The following are the physiological and environmental factors that may help or aggravate acne:

Diet: A large number of foods are blamed for acne, like pork fat and chocolate, but there is no scientific proof. Chocolate have no influence on acne whatsoever, severe diet restriction reduces seborrhea, but this is not a routine treatment. Several studies have been done about diet and acne. A study was done in Papua New Guinea and Ache­­­ hunters in Paraguay and in the study not a single male or female was found with acne, and it was proposed that diet was responsible for that. But since the above populations live in close communities so genetic factors also must be important. The authors of the study suggested that western diet has a high glycemic index (diet rich in food which trigger insulin and insulin-like growth factor secretion). This induces seborrhea and comedones and acne. Acne also occurs less frequently in Japan, Zambia and Nigeria, where diets are different from that of western countries. But lower incidence of acne may be due to genetic and other environmental factors.