The Big Bad "A" Word

Hello, lovelies!! Today, I want to talk about a dreaded subject.... ACNE (insert lightning blots and scary music). I know it's not fun, but if you have ever suffered from acne you know what a toll it takes on your self esteem and how difficult it is to manage. I believe if you understand WHY you have acne then you have a heck of a lot better chance of beating it. Many people don't realize that there are multiple causes of acne and therefore multiple different treatments not all created equally. Once you pin down what is causing your acne then you can begin treating it.

What is Acne?
Acne is a skin condition that causes pimples or "zits." This includes whiteheads, blackheads, and red, large inflammed patches of skin (such as cysts or boils). It occurs when the hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells. Your hair follicles are connected to sebaceous glands. These glands secrete an oily substance known as sebum that lubricates your hair and skin. Sebum normally travels up the hair shafts and then out through the openings of the hair follicles onto the surface of your skin. When your body produces an excess amount of sebum and dead skin cells, the two can build up in the hair follicles and form together as a soft plug, creating the perfect environment where bacteria can thrive.

Pimples are raised red spots with a white center(whitehead) that develop when blocked hair follicles become inflamed or infected. Blockages and inflammation that develop deep inside hair follicles produce lumps beneath the surface of your skin called cysts. Other pores in your skin, which are the openings of the sweat glands onto your skin, aren't normally involved in acne.


Why Do I Have Acne?
Three factors contribute to the formation of acne:

• Overproduction of oil (sebum)
• Irregular shedding of dead skin cells resulting in irritation of the hair follicles of your skin
• Buildup of bacteria

  

While there is really no one cause (other than oil multiplying the bacteria), there are a lot of factors that can contribute to acne and, when bunched together, cause it. A few examples are:

• Hormones. Androgens are hormones that increase in boys and girls during puberty and cause the sebaceous glands to enlarge and make more sebum. Hormonal changes related to pregnancy and the use of oral contraceptives can also affect sebum production. Especially for women, they go through cycles where their hormones fluctuate. It is because of this that, during that oh so special time of the month, a woman might have more acne and during others, she might have no acne.

• Medication.Drugs containing corticosteroids, androgens or lithium are known to cause acne.

• Diet. Studies indicate that certain dietary factors, including dairy products and carbohydrate-rich foods — such as bread, bagels and chips, which increase blood sugar — may trigger acne.

• Follicle fallout: As the body sheds dead skin cells to replace them with new ones, the hair follicle gets clogged with the skin cells. This blockage makes it so that the sebum cannot get out which results in acne.

• Heredity: If acne is something that is common in a family, there is a possibility that it will spread from parent to child. While it won’t be the same as the parents, heredity does contribute.

• Overproduction of sebum: Sometimes, the issue isn’t that there is a blockage, but that there is simply too much sebum being created that it gets backed up as it is released. This results in the pimples that appear from acne.

• Stress: Considerable amounts of stress and frustration, whether with life or with a job, can lead to acne. Tension causes the glands to close up and that results in the backup of sebum that would otherwise be released.

• Cosmetics: Some cosmetics and skin-care products are pore clogging ("comedogenic"). Of the many available brands of skin-care products, it is important to read the list of ingredients and choose those which have water listed first or second if you are concerned about acne. These "water-based" products are usually safe. Look for the "non-comedogenic" label when buying new products.

 




Face Mapping: What is Your Skin Telling You?
Founded by ancient Chinese medicine, it is said that face mapping is a way to analyze the skin and be able to explain why and how certain areas of your face are connected to other parts of your body. The different zones on your face correspond to different problems. With this map as your guide, you can address the underlying causes of blemishes and correctly determine how to prevent them from recurring.  For instance, many girls get zits on their chin while on their period.

 Now, How Do I Get Rid of My Acne?

NEVER POP YOUR PIMPLES!! Doing this will only spread bacteria and cause scarring. I know its tempting but its really not helping anything. If one is driving you nuts, try mixing baking soda and water into a paste. Sit the paste over the infected area for a few minutes. This will help pull the zit or cyst to a head and make it disappear faster.

For some causes of acne, you will need to visit your doctor or a dermatologist. Unfortunately, you can not simply wash away hormones, genes or a side effect to a medication.  They will be able to prescribe and antibiotic or topical cream to help manage your acne until a solution is reached.

Other causes are much easier to remedy. For instance, it may be as easy as realizing that new lotion you've been using is comedogenic and you just need to switch to an oil free moisturizer. You may need to try a week of no dairy products. If your skin clears up you may have found the source of your acne.

In the mean time, I have a skin care regiment that is great for acne.

1. Wash your face twice a day (morning and evening) with Cetaphil. For the amount you get, its super cheap. It's easy on your skin but a great cleanser. One of the things people try to do when they realize they have acne is wash their face and scrub away at it. This only irritates the skin and makes the acne worse. If the goal is to try and get rid of any excess oil and dead skin cells, simply cleanse it not scrub.
2. Apply Benzoyl Peroxide to the infected areas. This product WILL dry out your skin. They make benzoyl over the counter all the way up to 10% but more is not always best. Before using this product make sure you're obviously not allergic! Start out with a 2.5% formula and work your way up.  You will do this twice a day as well.
3. Finally, apply an oil free moisturizer. Since your skin will be so dry from the benzoyl, you will want to try an replenish some of the moisture. Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst is a great moisturizer and won't clog your pores.