If you’ve struggled with acne, you know there are many different types that can affect your skin. One of the more severe forms is inflammatory acne, which doesn’t just bring painful breakouts—it can also lead to long-term issues like acne scars. Understanding what causes inflammatory acne can help you manage it better and protect your skin in the long run.
Take control of your skin’s future—don’t let acne hold you back! Visit Doral Health & Wellness Dermatology for expert care and personalized treatments that bring back your confidence. Clearer, healthier skin starts here!
What Is Inflammatory Acne?
Inflammatory acne happens when your pores become clogged with dead skin, oil, and bacteria. Unlike milder forms of acne such as blackheads or whiteheads, this type leads to red, swollen, and often painful breakouts. It can appear as papules, pustules, nodules, or cysts, each increasing in severity. For those with acne-prone skin, inflammatory acne can be especially distressing because it’s not only hard to ignore but also more likely to leave scars behind.
What Causes Inflammatory Acne?
There’s no single cause of inflammatory acne—it’s usually the result of multiple internal and external factors working together. Understanding these causes can help you manage your breakouts more effectively and make smarter skincare choices. Here are some of the most common culprits behind inflammatory acne:
1. Excess Oil Production
Your skin naturally produces sebum (oil) to stay hydrated and protected. However, when your oil glands become overactive, excess oil mixes with dead skin cells and clogs pores. These clogged pores create the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive, triggering acne.
2. Dead Skin Buildup
Normally, dead skin cells shed naturally. But for acne-prone individuals, these cells can stick around and accumulate inside pores. This buildup traps oil and bacteria, causing inflammation and leading to those painful, swollen breakouts.
3. Acne-Causing Bacteria
Cutibacterium acnes, a type of bacteria that lives on the skin, can multiply inside clogged pores. When your immune system detects this bacteria, it triggers an inflammatory response. This causes the redness, swelling, and pain characteristic of inflammatory acne.
4. Hormonal Fluctuations
Hormonal changes—especially those related to puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, or conditions like PCOS—can spike oil production. This hormonal imbalance often leads to deeper, cystic forms of inflammatory acne, particularly around the jawline and chin.
5. Lifestyle and Environmental Factors
Your daily habits matter more than you think. Diets high in sugar and dairy, chronic stress, and poor sleep patterns can all contribute to inflammation and acne. Additionally, using harsh skincare products or over-cleansing can strip your skin’s protective barrier and worsen breakouts.
6. Genetics
If acne runs in your family, you may be genetically predisposed to develop inflammatory acne. Your genes can influence how your body produces oil, sheds skin cells, and reacts to bacteria.
How Does It Affect Your Skin?
Apart from being painful, inflammatory acne can have lasting effects on your skin. The larger and deeper the blemish, the higher the risk of damaging the surrounding tissue. This damage can result in acne scars, which might appear as indents, raised marks, or discoloration. These scars can take a toll on your confidence, but the good news is that acne treatment options are available to address both active acne and scarring.
Take Action for Clearer Skin
If you’re struggling with inflammatory acne, you don’t have to face it alone. At Doral Health & Wellness Dermatology, we specialize in treating acne-prone skin and tailoring treatments to fit your skin’s unique needs. From managing breakouts to tackling dead skin buildup and preventing scars, our experts are here to help. Regain control over your skin and confidence—schedule an appointment today with Doral Health & Wellness Dermatology. You can visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, 11212, or call us at 1-718-367-2555 or visit our website at https://doralhw.org/specialties/dermatology/ to set an appointment. Your solutions are just a call or visit away! Healthy, radiant skin is just one call away!
