluctuations in the hormones of adults, both men and women, can cause spikes in the production of sebum in the sebaceous glands. This opens wide the range of those susceptible to acne, due to hormonal changes.