What Are Whiteheads
Learn About Whitehead Acne

WHAT ARE WHITEHEADS - OVERVIEW

Acne is one of the most common skin care problems that affect about 95% of the population at some time during their life. It is particularly prevalent amongst teenagers and young adults. Acne presents itself in various degrees ranging from non-inflammatory acne which is whiteheads and blackheads to inflammatory outbreaks which consist of pimples with and without pus. Acne outbreaks usually appear on the face, back, shoulder, chest, and neck, but it can also occur in other locations. Whiteheads are one of the less offensive forms of acne in terms of appearance, but nonetheless can be a bit challenging to eliminate.


WHAT ARE WHITEHEADS?

Propionibacterium acne (P.acnes) is a bacteria that grows inside the oil glands. Each hair follicle grows from an oil gland that secretes sebum, which is an oily, waxy substance. The structure these two share is the skin's pores. When the dead skin cells and excess oil combine and fill up the pores a blockage occurs. This creates a plug. If this plug is covered by skin it is a whitehead, which is also known as milia or closed comedone. If the pore does not have any skin over the top and the plug is exposed to the air, it will become dark and is known as a blackhead. When the P.acnes grows inside of the plug, this causes inflammation and irritation to occur and the whiteheads and blackheads then graduate to becoming pimples.


WHAT ARE WHITEHEADS CAUSE?

The major causes of blemishes are:

• Bacteria that builds up inside the skin's pore.

• Excessive amount of dead skin cells that accumulate inside the skin's pore.

• Excessive amount of oil that is produced by the skin's oil glands.

• Unbalanced hormones, which usually occur during puberty, monthly menses and pregnancy.

• Food allergies can cause the body's immune system to kick in which can result in a rash, respiratory problems, redness, and/or acne.

• Some medications can cause acne breakouts to occur. Some of the more common offenders are lithium which is prescribed for manic depression. Although Dilantin provides relief for epilepsy, it can wreak havoc with the skin. Some birth control pills that have low estrogen levels are linked to acne problems. Corticosteroids are another group of offenders as they can increase the production of the skin's oil.

• Adverse reaction to cosmetics or skin care products is known as acne cosmetica. This condition usually presents itself in the form of a rash and/or tiny bumps.

• Stress is another acne culprit. When you're under stress, your body increases the stress hormones which cause an imbalance to occur. The imbalance in turn causes an excessive amount of oil to be produced, which clogs the pores and traps the dead skin cells and bacteria--the perfect breeding ground for acne to flourish.

If you are interested in reading some other articles related to whiteheads, then click on one of the following links listed below:

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