Acne is something that most of us, if not all, go through. We spend so many years (and cash) trying to find our holy grail product that can banish our pimples for life. It's a painful trial and error process. It sometimes can end up with our skin being more prone to breakouts, especially when we're not entirely sure of the stuff we're applying to our faces. A better way to tackle this concern is knowing the root of the problem, aka finding out what exactly is causing the zits to appear.
Lucky for us, Dr. Winlove Mojica, a licensed dermatologist, also known as The Skin Sensei on Twitter, made a video discussing the main causes of breakouts. He debunked common acne myths, too, like the belief that peanuts and chicharon can trigger zits!
Keep on scrolling to get learn more about acne and how you can fight it.
1. Clogged pores
Whiteheads occur when cells are trapped underneath the surface of the skin. Once they are exposed to air, they become blackheads. This, then, results in pesky pimples (which you shouldn't pop!).
2. Excessive sebum production of the oil glands
Excessive sebum production is usually caused by the following things: Hormonal imbalance for girls, meaning their body is producing more testosterone than usual, resulting in hyperactive oil glands. Testosterone surge during teenage years, unnatural sleeping patterns, and stress stimulate the "fight or flight" hormones like adrenaline and norepinephrine, so your body activates the oil glands in response.
3. Buildup of bacteria in the skin
If you have clogged pores and oily complexion, the bacteria in your skin called the cutibacterium acnes, (you can't make them go away because they naturally inhibit your skin) will rejoice, thus causing more acne and irritation.
4. Skin inflammation
Clogged pores and buildup of bacteria result in inflammation, making your complexion more prone to breakouts.
Watch Dr. Winlove's full video here:
* This story originally appeared on Cosmo.ph. Minor edits have been made by the Preview.ph editors.
