ACNE (ACNE VULGARIS)
Written by Slawomir (“Swavak”) Gromadzki, MPH
Acne vulgaris takes place when oils from glands with dead skin cells block hair follicles leading to the quick growth of bacteria causing skin infection, especially in puberty.
Acne vulgaris shouldn’t be confused with Rosacea which, while in a sense similar to acne, it is a chronic and progressive autoimmune problem involving different factors and characterized by facial pimples, redness on cheeks, nose, and forehead, visible small blood vessels on the face, irritated or bloodshot eyes, etc. Find out more about Rosacea > and Autoimmune diseases >
CAUSES
– The key cause of acne is not bacteria or genetics, but environmental factors—particularly diet. Especially dairy and refined carbohydrates such as sugar, white flour products, high glucose/fructose syrup are the primary cause of acne.
– After an unhealthy diet, the other key factor is stress. One study involving college students found a connection between acne flare-ups and stress from final exams. Researchers found that subjects who had the most stress during examination periods also had the worst acne outbreaks, suggesting emotional stress from external sources is a significant factor.
– Taking high doses of biotin supplements leads to the deficiency of vitamin B5 as both biotin and pantothenic acid (B5) are absorbed from the intestines via the same receptors. When taking biotin supplements, the amount of biotin in the gut far outweighs the quantity of vitamin B5, thus leading to its deficiency. Vitamin B5 regulates the barrier function of the surface layer on the skin. Therefore, a deficiency of pantothenic acid (through poor dietary habits and excess of biotin) could lead to skin problems such as acne flares. It means that the more biotin supplements you take the more vitamin B5 you need to prevent its deficiency.
– Masturbation (by leading to zinc deficiency and hormonal imbalance) can also contribute to acne. Some suggest it is a myth but there is no doubt zinc deficiency, low mood, and hormonal imbalance can contribute to acne and it is also a fact that excessive masturbation leads to all these three side effects. Find out more about Chronic masturbation >
– See also: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) > as it may cause acne too.
– In spite of the fact that we are told bacteria doesn’t cause acne there are some scientists who seem to have evidence that the opposite is true: “The researchers, from UCLA, have discovered more about the bacteria that live on the skin and cause acne. They have found that this bacteria contains ‘bad’ strains which cause pimples and ‘good’ ones that may protect the skin. Having too much ‘bad’ bacteria is what causes spots, they say. This is rather like an imbalance of good and bad bacteria in the gut causing digestive issues. It is not yet clear why some people have more of either type of bacteria, or what comes first – the acne or the bacteria. Other factors. such as an individual’s genetic make-up or the sensitivity of their immune system, may also dictate whether good or bad strains grow on skin.” Read more >
The truth, however, is that acne can be caused and influenced by many different factors at the same time, so if you want to be more effective try to address all of them.
Hormonal acne is acne that is believed to be associated with hormone fluctuations during puberty, but hormonal acne can also affect adults, especially women. A number of factors may contribute to this, including menstruation and menopause. However, some experts say hormones generally aren’t a factor in adult acne, while others maintain that hormonal imbalances may contribute to acne in adults with underlying medical conditions.
TREATMENT
EXTERNAL REMEDIES
– Hot applications of Goldenseal tea.
– Aloe vera.
– Amazing healing properties of Clay have been known for centuries in many cultures around the world. Cleopatra used Dead Sea clay twice a week in order to maintain her skin smooth and unblemished. Back in Poland I used and recommended this wonderful remedy externally and internally for many different conditions often with great success. There are different types of clay such as Kaolin Clay (White), Green Clay, Bentonite (Grey/Cream colour), or Rhassoul Clay (Moroccan Red Clay). All of them can be effectively used to detoxify, regenerate and nourish the skin, to eliminate inflammation, or brighten dark areas. Clay mask is also one of the most effective ways to get rid of dark spots and to effectively treat almost any skin problems.
In order to make a face mask mix two tablespoons of any type of clay with two 2 tablespoons of hot water (distilled would be the best), or rose water, or the same amount (2 TBS) of strong Calendula tea (or Comfrey tea), and 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice.
Mix all ingredients together thoroughly, wash your face with distilled water or clean with aloe vera juice and apply the mask on the skin. Let it dry for about 30 minutes and rinse.
Note: Do not use any metal tool to mix clay with other ingredients. Use a wooden or glass instrument to keep clay potent and effective.
To get much better results the mask needs to be left on the skin much longer or even overnight (only if you are able to sleep with it). You should also enrich the above ingredients with 1 teaspoon of cold-pressed Olive oil, Evening primrose oil or Castor oil. Mix all ingredients together thoroughly, wash your face with distilled water or clean with aloe vera juice and apply the mask on the skin. This time you also need to cover the mask with a Cling film to prevent it from drying.
