Yeah we have like 20-30% thicker skin than females. Yep that´s the androgen shitty hormone that makes our skin so oily and in result of that worse acne
WHYY!
You can thin the skin out with use of topical retinoids or salicylic acid (preferably a salicylic acid peel).
My acne has lessened with age and better treatment (not popping etc). I do think it's possible to outgrow acne if it's hormone related.
Outgrow acne means that hormones stabilizes.
Yep. Sorry for not stating that outright.
Also, there's obviously things you can do to get your hormones more balanced.
Only for females though. It is scientifically proven that guys have oilier skin than girls. Guys also produce more testosterone than girls. No wonder guys have worse acne lol. The only good thing is, guy skin is thicker and less sensitive than a girl's skin which means, girls age more rapidly than guys and our skin can heal better
Not true! You can balance hormones by being on a strict vitamin regimen... It's obviously a much slower method, but at least there's an option. The best vitamins to help balance hormones are Cod Liver Oil, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, and Magnesium. Zinc is also very beneficial to help with acne at higher doses. If you look at my signature you can see what supplements I take. It's been about two week and I swear that my face is less oily. I went from using 1.5 oil papers a day, to using 3/4 of an oil paper. I'm hoping to see even more improvement with time
Lol, it is true. Guys do have oilier skin, atleast that's what science says.
I thought about supplements but, you need to be careful with those.
I drink green smoothies instead. (Spinach,banana, honey, water)
I also take vitamin c cause it's impossible to overdose vitamin c so it is very safe.
And i take omega 3 fish oil supplement as well.
But that's it cause the other vitamins are risky.
Zinc can cause iron and copper deficiency. That's why people dont reccomend using it long term.
Vitamin a is stored within the liver. That's why it is also dangerous to take. It is risky cause it is toxic at high levels. It is just like accutane. Accutane is from vitamin a which means it is stored within the lungs for a long time which makes accutane very risky hence the side effects.
Vitamin d is also toxic at high levels. I prefer getting my vitamin d with sunlight. You cant overdose from the sunlight cause your body converts just the right amount it needs. It also takes about 15 minutes in the sun to get sufficient vitamin d for the week. But that is only for white people. Darker skin individuals takes more time.
lol Accutane is not just a high dosage of vitamin A. It is a synthetically produced chemotherapeutic retinoid. They are not the same thing. It is also not stored in the "lungs" either (where on earth are you getting your information?).
Yes, i know accutane is not just vitamin a. But vitamin a is STILL stored in the body. Atleast that's what ive read from countless topics here about it. That's also the only reason im not taking vitamin a cause i dont like risks lol.
I guess i just phrased my sentences wrong. Pardon me as english is not my first language.
I have siblings who never had acne and even the ones that have acne have it very mild. I have moderate acne which is 1000000x worse than theirs. And unfortunately, my acne will clear up and I'll have perfect skin for a month and then have massive breakouts during the rest of the year. Upsetting.... Anyways, I've decided to (once again) go back on the regimen. I went off off it twice and every time my acne came back even when my skin completely cleared up. I went off because I wanted to be less dependent on BP, but I guess that's just the way it is. :/ oh well.
I have siblings who never had acne and even the ones that have acne have it very mild. I have moderate acne which is 1000000x worse than theirs. And unfortunately, my acne will clear up and I'll have perfect skin for a month and then have massive breakouts during the rest of the year. Upsetting.... Anyways, I've decided to (once again) go back on the regimen. I went off off it twice and every time my acne came back even when my skin completely cleared up. I went off because I wanted to be less dependent on BP, but I guess that's just the way it is.
oh well.
Ugh that must suck! But if the regimen works for you, you might as well stick with it. I guess the old saying "You don't fix what's not broken" applies to this topic.
