ACNE RISK FACTORS

Risk factors for Acne are factors that do not seem to be a direct cause of the disease, but seem to be associated in some way. Having a risk factor for Acne makes the chances of getting a condition higher but does not always lead to Acne. Also, the absence of any risk factors or having a protective factor does not necessarily guard you against getting Acne.About 80 percent of all teenagers develop acne,but this disease can also begin as late as the ages 25 or 30,particularly for women.

• Hormonal changes in your body can provoke or aggravate acne. Such changes are common in:Teenagers, both in boys and girls, Women and girls, two to seven days before their periods, Pregnant women, People using certain medications, including cortisone, Menstrual cycles and puberty can cause hyperactive sebaceous glands, which can cause acne
  

• Direct skin exposure to greasy or oily substances, or to certain cosmetics

• A family history of acne — if your parents had acne, you're likely to develop it too

• Stress can play a role in acne because of the increased output of hormones from the adrenal glands, (Note that stress does not cause acne, but stress may lead to an outbreak/flare)

• High humidity causing swelling of the skin

• Certain medications:Steroids ,lithium, barbiturates, androgens or halogens such as iodides, chlorides or bromides
  

• Environment is also one of the risk factor of developing acne. The people living in the humid areas are more often get severe type of acne which clogs the pores and produces more sebum and as a result acne is caused on the surface of the skin

• Cosmetics : Sometimes acne is caused by various cosmetic products which contain some harmful ingredients which can make the acne worse.The ingredients contain oleic acid, lauryl alcohol, petroleum, vegetable oils, butyl stearate etc. These ingredients are found in foundations, moisturizers and pomades.The U.S. National Women's Health Information Center :Wearing makeup
  

• Food/Diet : Foods such as nuts, cola, milk, cheese, fried foods have been implicated as triggers of acne vulgaris; however, the connections between nutrition and acne has not definitely been proven as they are rarely supported by good analytical, epidemiological or therapeutic studies .On the other hand, recurrent acne as noted by Niemeier et al (2006) may be a cutaneous sign of an underlying eating disorder
  

• Dermatologists seem to agree that something in milk and dairy products may be linked to teen-age acne

• Pressure from wearing headbands and chinstraps
  

• Nicotine : Smoking has also been named as a risk factor for acne vulgaris; however, conflicting data exists as to the link between smoking and acne. Some population based studies have found links between smoking and acne whilst some others have not
  

• Sometimes wearing helmets and sporting equipments can be the cause of acne though they may be worn for safety reasons. As a result, oil is collected on the helmets, headbands and chinstraps and leads to acne. Therefore, these items should be thoroughly cleaned and rinsed after wearing them. The U.S. National Women's Health Information Center:Irritation to the skin caused by friction from hats, helmets or backpacks
  

• Petroleum oils : People working in fast food restaurants and those who are exposed to motor oil regularly can have more risk of having acne. This is caused because the oil or grease which are produced in the air cause skin diseases like acne and make the skin irritated.