What are some of the causes of acne, and what are the best acne treatments? First off, it is nice to know that if you are suffering from acne you are not alone. It is a very common condition that is believed to occur in up to 85% of people at one time or another. And it can affect anyone, male or female, teens or adults, and people of every ethnic group. Pimples, as acne is more commonly known, can first appear when a person reaches their teens. The scientific name for this skin condition is Acne Vulgaris, and is characterized by small lesions that pop up on the skin.

This condition is most obvious when it appears on the face. However it often appears on other, less visible parts of the body such as the neck and back. The appearance of pimples can cause embarrassment and social anxiety. Nobody should have to go through that, so lets look at some of the causes that might be eliminated, and some treatments that might help clear up the skin.

Two possible causes of acne are 1. Puberty, and 2. Fatty, oily and sugary foods. With the first cause, puberty, the body is going through some changes and creating extra follicle cells and sebum. The excess of these can block the pores of the skin and cause pimples. A good treatment for this is to carefully clean the skin every day. Some people use glycerin soap and a soft cloth or boar bristle shaving brush. The hairs of the brush get into the pores and clean them so they dont get clogged. They gently clean the skin in the morning and evening to keep their pores clean and their skin free of acne.

With the second cause, fatty, oily and sugary foods, the body has consumed too much of this hard to digest junk food and some of it shows up in the pores of the skin, causing pimples. There are some people who dont believe this but we dare them to test it the day before their next date. They can go ahead and eat a lot of fatty, oily and sugary foods like cheeseburgers, fries, soda pop, candy bars, milkshakes, ranch salad dressing, potato chips, peanut butter, etc. Watch what happens to their skin. The best treatment for this is to eat less junk, and instead eat more fruits and vegetables. If you dont want oily skin, dont eat oily foods. Instead of a cheeseburger and soda, try a Subway turkey sandwich and a glass of water. This change in diet has helped many people to reduce acne. It also helps them lose weight.

Simply eating right and carefully cleaning the skin can do wonders for clearing up acne. Also avoid touching your face with your hands. If you have acne on your back, get a soft brush with a long handle so you can scrub your back with glycerin soap every morning in the shower. If the condition persists after some weeks of a change in diet and careful cleaning of the skin, you may want to try some of the over-the-counter acne treatments. Be sure to try the change in diet first. Otherwise the treatments will only be trying to correct an endless problem, and you are the one doing it to yourself with bad foods.

Other causes of acne are bacterium and sebum. A good topical therapy would be one that offers anti-bacterial support, and also works to reduce the bodys sebum production.

Benzoyl Peroxide is a common ingredient in acne gels and ointments. It is useful in removing excess dead skin cells and sebum from the skin. It also works to remove and prevent bacterium from creating pimples. This ingredient can be somewhat harsh to delicate skin and can cause drying or redness, so it should be used with caution.

Salicylic acid is another ingredient in some acne products. This is more of a preventative for stopping new pimple from forming. Again caution should be used because this treatment can dry the skin and cause redness and irritation.

Resorcinol is an ingredient that causes what is known as a skin peel. This is where the top layer of skin to peel away, along with the dead skin cells and sebum. This treatment is a bit drastic and the same cleaning could be more safely achieved with glycerin soap and a soft boar bristle shaving brush.

Sulfur (sulphur) is a common topical therapy ingredient often included in skin cleansing creams and lotions and salves.

If a topical over-the-counter treatment does not work, please consult your doctor for input on the latest treatments for your individual skin type and acne condition.