BTW why are there so many people with an opposition to relying on BP? If it works than why not just continue with the product? (I'm not saying this factiously, I'm honestly curious)
Ugh, I wish I had an answer for you. Heck, I wish I had an answer for myself! I didn't start having ANY acne, zits, whiteheads, etc until I was 16 1/2. I am now 18 1/2 (yes I know I used halves in my age, I was just trying to give a more specific reference lol). It started bad, got better, then cleared up when I was 17, had clear skin for a couple months, came back somewhat, then more, and more. It hasn't been as bad sine I initially started getting acne, but it got bad enough to where I sought treatment. I pray to the derma gods that I outgrow this... and SOON!
It's so hard seeing all my friends, who granted had acne while I didn't, outgrow their acne now. While I got it late and probably will outgrow it (if and when I do), at a much later age. Self confidence... out the window.
RIGHT! It's so hard having acne when all your friends have clear skin
It is really difficult. Comparing is never a good thing though and no matter how others perceive me, I always find myself at the bottom of the heap.
Well let's think of it this way... we may outgrow our acne later, but maybe we'll get wrinkles later. All our friends will be 70 and all wrinkly, while we still have dewy, radiant, youthful skin!
That's very true! My dad is 51 this year and his skin is amazing! He suffered with acne when he was younger, so I know that's why I have it. But he outgrew it and his skin is absolutely flawless and amazing! There's hope for us:)
I have siblings who never had acne and even the ones that have acne have it very mild. I have moderate acne which is 1000000x worse than theirs. And unfortunately, my acne will clear up and I'll have perfect skin for a month and then have massive breakouts during the rest of the year. Upsetting.... Anyways, I've decided to (once again) go back on the regimen. I went off off it twice and every time my acne came back even when my skin completely cleared up. I went off because I wanted to be less dependent on BP, but I guess that's just the way it is.
Ugh that must suck! But if the regimen works for you, you might as well stick with it. I guess the old saying "You don't fix what's not broken" applies to this topic.
BTW why are there so many people with an opposition to relying on BP? If it works than why not just continue with the product? (I'm not saying this factiously, I'm honestly curious)
From what I read, people are scared that their skin will become reliant on the BP and it could cause some pre-aging. For me, the acne.org supplies, especially the BP is expensive to buy and the constant drying and peeling effects were, erm, less than desirable. But I rather have clear skin than red, blotchy and painful lumps in my face. So back to BP
Ugh, I wish I had an answer for you. Heck, I wish I had an answer for myself! I didn't start having ANY acne, zits, whiteheads, etc until I was 16 1/2. I am now 18 1/2 (yes I know I used halves in my age, I was just trying to give a more specific reference lol). It started bad, got better, then cleared up when I was 17, had clear skin for a couple months, came back somewhat, then more, and more. It hasn't been as bad sine I initially started getting acne, but it got bad enough to where I sought treatment. I pray to the derma gods that I outgrow this... and SOON!
It's so hard seeing all my friends, who granted had acne while I didn't, outgrow their acne now. While I got it late and probably will outgrow it (if and when I do), at a much later age. Self confidence... out the window.
RIGHT! It's so hard having acne when all your friends have clear skin
It is really difficult. Comparing is never a good thing though and no matter how others perceive me, I always find myself at the bottom of the heap.
Well let's think of it this way... we may outgrow our acne later, but maybe we'll get wrinkles later. All our friends will be 70 and all wrinkly, while we still have dewy, radiant, youthful skin!
That's very true! My dad is 51 this year and his skin is amazing! He suffered with acne when he was younger, so I know that's why I have it. But he outgrew it and his skin is absolutely flawless and amazing! There's hope for us:)
Not true. Severe acne destroys collagen and makes a person age faster. I'm only 24 but I've developed actual "fine lines" on my forehead from the collagen breaking down from years of acne and picking in that area. I'm actually considering getting botox in that area to smooth things out. True.. people with oily skin do indeed wrinkle less down the road, but acne and it's topical treatments (benzoyl peroxide especially) are very aging to the skin.
