Acne has many causes, and there are also plenty of myths surrounding other things that might cause acne, such as what you eat and how good your mental health is. So in this article we aim to separate the fact from the fiction and discuss what can truly cause acne.

Article highlights

• Genetic causes of acne
• How hormones cause acne
• What foods cause acne

When you still struggle with acne despite all these steps taken in the right direction, you might begin to ask yourself the question: is acne genetically inherited? Because why else would our skin be behaving so downright contrary? And what exactly is genetic acne? Sadly, the simple answer is: We don’t know the exact or full causes of acne for sure. But what researchers and medics do know is that there could well be a genetic link that makes us predisposed to developing acne.

Acne isn’t just confined to teenage skin - adult acne and pregnancy acne can affect our skin in later life too, and acne doesn’t just always affect the skin on the face. It can affect the skin of the back, neck and chest, and even the vagina. So here’s a look at some of the different types of acne and what can cause this often upsetting condition.

Article highlights

• Propionibacterium acne
• Teenage acne
• Adult acne
• Rosacea acne
• Vaginal acne
• Pregnancy acne

Cystic acne is the most advanced stage of acne and sometimes, holistic factors will help you understand your causes and symptoms. In this article, we’re going to discuss what cystic acne is, what it looks like, what causes it and how it can be managed.

There are some surprising reasons why acne may break out on different areas of your face and some simple ways to help prevent it from happening. Here’s some of the common causes of acne on the chin, cheeks, forehead and nose, and what you can do to help treat these acne breakouts.

Jaw acne isn’t as common as acne elsewhere on the face, but if we’re experiencing it, we’re probably looking for ways to treat it. So here’s the lowdown on jawline acne including what causes it and how to best manage your skin.

Is there anything to back up the claims of dairy causing acne, or is it just a myth? Does dairy cause acne? Is dairy bad for your skin? Let’s take a look and see if it really could help your skin if you put away the milk and laid off the chocolate and cheese.

Acne has a reputation for being a young person's problem. In fact, acne may develop at any time after puberty up to our middle years and beyond. Acne can be caused by many things, one of which is a hormonal imbalance. Therefore, hormonal acne treatments might be a consideration for many of us, regardless of our age or gender.

Let’s talk about periods. Some of us get away quite lightly, our periods passing by barely noticed. But for so many others, that ‘time of the month’ signals mood swings, cramps, breast tenderness, bloating, backache, headaches, the worry of having enough sanitary protection and period acne. So why does period acne happen? Why does being on our period mean that our acne prone skin becomes a pain in the proverbial? And is there anything we can do about it?

Topical acne creams and oral medications help to cure the symptoms of acne, but they don’t address the root cause. This means that your acne can come back once the treatment is finished. Taking a holistic approach to finding the cause of your acne and making relevant lifestyle changes can mean that your skin improves significantly. Here’s some tips on helping to get rid of acne naturally.

Whilst these are effective acne treatments, many people like to take supplements alongside their conventional acne treatments to support their skin as much as possible. Here’s some of the best supplements for acne prone skin.

Topical acne treatments work in different ways, and may target sebum production, kill the bacteria that colonises the skin leading to breakouts or act as an exfoliant to clear away dead skin cells that could otherwise clog the pores. Here’s our roundup of the most common topical acne treatments, how they work and what side effects, if any, you may expect.

There are many acne medications available if you’re trying to manage your acne-prone skin. Each product works in a different way, and some may be more beneficial to you than others, depending on your causes, circumstances and preferences. Here's our guide to everything from oxy acne medications to antibiotics and beyond.

Looking after acne-prone skin can sometimes be a case of more than skincare. Particularly so, moderate to severe acne skin types. Antibiotics for acne are only ever prescribed by a doctor, who will be able to do so after assessing your skin. Here's all you need to know about taking antibiotics for acne.

In this article we address the common questions, including can contraceptives improve acne? Or could they possibly cause acne that's related to hormones, to become more upsetting?

There are many medical and topical treatments for acne but another type of acne treatment that some people turn to is light therapy. Light therapy for acne is a type of ‘photodynamic light therapy’ or PDT, that involves targeting light at the skin to improve its appearance. But does light therapy help acne spots? Here we give an independent view on using light therapy for acne and if it can actually work.

