When a client settles into my treatment chair, one of the big questions I get asked is: “What on earth is causing all these breakouts?” I’ve put together this guide, “What Is the #1 Cause of Acne?“, to lay out the real story behind Acne vulgaris in a clear, honest and, most importantly, no-nonsense way. Acne can be a real pain in the butt, emotionally draining and just plain frustrating at times, but once you understand what’s going on under the surface of your skin, it all starts to fall into place.
Everything else, diet, stress, sun exposure, skincare and how you live your life, can either make things worse or help them sort themselves out, but they’re not the key issue.
Hormonal shifts make your sebaceous glands go into overdrive. They sit right at the base of your hair follicles, you know. When your hormone levels start to rise, especially the androgens, your oil glands get a bit too busy, producing all that extra sebum, which then becomes thick and gloopy, just ripe for blocking your pores if you know what I mean.
I see this all the time in my Brisbane treatment room, both in teenagers and adults with Acne: when hormone levels get a bit wonky, the skin starts to react with blackheads, whiteheads and even full-on cystic acne.
Hormones basically tell your sebaceous glands what to do – and if they get a bit too proactive, you end up with loads more sebum, cell turnover goes haywire and inflammation kicks in big time. Androgens, adrenal glands and cortisol levels all play a role.
That’s why stress can lead to flare-ups so easily: when your cortisol levels go through the roof, your sebaceous gland activity goes into overdrive and acne-causing bacteria just love ’em some of that.
Don’t just think of excess sebum as being all shiny and pretty – when it mixes with dead skin cells, it creates a sticky mess that blocks your hair follicles. And before you know it, you’re left with clogged pores and angry, swollen breakouts.
Even people with dry skin can get caught out by this if their internal hormone levels are fluctuating. When the oil glands go into overdrive, the outer skin just can’t keep up, and you end up with congestion and all sorts of angry bumps.
And then, when Cutibacterium acnes (formerly Propionibacterium acnes) – a bit of a nasty bit of bacteria that’s just naturally always lurking on your skin – gets stuck inside a blocked pore, that’s when it really starts to get out of hand. Without any oxygen, it just multiplies like crazy and sets off the immune system, giving you loads of redness, swelling and of course, full-on painful cystic acne. Yep, I’ve had clients tell me, “It went from absolutely nothing to a major crisis overnight, no joke.”
Lifestyle factors don’t trigger acne, but they certainly have a major impact on how bad your breakouts are. The things that have a big influence here are your diet, cortisol levels, the cleanliness of your microfibre cloth, and all the pollution you’re exposed to.
Down here in Brisbane, though, with our stinking hot and humid climate, it’s no wonder pores get all puffed up and sweat just sits there on the skin for ages – which is probably why back acne is a real problem in the summer.
Don’t get me wrong here, greasy foods aren’t what give you acne, but foods with a high GI (that’s white bread, pasta and sugary foods, for example) can make inflammation and oil production in your skin a real problem, especially if you’re already prone to Acne vulgaris.
And stress – well, it just makes your cortisol levels go haywire, which means you’re producing more sebum. I see this all the time when people are in the midst of exams, juggling a million deadlines at the same time or going through some other major life shift. Then there’s your immune system – it really plays a big role in how your skin is going to react to the little buggers that cause acne.
Humidity just means you’re sweating even more, your pores are going to swell, and your oil glands are going to work overtime. And sweat is the last thing you want to mix with all your sunscreen, makeup and natural oils, because it just becomes a sticky film that just sits there clogging your pores.
I hear from clients all the time who say their skin feels grimy by lunchtime of any given day – and that’s totally normal in this city. Our climate just makes it so that oil and moisture just pile on top of each other, especially for people with hormone imbalances.
When your barrier isn’t up to scratch, irritants and pollutants just come in and cause even more inflammation. And gut health can really impact the way your immune system behaves, which isn’t great for your skin. And when your nervous system is all out of whack (and stress is the main culprit here), it just means cortisol levels go up, and that just makes things worse.
I’ve seen people calm down their acne just by supporting their internal stress pathways – and in some cases, they even see a difference before they even change their skincare products.
