Acne is caused in part by a hormonal imbalance. Both men and women have a hormone called testosterone. If you are prone to acne, testosterone causes your oil-secreting (sebaceous) glands to produce excess oil (sebum).
Additionally, dead skin cells that line the openings of your pores and hair follicles (the tubes that hold the hair) are not being properly shed and end up clogging the follicle.
These two effects (excess oil and clogged follicles) cause a build-up of oil in your hair follicles. This can cause blackheads and whiteheads to form. For some, acne does not progress beyond this stage.
However, for others it creates an ideal environment for a bacterium called Propionibacterium acnes to grow. Other chemicals and enzymes can also be produced at this point which cause further inflammation.
The following tips can help you get your acne under control:
Medication
Benzoyl peroxide is an over-the-counter remedy that can help to dry skin out and encourage shedding of dead skin. Both of these effects help unblock pores and reduce the chance of infection. Redness and peeling can result, especially when it’s first used. This should diminish if you build up your use gradually. Benzoyl peroxide has been known to clear up acne for many people. This home remedy for acne normally doesn’t show immediate results. It can take weeks, or even months, for significant results to appear.
Antibiotics have been proven helpful for inflammatory acne. They can be taken orally or used is a lotion, cream, or gel. They are normally taken daily for about three months, although it may take longer to see the best results. Various strains of bacteria are becoming more resistant to common antibiotics. These treatments won’t prevent pores from becoming blocked so treatments such as benzoyl peroxide are often prescribed at the same time.
Tretinoin (ie Retin-A, Stieva-A) can be an effective treatment for acne. It is often applied once a day. Be sure to avoid the eyes, mouth and area under the nose. At first it may seem that this treatment is making your acne worse and may take several weeks to start working. You should avoid sunlight or use a strong sunscreen while using it as it can increase your risk of bad sunburn.
Isotretinoin (eg Accutane, Roaccutane) tends to be prescribed to people with severe acne vulgaris. There can be serious Isotretinoin side effects such as liver disorders and depression, severe birth defects and miscarriages. It should never be taken during pregnancy or even one month prior to becoming pregnant.
Try changing your soap
Your skin requires a certain amount of oil so it’s best to use a gentler acne soap and to not scrub your skin too harshly. Many skin cleansing products claim to wipe away dirt and oils. As long as you avoid contact with oils that your body doesn’t produce, you shouldn’t need these products. They can irritate your skin, damage your gland openings (causing them to close more tightly), and in the longer term cause worse breakouts.
Switch to a makeup that is not oil-based
The oils in these cosmetics can irritate your skin, clog your pores and damage a smooth complexion, especially if left on overnight. Oily sunblocks, body lotions, hair gels and sprays can also be a cause of acne outbreaks.
Also, take care to wash your make up tools often, including brushes and sponges. These items are known breeding grounds for bacteria. If you must use cover-up cosmetics choose ones that are water-based. As well, make sure to cleanse your face properly each night.
Avoid touching your Acne
Don’t Squeeze, pick, scratch, or rub your blemishes! this may lead to further outbreaks and even acne scarring.
Herbal Remedies
There are many less traditional home remedies for acne, including:
Calendula is known as a skin tissue healer and natural anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory.
Lavender may be used as a disinfectant and anti-inflammatory on an open lesion.
Licorice, arnica , and allantoinare are known to have anti-inflammatory properties and can reduce redness.
Aloe vera has natural astringents with anti-bacterial properties that are known to lessen redness and swelling. It’s cheap, fragrance-free, fast drying and moisterising.
Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic that helps control oil production, heals lesions and helps with small acne scar removal without irritation or peeling. It has been compared to benzoyl peroxide in its apparent ability to reduce the P.acnes bacteria and is claimed to have fewer side effects (ie itchiness, stinging and dry skin).
Other alternative methods
Acupuncture – Involves no medications or their possible side effects.
Homeopathic medicine – Homeopathy is an alternative science that looks at the cause of a disease in order to treat it. It is not accepted by many mainstream doctors but is still claimed to be a very effective and healing treatment by many. It claims to have treatments for many ailments, acne among them. Drugs in western medicine frequently produce side effects, because they often target desease symptoms. Homeopathy, on the other hand, attempts to ease symptoms by putting the body’s systems into proper equilibrium. Homeopathic medicine supports the body’s own resistance, and therefore does not produce any side effects. Most homeopathic medicine uses natural products.
Mind/body medicine – T’ai Chi & Qi Gong and cognitive therapy techniques can be used to alleviate emotional stress that can have a worsening effect on acne. These techniques train patients to control certain internal processes like heart
rate and muscle tension. Cognitive or ‘guided’ imagery involves the use of mental pictures to relax and evoke healing conditions. When used properly with the help of an expert, these methods have been shown to reduce the severity of acne
breakouts.
Ayurveda – An ancient Indian form of medicine that uses natural herbs for treating of various ailments.
Kampo – An ancient form of Japanese herbal healing which is gaining popularity in the US. Its goal is to heal the body by balancing energy. Common Kampo treatments for acne and acne scar removal attempts to balance energy to promote the healing of skin. These methods also include antibacterial properties which can help lessen future outbreaks.
Diet
Conventional western medicine claims that acne is not affected by diet. Others say if you are unhealthy on the inside it will reflect in your skin. Many people claim that simple diet changes helped cure their acne. An acne diet can include replacing highly processed foods with a healthy diet full of lots of fibre-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains and cereals.
Although what you eat is not always related to an acne breakout, some people do have skin allergies to certain foods. Sushi, sea salt and shellfish for example are full of iodides, which may provoke acne breakouts. Others who suffer from acne report that certain drinks or foods such as nuts make their acne worse.
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