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 Acne is a skin condition that affects nearly twenty million people in the United States.  The condition causes lesions on the skin, usually on the face, chest and back.  While acne is most common in teenagers, it can also affect adults.  Let us first look at the cause of acne then at the treatments.

What causes acne?

The pores in your skin contain oil glands, also known as sebaceous glands.  These glands produce oils (sebum) that hydrate the skin and hair follicles.  If there is too much sebum produced, acne can occur.  This is very common in teenagers because their bodies are changing due to puberty.  During puberty, hormones stimulate the sebaceous glands, which in turn makes more sebum.  This over-production can cause the pores to become blocked which increases the likelyhood of infection.  If an infection occurs, redness and swelling will follow, which is a sign of an acne outbreak.