I sometimes worry that the fact that we're trying so many (harsh) regimens will mean that we'll never grow out of it
You likely won't. Acne is often a chronic condition that can last a life time. My mother is 62 and still has persistent cystic acne on her chin, cheeks and upper back and so does my dad.
Started really mild at around 14-15 (got an occasional zit) so I decided to start using OTC acne washes and treatments. From then it just got worse and worse. If I'd have known back then what I know now, I'd have left my skin alone.
It was at it's worst when I was 16. I had it on my cheeks, forehead, chin...everywhere! Slowly it subsided and now at 20 my acne is mild and I get it mainly on my chin and around the creases of my nose.
My skin is still really unpredictable, it can be oily (my nose gets pretty shiny) and it can be dry. It's never normal.
Ugh, I wish I had an answer for you. Heck, I wish I had an answer for myself! I didn't start having ANY acne, zits, whiteheads, etc until I was 16 1/2. I am now 18 1/2 (yes I know I used halves in my age, I was just trying to give a more specific reference lol). It started bad, got better, then cleared up when I was 17, had clear skin for a couple months, came back somewhat, then more, and more. It hasn't been as bad sine I initially started getting acne, but it got bad enough to where I sought treatment. I pray to the derma gods that I outgrow this... and SOON!
It's so hard seeing all my friends, who granted had acne while I didn't, outgrow their acne now. While I got it late and probably will outgrow it (if and when I do), at a much later age. Self confidence... out the window.
RIGHT! It's so hard having acne when all your friends have clear skin
It is really difficult. Comparing is never a good thing though and no matter how others perceive me, I always find myself at the bottom of the heap.
Well let's think of it this way... we may outgrow our acne later, but maybe we'll get wrinkles later. All our friends will be 70 and all wrinkly, while we still have dewy, radiant, youthful skin!
That's very true! My dad is 51 this year and his skin is amazing! He suffered with acne when he was younger, so I know that's why I have it. But he outgrew it and his skin is absolutely flawless and amazing! There's hope for us:)
Not true. Severe acne destroys collagen and makes a person age faster. I'm only 24 but I've developed actual "fine lines" on my forehead from the collagen breaking down from years of acne and picking in that area. I'm actually considering getting botox in that area to smooth things out. True.. people with oily skin do indeed wrinkle less down the road, but acne and it's topical treatments (benzoyl peroxide especially) are very aging to the skin.
>I sometimes worry that the fact that we're trying so many (harsh) regimens will mean that we'll never grow out of it
You likely won't. Acne is often a chronic condition that can last a life time. My mother is 62 and still has persistent cystic acne on her chin, cheeks and upper back and so does my dad.
Thank you for the optimism.... I'm sure everyone who's struggling on this forum just loves to hear the negative remarks/ Everyone's skin is different, and most people DO at one point or another outgrow their acne. Why put negative thoughts into people's heads when in reality you have no idea what will be? It's just unnecessary.
Ugh, I wish I had an answer for you. Heck, I wish I had an answer for myself! I didn't start having ANY acne, zits, whiteheads, etc until I was 16 1/2. I am now 18 1/2 (yes I know I used halves in my age, I was just trying to give a more specific reference lol). It started bad, got better, then cleared up when I was 17, had clear skin for a couple months, came back somewhat, then more, and more. It hasn't been as bad sine I initially started getting acne, but it got bad enough to where I sought treatment. I pray to the derma gods that I outgrow this... and SOON!
It's so hard seeing all my friends, who granted had acne while I didn't, outgrow their acne now. While I got it late and probably will outgrow it (if and when I do), at a much later age. Self confidence... out the window.
RIGHT! It's so hard having acne when all your friends have clear skin
It is really difficult. Comparing is never a good thing though and no matter how others perceive me, I always find myself at the bottom of the heap.
