Acne is the number one subject I get questions about in regard to our skin. Unfortunately, I wish I could tell everyone what one thing it is and what one thing will cure it. There are several different types of acne, and several different causes. Since our bodies are all so different, unfortunately and fortunately so is our acne.
Since I am well aware that acne is a sore subject, after suffering with it for years and with still suffering from it today, let's start with a fun fact about it.
"Acne" comes from the Greek word 'akme' meaning "point" or "spot". It was originally mispelt with an 'n' and not an 'm' in 1835.
Acne is generally known as an inflammatory disorder of the sebaceous glands. These glands are connected to the pores via follicles which are small canals all throughout our skin. Sebum, an oily liquid that our skin naturally produces carries dead skin cells through these follicles to the surface of our skin. A small vellus hair grows through the follicle and out of the skin. Ordinary pustules and papules grow when these follicles become blocked or clogged.
Although common acne and even more severe acne affects both men and women, young men generally suffer from acne longer most likely due to more testosterone.
What causes acne?
Hormones play a huge contributor in acne. During puberty boys and girls produce high levels of androgens, the male sex hormones that include testosterone. Testosterone signals the body to make more sebum (which as we know is the natural oil and waxy secretion that helps the skin retain moisture.)
Bacteria plays another factor in acne. For those of us who don't wash our face before we go to bed... shame on us! Each square centimeter of our skin averages about 100,000 bacteria. Not all of that bacteria is bad. Some microbes live on our skin and protect us against harmful agents like free-radicals.
In our digestive system, there are many different species of friendly bacteria which take part in an important and rather inseparable way. These bacteria are vital to the metabolism of food, the production of enzymes and vitamins. They also aid in the demolition of disease causing microorganisms including fungi and the regulation of our intestine acid. When our body does not contain enough good bacteria, it can be a cause of acne.
HEALTHY SKIN is slightly moist, slightly acidic and smooth.
Hormones. Common acne in teenagers starts with an increase in hormone production. During puberty, both boys and girls produce high levels of androgens, the male sex hormones that include testosterone. Testosterone signals the body to make more sebum, a waxy substance that helps the skin retain moisture.
Bacteria. Excess sebum clogs the openings to hair follicles -- especially those on the face, neck, chest, and back. Bacteria grow in these clogged follicles. This makes blackheads or whiteheads form on the skin's surface -- a condition called non-inflammatory acne. Sometimes the follicle wall breaks under the pressure of this buildup. When this happens, sebum leaks into nearby tissues and forms a pustule -- this is called inflammatory acne. This can create cysts. Ruptured cysts can leave temporary or permanent scars.
Did you know that when our breakouts are on different parts of our faces it means different things?
I found this face chart online. With it's given information, I added my own colored lines to tell you a bit more about the sections. It's the closest thing I can find to what I know.
Starting from the bottom up. When we break out in the 'red zone', it's generally due to hormones.
When we break out in the 'blue zone', it's generally due to an allergy we may have to a food or substance we're consuming. When we break out in the 'yellow zone', it is usually from an overactive sebaceous gland, or too much of our skins natural sebum. When we break out in the purple zone, it's difficult to exactly pinpoint this, but it could be from oil, as well as a hair product we may be using, or it is where we break out when we're using an antibiotic our body doesn't like, or when we're coming off of an antibiotic. Or, for females when our skin doesn't like a certain type of face makeup! When we breakout on our forehead, it is generally from sweat... especially when we're physically active or when we live in warm climates.
Remember, our skin is a window to our body's health. When we go back to Chinese skin analysis each part of the face is connected to an organ. When we look at where we're seeing these problems, we can try to target what's going on within our bodies. Yes, we should treat our skin topically, but we should be healthy from within, as well.
The best ways to easily keep our skin in control:
1. Drink lots of water to flush out toxins in our bodies.
2. Load ourselves with antioxidants. Green tea, cranberries... ect.
3. Take a PROBIOTIC! (this is huge I promise you will notice a difference within days.)
4. Eat plenty of raw foods and eat organic if possible.
5. Cleanse our skin as gently as possible, twice a day. (If you're a female who wears makeup, cleanse twice. Once with a more milky/creamy cleanser to remove makeup. The second cleanse, to really deeply cleanse the skin.)
6. Exfoliate twice a week.
7. (This is optional) Keep glycemic foods and dairy to a low... there have also been studies that link gluten to acne. Experiment with your body and listen to what it's telling you. If you're going to consume dairy, don't consume it on an empty stomach. Also make sure it's not the last thing you eat before you sleep.
8. RELAX. Keep stress to a minimum. We live in a world of stress... and our skin does not need it.
Love to you and your face.
Eat some raw foods for me!
-Jessica.
