What is acne?
Acne is a condition, which leads to small swellings (pimples) over the skin. It develops commonly on the face, chest and back and is seen usually in the teen period. It develops around hair follicles and is accumulation of oil (sebum) produced by sebaceous glands.

What is the cause of acne?
The exact cause of acne is not known. It is hypothesized that when hormone levels increase during puberty, the oil glands produce more sebum. This leads to block in the opening of the oil glands resulting in blackheads. If the blockage is deeper, it leads to whiteheads. Superadded bacterial infection makes the skin around the follicle red and inflamed resulting in a bump called as papule. In few cases, pus may form and that leads to infection of the papule called pustule. Large, painful swellings may result in scarring, and could heal by leaving behind sunken pits or hard swellings.