Well let's think of it this way... we may outgrow our acne later, but maybe we'll get wrinkles later. All our friends will be 70 and all wrinkly, while we still have dewy, radiant, youthful skin!
That's very true! My dad is 51 this year and his skin is amazing! He suffered with acne when he was younger, so I know that's why I have it. But he outgrew it and his skin is absolutely flawless and amazing! There's hope for us:)
Not true. Severe acne destroys collagen and makes a person age faster. I'm only 24 but I've developed actual "fine lines" on my forehead from the collagen breaking down from years of acne and picking in that area. I'm actually considering getting botox in that area to smooth things out. True.. people with oily skin do indeed wrinkle less down the road, but acne and it's topical treatments (benzoyl peroxide especially) are very aging to the skin.
>>I sometimes worry that the fact that we're trying so many (harsh) regimens will mean that we'll never grow out
of itlockquote>
You likely won't. Acne is often a chronic condition that can last a life time. My mother is 62 and still has persistent cystic acne on her chin, cheeks and upper back and so does my dad.
Thank you for the optimism.... I'm sure everyone who's struggling on this forum just loves to hear the negative remarks/ Everyone's skin is different, and most people DO at one point or another outgrow their acne. Why put negative thoughts into people's heads when in reality you have no idea what will be? It's just unnecessary.
Sigh.. because acne is not a self limited condition but rather a chronic inflammatory disease like Lupus, eczema ect. that means you will likely never get over it. Nobody outgrows their acne; they either go on Accutane and achieve long term remission or find some great management strategies to control the severity of the condition.
Acne is permanent and will never go away, it is entirely a MYTH that people grow out of acne. It actually may become more severe and considerably more resistant to treatment as you age.
Some people will grow out of it, some people won't.
My brother - who is 3 years older than me - I remember he used to have pretty bad acne around 13-15 years old. He grew out of it around 16-17. He didn't/doesn't even have a special regimen. In fact, all he uses is water.
I'm going to be honest though. I think the fact that I've fallen back into using BP again means that it's going to take longer to grow out of it. I just think "what if I hadn't used a lot of harsh stuff? I might have grown out of it pretty fast". Now I'm sitting here, almost 20 years old, thinking it's never gonna go.
Some people will grow out of it, some people won't.
My brother - who is 3 years older than me - I remember he used to have pretty bad acne around 13-15 years old. He grew out of it around 16-17. He didn't/doesn't even have a special regimen. In fact, all he uses is water.
I'm going to be honest though. I think the fact that I've fallen back into using BP again means that it's going to take longer to grow out of it. I just think "what if I hadn't used a lot of harsh stuff? I might have grown out of it pretty fast". Now I'm sitting here, almost 20 years old, thinking it's never gonna go.
His acne will come back, just wait. Acne never goes away permanently, your brother is probably just in some type of spontaneous remission.
Some people will grow out of it, some people won't.
My brother - who is 3 years older than me - I remember he used to have pretty bad acne around 13-15 years old. He grew out of it around 16-17. He didn't/doesn't even have a special regimen. In fact, all he uses is water.
I'm going to be honest though. I think the fact that I've fallen back into using BP again means that it's going to take longer to grow out of it. I just think "what if I hadn't used a lot of harsh stuff? I might have grown out of it pretty fast". Now I'm sitting here, almost 20 years old, thinking it's never gonna go.
His acne will come back, just wait. Acne never goes away permanently, your brother is probably just in some type of spontaneous remission.
You're barking! People grow out of acne! Both my mum and pop had acne and they grew out of it in their twenties. Are you only referring to moderate/severe acne being recurrent? I know for a fact that many people who developed acne younger than me, have already grown out of it at ages 18-20. Where are you getting this information from?
Some people will grow out of it, some people won't.
My brother - who is 3 years older than me - I remember he used to have pretty bad acne around 13-15 years old. He grew out of it around 16-17. He didn't/doesn't even have a special regimen. In fact, all he uses is water.
