Sneaky Reasons You Get Zits
Got acne or even just the occasional zit? Yeah, I'm with ya. Or at least I was , until I sat down with a few dermatologists to pin down all the many, many reasons I was breaking out. The shocker: I was doing sooo many things wrong, and I don't think I'm alone. So I figured I should share their top sneaky causes of acne so we can all have clear skin. No need to thank me.
But first, a random zit fact: did you know that acne-prone people are born with about four to five times more skin cells than the average person?! Crazy,right?
Sneaky Acne Cause No. 1: Pressure (literally)
Dermatologist Dr. Ava Shamban says there is -- get this -- pressure-induced acne. So if you're constantly talking on your cell phone, playing violin, resting your hand on your chin, you're giving your skin a double whammy. One, most of those surfaces are covered in bacteria. And two, the actual pressure of those things on your face can cause acne.
Sneaky Acne Cause No. 2: Pressure (figuratively)
You already know that stress can get your heart racing and your stomach churning, but did you know that it also increases hormones that can cause breakouts? While you can't realistically knock all the stress out of your life (ha, wouldn't that be nice?), you can try to relax and minimize the drama. Say it with me now, ohmmmmm ...
Sneaky Acne Cause No. 3: Your Pillowcase or Towel
This is a multi-dimensional problem. One, your face lies on your pillowcase for hours at a time, and if it's not clean you're basically pressing a bunch of dead skin and bacteria onto your skin
(lovely). Same deal with your towel -- your skin might be fresh from the shower, but if the towel isn't clean you're just wiping germs onto your face.
Annet King, director of The International Dermal Institute, suggests changing your pillowcase once or twice a week and using a fresh towel daily. However, that's only one part of the problem.
If you use fabric softeners and dryer sheets they could also be causing breakouts. Turns out, the stuff that makes your clothes soft is tallow, which is -- wait for it -- animal fat. Ew. I don't know about you, but I don't want that on my face. Plus, detergents and fabric softeners with lots of fragrance can cause irritation as well.
Sneaky Acne Cause No. 4: Over-Drying Your Skin
Sure, it makes sense at first glance: if you dry out oily skin with harsh cleansers, alcohol-based toners and skip the moisturizer, your skin won't be oily anymore. But ... it doesn't really work like that. Instead, drying out your skin this way will cause it to up its oil production, making the whole situation worse. King explains that the skin tries to correct itself and so if it feels dry it will begin to produce more oil to balance things out.
Sneaky Acne Cause No. 5: Tanning
Back in the day, people used to recommend tanning to clear up skin. And in the short term it does kind of work. The sun dries out your skin and UV rays do have an antibacterial element, but tanning is so not the way to go. For one, we already learned that over-drying your skin will cause it to produce more oil. Also, tanning causes your skin to increase cell production (which means more dead skin cells), so while you might get a bit clearer at first, tanning will end up giving you more breakouts. And don't even get me started on all the skin damage, cancer risks and wrinkle issues.

Sneaky Acne Cause No. 6: Your Hair Products
What's that you say? You don't put hair products on your skin? Well, unless you consistently wear your hair in a slicked back ponytail and never let a strand near your face, I'd say that's just not true. King says hair products with oil, silicones and plasticizers can clog your pores, and if you wear your hair down, have bangs or even sleep with your hair loose it can get on your face and work its non-magic. So keep the products to a minimum and keep your hair off your face as much as possible.
Sneaky Reasons You Get Zits. Nov. 30,2010. Available at: yahoo.com. Jan. 23, 2011.
1.
The reader can tell “Sneaky Reasons You Get Zits” is an essay rather than a short story because it:
A.
explains steps in a process.
B.
presents facts about a subject.
C.
places a central character in conflict.
D.
uses evidence to construct an argument.
2.
The details in this passage support the idea that zits
A.
have many causes.
B.
are mainly caused by pillow cases.
C.
are not a problem in most peoples’ lives.
D.
are caused by not washing your face.
3.
Which graphic aid would best help compare characteristics of people who have zits and people who don’t?
A.
map
B.
outline
C.
chart
D.
timeline
4.
If you want to add a direct quotation from this article, which citation would be correct?
A.
One, most of those surfaces are covered in bacteria. (“Sneaky Reasons You Get
Zits”)
B.
“One, most of those surfaces are covered in bacteria.” (“Sneaky Reasons You Get
Zits”)
C.
“One, most of those surfaces are covered in bacteria” (“Sneaky Reasons You Get
Zits”).
D.
“One, most of those surfaces are covered in bacteria (“Sneaky Reasons You Get
Zits”).”
5.
Which detail disproves the theory that tanning gets rid of zits?
A.
that tanning makes you look darker.
B.
that tanning causes cancer.
C.
that tanning gets rid of zits at the beginning.
D.
that tanning dries out your skin and increases dead skin cell production.
6.
In paragraph 4, what does the word “multi-dimensional” mean?
A.
3-D
B.
Many issues
C.
Mathematical
D.
Futuristic

