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Acne is a skin condition that causes spots and pimples,especially on the face, shoulders, back, neck, chest, and upper arms.
It is the most common skin condition in the United States (U.S.), affecting up to 50 millionAmericans yearly.
It commonly occurs during puberty, when the sebaceous glands activate, but it can occur at any age.
The glands produce oil and are stimulated by male hormones produced by the adrenal glands in both males and females.
At least 85 percent of people in the U.S. experience acne between the ages of 12 and 24 years.
Here are some facts about acne. More detail is in the main article.
Human skin has pores that connect to oil glands under the skin. Follicles connect the glands to the pores. Follicles are small sacs that produce and secrete liquid.
The glands produce an oily liquid called sebum. Sebum carries dead skin cells through the follicles to the surface of the skin. A small hair grows through the follicle out of the skin.
Pimples grow when these follicles get blocked, and oil builds up under the skin.
They tend to appear on the face, back, chest, shoulders, and neck.
Skin cells, sebum, and hair can clump together into a plug. This plug gets infected with bacteria, and swelling results. A pimple starts to develop when the plug begins to break down.
Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) is the name of the bacteria that live on the skin and contributes to the infection of pimples.
Research suggests that the severity and frequency of acne depend on the strain of bacteria. Not all acne bacteria trigger pimples. One strain helps to keep the skin pimple-free.
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