Question:
Hey man,
I hope you are doing well.
I don’t know what’s wrong, but I’m getting so many bumps on my skin, and I don’t know why. It’s so annoying. It’s on both my face and in the middle of my chest. Could the reason be the hair follicles? Because none of my family members had this much acne, and it’s getting more and more. Could you please explain the reason to me?
Answer:
Acne occurs when the oil glands in your skin (the sebaceous glands) become clogged. The glands keep producing oils, and they swell because the only exit hole is blocked. This forms a white bump on your skin. The leading cause of the exit being blocked is dead skin cells blocking it. This slows down the amount of oil exiting the gland. Sometimes, it completely blocks the hole. Sometimes, it slows it down so much that the oil below the skin’s surface starts to harden, and the hardened oil blocks the exit.
Worse, bacteria get trapped under the skin by the blockage. They begin to multiply, and the body’s defenses react, causing red areas on the skin. The inflammation also blocks the exit holes, making the problem worse.
As you can see from the illustrations, your hair follicles have oil glands next to them. The oil keeps your skin and hair flexible. Here is another problem: when a male’s hair changes from fine vellus hairs to thicker terminal hairs, the wider hair narrows the exit hole for the oil, making blockages more likely until the body adjusts with wider holes for the hair. On top of this, your testosterone, which triggers your development into an adult male, also stimulates your oil glands to be overproduction. Things settle down after you reach stage 5, but stage 4 can be difficult.
What to do about it?
The first line of defense is to wash the oily areas of your skin more often. Soap removes oils and dead skin cells and kills bacteria. Unfortunately, if you wash too often, your skin will dry out, making it irritated and red, which is just as bad.
If that doesn’t work, try an acne wash. There are two basic types. One uses a mild acid (salicylic acid) that helps loosen dead skin cells and break down clogs. The other uses a chemical called benzoyl peroxide that kills bacteria for a longer period and, thus, reduces inflammation. Try one for a month or two to see if it makes a difference. If you don’t see improvement, try the other type. Be careful with benzoyl peroxide formulas, as it will bleach some dyes used in clothing, wash clothes, and towels. You should apply it while in the shower, allow it to sit on your skin for a minute or two to soak in, and then thoroughly rinse it off.
Another suggestion is to change your pillow case more often since it will absorb the oils from your skin and reintroduce bacteria to your skin after you have washed them off.
For really bad cases, you may have to visit a dermatologist.