LITERATURE STUDY

2.2 THE CAUSES OF ACNE 

According to Day (2005:13) the exact cause of acne is not yet known, but the current school of thought attributes the development of acne to several related factors. When looking at the underlying cause of acne, two general categories need to be considered: intrinsic factors and extrinsic circumstances.

Intrinsic factors refer to a person’s hormonal and genetic make-up, hormonal medications and certain life events (Day 2005:14). According to Fulton (2002: 96) acne is inherited as a dominant gene. If both parents are affected, three out of four of their children are likely to suffer from acne. Not only is the condition inherited, but the location of the acne on the face, back or chest is also genetically determined.

Hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy and adolescence can cause acne or make it worse in people that are prone to acne. Changes in sleep pattern, habits and stress can also affect our bodies on different levels. Internally this means that there are constant small but significant shifts in various hormones. These changes can lead to the development of a skin condition in some, but not all cases (Day 2005:16).

Extrinsic factors refer to outside factors or situations that can cause acne lesions or worsen existing acne. This can be certain products that are applied to the skin, like creams or make-up that can act as irritants. It also includes the effect of wind, sun and pollution, as well as using fingers or other objects to pick at the skin (Day 2005:16).

Acne was originally believed to be caused by high levels of oil or sebum production in the skin. The level of a bacterium, propionibaterium acnes (p.acnes) in the pores has also been viewed as a common cause of acne. However recent research has identified sebum production and bacteria as aggravating factors, rather than causative factors (Fulton 2002:96).

The process of developing acne usually progresses in the following way. Excessive sebum production is the first abnormality that occurs at the onset of acne. Ineffective sloughing of the skin cells lining the pores follows this. If acne bacteria are present in the pores, inflammatory acne is likely to develop. Furthermore, if this process occurs in a person with a genetic predisposition to acne, and is combined with certain extrinsic factors, it is very likely that such a person will suffer from severe acne. However it needs to be said that this process can differ from individual to individual and oftentimes only some, or a combination of some, of the factors mentioned above are present (Day 2005:18).