Some ladies who left a Green Clay mask on face overnight told me it worked like a magic. In case of a dry skin try to use a raw organic coconut oil or vitamin E oil after removing the mask.
– Tea tree essential oil is a great natural way of getting rid of acne pimples. It has unique antibacterial and soothing properties and will not strip the skin of its natural oils. You can apply tea tree oil directly to acne pimples. The oil will penetrate the skin to unblock the sebaceous glands, kill bacteria and dry out whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples. Pour a few drops of essential tea tree oil onto a cotton bud, gently apply it onto any pimples. Leave for a few hours, or overnight.
The same tea tree oil can be added to a clay mask by mixing 4 drops of tea tree oil with two tablespoons of green clay powder. Add some warm water to make a paste and stir. Apply the mask on the skin, leave for at least 30 minutes or longer, and rinse with warm water.
INTERNAL REMEDIES
– Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) cured acne in 45 days (all gone)! I recommended pantothenic acid for a certain young man with acne-like skin problem on his face upper back and shoulders. After a month or so of using only Pantothenic acid, all symptoms disappeared!
Vitamin B5 regulates the barrier function of the surface layer on the skin. Therefore, a deficiency of pantothenic acid (through poor dietary habits and excess of biotin) could lead to skin problems such as acne flares.
Please keep in mind that taking high doses of biotin supplements leads to the deficiency of vitamin B5 as both biotin and pantothenic acid (B5) are absorbed from the intestines via the same receptors. When taking biotin supplements, the amount of biotin in the gut far outweighs the quantity of vitamin B5, thus leading to its deficiency. Vitamin B5 regulates the barrier function of the surface layer on the skin. Therefore, a deficiency of pantothenic acid (through poor dietary habits and excess of biotin) could lead to skin problems such as acne flares. It means that the more biotin supplements you take the more vitamin B5 you need to prevent its deficiency.
– Avoid iodine (salt, seaweeds, etc.): “I tried to find out what causes a breakout for me and so far this is what I found: Iodine (iodized salt etc.) – white pustules on lips/chin area – bananas – white pustules on lips/chin area (I haven’t eaten those in 2 years) – fish sometimes (probably iodine) same with chlorella detox supplement (iodine)”. Milk generally contains a fair amount of iodine, which is known to aggravate acne. Several studies document this relationship as farmers often feed their cows iodine-fortified feed to prevent infection. Also avoid kelp, spirulina, chlorella as they are too high in iodine.
– Although chlorella and spirulina are high natural sources of iodine, which is not recommended in acne, yet there are many individuals online who claim chlorella and spirulina helped them reduce the severity of acne and improved skin’s condition. Chlorella helps in the production of collagen, which is responsible for skin elasticity. This keeps the skin looking firm and toned. Chlorella also lowers the occurrence of redness and breakouts associated with acne. In addition, it also helps get rid of wrinkles and age spots.
– Zinc (50 to 100mg after meal). Zinc works well for acne in teenagers. Zinc supplements may cause nausea it is therefore recommended to take it always after meals. I have tried many forms of zinc supplements and only citrate doest cause nausea in my case.
– Vitamin D3 (10,000 IU a day). Without adequate vitamin D, your body cannot control infection, in your skin or elsewhere. Exposing large areas of your skin to appropriate amounts of sunshine is the best way to optimize your vitamin D levels, or use a safe tanning bed. You should expose your skin until you just barely begin turning pink, which indicates you’ve generated the optimal amount of vitamin D for the day. You must also take good quality magnesium (such as magnesium citrate) as vitamin D leads to its deficiency.
– Magnesium citrate – 400-800mg a day,
– Probiotics, Omega-3, Pau d’Arco, Starflower oil, B complex, Turmeric are also beneficial in coping with acne.
– Agnus castus is the best herbal remedy I know to treat PMS and regulate one of the female sex hormones – progesterone. However, not too many people realise that men produce some progesterone too. In our bodies, it used to prevent testosterone (male sex hormone) from converting into an inflammatory type of testosterone which may cause inflammatory acne in teenage boys. So if you know any young man with acne encourage him to take Agnus castus capsules (Natures aid) or tincture (Natures answer) for a couple of months as it will help if the condition is related to the progesterone imbalance.
NUTRITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS
– No gluten, low or no grain diet (stimulate igf-1)
– Low-glycaemic diet, no simple sugars (fructose, white flour, corn syrup, etc.), no chocolate & cheese, low fruit diet (fructose), more raw vegetable juices and raw vegetables.
– No dairy, sugar, meat.
– Stress control
– Getting plenty of high-intensity exercise helps your body flush out toxins, including those in your skin’s pores. Plus, exercise is vitally important to all other aspects of your health. If you happen to have access to an infrared sauna, this can be helpful, because the more you sweat, the more you flush unwanted debris and contaminants out of your pores.
– Avoid sex (zinc deficiency, hormonal imbalance). Read about side effects of masturbation >
– Drink plenty of distilled water every day so that your urine is pale. If your urine is yellow, you probably need to drink more water (unless you take B vitamins, which themselves turn urine yellow). Read more about distilled water >
– Also, a low-grain diet and avoiding gluten-containing grains and products will very likely clear up your skin! In a 2007 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, young men (ages 15 to 25) with acne problems were placed on low-glycemic diets for 12 weeks, showing significant improvements in acne and insulin sensitivity.
– You won’t need antibiotics because improving diet creates an internal environment that does not allow bacteria to grow.
– Your diet must be anti-inflammatory and high in fresh vegetable juices, vegetable smoothies and / or salads.
– Simply eliminating grains, sugars (particularly fructose), cereals, potatoes, corn, rice, pasta, processed foods, etc., radically improves acne for most people. Fruit contains a fair amount of fructose, so it should be consumed in very limited quantities if you are predisposed to acne. And fruit juices should be strictly avoided since the sugar is very concentrated in them. (Vegetable juices are great, though, especially green juices.)
– Many of today’s skincare products and cosmetics are nothing more than a toxic mixture of chemicals which cause more skin problems than they solve. And when it comes to acne, these chemicals can seriously inflame an outbreak, or prevent one from healing.
– You should spend a few minutes every day cleansing your face, which removes the impurities that collect on your skin during a typical day and clog up your pores. And ladies, please never sleep in your make-up.
– Did you know that a good night’s sleep can decrease your stress and lead to clearer skin? Your body’s time for healing and rebuilding is at night while you sleep, and this applies to your skin. Sleep is also required for good energy and mood.
TESTIMONIALS
“I’ve stopped eating grains and sugars and within a week of beginning the no-grain diet, half of my acne disappeared! Now it’s totally gone, except for scars, which are now healing! I’m smiling in photos again and in terms of health – I feel amazing!!! I’ve also been taking 5000 IU of vitamin D and now my vitamin D levels are perfect as well! Also, the first week, it was so difficult and I realized how addicted I was to sugar. Now I can easily say no to ice cream and instead have watermelon.”
“I began getting acne in college through the age of 26. I tried everything (Doryx, Proactiv, etc.) – then I came across a similar article and I tried it, eliminated all dairy from my diet. Today I am 27 and 100% free of acne. I take no medication only use a daily face wash. Everyone’s body reacts differently to food, this solution for acne is not for everyone. My body just does not like MILK. This is true. I stopped eating dairy about a month ago because my acne was very bad and I have only gotten one pimple this month (that was during my period). I used to eat a lot of cereal with milk, and a yoghurt every day. Now I am starting to think that dairy is the cause of many health problems I had severe cystic acne for 12 years but for the last year and a half my acne has gone. Ok, I get the odd little spot but nothing to what I had. It all started when my acne was starting to get worse and I read that dairy can trigger acne. I decided to eliminate it and within 2 months I was clear. I am convinced dairy is a huge trigger as I tried milk for one day a few weeks ago and without a doubt, I broke out horribly. My sister has found the same. This is very true MILK CAUSE ACNE!! My doctor told me to stop drinking milk and having dairy products for JUST 1 week and now 0 pimples and I am 17 male ;)Soy milk is pretty much just as good n gives no pimps I agree I’m a seventeen-year-old male and I have stopped drinking milk and other dairy products my skin has cleared I’m just left with one big puss pimple on my nose and marks from my previous acne I read online about various food that may trigger acne and systematically eliminated them from my diet for periods of time. When I stopped eating dairy the little whiteheads that plagued my mouth and chin area disappeared almost completely. I did an experiment when I had almost ZERO pimples on my face where I ate some sugary doughnuts and drank a few glasses of milk in one day. 2 or 3 days later the little milky looking white head pimples were back on my chin and under the lips. Not just acne, also rosacea. I had horrible cystic acne as a teen, it gradually got better as I drank less and less milk but I still had a lot of acne and rosacea symptoms started in my thirties. I went to a “healthy” diet to combat it which included yoghurt for breakfast every day- my skin got so bad my face hurt all over. I was on 2 or 3 different medications for it. I went completely vegan 2 years ago at age 42. Within a month, all acne and most rosacea was gone. Now I’m completely symptom-free. And I don’t have bad breath any more either. This is soooo true!! I’ve had acne for 5 years. I just found out that milk causes acne, and so, I stopped drinking milk a few months ago. It’s true enough that I am acne free. Last week, I drank milk and now I have 2 cystic acne. Milk does cause acne.” (source >)
– Saving Lives By Treating Acne With Diet (VIDEO >)
Acne – Caused by Over Masturbation
There are many causes of acne and pimple breakouts. One of the key factors is actually often ignored – an imbalance within the endocrine system that is caused by excessive masturbation or ejaculation. Maintaining an appealing appearance is a critical part of sexual attraction. But if you struggle with acne breakouts, it can be difficult to attract the opposite sex. In some cases, severe acne can be a contributing factor as to why some guys lose their girlfriends.
