- ACNE -

CAUSES, SYMPTOMS

& TREATMENTS

Acne is a common skin problem for most teens and many adults. Acne occurs when the skin’s follicles become blocked with sebum and dead skin cells. The overproduction of sebum in the skin provides an environment ready for the bacterial overgrowth of Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) bacteria. This overgrowth of bacteria causes inflammation, leading to inflamed lesions. Acne lesions range in severity from blackheads (open comedo) and whiteheads (closed comedo) to pustules, papules and cysts. Acne generally appears on the face, chest and shoulders, but may also occur on the back, arms, legs, and buttocks.

There are many myths about what causes acne. A common myth is that acne is a result of dirty skin. However, pimples and blackheads are not caused by dirt. Acne is caused by a combination of over-production of skin oil, excess dead skin cells and bacteria. A blackhead is dark in color because it is open to the air and oxidation causes the color change. Respectively, a whitehead is closed to the air and therefore has not noticeable color.

The myth of whether certain foods cause acne is still being debated. Science has not come up with any clear cut answers; however many people will find a connection between the foods they eat and breakouts. Trying to figure out what foods cause acne to become worse is tough, because the outcome of eating a certain food and resulting acne will vary greatly among people.

What food causes acne to become worse in one person will not affect another. So what this comes down to is avoiding some of the generally bad foods for your body and putting in more healthy food. Avoid sugary and fatty foods, foods rich in iodine and dairy foods. Add more fruits, vegetables, green tea and meats that contain good essential fats to your diet.

HOW TO TREAT YOUR ACNE

So what can you use to treat your acne? While there is no real cure for acne, managing all the triggering factors is key to keeping acne under control. Those triggers include dead skin cells not exfoliating, excess sebum, P acnes bacteria, and inflammation. Also, the treatments used depend on the severity of the acne.

The first important trigger to control is the bacteria on your skin. Benzoyl peroxide is very effective against P acnes bacteria for many people. Also most tests show that p. acnes do not become resistant to benzoyl peroxide, so if it works for you, it should continue working. Other topical anti-bacterials that can be tried include: tea tree oil for a natural solution, colloidal silver, triclosan, and chlorhexisine gluconate.

Topical antibiotics can be used to control skin bacteria in a more targeted way. Topical antibiotics also usually cause less damage and inflammation to the skin sometimes making them a better choice for people with more sensitive skin. Topical antibiotics are usually as effectual as antibiotics taken orally with fewer side effects. Topical antibiotics include erythromycin, tetracycline and clindamycin.

To keep the follicles and pores from becoming blocked with the oil, dead skin cells and bacteria, exfoliation can help. Remember, you are trying to avoid skin irritation, so do not use microdermabrasion scrubs or anything too harsh on your skin. Besides removing dead skin cells, exfoliation can improve the penetration of other topical treatments.

Your results can be greatly improved by following these tips:
• Use oil-free, non-comedogenic skin care products and cosmetic.
• Avoid cream-based cleansers when you have oily skin.
• Do not over wash or scrub your face excessively as you do not want to irritate your skin.

Excessive washing will not cure acne.

• Do not pop, poke, pick, scratch your pimples, whiteheads or black heads. Touching your face will only spread bacteria.
• If your acne is progressively getting worse, don’t wait. See a doctor.
• Eat a healthy diet. Tomatoes, garlic, vitamin C and A are all very good for the skin.