What Causes Acne?

Lesions and pimples that appear on the skin are the major symptoms of acne. They become red and itchy as the acne progresses ant in severe cases, they may feel hot as they swell, itch accumulate pus and they break out into wounds. Acne is caused by the accumulation of oily sebum that clogs the hair follicle pores thus accumulating bacteria that attack the skin through the pores.  Pus is produced when the immune system is in the process of fighting off the bacteria that in turn cause inflammation and the pain.

Teenagers are the most affected by acne since their hormones are at the peak. The androgens that are present in males enlarge the sebaceous gland hence increasing the sebum that is released by the skin. This causes clogging of the pores and bacteria begins to build up. For females, acne is most likely to attack them during menstruation, pregnancy and menopause since they experience many hormonal changes during that time. Other causes of acne can be poor hygiene that makes the dead cells clog the skin if they are not cleaned properly.

Eating a diet with too much fat and sugar can make acne worse. Foods such as red meat, spicy food, ready meals, caffeine, candy, white refined flour products, eggs and oysters have been proven to cause acne. Other causes include allergies to dust, cosmetics and certain fabrics.

How Can Chlorine Help to Reduce Acne?

Chlorine is a chemical compound that is the lightest halogen in the periodic table. It is a very strong oxidizing agent because it has the highest electron affinity and third form the top in electro negativity. Sodium chloride is the most common compound of chlorine and it has been used for many years. Chlorine is also a component of other compounds such as the table salt. Chlorine is often used as a bleach and disinfectant due to its high oxidizing potential. It is also commonly used as a reagent in industries.

Acne is caused by excess oil and sebum in the skin. Chlorine is an agent for drying the skin when applied on the skin and it removes the excess oil that attracts bacteria. That is why you appear dry and pale after swimming in a pool that has been treated with chlorine. The drying of the skin by the chlorine in the water reduces the acne.

The chlorine in water is a disinfectant hence it acts as an antibacterial agent. This helps to reduce the amount of bacteria that spread the acne and it cleanses the infected parts. The drying and disinfecting of the skin reduces the chances of new infection, and it helps to heal the previous infection.

While swimming, your body will be forced to breathe slowly and deeper. This is very beneficial to your skin because in addition to the chlorine disinfecting the skin, the pressure promotes oxygen inhalation in the blood stream that results in cell regeneration. It promotes faster healing due to detoxification and the deep cleansing of the hair follicles. However, chlorine is very corrosive; hence, it should be used in very small amounts. Consult a professional before using any chlorine product.