Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
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Pimples - Acne
- Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
- Symptoms & Signs
- Diagnosis & Tests
- Prevention & Expectations
- Treatment & Monitoring
- Attribution
- View All
Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
Acne is a common skin condition in which the hair follicles become clogged with sebum. The hair follicles are the openings around the hair shaft, and sebum is the oil produced by the glands within the follicle. The clogged follicles cause pimples and inflamed infected abscesses, or collections of pus.
What is going on in the body?
Acne tends to develop in teenagers because of an interaction among hormones, sebum, and bacteria. During puberty, the glands in the skin produce excessive sebum. In acne-prone skin, the sebum and dead skin cells clog the hair follicles and form comedones, or clogged pores.
What are the causes and risks of the condition?
Acne is caused by 4 factors:
Virtually every adolescent experiences some comedones. Generally, acne starts at about age 10 to 13, and lasts for 5 to 10 years. Around the age of 14 or 15, 40% of adolescents have acne that is serious enough to require a visit to a healthcare provider. Acne occurs in both male and female adolescents, but males are more likely to have a severe form of acne. Some people develop acne for the first time as an adult.
Certain forms of acne tend to run in families. If an adolescent's parents or older siblings have severe acne, the adolescent has a higher risk of developing severe acne.
Risk factors for development or worsening of acne include the following: