Acne
With the exception of the lips, palms and bottoms of the feet, our body is covered in hair. Each hair grows through a hair duct, and each duct is attached to a sebaceous gland that secretes sebum, which lubricates the hair and skin. While sebum is beneficial in terms of preventing dryness, too much of it causes oily skin and can lead to acne. During adolescence, times of stress (physical or mental) and hormonal "events," sebum production is increased, and pimples appear.
A pimple is nothing more than a build-up of sebum in the duct; when sebum sits at the duct opening, it oxidizes and turns black (a blackhead), and if it is near the surface, but still under the skin, it appears white (a whitehead). Sometimes, however, the sebum resides deep within the dermis, providing food for the bacteria Propionibacterium acnes(1). This bacterial infection, if left untreated, can cause inflammation of the duct and surrounding dermal structures. The result is painful cysts that, if still left untreated, can cause scarring.
Acne treatments can only be effective up to a degree, due to it being hormonally caused. There are, however, several holistic support options available to lessen the amount of acne and keep infections at a minimum.
1. First and foremost is having a healthy body. One third of the body's circulating blood runs through the skin's blood vessels, so a healthy body will produce healthy skin. The first weapons in combating acne are drinking 64 ounces of water every day, making sure you get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs through supplements and getting annual blood tests from your doctor, avoiding fast foods and instead eating a complement of fresh (or steamed now that we're in winter) fruits and vegetables, removing stress from your life, and getting enough sleep every night. As discussed in previous posts, your health is like a table -- the more legs, the more stable it is. Each of these protocols is a different leg to add to the stability of your health, and the healthier you are, the less acne you will have.
2. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) supplements, which are derived from plankton. MSM is 34% elemental sulfur, which is crucial to the production of glycosaminoglycans, part of your body's extracellular matrix -- the fluid and tissues between the cells. MSM is more commonly studied for its effect on allergy rhinitis and osteoarthritis (due to GAGS role in articular cartilage formation), but elemental sulfur is necessary for healthy skin and hair, although results for acne are anecdotal. MSM has almost no side effects, but RDA has not been established, so consult your doctor for guidance on dosage. (2)
3. Vitamin E. This vitamin is recommended for its adjunct role in skin health. Vitamin E is best known as an antioxidant, or preservative, helping to maintain "healthy skin by eliminating harmful free radicals generated during cellular metabolism." (3) Additionally, vitamin E regulates the level of vitamin A in the body, and vitamin A (or retinol) is the vitamin directly responsible for healthy skin. Topically applied vitamin E is excellent for helping skin repair itself from acne scarring. As an interesting aside, a clinical study carried out at the Jordan University of Science and Technology concluded that low plasma levels of vitamins A & E "have an important role in the pathogenesis of acne and in the aggravation of this condition." (4) As a topical agent, vitamin E has no side effects, but taken internally, it is contraindicated for patients on blood thinners. "Mega-high" dosages of vitamin E have been linked to internal bleeding. As an adjunct to topical vitamin E, ensure your daily multivitamin provides enough vitamin A in the form of retinol.
4. Topical treatments of essential oils. A preparation of 6 ounces water, 1 ounce witch hazel, 30 drops Rosmarinus Officinalis, and 20 drops Melaleuca Alternifolia makes a great skin toner used twice a day. Straight witch hazel is too astringent, especially considering up to 30% of store-bought witch hazel is alcohol. An alternative is a 50/50 mixture of water and witch hazel hydrosol with the essential oils added. There are several clinical studies showing the efficacy of Tea Tree essential oil in reducing acne inflammation and killing the propionibacterium acnes bacterium, which builds up in sebum-filled ducts. As for Rosemary, its chemical components explain its success in fighting acne. Strong astringent and antiseptic action from monoterpenes, such as pinenes and limonenes, as well as the germ-killing power of 1,8 cineole (also known as eucalyptol) and the antioxidant effects of rosmanol all point towards efficiency in decreasing acne breakouts. NOTE: any protocol of essential oils and hydrosols should always begin with a skin patch test to determine allergic reaction or sensitization.
5. Pursuing a course of detoxifying agents. A build-up of toxins in the body can result in acne for any number of reasons, from interfering with skin cell production to causing the body to produce more sebum than necessary to clogging up the skin's blood vessel network. If the above protocols are not effective, the client should work with an integrative physician, naturopath or acupuncturist in determining the location of built up toxins and work on clearing the build up. Herbs will vary depending on the system affected, but common detoxifying agents are burdock root, yarrow, marshmallow, spirulina, and propolis.
Again, prevention is the best course, and a well-fed, well-hydrated, well-exercised body goes a long way in keeping acne at a minimum.
