14 Reasons Why You Have Pimples (Acne)

Doctors advise treating pimples immediately to prevent them from spreading. Acne, if left untreated, can leave scars on the skin, which become very difficult to remove. Pimples can develop due to various reasons. Here are a few:

1. Dead Skin Cells Build Up

The skin sheds a layer of dead skin cells. A few dead skin cells get stuck to the sebum, which causes blockage of the pores. These blocked pores become pimples.

2. Heredity

If you have a genetic problem, the pimples on the face will reoccur through your lifetime. The genetic rationale behind it is that the hyperactive sebaceous glands produce a lot of sebum, leading to pimple formation. In this case, you should consult a skin specialist as home remedies and natural methods may not provide a permanent solution to your problem. For serious acne or pimples, oral medication is necessary for a particular time period. Procedures such as chemical peels and microdermabrasion can be very effective as they minimize the occurrence of acne and also reduce acne spots and blemishes.

3. Teenage Pimples
Pimples commonly occur during puberty, and both young boys and girls face it. When the body undergoes physical changes and gets ready for reproduction, the sebaceous glands become overactive. The sebum build-up also blocks pores and causes pimples.

4. Hormonal Pimples/Acne

If you think that you don’t need to fear pimples anymore since you are no longer a teenager, your perception is wrong. Adult pimples or acne are caused due to hormonal imbalance in the body. It is a very common symptom of PMS and also occurs during the menopause period.

5. Bacterial Growth
The sebum gets accumulated behind blocked pores. This sebum that builds up behind the blocked pores contains bacteria. A slow growing bacterium, Propionibacterium acne, thrives naturally in the skin. When the conditions are suitable, this bacterium spreads and cause painful pimples. It feeds on sebum and produces a substance that leads to an immune response and also causes skin inflammation.

6. Sensitive To Testosterone

People with skin prone to acne are usually sensitive to testosterone, a natural hormone present in both males and females. In such people, the testosterone triggers oversecretion of sebum, which leads to blockage of pores. Sometimes, dead skin cells get stuck to the sebum and make matters worse.

7. Dairy Products And High Glycemic Foods Cause Pimples

A report presented by New York University and published in The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics states that eating high glycemic foods like bakery goods and sweet beverages that are high in sugar content causes pimples. Having too many dairy products is also not good for your skin, though they are high in calcium. These pimples can be corrected by following the right diet.

8. Oily Food

This is the most important reason for pimple formation in today’s generation. Eating a lot of fried and processed food triggers your oil glands and produces sebum, which leads to pimples, blackheads, and breakouts.

9. Medicines Cause Acne

Some epilepsy medicines and medicines that have androgens in them cause pimples.

10. Skincare Products

While using your favorite beauty products, you often forget the fact that these can also cause pimples and blackheads. Using products that are not suitable for your skin type is a complete no-no. Also, switching products very frequently causes a lot of harm to skin. The new ingredients in the product can irritate your skin and cause pimples and breakouts.

11. Not Removing Makeup

Greasy, oil-based makeup can cause pimples. Avoid applying heavy makeup and try to use water-based cosmetics. Always stick to natural products since chemicals can cause acne breakout as well.

12. Traveling

When you travel far, the change in the environment, like the weather, temperature, humidity, water, etc., triggers the formation of pimples.

13. Stress

Another main cause of pimples is stress. Your body functions get upset during stress, and this triggers pimples. Stress cannot alone cause a pimple, but it aggravate the problem by releasing inflammatory chemicals called neuropeptides.

14. Friction Or Rubbing Skin

When you rub your skin constantly or pick at pimples, they grow worse. Even the pressure exerted by bags, helmets, and tight collars or scarves can aggravate acne.

Who Get Acne?

People of all races and ages get acne. Acne is most common amongst teenagers and young adults, with about 80% of people affected between the ages of 11 and 30. It also affects a few people in their forties and fifties as well.