Cause of Acne: What Is the REAL Story?
March 26th, 2007If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Today we address the age-old question: what causes acne? Unfortunately, the exact cause of acne is not fully known. But doctors seem to have narrowed the suspected trigger factors down to these few:
Hormones
As anyone might suspect, changing and fluctuating hormone levels are a leading suspect in the cause of acne. Acne often flares during the hormonal surges of adolescence, pregnancy, and for women, the days before beginning a monthly cycle; or the onset of menopause. Starting or stopping birth control pills may also prompt acne.
Heredity
Many researchers believe acne is caused by genetics. Some studies seem to indicate that acne is an inherited skin disorder that runs in families. So if you struggled with acne, there’s a good chance your children will struggle with it as well.
Food Sensitivities
This is a surprisingly little-known culprit. A lot of people blame chocolate or fried foods as a cause of acne. In reality, foods of themselves have little effect on acne. However, a poor overall diet that doesn’t provide enough skin-loving nutrients such as zinc, Read the rest of this entry »
Stress and Acne Linked, Study Shows
March 9th, 2007
In what is billed as the largest study ever conducted on acne and stress, researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine reveal that teenagers who were under high levels of stress were 23 percent more likely to have increased acne severity.
“Acne significantly affects physical and psychosocial well-being, so it is important to understand the interplay between the factors that exacerbate acne,” said Gil Yosipovitch, M.D., lead author and a professor of dermatology. “Our study suggests a significant association between stress and severity of acne.”
The results of the study, which involved 94 adolescents from Singapore, are reported today in Acta Derm Venereol, a Swedish medical journal.
Toronto Daily News - Acne Severity Linked to Stress Levels
Tags: teen acne, acne, stress and acne, acne research
Posted in Acne Research
Top Of Page | Comments OffVitamins For Acne and Foods Containing Them
March 6th, 2007
There are several vitamins that help your skin fight acne. Just as your body needs vitamins to remain in good working order, the skin, as the largest organ your body has, needs vitamins to maintain its good health. Your skin not only defends the body’s internal organs against outside infectious agents, but different body toxins and wastes are filtered out of the body through your skin’s pores. Acne signals a disturbance in this normal metabolic function. Vitamins for acne attempt to naturally address the stresses that the skin experiences due to hormonal imbalances, emotional stress, digestive issues or nutritional deficiencies. Let’s take a look at vitamins for acne.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a key vitamin for acne. Studies reveal that low levels of vitamin A in the body favor the onset of acne. Vitamin A helps prevent or reduce acne by reducing the production of sebum (a natural body oil that is produced beneath the skin and lubricates it). But vitamin A is also a powerful antioxidant. It reduces the amount of harmful free radicals in the body that cause skin aging and cell damage. In fact, many popular prescription drugs that fight acne are Vitamin A derivatives; and are known as retinoids. While Vitamin A is available as a supplement, high doses of the vitamin are toxic. Beta-carotene is a naturally-occurring antioxidant that is converted by the body to vitamin A. Carrots, green leafy vegetables and yellow or orange fruits are the best natural sources.
Vitamin B
Vitamin B is actually a group of vitamins including Thiamine (vitamin B1), Riboflavin (vitamin B2), Niacin (also called Nicotinic Acid/Niacinamide, vitaminB3), Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, Pyridoxine (vitamin B6), folate/folic acid; and Cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12). The B vitamins together keep the skin healthy. Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) is particularly important due to its antioxidant character. B6 (Pyridoxine) has also been found helpful against acne, especially premenstrual flare-ups. Still, the whole B group has great natural vitamins for acne and very low level of any of these can cause acne. Natural food sources of the vitamin B group include beans, lean meats, wheat germ and whole grains, eggs, green leafy vegetables and chickpeas.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is important for producing collagen in the body. Collagen is the connective tissue found in skin and bones. In addition, vitamin C enhances immunity and protects against infection (of which acne is a source ). Vitamin C also helps in the absorption of iron and boosts healing from within. Remember that you’ll need more vitamin C if you are a smoker or use antibiotics or birth-control pills. Natural sources of vitamin C are blackcurrant, oranges, blackberry, grapefruit, and lemon.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is another of the important vitamins for acne. It has antioxidant properties that work to heal and repair skin tissues. Vitamin E protects cells from damage by checking the oxidation of fats and also by inhibiting the formation of free radicals. The recommended daily dose of vitamin E is 400 IU.
