Face Acne: What Causes Them, How to Prevent and Treat Them

While face acne is typically associated with teenage years, many cases affect adults as well. While for some it does not disappear at the end of adolescence, for others, it is more pronounced in adulthood. Acne on the face manifests as inflamed pimples larger than blackheads and can have several causes. It is usually a cosmetic and not a health problem but is often associated with stress and feelings of shame. If you or a loved one has face acne, we have compiled the most important facts about its causes, treatment, and prevention for you.

What Is Face Acne?

Acne occurs when the pores of the skin become clogged, resulting in the formation of blackheads, whiteheads, and various other types of pimples. These pimples, which can be filled with pus and occasionally cause discomfort, show up as raised bumps on the surface of the skin.

Face acne can affect people of any age, but it is especially common during puberty. The severity of acne can vary, ranging from mild outbreaks that clear up on their own to more severe cases characterized by inflamed and persistent lesions and scarring.

While acne typically forms on the face, it also can appear anywhere on your body where there are oil glands, including on your back, upper arms, shoulders, and chest.

What Causes Face Acne?

Sebaceous glands, which create sebum, are found near the hair follicles in the skin. Sebum contributes to the waterproofing and suppleness of the skin, hair, and nails. However, these apertures of the sebaceous glands can easily get clogged if sebum production is considerable.

Common Causes of Face Acne

• Both men and women generate androgen hormones during adolescence, which stimulate the genital glands' increased activity and sebum production.
• Dead skin cell buildup may contribute to the development of acne by obstructing the pores.
• The presence of cystic acne results in the formation of deep-seated, painful pimples filled with pus. In addition to the intense discomfort, the involvement of bacteria in the pores leads to swelling and inflammation, making cystic acne the most severe form of acne, often associated with the risk of scarring.
• Fungal infections can also occasionally result in acne development. In this case, you may experience itchiness and inflammation in the affected skin areas.
• Nodular acne is a severe form characterized by the presence of large, painful, solid bumps deep beneath the skin's surface, whereas cystic acne involves the formation of painful, pus-filled cysts that are softer to the touch and can feel like fluid-filled sacs beneath the skin.

How to Treat Face Acne?

There are face acne treatments that can be done at home and others that can only be initiated by a cosmetician or dermatologist. It is always advisable to first see a dermatologist who can determine the face acne causes and severity of the acne. They will then recommend a suitable home treatment or, if necessary, medication or laser treatment.

Acne Treatment You Can Use at Home

Even as a teenager, it can be helpful to develop a daily skincare routine. Cleansing, moisturizing and gentle exfoliation of the face can help heal acne areas and prevent the development of new acne.

A few other ideas to keep in mind:

• It's also important that you always wash your face with warm water or face acne wash when you get home.
• Use makeup products that don't irritate your skin, and if possible, are oil-free (especially if you have oily skin).
• Wash off your makeup before you go to bed.
• Let the acne area heal on its own, so don't squeeze the pimples as this increases the risk of scarring and the time it takes to heal.
• The right clear up spot treatment cream and face serums for acne will help reduce the inflammation that causes redness, clear up bacterial and other clogging and revitalize your skin after a few days of usage.

Medical Solutions for Face Acne

• Topical medications like clindamycin (an antibiotic), benzoyl peroxide (for controlling germs and lowering inflammation), and retinoids like adapalene and tretinoin (which remove blocked pores) are among the medical therapies for acne.
• Antibiotics and tretinoin are only accessible with a prescription, whereas stronger forms of benzoyl peroxide and adapalene are available without a prescription.
• Dermatologists may recommend prescription drugs including oral antibiotics, isotretinoin (an oral retinoid), and birth control pills (which include estrogen and progesterone) if topical therapies are ineffective.
• There are at least six different types of light and laser therapies available, including blue light devices, infrared light, and photopneumatic therapy that treat certain acne-prone areas differently. After diagnosing the affected area, a dermatologist usually recommends a combination of several different devices to treat the area. The therapy can reduce inflammation of the skin, decrease the size and number of acne spots, and prevent new spots from forming. Repeated treatments are usually recommended annually.

How to Prevent Face Acne

• Regular and thorough washing of the face with warm water not only helps to treat existing acne but also to prevent new ones.
• Use acne gel or acne serum daily to revitalize your skin, decrease inflammation, and keep new acne from developing.
• Wear sunscreen with adequate SPF and always pay attention to physical sun protection.
• Exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet, and drink plenty of fluids (at least 2.7-3.7 liters per day).
• Moisturize your skin and remove dead skin cells regularly with an acne face scrub.
• Be careful not to clog your pores! Remove your makeup before going to bed and avoid using oily products.

Explore NIVEA’s Face Acne Products

1. NIVEA CLEAR UP DAILY SCRUB
   Benefits:
   1. Rebalances the skin in 5 ways
   2. Unclogs pores
   3. Blemishes reduction
   4. Visible skin improvement in 7 days
   5. 99% Pure Sea Salt, Salicylic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid
2. CLEAR UP CLEANSER FACE WASH
   Benefits:
   1. Rebalances the skin
   2. 8H Oil & shine control
   3. Blemishes reduction
   4. Visible skin improvement in 7 days
   5. 99% Pure Sea Salt, Salicylic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid
3. CLEAR UP FACEWASH 150ML
   Benefits:
   1. Rebalances the skin
   2. 8H Oil & shine control
   3. Blemishes reduction
   4.Visible skin improvement in 7 days
   5. 99% Pure Sea Salt, Salicylic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid

Frequently Asked Questions About Face Acne

• Should I stop wearing makeup if I have acne? Inappropriate or allergenic makeup can also cause acne, so it's a good idea to take a break for a few weeks. If this isn't the case, it's enough to avoid oily products. https://www.dermstore.com/blog/top_ten/obagi-answers-acne-questions/
• What are the signs of acne skin? Acne can manifest as skin changes including crusting, cysts, papules, pustules, redness, scarring, whiteheads, and blackheads. This skin condition can appear on various areas of the body, most commonly on the face.
• What foods cause acne? Certain foods can potentially cause acne reactions, including sugar, dairy products, fast food, chocolate, greasy food, whey protein powder, refined grains, lean meat, and animal protein.
• Is face acne harmful? Acne is primarily a cosmetic challenge without any serious health risks. However, the stress of acne skin can make life difficult for many sufferers, and severe acne can cause permanent scarring of the affected skin.