Laser treatment for acne isn’t usually used as a first treatment. Instead, it’s usually used for severe cases of acne or if other treatments haven’t proved effective. Some laser treatments help to reduce oiliness, spots and outbreaks, whilst others are an effective acne scar treatment.

If you aim to keep your skin hydrated to prevent dryness, will it overload it and contribute to acne breakouts? If you use products to treat acne when you have dry skin, will it strip the skin of its natural oils and dry out the skin further? As ever, here’s all the facts you need to know. But first up, what is dry skin and what does it look and feel like?

Having body and back acne affects our physical and mental health, causing discomfort and upset for sufferers. So how does it develop, what causes back acne flare-ups and is treating it the same as treating acne spots on the face?

Here we talk about acne on the back and chest - what causes it, the treatment options and how to get rid of acne for good.

The causes of forehead acne are varied, including everything from oily hair to our hormones. As the reasons for forehead acne are varied, how to remove forehead acne is best understood when we understand what’s causing it. Here’s our lowdown on everything you need to know about the causes and treatments for forehead acne.

Managing acne prone skin can be a challenge. You might have tried all manner of creams, lotions and potions to help clear up the whiteheads, blackheads and angry pus filled spots that are common among acne sufferers. If you’ve been wondering if salicylic acid for skin is good for managing acne, here’s our lowdown on this popular acne treatment.

You may have heard of a chemical facial peel in terms of an anti-aging treatment. But what is a chemical peel for acne? Both are actually very similar, and use a type of gentle acid, often derived from natural sources such as fruits, that exfoliate the skin. The result of a chemical peel for acne is smoother, clearer, less acne prone skin.

Can we do anything about acne scars? Can we reduce scarring? On a professional skincare expert level, we can try injections, laser treatment and chemical peels. But if they sound a bit scary (and expensive), we’ve put together a list of treatments and home remedies you might like to try to help reduce acne scars and acne marks.

Topical acne creams and oral medications help to cure the symptoms of acne, but they don’t address the root cause. This means that your acne can come back once the treatment is finished. Taking a holistic approach to finding the cause of your acne and making relevant lifestyle changes can mean that your skin improves significantly. Here’s some tips on helping to get rid of acne naturally.

Clay masks are said to be good for purifying the skin, drawing out toxins and having an anti-inflammatory effect on stressed out skin. They're also said to be great for those of us with mild to moderate acne. But are they really any good for treating skin that's prone to breakouts? Let’s take a look...

Some of us who experience acne breakouts on a regular basis will therefore look for more natural ways to get rid of acne. One such natural acne remedy is coconut oil. A quick Google search will give you conflicting views on using coconut oil to fight acne. Some will give it the thumbs up, others will say to avoid using coconut oil to treat your skin as this oil may clog your pores and lead to even more excess oil on your face - the exact opposite of what you need to help your skin.

Have you ever thought about how your diet might be affecting your skin? Is what you’re eating causing your acne? Could a food allergy cause acne symptoms? Here’s a look at the most common acne causing foods and why.

Could drinking green tea help treat acne? What about applying green tea topically on the skin? Or skincare products containing green tea? What about using other teas to help reduce acne vulgaris breakouts and to help protect the skin? We decided to do a little research of our own on how the use of green tea may help improve acne and wanted to share it with you.

Pregnancy acne is a common skin complaint that affects women during pregnancy. Is acne during pregnancy normal? For many women, very much so. Acne treatment during pregnancy however, can be a tricky thing to get right. Here, we take a look at what causes pregnancy acne, how long it lasts and what acne treatments can be safely used during pregnancy.

If you’re pregnant and pregnancy acne is bothering you, it can be tricky to know what acne treatments are safe during pregnancy. So here’s our round up of some treatments for acne during pregnancy, and which ones are safe for both you and your baby.

If you have pregnancy acne, you have an added worry – how to best look after your skin and avoid breakouts. Can I use medicated creams, or will they affect my baby’s health? What about acne scar treatment during pregnancy? Pregnancy brings beautiful things, but it often also feels like a minefield. So here’s our advice and all the do’s and don’ts on acne treatments for pregnancy and beyond.