I'm going to be honest though. I think the fact that I've fallen back into using BP again means that it's going to take longer to grow out of it. I just think "what if I hadn't used a lot of harsh stuff? I might have grown out of it pretty fast". Now I'm sitting here, almost 20 years old, thinking it's never gonna go.
His acne will come back, just wait. Acne never goes away permanently, your brother is probably just in some type of spontaneous remission.
He's 23 now. He hasn't had acne for 6/7 years. His diet is terrible and so is his skin care routine. IIRC, my Mum had very bad acne as a teen too. She hasn't got it anymore.
There are plenty of people who grow out of it - including the ones who had it really bad. I know that some people don't grow out of it, but they're probably in the minority.
Some people DO grow out of acne. It's more about balancing the right conditions and factors than luck of the draw - usually, raised inflammatory response, excess sebum and skin cells not shedding properly are to blame. These processes are part of the body - a body which, by the way, DOES change in hormonal balance and immune response as a person ages. External factors like diet and facial regimens are usually the way to go, but that doesn't mean that a person's internal factors can't change either.
Oh, and really, try not to be too harsh on your face. Try one treatment at a time and treat it as gently as possible. Too much scrubbing and chemicals CAN make your face worse as it takes longer to heal the excess damage. That's not to say that all chemicals and scrubs should be avoided, just that moderation and care is the key.
And never put BP underneath your first eye bags beneath your eyes. Trust me when I say you have a second set underneath that, whether they're visible or not, and it will make them burn forever.
I think I've grown out of mine for the most part, at least the 'worst' part of my acne journey. In high school I used to get bigger, more painful zits. Now I get much smaller ones, closer to clogged pores if anything. I don't really get cysts anymore either, those are very rare. I do have a better skin regimen now but I mostly think I've grown out of my bad acne stage.
Some people DO grow out of acne. It's more about balancing the right conditions and factors than luck of the draw - usually, raised inflammatory response, excess sebum and skin cells not shedding properly are to blame. These processes are part of the body - a body which, by the way, DOES change in hormonal balance and immune response as a person ages. External factors like diet and facial regimens are usually the way to go, but that doesn't mean that a person's internal factors can't change either.
Oh, and really, try not to be too harsh on your face. Try one treatment at a time and treat it as gently as possible. Too much scrubbing and chemicals CAN make your face worse as it takes longer to heal the excess damage. That's not to say that all chemicals and scrubs should be avoided, just that moderation and care is the key.
And never put BP underneath your first eye bags beneath your eyes. Trust me when I say you have a second set underneath that, whether they're visible or not, and it will make them burn forever.
Acne is not a disorder caused by hormonal imbalance, it's a disorder of the pilosebaceous unit with sebum being the aggravator, not the cause. So it's not about "balance" exactly or diet. It is not scientifically understood what totally causes acne or why it clears in some people but persists as a chronic condition in others. The inflammatory response in acne is largely due to the persons sensitivity to P.acnes and the infection beneath the pore, not because we have an unknown source of inflammation inside our bodies.
Some people will grow out of it, some people won't.
My brother - who is 3 years older than me - I remember he used to have pretty bad acne around 13-15 years old. He grew out of it around 16-17. He didn't/doesn't even have a special regimen. In fact, all he uses is water.
I'm going to be honest though. I think the fact that I've fallen back into using BP again means that it's going to take longer to grow out of it. I just think "what if I hadn't used a lot of harsh stuff? I might have grown out of it pretty fast". Now I'm sitting here, almost 20 years old, thinking it's never gonna go.
His acne will come back, just wait. Acne never goes away permanently, your brother is probably just in some type of spontaneous remission.
You're barking! People grow out of acne! Both my mum and pop had acne and they grew out of it in their twenties. Are you only referring to moderate/severe acne being recurrent? I know for a fact that many people who developed acne younger than me, have already grown out of it at ages 18-20. Where are you getting this information from?
