Let's Talk About Acne
Acne.
Adult acne, hormonal acne, teenage acne. It can happen to any of us.
One of the most problematic skin diseases teenagers and adults experience is acne. Feelings of frustration, shame, embarrassment, and devastation in some cases are often associated with this skin condition.
As Dr. James Fulton, MD, PhD, author of Step by Step Program for Clearing Acne wrote, “Acne is a disease, not a “condition” or an inevitable “stage ” you must go through on the way to maturity. It is not a punishment for something you did or failed to do. It is just a disease. You didn’t give yourself acne. You don’t deserve to have it. You simply have it.”
Let’s delve a little deeper into this thing we call acne!
So what are the 3 root causes of ACNE?
Genetics
Stress
Hormones
What is the good news in all of this?
Acne can be managed with a combination of lifestyle changes, homecare and treatments!
How does ACNE begin?
Puberty – the body starts producing testosterone
An enzyme in the skin changes testosterone to dihydrotestosterone
Dihydrotestosterone stimulates the sebaceous glands to begin producing sebum
In the acne-prone follicle, sebum sets off retention – hyperkeratosis which then = acne
What is Hyperkeratosis you’re wondering?
Hyperkeratosis is an accelerated production of skin cells within the pores, and at the same time, increased retention of dead skin cells.
Hormone + Sebum + Retention Hyperkeratosis = Acne
Fun Fact!
Bacteria is not the root cause of acne, it is the effect of too many dead skin cells!
How can we help?
Homecare recommendations
Treatments
We provide a free skincare analysis and recommend products to treat your acne at home!
An appropriate homecare regimen is CRUCIAL!
In our practice, we use Circadia products to address acne. The Oxygen RX treatment is very effective in destroying the bacteria on the skin caused by the overproduction of dead skin cells. We would also, if appropriate, utilize enzymes to eat away all those nasty dead skin cells. Once the acne is under control, we would consider the use of peels to correct texture problems and pigmentation caused by the acne.
Simply put, acne is primarily an inherited dead skin cell problem. The solution is in products that penetrate the pore and prevent dead skin cells from building up. It’s all about preventing micro comedones from forming in the first place.
What are the Do’s and Don’ts of ACNE:
DO add Omega 3 foods to your diet
DO take Omega 3 supplements in the 3000-5000 mg/daily range to reduce inflammation
DO avoid Dairy and Sugar and hyglycemic foods
DON’T pick!!! It causes scarring!
DON’T consume peanut oil, corn oil, wheat germ oil as these oils contain high amounts of testosterone or dihydrotestosterone
DO find ways to reduce your stress levels by, e.g. exercising, meditation, be in nature
Important to know!
A retinoid cream often prescribed to treat acne is Retin A. Retin A now contains isopropyl myristate, an extremely pore clogging ingredient.
If you are taking Accutane, an esthetician can not treat you unless you’ve been off the drug for a least a year.
We understand that acne can be a debilitating and demoralizing issue.
With some patience and consistent treatments and appropriate homecare, we can successfully help you manage the problem. We care and are committed to helping!