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Having acne is probably one of the most common symptoms we all go through as people, but believe it or not, some are actually more prone to developing them. All these depend on one’s habits, environment, and even general lifestyle. After all, we face various dangers in our everyday lives一particles we cannot even see with our naked eyes.
Because of this, how exactly do you take care of your skin? We understand that there could be so much material online about skin care that it could be pretty unconvincing, repetitive, and really confusing at times, so we figured we help you with a summarized article about everything you need to know about your acne and how to prevent it.
We’ll tackle various definitions, causes, effects, and prevention methods you can incorporate into your lifestyle pretty easily. It would be a very straightforward guide to help you start off your skin care for men journey without qualms and doubts! Trust us when we say that we’ll guide you through every step of the way.
What is acne?
According to Beaudoin (2019), your skin is actually made of tiny holes called pores for the secretion of dirt, oils, and other byproducts of your bodily processes. While most people don’t have visible pores, they often remain open for any other particles from your environment to enter.
Imagine having some bacteria or viruses enter your body that way. It would be a pronounced response for your body to fight anything foreign trying to enter your body aggressively. As a result, you’d get physical manifestations of that fight or infection, causing one of the most common skin conditions called acne.
What are the common causes of acne?
We’ve compiled a short list of the most common causes of acne, all of which are from credible online sources.
Clogged pores
Oily skin
As we’ve mentioned earlier, your skin actually naturally releases oily byproducts on a regular basis (Beaudoin, 2019). This substance is called sebum, and it’s mostly made up of fatty acids, wax, and cholesterol esters. So, if you’ve noticed, some people actually have oilier skin than others.
This isn’t really because they have poor skincare routines (though, maybe lacking in some aspects), but they’re genetically made that way. More than that, your pores are actually more hyperactive at producing this sebum during your puberty stage, which is why most go through a “pimple stage.”
But, why exactly are those correlated? Well, if your pores produce too much sebum, there’s a big likelihood that your pores would get too overwhelmed in the process. There would be too much that your skin would get overwhelmed and become unable to handle it or that you might have a difficult time cleansing your face. Because of this, the oil would just get stuck there, and it could get infected over time, causing pimples or what people call “zits.”
Dead skin cells
It might be an uncomfortable thing to think about, but your skin actually sheds off its topmost layer regularly (Lindberg, 2020). This process would result in you having an invisible layer of dead skin cells on your face without you even realizing it.
Because of this, the best skin care routines for men recommend cleansing twice a day: once in the morning and once at night. Doing it in the morning would ensure that your skin is clean from the shedding throughout the night while you’re asleep, and doing it at night would get rid of not only the skin cells but also dirt from the outside environment.
If you fail to cleanse your face that way, you will risk producing acne since the dirt and dead skin cells could easily clog your pores when you allow them to stay on their surface. They could enter really quickly, and when your pores are clogged, the oils your skin produces will not have an exit, making them stay in there as well. When these happen, you will cause another infection by your body and the bacteria inside your pores, resulting in acne.
Infections
There are many types of infections you could get just by walking around outside for a day. It’s no doubt that the pollution has been really apparent these times, so you really should take the extra steps in cleansing your face when you come home from school, work, or other trips.
To inform you better, we’ve taken some points from a published work by Pietro (2019):
What is bacterial acne?
Bacterial infections would occur when bacteria enter your pores without your body stopping them. Most of the time, this happens when you have small (or big) cuts since having these would weaken the immune system in that area, leading to acne (pimples), impetigo, cellulitis, and boils.
The tricky part about bacterial infections is that they would stay in your pores and multiply rapidly. Meaning, the area could get more prominent as the bacteria reproduce and reach the nearby areas一you should fix the problem as soon as possible so that you can prevent it from happening.
What is viral acne?
Viral infections would occur when viruses inhabit the surface of your skin. Viruses are incredibly contagious and can easily be transmitted through physical contact. These would come in the form of chickenpox, shingles (herpes zoster), measles, hand, foot, and mouth disease, and most commonly, warts.
When these don’t get treated, it’s really possible for you to have acne since you’d be susceptible to more infections like that of bacteria. For example, an unhealed wound from your warts could get penetrated by bacteria and form boils or puss in the process.
It’s not too difficult to maintain yourself, though. Just be cautious of what you come into contact with and regularly wash your body all over. Moreover, you need to stay in quarantine for a while when you do get these diseases to avoid infecting those around you.
What is fungal acne?
Just like what its name implies, what causes fungal acne is fungi itself. Fungal infections primarily occur in places where it’s damp: armpits, feet, between the toes, etc. These are more prone to sweat as well, so the secretions can easily get infected. Unlike the types mentioned above, fungal infections aren’t contagious.
Plus, these aren’t actually painful and won’t cause you sickness. Still, these are still a bit uncomfortable or unsanitary to keep, and some people also suffer from itchiness and some pain. These fungal infections include yeast infection, ringworm, nail fungus, oral thrush, and most commonly, athlete’s foot.
