Chest Acne Causes

There are several chest acne causes. Chest acne is common in both men and women, but the causes can be different whether you are a man or a woman.

The main cause of chest acne is the same cause of acne in general: a higher production of skin cells that happen to clog skin pores and trap skin oil inside the pores.

Another chest acne cause is hormonal, especially in women before menstruation. Aggravating factors include irritation of the skin and environmental elements.

Chest acne causes: an overproduction of skin cells

Usually the main chest acne cause, the higher than normal production of skin cells leads to skin pores clogging. Skin pores are blocked and both dead cells and skin oil produced by sebaceous glands are trapped inside.

As a consequence, p.acnes, the bacteria that causes acne, will develop in the clogged pores, leading to chest acne breakouts. This can occur in the form of whiteheads and/or blackheads, pimples, nodules or even cysts when the skin is very inflamed.

Chest acne causes: hormonal factors in women

Hormones can cause the oil producing glands of our skin to produce more sebum. Hormonal changes are very common during menstruation and many adolescent or adult women experience chest acne breakouts about 2 to 7 days before menstruation begins.

Other factors that aggravate chest acne

There are several factors that will aggravate chest acne, especially if they are combined. Here are a few of them.

• Irritation: if you skin is irritated by clothing or other everyday life items, this can cause or rather aggravate chest acne. You should avoid tight fitting clothes if you suffer from chest acne.

• Stress: stress can make your chest acne worse. This applies to emotional stress (exams, important events, work environment, and human relationships) and to physical stress (lack of exercise, poor diet, and poor health).

• Cosmetics and skin care products: many of these items contain ingredients that can actually worsen chest acne because they will contribute to clog your pores. Think of moisturizers, sunscreens, pomades and your favorite foundation. If you suffer from chest acne, make sure to look for oil-free cosmetics that are also non-comedogenic (comedones are blackheads and whiteheads).

• Humidity and sweat: people who live in humid climates can have more frequent chest acne breakouts. Sweat can also irritate the skin and lead to more acne bacteria.

• Diet: although there is no proof than diet causes or aggravates chest acne, in some cases a healthy diet can definitely help you get less acne breakouts. This really depends on each individual, and you should pay attention to the foods that seem to worsen your acne and try to avoid them.