How Does It Happen?
Hormonal pathogenesis of acne is quite complex. As Dr Tobechi from Weill-Cornell Medical Center has indicated, sebaceous glands can act as independent endocrine organs, responding to changes in androgens in a similar manner as the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. [1]
Long-term abusive masturbation results in serious acne through a variety of pathological means, such as an imbalance of androgen hormones that results in overproduction of sebum by the sebaceous glands, a lack of the inhibition of acne bacteria growth, and abnormal keratinization and comedone formation. [2]
DHT Culprit
Over-stimulation of the testes through excessive masturbation or ejaculation can lead to the enzymatical alternation of steroidogenic enzymes, 3Beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3B-HSD), 17Beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17B-HSD), and 5 Alpha-reductase.
These enzymes are responsible for the rapid conversion of DHEA, DHEA-S, androstenedione, and testosterone into DHT. It is well known that DHT is super androgen that interacts with the androgen receptors on sebaceous glands for developing acne.
5 Alpha-Reductase key Enzyme Link Up Acne & Male Baldness
There are two types of 5 Alpha-reductase that can negatively affect a man’s appearance with severe acne and baldness. This is possibly the worst combination to kill a man’s confidence. Both types of the 5 Alpha-reductase affect the conversion of testosterone to DHT. Type 1 is concentrated mostly around the facial area, affecting the sebaceous glands of the scalp, skin and face. Alpha-reductase Type 2 is present around the hair follicles, resulting in male pattern baldness and hirsutism. [3] [4] [5]
Sex Hormones and Metabolites
Current research has revealed a direct relationship between sex hormones that were converted into sex hormone metabolites due to overstimulation from masturbation or sexual activities. The table below indicates significant hormonal level differences in people with skin disorders caused by sex hormone problems.
Does acne really disappear if you reduce your masturbation activities? Yes. Acne is often caused by a chemical imbalance that occurs in the body. Masturbation often depletes the body of vital chemicals needed to stymie acne production. Herbs from Acne Herbal Treatment & Outbreak Control combat the imbalance of sex hormones, especially among sexually exhausted people who have higher levels of androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and salivary testosterone. With these hormones balanced, teenage men can recover acne and other problems associated with the overproduction of sex hormones (hyperandrogenism), such as chronic fatigue, thinning hair, oily scalp and hair loss. [6]
What are the symptoms of over masturbation?
The typical symptoms of over masturbation include chronic fatigue, weak erection, thinning hair, and much more.
Read about side effects of masturbation >
SOURCES
Tobechi L. Ebede, Emily L. Arch, and Diane Berson, Hormonal Treatment of Acne in Women, J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2009 December; 2(12): 16–22.
Thiboutot D, Gollnick H, Betolli V, et al. New insights into the management of acne: An update from the Global Alliance to Improve Outcomes in Acne Group. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2009;60:S1–S50.
Labrie F, Luu-The V, Labrie C, et al. Intracrinology of the skin. Horm Res. 2000;54:218–229.
Thiboutot D, Harris G, Iles V, et al. Activity of the type 1 5α–reductase exhibits regional differences in isolated sebaceous glands and whole skin. J Invest Dermatol. 1995;105:209–214.
Thiboutot D, Knaggs H, Gilliland K, et al. Activity of type 1 5. -reductase is greater in the follicular infrainfundibulum compared with the epidermis. Br J Dermatol. 1997;136:166–171.
Karrer-Voegeli S, Rey F, Reymond MJ, Meuwly JY, Gaillard RC, Gomez F., Androgen dependence of hirsutism, acne, and alopecia in women: retrospective analysis of 228 patients investigated for hyperandrogenism., Medicine (Baltimore). 2009 Jan;88(1):32-45.
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