Imagine waking up the morning of prom, or your wedding day, or a big job interview… and sure enough, you look in the mirror to find your forehead is covered in zits!
It's happened to lots of us.
Acne, or acne vulgaris, is the most common skin disease in humans.
It affects about 80% of people at some point in their lives.
Most people get acne between the ages of 11 and 30, but sometimes older people continue to struggle with it, too.
Acne happens when follicles and pores become clogged with dead skin cells and oils.
And… it sucks.
But by studying how acne forms, doctors have developed ways to prevent and treat it.
It all starts with your skin: a complex organ made up of two layers and lots of nerves, blood vessels, and glands.
Your skin cells regenerate about once a month, so you constantly have dead skin cells sloughing off, and new skin cells rising to the surface.