LIsten, I have had severe acne for well beyond 15 years and have seen many specialists with in my home country of Canada and also the United States. From what I've been told time and time again is that Acne Vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory disease that doesn't usually resolve at any certain age and is not self limited. I understand you're very young and unfamiliar with acne but as you will begin to understand is Acne is a life long condition for the many and can only be managed, not cured.
Some people DO grow out of acne. It's more about balancing the right conditions and factors than luck of the draw - usually, raised inflammatory response, excess sebum and skin cells not shedding properly are to blame. These processes are part of the body - a body which, by the way, DOES change in hormonal balance and immune response as a person ages. External factors like diet and facial regimens are usually the way to go, but that doesn't mean that a person's internal factors can't change either.
Oh, and really, try not to be too harsh on your face. Try one treatment at a time and treat it as gently as possible. Too much scrubbing and chemicals CAN make your face worse as it takes longer to heal the excess damage. That's not to say that all chemicals and scrubs should be avoided, just that moderation and care is the key.
And never put BP underneath your first eye bags beneath your eyes. Trust me when I say you have a second set underneath that, whether they're visible or not, and it will make them burn forever.
All the research I've seen supports this. Acne itself may not be directly caused by hormonal imbalances, but what is a result of said imbalances is oily skin. Which of course, is the leading cause of acne in most people. Some people outgrow acne because for whatever reason their hormones are somewhat muted or balanced at some point in the maturation process. This is a fact, and I'm not sure where people are getting the idea that hormones don't play a major role here.
And Darkheart, why would you say acne is a lifelong condition? Where have you heard this? Acne RARELY affects anyone over the age of 50. And the reason? A significant decline in hormonal activity and the slowing of cellular division; meaning less oil, less skin shedding, and less clogged pore
You mentioned the P.acnes bacteria too, Darkheart, and correctly said this is what causes pimples. The oft forgetton part of this conclusion is that P.acnes bacteria NEEDS SEBUM in order to multiply and establish itself on a person's skin. If there is not enough oil, P.acnes has a mild effect at best.
Which brings us back to oily skin, which has been shown to be caused by high androgens or a sensitivity to androgens. This is why in the future, I think we will be using topical DHT blockers to treat acne; used probably after BP and antibiotics but before a Doctor recommends Accutane.
Some people DO grow out of acne. It's more about balancing the right conditions and factors than luck of the draw - usually, raised inflammatory response, excess sebum and skin cells not shedding properly are to blame. These processes are part of the body - a body which, by the way, DOES change in hormonal balance and immune response as a person ages. External factors like diet and facial regimens are usually the way to go, but that doesn't mean that a person's internal factors can't change either.
Oh, and really, try not to be too harsh on your face. Try one treatment at a time and treat it as gently as possible. Too much scrubbing and chemicals CAN make your face worse as it takes longer to heal the excess damage. That's not to say that all chemicals and scrubs should be avoided, just that moderation and care is the key.
And never put BP underneath your first eye bags beneath your eyes. Trust me when I say you have a second set underneath that, whether they're visible or not, and it will make them burn forever.
All the research I've seen supports this. Acne itself may not be directly caused by hormonal imbalances, but what is a result of said imbalances is oily skin. Which of course, is the leading cause of acne in most people. Some people outgrow acne because for whatever reason their hormones are somewhat muted or balanced at some point in the maturation process. This is a fact, and I'm not sure where people are getting the idea that hormones don't play a major role here.
And Darkheart, why would you say acne is a lifelong condition? Where have you heard this? Acne RARELY affects anyone over the age of 50. And the reason? A significant decline in hormonal activity and the slowing of cellular division; meaning less oil, less skin shedding, and less clogged pore
You mentioned the P.acnes bacteria too, Darkheart, and correctly said this is what causes pimples. The oft forgetton part of this conclusion is that P.acnes bacteria NEEDS SEBUM in order to multiply and establish itself on a person's skin. If there is not enough oil, P.acnes has a mild effect at best.
