In this post I'll look at the effect hormones, hygiene & stress have in acne prevention.
1) Hormones - Hormones (especially for women)play a significant role in causing acne. One recent study showed that about 50 percent of women have acne to some extent during the week before their period. Treatment for hormonal acne includes topical retinoids, antibiotics and Benzoyl Peroxide for teen years.
2) Hygiene - You should be careful when washing your face if you have acne. It is important not to scrub the skin or over wash because this will irritate the pores. When drying your face use a soft, clean, towel and dab the skin instead of rubbing. Products with gentle exfoliation ingredients are OK to use; Avoid alcohol based products as these remove the top layer of skin and your body makes extra oil to compensate. Don't pick or squeeze spots because this can lead to scarring and further infections.
3) Stress - Stress can be either external or internal. Both play an important part in you general health and therefore the health of you skin. Stress control is important in acne prevention.
Common external stressors are lenghty exposure to the sun (can lead to increase in the skins production of oil), kitchen enviroments (fryers, grease), garages (oil, grease, petrochemicals).
Internal stressors are anxiety, low self-esteem, fear and depression. These emotions can trigger chemical reactions in your body that lead to break-outs of spots and acne. The adrenal glands produce cortisol which in turn leads to increased production of sebum oil, resulting in clogged pores. It is important to get enough sleep to reduce your internal stress levels, talking to someone about anything that is worrying you will also help.
Monday, 28 September 2009
Sunday, 27 September 2009
Acne Prevention (part 1)
Detailed below are several different methods that can be used in acne prevention: exercise, cosmetics & diet.
1)Exercise - Regular exercise can help prevent acne in several different ways. By sweating during exercise you open the pores and help flush out any blockages. Exercising also releases endorphins that make you feel happy and relaxed this reduces your stress levels and helps regulate your hormones.
2) Cosmetics - Oil-free cosmetics are the kindest on your skin, they don't clog the pores in the way that oil based products do. Lip gloss, eye creams, hair products & blusher etc can all lead to blocked pores.
Look for a lip gloss that doesn't leave too shiny a finish as this will contain a high amount of comedogenic chemicals (chemicals that aggravate acne).
Eye creams often contain higher levels of moisturiser than regular face creams and this can lead to blocked pores in the surrounding area.
Hair products like mousse, hairspray and gel can all contain oil, alcohol and adhesives that can irritate the skin and seep into the pores. Be especially careful if you are exercising with product in your hair as sweat can make it easy for the cheimcals to get in to your pores.
With all cosmetics it's important to use hypo-allergenic or fragrance free products where possible to prevent allergic reactions.
3) Diet - Research has shown that diet does not have a significant impact in either the cause or the treatment of acne. However it should be pointed out that whatever food is good for your body is also good for your skin. Listed below are some of the vitamins and minerals that are recommended to help control acne and spots
Vitamin A (also known as Retinol) can be found liver, fish oils and dairy products. It is found in yellow & orange fruits and vegetables; Beware that high doses of Vitamin A are toxic.
Vitamin B3 can be found in leafy vegetables, fish, milk, eggs, whole grains,avocados, eggs,peanuts, lean meat and liver. It has an anti-inflammatory effect on skin and improves your metabolism and circulation.
Vitamin C is also known to have anti- inflammatory properties and can help reduce the appearence and return of acne. It can be found in citrus fruits, avacados, broccoli, kiwi fruit and numerous other vegetable and plants.
Multivitamins available from the pharmacy or supermarket will have the recommended vitamins and minerals that you need to help with acne prevention. Taken in conjunction with a balanced, healthy diet (also make sure you drink plenty of water) multivitamins will help prevent acne.
1)Exercise - Regular exercise can help prevent acne in several different ways. By sweating during exercise you open the pores and help flush out any blockages. Exercising also releases endorphins that make you feel happy and relaxed this reduces your stress levels and helps regulate your hormones.
2) Cosmetics - Oil-free cosmetics are the kindest on your skin, they don't clog the pores in the way that oil based products do. Lip gloss, eye creams, hair products & blusher etc can all lead to blocked pores.
Look for a lip gloss that doesn't leave too shiny a finish as this will contain a high amount of comedogenic chemicals (chemicals that aggravate acne).