Tags: vitamins for acne, acne foods, antioxidant, natural acne treatment
Posted in Acne Articles
Top Of Page | 2 Comments »Adult acne: Clear causes — and cures
January 9th, 2007
A good article from the Akron OH Beacon Journal on adult acne that profiles five sufferers and what worked for them. Lots of useful tips and information.
Tags: adult acne, acne news, acne tips, acne treatment
Posted in Acne Information
Top Of Page | Comments OffCystic Acne Natural Treatment
January 5th, 2007
Let’s discuss cystic acne natural treatment today.
What Is Cystic Acne?
Cystic acne is a severe form of acne vulgaris, featuring cysts, whiteheads, blackheads, papules, pustules, and nodules. Cysts look like nodules, except that the cyst is filled with pus. Compared with other types of pimples, cysts form deeper in the skin. They are usually painful and give rise to scars. To avoid scar formation, therefore, treatment is necessary.
Adolescents Are Most Vulnerable
Teens are most vulnerable to cystic acne . The condition is most severe in adolescents. But cystic acne does affect adults and appears in forms called adult acne, hormonal acne, or body acne.
PLEASE Don’t Squeeze!
Some people seem to believe, erroneously, that squeezing an acne cyst will root out the problem at that spot. Not so! Squeezing can result in even deeper infection, resulting in more pain and inflammation that will be felt longer. It can also cause the development of more cysts. You don’t want that, do you?
Common Medical Treatment - Not Always The Answer
To prevent the formation of additional cysts and scars, cystic acne must be treated as soon as it develops. In severe cases, the dermatologist may drain the lesions and prescribe antibiotics to ward off bacterial infection. Cortisone may be injected into the cysts to reduce inflammation. For some, this is not a good treatment option. Antibiotics can wreak havoc on an already stressed system. And cortisone…well, I’ve had cortisone shots and they were NOT pleasant.
Many dermatologists will prescribe Accutane for cystic acne. But Accutane is not suggested for pregnant women or women who may plan to become pregnant in the near future. There are also reports that Accutane may induce depression in some people.
What Cystic Acne Natural Treatments Are Available?
AcnEase is a well-known cystic acne natural treatment that remedies the condition without external ointments that may dry and irritate skin. It also has no serious adverse effects like Accutane and is recommended for adults and adolescents. In women, its use has shown satisfactory results. It has also been successful in individuals whose cystic acne was not treated effectively by Accutane. AcnEase not only prevents new acne cysts but ensures the healthy regeneration of skin, thus curbing the threat of scarring.
How Does AcnEase Work?
As a cystic acne natural treatment, AcnEase restores the internal balance of hormones that has been disturbed by various factors like changes in endocrine glands’ secretions, nervous tension, physical and psychological stress, and diet irregularities. Since the root cause of acne is an internal disorder in the body’s chemical environment, AcnEase treats the root cause of acne and other skin problems. Thus it treats the external symptoms of the disease by healing from inside.
There are also cystic acne natural treatment regimens that take a holistic approach to treating acne. They address diet, lifestyle stress, and vitamin deficiencies on the premise that acne is a symptom or manifestation of imbalances in the body, and not a disease in and of itself. These cystic acne natural treatment regimens will be covered in future articles.
Tags: cystic, acne, natural, treatment, skin care, remedy, AcnEase
Posted in Acne Articles
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