Which brings us back to oily skin, which has been shown to be caused by high androgens or a sensitivity to androgens. This is why in the future, I think we will be using topical DHT blockers to treat acne; used probably after BP and antibiotics but before a Doctor recommends Accutane.
Oily skin is largely genetic and not the result of an imbalance. Most acne prone people have oily glands that genetically produce 5-20 times the amount of sebum than needed and this can persist through the persons life.
The real causes of acne (all of which genetic):
- Being genetically more sensitive to androgens. People that are are androgen insensitive don't typically ever experience acne.
- Having the genetic defect to produce massive quantities of sebum
- Carrying a gene that causes the skin to hyperkeratinize (shed improperly).
- Overactive immune response to infection (which accounts for the inflammation).
And hormones do NOT play the biggest role, hyperkeratinization does. Hormones (usually a normal amount) and sebum are just the aggravator.
The loaded gun: Excess sebum.
What pulls the trigger on the gun: Hyperkeratinization.
See? even if the person was androgen sensitive, produced massive amounts of sebum and heck! even had some kind of hormonal imbalance without the tendency for the skin to improperly exfoliate they still wouldn't have issues with acne. Perhaps just oily skin.
Some people DO grow out of acne. It's more about balancing the right conditions and factors than luck of the draw - usually, raised inflammatory response, excess sebum and skin cells not shedding properly are to blame. These processes are part of the body - a body which, by the way, DOES change in hormonal balance and immune response as a person ages. External factors like diet and facial regimens are usually the way to go, but that doesn't mean that a person's internal factors can't change either.
Oh, and really, try not to be too harsh on your face. Try one treatment at a time and treat it as gently as possible. Too much scrubbing and chemicals CAN make your face worse as it takes longer to heal the excess damage. That's not to say that all chemicals and scrubs should be avoided, just that moderation and care is the key.
And never put BP underneath your first eye bags beneath your eyes. Trust me when I say you have a second set underneath that, whether they're visible or not, and it will make them burn forever.
All the research I've seen supports this. Acne itself may not be directly caused by hormonal imbalances, but what is a result of said imbalances is oily skin. Which of course, is the leading cause of acne in most people. Some people outgrow acne because for whatever reason their hormones are somewhat muted or balanced at some point in the maturation process. This is a fact, and I'm not sure where people are getting the idea that hormones don't play a major role here.
And Darkheart, why would you say acne is a lifelong condition? Where have you heard this? Acne RARELY affects anyone over the age of 50. And the reason? A significant decline in hormonal activity and the slowing of cellular division; meaning less oil, less skin shedding, and less clogged pore
You mentioned the P.acnes bacteria too, Darkheart, and correctly said this is what causes pimples. The oft forgetton part of this conclusion is that P.acnes bacteria NEEDS SEBUM in order to multiply and establish itself on a person's skin. If there is not enough oil, P.acnes has a mild effect at best.
Which brings us back to oily skin, which has been shown to be caused by high androgens or a sensitivity to androgens. This is why in the future, I think we will be using topical DHT blockers to treat acne; used probably after BP and antibiotics but before a Doctor recommends Accutane.
Oily skin is largely genetic and not the result of an imbalance. Most acne prone people have oily glands that genetically produce 5-20 times the amount of sebum than needed and this can persist through the persons life.
The real causes of acne (all of which genetic):
- Being genetically more sensitive to Androgens. People that are are androgen insensitive don't typically evr experience acne.
- Having the genetic defect to produce massive quantities of sebum
- Carrying a gene that causes the skin to hyperkeratinize (shed improperly).
- Overactive immune response to infection (which accounts for the inflammation).
Not quite. I have no desire to argue with you, but you should browse a few studies for your own personal benefit because your info is not entirely consistent with what the academic community is using.