Eye creams often contain higher levels of moisturiser than regular face creams and this can lead to blocked pores in the surrounding area.
Hair products like mousse, hairspray and gel can all contain oil, alcohol and adhesives that can irritate the skin and seep into the pores. Be especially careful if you are exercising with product in your hair as sweat can make it easy for the cheimcals to get in to your pores.
With all cosmetics it's important to use hypo-allergenic or fragrance free products where possible to prevent allergic reactions.
3) Diet - Research has shown that diet does not have a significant impact in either the cause or the treatment of acne. However it should be pointed out that whatever food is good for your body is also good for your skin. Listed below are some of the vitamins and minerals that are recommended to help control acne and spots
Vitamin A (also known as Retinol) can be found liver, fish oils and dairy products. It is found in yellow & orange fruits and vegetables; Beware that high doses of Vitamin A are toxic.
Vitamin B3 can be found in leafy vegetables, fish, milk, eggs, whole grains,avocados, eggs,peanuts, lean meat and liver. It has an anti-inflammatory effect on skin and improves your metabolism and circulation.
Vitamin C is also known to have anti- inflammatory properties and can help reduce the appearence and return of acne. It can be found in citrus fruits, avacados, broccoli, kiwi fruit and numerous other vegetable and plants.
Multivitamins available from the pharmacy or supermarket will have the recommended vitamins and minerals that you need to help with acne prevention. Taken in conjunction with a balanced, healthy diet (also make sure you drink plenty of water) multivitamins will help prevent acne.
Types of Acne
There are four different types of acne; blackheads, whiteheads, spots and nodules.
Blackheads look like a black bump or plug on the skin. Blackheads are caused by a build up of oil in the sebaceous gland's duct. The blackhead might not necessarily look black when extracted from the pore, but may have a disticnt yellowish colour as a result of its melanin content. The only difference between blackheads and whiteheads is that blackheads are only partially trapped below the skin's surface. Whiteheads are completely trapped below the surface of the skin and the mixture of sebum and melanin is unable to oxidise (this is what gives blackheads their colour). Smaller spots are commonly known as "Pimples". Larger, deeper, spots are called "Nodules".
The different types of acne can be mild, moderate or severe. Mild acne is visible in the form of whiteheads, blackheads and occasionally pimples. Moderate acne is characterised by more pimples (often appearing on the back or chest). Severe acne sufferers will hve many large and deep nodules over the face, back and chest. This type of acne can lead to scarring.
Causes of Acne
Acne is caused when hair follicles (pores) become blocked. A combination of factors can cause pores to become clogged. These factors include genetics (whether or not there is a family history of skin problems), hormones, diet, skin care products and stress related factors. Other causes of acne could include things like your general health, lifestyle or environmental factors such as sun or pollution.
All of the above factors can have an affect on your body's production of sebum oil (this is a substance that all mammals produce to make their skin waterproof). Dead skin cells combine with sebum oil and the pores become blocked. Bacteria grows around the blocked pores and your body's white blood cells attack the bacteria and force it out of your body. The result of this microscopic battle is microcomedones. Microcomedones turn into comedones, commonly referred to as spots or acne.
All of the above factors can have an affect on your body's production of sebum oil (this is a substance that all mammals produce to make their skin waterproof). Dead skin cells combine with sebum oil and the pores become blocked. Bacteria grows around the blocked pores and your body's white blood cells attack the bacteria and force it out of your body. The result of this microscopic battle is microcomedones. Microcomedones turn into comedones, commonly referred to as spots or acne.
How to get rid of spots
Recent studies indicate that over 90 percent of teenagers and about 25 percent of adults suffer from acne. The aim of this blog is to give helpful advice on how to get rid of spots.This blog will help to seperate the myths from the facts and give a clear overview of the issues surrounding acne. The information I am presenting has been taken from the most recent studies and articles on acne, it contains information on the treatment and prevention of spots and acne.
Acne can have several different causes: diet, hormones, stress, lifestyle and genes are some of the many factors that can cause spots. The advice contained here only presents a brief overview of acne research and does not replace medical advice from a doctor.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)