The sebatious glands in the skin are the small glands that produce oil (sebum) which is used by the skin to maintain skin health. Acne is caused by a combination of these glands oversecreting and bacterial infection. Pollution, dead skin cells and particles from clothing stick to the sebum and form a breeding ground for the bacteria. The blocked pores (black heads) become inflamed and leak fluid which infects the skin around it. Squeezing these pimples causes scarring and pitting of the skin and the infected pus contaminates the surrounding skin causing further infections to occur.
Acne is linked to hormonal changes so it is predominantley a condition of people in their teens to early twenties when they are experiencing huge hormonal changes. Women can develop acne pre-menstrually throughout their 'fertile' years and some people may develop acne at a later stage in their life.
The treatment of acne involves keeping the skin clean through washing it two or more times a day using gentle cleanses. The harsh commercial skin cleanses can do a lot of damage to skin. They're ideal for drying out the affected pores but they also dry out the good skin between the pores which leads to more dead skin sloughing off and setting up new areas for bacterial growth. Below are some recipes for gentle cleansers which not only clean the skin but moisturise and act as an antibacterial agent and an anti inflamatory agent.
Acne is aggravated by the following:-
*a diet high in fat and sugar
*iodised salt
*saltwater fish
*shellfish and kelp
*coffee
*medications containing iodides or bromides (cough syrups, sedatives, cold treatments)
*excessive use of steam treatments (more than twice a week)
*paint and industrial fumes
*excessive sunlight
*stress
*PMS/PMT
The treatment of acne involves the following factors:-
*diet - decrease the amount of fat in the diet and increase the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables
*face massage - to stimulate circulation
*warm compresses - opens the pores and allows for the sebum to be cleared out of them. The essential oils used help with killing the bacteria and normalising sebum production.
*baths - assist with detoxifying the body and stimulating circulation. Especially useful if other parts of the body are affected with the condition
*full body massages -to balance the nervous system and remove toxins from the body.
*skin tonics - cleanses the skin, stimulates circulation which speeds up healing, normalises sebum production, has an antibacterial effect and helps reduce the possibility of scarring.
Nutritional supplements can be of great benefit to the person with acne as they aid in the healing process and balance the body's chemistry. The supplements to be taken daily that are of most benefit are:-
*evening primrose oil - 1000mg. If PMS/PMT exacerbates the condition increase to 2000mg per day during the premenstrual phase. *1 garlic capsule *500mg of Vitamin C *30mg of Beta Carotene *30mg of zinc chelate or zinc glutonate
Useful Oils: bergamot, geranium, lavender, sandalwood, tea tree
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