What Really Causes Acne?
The truth is, acne isn’t caused by one single factor, there are actually many factors that work together in causing the various forms of acne. We’ll call these the “acne antagonists”. These factors in combination usually end in one result, which is what we know as acne.
The end result I’m speaking of is pores clogged by excess oil, which are perfect festing and breeding grounds for p.acne bacteria. The presence of p.acne bacteria results in inflammation, the ever-so-awful pussy substance that you see when you squeeze a pimple, and if not properly treated, infection.
Many over-the-counter treatments such as benozyl peroxide, or sacilyic acid work to eliminate p.acne bacteria, but the truth of the matter
is, you’ll never get rid of it all, and it will always come back. Remember, p.acne is just the end result, not the cause of acne.
So what are the underlying causes of acne?
Well like I said above there are many different causes - not all need to be present in order to cause acne, but at least 2 are present in any case of acne..
These are:
1) Hormonal Imbalances
It’s no secret that acne prevails around the time of puberty. This is mainly due to hormonal imbalances during the stages of puberty which trigger excess oil growth and divert nutrients essential in the breakdown of fatty acids to other areas of the body (namely reproductive organs).
The reason excess oil is created is because the hormonal imbalance causes your sebaceous glands to produce more oil then is necessary to keep the skin healthy. That is why many teenagers end up with an oily looking face.
Many dermatologists also perscribe birth-control pills to women with acne, the birth control pills tend to balance out the hormones in the womens body. These birth control pills are almost always effective but are not a long term solution - none-the-less they are further proof that our hormones are directly related to acne.
2) Hereditary Inheritances
What I mean by hereditary inheritances is that certain attributes inherited from your father or mother may make you more acne prone then others. These attributes include enlarged pores, fair skin, and enlarged sebaceous glands among other things. While these attributes won’t cause acne on their own, they can play a role in causing acne when mixed with hormonal imbalances, or other acne causing threats.
Unfortunately this is the only one of the 4 factors that you can’t change very easily (with a few exceptions), so your effort to become acne-free should be focused on the other 3 factors listed here.
3) Foods and Diet
You’ve probably heard much debate over whether or not the foods you eat in fact cause acne. Well, there is good reason for this debate, as foods neither cause acne, nor do they not cause acne. The foods you eat will not cause acne on their own, but combined with one of the other factors listed they can be a recipe for an acne-disaster.
Specific foods to avoid include high fat and high cholesterol foods, refined sugar, wheat and wheat derivatives, greasy foods, and any type of junk food. A well balanced diet won’t only help calm your acne, but will keep the rest of your body healthy as well.
While foods alone do have an impact on your acne, there are other factors to consider when looking at food and diet as a cause of acne. Bad eating habits (lots of gluten, hydrogenated oils, MSG, refined sugars etc.) lead to many diseases and conditions in the colon. Everything from parasites in your colon to open bleeding wounds (ulcers) can be linked back to improper eating habits.
When your colon gets backed up, wounded, or ill-repaired, it isn’t able to function at it’s normal capacity. The average person should experience 2-4 bowel movements each and every day. The sad truth is, most people only have 4-6 bowel movements a WEEK! When the colon or digestive system isn’t functioning properly, your blood becomes more toxic, and your bodies ability to break down fatty acids is weakened.
Toxic blood has been linked to many diseases and disorders, acne among them.
In summary, food and diet’s role in causing acne is 2 part - short term and long term. Short term bad eating habits may result in a breakout of acne and pimples. However, long term bad eating habits can lead to a sluggish or wounded digestive system which leads to blood toxicity being raised and acne being even more prevailant. So, remember, eating healthy is a *good* thing when it comes to acne.
Clean up your diet. Your skin is your body’s largest organ. As such, it needs proper nutrition to function properly. Just as your heart can get clogged up with too much fat, your skin can get polluted with too much animal and saturated fats. Healthy skin requires large amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables, filled with vitamins C, A and E. Healthy skin means limiting meats, sugars andartificial substances that can toxify your skin and clog pores.
American Medical Publishing, Proven Health Tips Encyclopedia American publishing Company, 1995 Page 164
4) Hygiene
Bad hygeine alone will not cause acne, but it can worsen an already existing acne condition, and good hygeine is important for overall health regardless. Be sure to wash your hands and face at least once a day, but DO NOT scrub your face raw or wash it excessively. Washing your face too often will only make your acne worse as it will aggrevate your skin and strip it of essential oils (resulting in even more oil being produced), especially those of you with sensitive skin.
For best results wash once in the morning and once at night with a very mild cleanser, or even no cleanser at all. Use warm water first to open the pores and get the gunk out, and then rinse with cold water to close your pores back up. A proper hygiene routine will help ensure a healthy lifestyle overall as well as help minimize unnecessary breakouts.
For a cleanser, I recommend Cetaphil, which is very mild and non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores). You can find cetaphil in most pharmacy stores.
There you have it, the 4 underlying causes of acne, now doesn’t that make a little more sense then those infomercials trying to sell you a topical treatment? Acne is actually a pretty logical occurance, however overcoming acne is not always so easy.
Other contributing factors to acne include:
-Stress
-Bad Habits (picking, touching face etc.)
-Acne causing cosmetics and face products (comedegenic ingredients)
-Weak Livers/Kidneys