Let's Talk About Acne

Hundreds of dollars are spent on acne treatments or concealers for teenagers and adults alike. Many of these expensive serums, creams, and washes fail to deliver their promising results. To make matters worse, some are filled with chemicals and ingredients that the body may view as toxins. Although there are cases of acne that require stronger treatment, many cases of acne can be controlled with proper care.

What is Acne

Acne is a term used to classify a skin condition that symptoms involve breakouts of pimples and bumps. Pimples are the result of dead skin cells and excess oily secretions from glands in the skin called sebaceous glands that can get trapped beneath the skin's surface and clogs pores. Open clogged pores lead to what we call 'blackheads'; dark clogged spots on the skin that appear black due to a reaction of the skin pigment, melanin, to oxidation. When sealed by the skin, they are white and can become infected. When infected, the inflamed pimple is filled with more bacteria and fluid.

 Getting pimples and having acne is usually seen in a different light normal pimples are quickly forming and diminish within a few days. Acne has a tendency to last long periods of times and usually is accompanied by inflammation and scarring. Doctors classify acne into categories of mild, moderate and severe. Mild acne usually consists of small white or blackheads that are not inflamed. Moderate acne has more frequent occurrences and is normally inflamed. Severe acne is separated into two forms: the lesser one of the two causes large amounts of fluid-filled pimples (pustules) and/or inflamed pimples (papules)  that may be painful. The most severe type causes cystic acne (deep pimples caused by clogged oil ducts), nodules (here referring to non-cancerous lumps), pain and extreme scarring. [1]

What Causes Acne

Only a few direct causes of acne are universally agreed upon as a result of controversies and lack of studies. The strongest agreed upon causes for acne are:

• Hormone imbalances (natural and medical effects like birth control)
• Skin irritants 
• Genetic disposition 
• Clogged Pores (from make-up, heavy oils, etc...)

Other causes that are not universally agreed upon with little studies done regarding them include:

• Poor diet 
• Sleep deprivation 
• Stress 

[2,3,4]

How to treat Acne

It's a common sight to see ingredients like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid in typical acne treatments. Both of these ingredients help kill bacteria and reduce the chance of infection. It is recommended if you are going to utilize treatments with these ingredients that you should start off using lotions and cremes with lower concentrated levels.

Natural ways of dealing with acne include cleaning and exfoliating the skin gently. Sugar, grounded oatmeal, and coffee can be used to gently scrub dead skin cells off the skin. (Check out the coffee scrub recipe in a previous post here) This should be done only once or twice a week to avoid skin irritation. Use mild, non-drying soaps to wash the face daily. 

Including antibacterial ingredients in your washing routine such as honey, coconut oil, diluted tea tree oil or apple cider vinegar can be quite effective. You can easily make a mask using aloe vera and honey (aloe vera has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties).  Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar can be applied with a cotton ball after washing off the mask to increase the ph level of the skin.  

[5]

Last, but definitely not least, is moisturizing the skin. There are many oils that are light enough and won't clog your pores such as argan and almond oil. One of the greatest oil for acne treatment is sea-buckthorn oil. This oil has a staggering amount of vitamin C- 400mg per 100g (That's about 12 times the amount of vitamin C found in an orange!). [6] Vitamin C is known to help irregular skin pigmentation, encourage the production of collagen, and reduce inflammation. Sea-buckthorn oil also contains Omega Fatty acids 3,6, and 7 (which is rare). The popular omega 3 fatty acids help promote healthy, hydrated skin. 

Note: When applying buckthorn oil, your face will be stained slightly orange due to the vitamin C content. This will disappear on its own so it is recommended to use this oil at night before bed. [7]

Tips 

A few do's and don'ts to keep the acne from getting worse:

• Do Change your pillowcases and bedding often; they harbor bacteria and dead skin cells 
•  Don't pick or squeeze your pimple or bumps. You can increase the chances of scarring and infections
• Do Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated 
• Do attempt to keep hair from your face especially if you have oily hair
• Don't Over exfoliate your face 
• Do eat more fruits and vegetables that will promote alkalinity in your body 

Disclaimers

• All product reviews are based on my experiences. Please be advised that everyone may not have the same experience. I am not affiliated with any product or marketing unless otherwise noted. Please check with manufacture disclaimers prior to use of any product.
• All advice, information, and remedies should be taken into severe consideration. Please contact your health practitioner or holistic practitioner if you are struggling with a disease or currently taking any form of medication, pregnant or breastfeeding.
• These statements-unless otherwise noted- have not been evaluated by the FDA