Acne, or acne vulgaris, is a long-term skin condition caused by clogged hair follicles from dead skin cells and oil.

It mainly affects oily skin areas like the face, chest, and back, leading to blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, oily skin, and sometimes scarring.

Acne can impact confidence, self-esteem, and cause anxiety or depression.

Genetics play a role in about 80% of cases, while diet, smoking, cleanliness, and sunlight have unclear or no strong links.

Hormones called androgens increase oil production, and the bacterium Cutibacterium acnes often grows excessively, contributing to acne.