(1) Wikipedia.org, "Blackhead," http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comedo
(2) Basic information on MSM from Natural Standard database
(3) Acne Resource Center, "Vitamin E for Acne," http://www.acne-resource.org/acne-skin-care/vitamin-e.html
(4) El-Akawi Z, Abdel-Latif N, Abdul-Razzak K, "Does the plasma level of vitamins A and E affect acne condition?," Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jordan University of Science and Technology, School of Medicine, PubMed ID 16681594
A pimple is nothing more than a build-up of sebum in the duct; when sebum sits at the duct opening, it oxidizes and turns black (a blackhead), and if it is near the surface, but still under the skin, it appears white (a whitehead). Sometimes, however, the sebum resides deep within the dermis, providing food for the bacteria Propionibacterium acnes(1). This bacterial infection, if left untreated, can cause inflammation of the duct and surrounding dermal structures. The result is painful cysts that, if still left untreated, can cause scarring.
Acne treatments can only be effective up to a degree, due to it being hormonally caused. There are, however, several holistic support options available to lessen the amount of acne and keep infections at a minimum.
1. First and foremost is having a healthy body. One third of the body's circulating blood runs through the skin's blood vessels, so a healthy body will produce healthy skin. The first weapons in combating acne are drinking 64 ounces of water every day, making sure you get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs through supplements and getting annual blood tests from your doctor, avoiding fast foods and instead eating a complement of fresh (or steamed now that we're in winter) fruits and vegetables, removing stress from your life, and getting enough sleep every night. As discussed in previous posts, your health is like a table -- the more legs, the more stable it is. Each of these protocols is a different leg to add to the stability of your health, and the healthier you are, the less acne you will have.
2. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) supplements, which are derived from plankton. MSM is 34% elemental sulfur, which is crucial to the production of glycosaminoglycans, part of your body's extracellular matrix -- the fluid and tissues between the cells. MSM is more commonly studied for its effect on allergy rhinitis and osteoarthritis (due to GAGS role in articular cartilage formation), but elemental sulfur is necessary for healthy skin and hair, although results for acne are anecdotal. MSM has almost no side effects, but RDA has not been established, so consult your doctor for guidance on dosage. (2)
3. Vitamin E. This vitamin is recommended for its adjunct role in skin health. Vitamin E is best known as an antioxidant, or preservative, helping to maintain "healthy skin by eliminating harmful free radicals generated during cellular metabolism." (3) Additionally, vitamin E regulates the level of vitamin A in the body, and vitamin A (or retinol) is the vitamin directly responsible for healthy skin. Topically applied vitamin E is excellent for helping skin repair itself from acne scarring. As an interesting aside, a clinical study carried out at the Jordan University of Science and Technology concluded that low plasma levels of vitamins A & E "have an important role in the pathogenesis of acne and in the aggravation of this condition." (4) As a topical agent, vitamin E has no side effects, but taken internally, it is contraindicated for patients on blood thinners. "Mega-high" dosages of vitamin E have been linked to internal bleeding. As an adjunct to topical vitamin E, ensure your daily multivitamin provides enough vitamin A in the form of retinol.
4. Topical treatments of essential oils. A preparation of 6 ounces water, 1 ounce witch hazel, 30 drops Rosmarinus Officinalis, and 20 drops Melaleuca Alternifolia makes a great skin toner used twice a day. Straight witch hazel is too astringent, especially considering up to 30% of store-bought witch hazel is alcohol. An alternative is a 50/50 mixture of water and witch hazel hydrosol with the essential oils added. There are several clinical studies showing the efficacy of Tea Tree essential oil in reducing acne inflammation and killing the propionibacterium acnes bacterium, which builds up in sebum-filled ducts. As for Rosemary, its chemical components explain its success in fighting acne. Strong astringent and antiseptic action from monoterpenes, such as pinenes and limonenes, as well as the germ-killing power of 1,8 cineole (also known as eucalyptol) and the antioxidant effects of rosmanol all point towards efficiency in decreasing acne breakouts. NOTE: any protocol of essential oils and hydrosols should always begin with a skin patch test to determine allergic reaction or sensitization.
5. Pursuing a course of detoxifying agents. A build-up of toxins in the body can result in acne for any number of reasons, from interfering with skin cell production to causing the body to produce more sebum than necessary to clogging up the skin's blood vessel network. If the above protocols are not effective, the client should work with an integrative physician, naturopath or acupuncturist in determining the location of built up toxins and work on clearing the build up. Herbs will vary depending on the system affected, but common detoxifying agents are burdock root, yarrow, marshmallow, spirulina, and propolis.
Again, prevention is the best course, and a well-fed, well-hydrated, well-exercised body goes a long way in keeping acne at a minimum.
(1) Wikipedia.org, "Blackhead," http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comedo
(2) Basic information on MSM from Natural Standard database
(3) Acne Resource Center, "Vitamin E for Acne," http://www.acne-resource.org/acne-skin-care/vitamin-e.html
(4) El-Akawi Z, Abdel-Latif N, Abdul-Razzak K, "Does the plasma level of vitamins A and E affect acne condition?," Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jordan University of Science and Technology, School of Medicine, PubMed ID 16681594
Labels: clinical discussion
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