Why Do I Get Acne?
What Is Acne and What Causes It?
Acne is a condition of the skin that shows up as different types of bumps. These bumps can be blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, or cysts. Because of the hormonal changes that come with puberty. If your parents had acne as teens, it's more likely that you will, too. The good news is that, for most people, acne goes away almost completely by the time they are out of their teens.
The type of acne that a lot of teens get is called acne vulgaris (the meaning of "vulgaris" isn't as bad as it sounds — it means "of the common type"). It usually shows up on the face, neck, shoulders, upper back, and chest.
The hair follicles, or pores, in your skin contain sebaceous glands (also called oil glands). These glands make sebum , which is an oil that lubricates your hair and skin. Most of the time, the sebaceous glands make the right amount of sebum. As a teen's body begins to mature and develop, though, hormones stimulate the sebaceous glands to make more sebum, and the glands may become overactive. Pores become clogged if there is too much sebum and too many dead skin cells. Bacteria (especially one called Propionibacterium acnes ) can then get trapped inside the pores and multiply, causing swelling and redness — the start of acne.
If a pore gets clogged up and closes but bulges out from the skin, you're left with a whitehead . If a pore gets clogged up but stays open, the top surface can darken and you're left with a blackhead . Sometimes the wall of the pore opens, allowing sebum, bacteria, and dead skin cells to make their way under the skin — and you're left with a small, red bump called a pimple
(sometimes pimples have a pus-filled top from the body's reaction to the bacterial infection).
Clogged pores that open up very deep in the skin can cause nodules , which are infected lumps or cysts that are bigger than pimples and can be painful. Occasionally, large cysts that seem like acne may be boils caused by a staph infection
"TeensHealth." Why Do I Get Acne?
www.kidshealth.com. Web. 14 Mar. 2013.
1.
Where is the article “Why Do I Get Acne?” most likely to appear?
A.
In a pamphlet at the dermatologist’s office.
B.
Teen Celebrity magazine
C.
Brainscience.com
D.
Journal Record newspaper
2.
What sentence from the article indicates that acne may be genetic?
A.
“Because of the hormonal changes that come with puberty.”
B.
“If your parents had acne as teens, it's more likely that you will, too.”
C.
“The type of acne that a lot of teens get is called acne vulgaris”
D.
“As a teen's body begins to mature and develop, though, hormones stimulate the sebaceous glands to make more sebum, and the glands may become overactive.”

3.
Which graphic aid would be helpful in explaining how acne forms on your skin?
A.
pie chart
B.
outline
C.
diagram
D.
timeline
4.
Which of the following sentences should replace the sentence “Because of the hormonal changes that come with puberty” in paragraph 1?
A.
Teens get acne, because of the hormonal changes that come with puberty.
B.
Teens get acne. Because of the hormonal changes that come with puberty.
C.
Teens get acne because of the hormonal changes that come with puberty.
D.
No changes. It is fine written as, “Because of the hormonal changes that come with puberty.”
5.
Free Response: Which article should you use if you had to write a report on the causes of acne? In a detailed response, explain which article you would use and why. Be sure to use specific evidence to support your point and cite your source. Use a separate sheet of paper to construct your response.
As you write, consider the following:
6.
7.
 My first sentence is complete and addresses the prompt.
 I provide plenty of detailed, specific evidence or examples from the articles.
 I avoid general statements by thoroughly explaining my evidence and how it supports my point.
 I don’t repeat the same words or ideas too much.
 I wrap up my ideas with a conclusion that relates to the prompt.
Written Response Scoring Rubric
_____ Response is clear and fully developed using relevant text-based facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other examples………………………………………..4 points
_____ Response is partially developed using text-based facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other examples ………………………..……………...3 points
_____ Response has limited development using weak text-based facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, and other examples ……………………………….…..…2 points
_____ Response is unclear and is not developed….……………………………...…….1 point
_____ No attempt to answer the question…………………………………….…..…….0 points