Is acne caused by too many toxins in the body?

Not really

The cause of acne is not due to excessive toxins in the body.

Medical research shows that acne is a common skin disease, which is mainly caused by the combined action of multiple factors, including excessive secretion of sebaceous glands, clogged pores, bacterial infection and inflammatory response.

First of all, the occurrence of acne is closely related to the fluctuation of hormone levels in the body. Especially during adolescence, the increase in androgen levels in the body will stimulate the sebaceous glands to secrete more oil. Excessive oil combines with dead skin cells and dirt on the surface of the skin, which can easily lead to clogged pores and cause acne. In addition, genetic factors and the sensitivity of individual sebaceous glands can also affect the severity of acne.

Secondly, the overgrowth of Propionibacterium acnes is one of the important causes of acne inflammation. This bacterium is usually present in hair follicles. When there is too much sebum, they multiply in large numbers, inducing local inflammatory reactions and causing acne to worsen. This process has nothing to do with the so-called "toxins".

Some traditional theories may mention that "toxins in the body" may be the cause of acne, but this is based on traditional concepts or folk views and is not supported by modern medical evidence. Therefore, even if you have acne, you do not need to treat it through "detoxification."

Author: Tang Jiaoqing, MD, attending physician of dermatology

Review | Feng Jun, deputy chief physician of the Dermatology Department of Sinopharm Tongmei General Hospital