Most treatments for this type of infection are physical and external, meaning the doctor can prescribe some ointment or other substance to apply on top of the skin. Still, some really need surgery when the condition gets bad enough. So, consult your doctor immediately!
What is parasitic acne?
Just like fungal infections, parasitic infections also can’t make you seriously ill, but they could be contagious to others depending on the type. You can, however, be a habitat for these parasites if you don’t fix the problem immediately一you could be a breeding ground for them to reproduce and spread. Most parasites that could cause acne include lice, bedbugs, scabies, and cutaneous larva migrans.
After you consult your doctor for treatment, you will also have to avail a pest control agency to rid of any other parasite in your home. It won’t be too bad as long as you approach the problem pretty early on.
What exactly would happen if you have acne?
Inflammations
Now that you know the immediate causes of acne, we’ll explain to you what your body’s response to them will be. Your body will, naturally, fight off any foreign bodies trying to enter your body that aren’t supposed to, so it brings forth your immune system in those areas in an attempt to stop any penetration (Madormo, 2021).
You could go through some swelling, itching, and redness in the targeted areas, and these could make you feel incredibly uncomfortable and look unhealthier than you used to be.
Larger pores
Acne removal is actually not that recommended since these would force your pores open just to remove the bacteria and other substances under your skin. But, if you’re already used to this practice and do it regularly, you may notice that your pores get more visible to the naked eye.
Your skin may appear more “hole-y” than before if you keep pricking the acne away, which is why it’s vital to prevent acne production in the first place. Still, when it’s already there and present, just don’t touch and prick them, and they will pop and disappear on their own.
What exactly would happen if you have acne?
That being said, here are our tips on how to prevent having acne to avoid having to deal with all the symptoms and adverse effects they bring. It’s not all about following a skin care routine for a man一you have to consider other aspects of your lifestyle to really fix the acne problem.
Eating healthier
Diet actually plays a large part in our body’s behaviour. For example, eating less would give us less energy to work with, generally making us feel weaker and more tired. Similarly, eating certain foods can actually make us produce more of the sebum we discussed earlier (Beaudoin, 2019).
Fried foods
This concept is pretty self-explanatory since fried foods are generally a lot more oily than other, more plain food. These would encourage your body to be greasier, producing more lipids and fats.
Foods high in sodium
When you consume a lot of sodium, your body gets dehydrated immediately to break it down. Because of this, your body has to produce more sebum or oils just to compensate for that lack of moisture, making it excessive and causing acne in the process.
Using blotting papers
Wiping blotting papers throughout the day can help eliminate the excess oils on the surface of your face. It’s just a way of regulating it temporarily, and you’ll still need to do your skincare routine at home. The most common oily areas for people are the forehead and nose, also known as the T-Zone, which makes it one of the best ways to get rid of forehead acne.
Cleansing your face regularly
Throughout this article, we’ve already stressed the causes of acne, but we’ll just reiterate it in this section. Cleansing your face regularly as part of your skin care routine for oily acne prone skin would entail a clean and fresh look without excessive oils and foreign bodies trying to penetrate your pores.
Best face wash for acne
The Mantisfy Face cleansing mousse is one of the best face washes for oily acne skin since its texture is really thick, making it penetrate through even the thickest layers of oil. More than that, it’s also not that harsh against your skin as it has soothing properties. In a way, your face would get healed instead and won’t get damaged by the ingredients.
Mantisfy Deep Cleansing Mousse
https://backup.mantisfy.com/product/men-facial-cleansing/
It also serves as a 2-in-1 cleanser and shaving cream if you have facial hair. It’s a cost-effective way to maintain your skin and hair at the same time! Plus, it’s a good idea to use this cleanser if you also have dry skin because it also has moisturizing ingredients.
Conclusion
Everyone has to deal with acne, some more than others, but there are definitely ways to avoid and prevent their production. Besides, it all starts with having a routine that you can stick with and commit to. Then, you’ll surely get the results you’ve been wanting!
References
BEAUDOIN, K. (2019) Oily Skin Causes: Genetic, Lifestyle, Do’s and Don’ts. DermCollective. Weblog [Online] 1st May. Available from: https://dermcollective.com/oily-skin-causes/#what_is_oily_skin. [Accessed 2/6/21].
LINDBERG, S. (2020) A Daily Skin Care Routine for Oily Skin: 4 Key Steps. Healthline. Weblog [Online] 5th February. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/health/skin-care-routine-for-oily-skin-2. [Accessed 2/6/21].
MADORMO, C. (2021) Causes and Treatments for Skin Inflammation. Weblog [Online] 16th April. Available from: https://www.verywellhealth.com/skin-inflammation-5095859. [Accessed 9/7/21].
PIETRO, M. (2019) Skin Infection: Types, Causes, and Treatment. Weblog [Online] 7th March. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/health/skin-infection. [Accessed 9/7/21].