Sometimes what looks like acne isn’t actually acne at all – it just doesn’t respond to the usual treatments:
Treating the wrong condition is just a recipe for disaster, and can lead to months of frustration before you even figure out what’s going on, which is why clients often ask if professional extractions cause scarring when trying to fix breakouts themselves. Which is why getting a professional assessment is so important.
Skincare products don’t actually cause acne, but using the wrong solutions can make breakouts a whole lot worse, which is why targeted products like OrganicSpa Blemish Control can make a real difference. I see people making the same mistake over and over again – using harsh cleansers that strip the skin bare.
When the skin’s barrier gets weakened, inflammation starts to go through the roof – and don’t be surprised if your skin starts producing more oil as a result, as it tries to make up for its weakened state.
If you’re struggling with Acne vulgaris, the ingredients that have some actual science backing them up include:
These ingredients are still top of the list come 2026, and they work even better when you pair them with some oil-free moisturiser or pairing your routine with a hydrating facial.
I see people messing up their skin with all sorts of harsh treatments all the time – physical scrubs, overpowered AHA peels, or using too much of that topical antibiotics stuff. All of these things can damage that all-important barrier.
I had one client from Brisbane who was obsessed with a viral “DIY acne peel” that she was using once a week. By the time I saw her, her skin was raw, red and inflamed and stuck in this awful cycle of breakouts. But once we sorted out her barrier and got her immune system to calm down, her cystic acne started to ease up a lot.
So, what’s actually supported by evidence right now? Well, you might want to try:
The thing is, these actually work best when you’re using them with a consistent routine – not just slapping some product on willy-nilly and expecting results to magically appear.
| Treatment or Lifestyle Change | Average Timeline to Improvement | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Salicylic acid cleansers / microdermabrasion | 4–6 weeks | Great for clogged pores + blackheads |
| Benzoyl peroxide | 4–8 weeks | Targets acne-causing bacteria |
| Topical retinoids | 8–12 weeks | Supports cell turnover; may purge |
| LED therapy | 4–8 sessions | Reduces inflammation + bacteria |
| Diet adjustments | 6–12 weeks | Especially helpful for glycemic index triggers |
| Professional facials | 4–10 weeks | Helps with acne scars + congestion |
When you come to our facials studio, I’m not just looking at your skin, I’m digging deeper. I consider:
This approach means no more wild guessing or relying on quick fixes. We’re looking for a way to really heal your skin, not just cover it up.
Acne isn’t about being dirty or sloppy. It’s not something you’ll just outgrow. It’s a skin condition that’s driven by biology, specifically, how hormonal changes are affecting your skin’s oil production and how your follicles behave.
You’re not alone if you’re tired of trying to figure out what’s going on with your skin. Come on in to The Facial Hub for a consultation, and we’ll work together to calm, restore and rebuild your skin – without the overwhelm, and without any judgement.
At The Facial Hub, I’m often asked, “What is the #1 cause of acne?” The truth is, there isn’t just one single cause — but one of the biggest drivers is excess oil production combined with clogged pores and bacterial activity.
From my clinical experience, acne is usually influenced by a mix of factors like hormonal changes, inflammation, and how well the skin barrier is functioning. That’s why quick fixes rarely work — you need to address what’s happening beneath the surface.
For me, managing acne is about balance, consistency, and choosing the right approach for your skin — not overcorrecting or damaging it in the process.
— Sevine Foster
It’s all about hormonal fluctuations driving up sebum production and messing with your skin’s follicles.
No, but if you’re eating a lot of high-glycemic foods like white bread, soft drinks and pasta, you might be making your acne worse with all that extra inflammation.
If you’re dealing with really bad acne, we might need to bring in some heavier-duty stuff like systemic medication or oral treatments like isotretinoin.
Yes, UV exposure is a real problem for people with acne. It can make the inflammation worse and cause further damage to your skin.
Not at all – just make sure you’re using non-comedogenic products and cleaning your skin gently. No need to go harsh with the cleanser or scrub too hard.
