When bacteria enters the picture, clogged pores can go from simply being blocked to infected. This infection will trigger an immune response from the body, usually resulting in inflammation, redness, pain, and in some cases the production of pus. The result: pimples, nodules, and/or cysts.

Your genetics can greatly influence how prone you are to acne, what type, and at what severity. Genetics will predetermine certain aspects of your skin such as:

• The size of your pores and how prone they are to blockage

• Your natural level of oil (sebum) production

• The rate at which you shed old/dead skin cells and replace them with new ones aka your skin cell turnover cycle

• Your hormonal levels and sensitivity to them

• If you will have an allergic or inflammatory response when exposed to certain stressors, ingredients, or environmental factors

While you can’t change your genetics, the good news is, there are many lifestyle factors and ingredients that can help mitigate the effects of your genetics on acne.

Your body uses hormones to regulate numerous processes and functions. The skin can be highly reactive to hormonal exposure, even in processes that are not directly related to skin function. Generally, hormones will effect the production of oil (sebum) in the skin. Higher sebum production related to hormonal fluctuations can results in clogged pores and acne when that excess sebum combines with dead skin cells, dirt, and bacteria. In cases where hormone fluctuations reduce oil production, you may also experience dry skin which is prone to irritation breakouts.

Either way, hormones play a large role in the function of your skin and can contribute to the formation of acne.

There is a great deal of controversy as to whether or not diet contributes to acne. While foods themselves are unlikely to cause breakouts, it’s possible that your body may react in ways to certain foods that can trigger acne. Whether or not certain foods contribute to acne can be a purely personal experience. If you suspect your diet is contributing to your acne, you can work with a health care provider to try to identify the connection.

The amount of oil produced by your skin can contribute to the appearance of acne and blemishes. Oil production is largely influenced by genetics, but it can be triggered or stalled by exposure to certain environmental factors. Many types of acne form around sebum that’s produced and then trapped in pores when combined with other things like dead skin cells, bacteria, and dirt. Sebum in an of itself is not bad, in fact it’s essential to maintaining the health of your skin, but preventing it from combining with acne-causing bacteria is key.

A comedogenic reaction is when a pore becomes blocked as a result of exposure to or accumulation of a material that cannot easily be cleared. This kind of reaction can take time as a product or material builds up in the pores. Products and ingredients with a high comedogenic rating are likely to cause this sort of build up in the pores, though everyone’s reaction may be different.

Acne can develop as the result of an inflammatory response. This is when your body has an immune reaction to something in or on your skin. The resulting increased blood flow to an inflamed area can cause redness, pain, swelling, the production of pus, and symptoms similar to a topical infection.

Acne that forms as a result of skin barrier disruption is a form of an inflammatory reaction. Skin barrier disruption can occur when skin is exposed to environmental factors such as extreme heat or cold, dry air, wind, or pollution. It can also occur due to exposure to too many active or drying ingredients such as chemical/manual exfoliants, antioxidants, antiseptics, etc.

Excessive exposure to these environmental factors and/or active ingredients can irritate and inflame the skin, disrupting the pH, triggering an immune reaction that results in pain, redness, swelling. When the skin barrier is disrupted in this manner, it will often produce excess sebum in an attempt to moisturize the skin and rebalance its pH. During this time, the skin is less able to stave off bacteria and other environmental stressors which often mix with this excess sebum resulting in acne and breakouts.

A disrupted skin barrier (also called a compromised moisture barrier) can feel painful, or the skin can feel like it’s tight/dry. In spite of feeling tight and dry though, the skin will appear oily or greasy at the same time.