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Causes of acne, natural remedies for acne and prevention

 



What is acne?

Acne is a skin condition that causes pimples or "zits." Whiteheads (closed comedones), blackheads (open comedones), red, inflamed papules, and nodules or cysts may develop. These most often occur on the face, neck, upper trunk and upper arm.

Acne occurs when tiny pores on the surface of the skin become clogged. The pores can become plugged by substances on the surface of the skin. More commonly they develop from a mixture of the natural oils of the skin and the dead cells shed from the inside of the pore. These plugs are called comedones. Acne is most common in teenagers. But anyone can get acne.


Causes of Acne

  1. Mechanical irritation of the affected skin area (e.g. by scratching, pressing, or pulling as well as wearing tight- fitting clothing such as headbands, bras, or backpacks)


  1. Application of cosmetics, hair products, and soaps.


  1. Certain medications (creams and tablets containing cortisone, lithium, some antiepileptics, etc.)


  1. Certain metabolic diseases


  1. Menstrual cycle in women


  1. Nutrition (worsening of acne through consumption of dairy products and sugary foods, particularly chocolate)

  2. Stress


Symptoms of Acne

  • Persistent, recurrent red spots or swelling on the skin, generally known as pimples; the swelling may become inflamed and fill with pus. They typically appear on the face, chest, shoulders, neck, or upper portion of the back.


  • Dark spots with open pores at the center (blackheads)


  • Tiny white bumps under the skin that have no obvious opening (whiteheads)


  • Red swellings or lumps (known as papules) that are visibly filled with pus


  • Nodules or lumps under the skin that are inflamed, fluid-filled, and often tender; these nodules may become as large as an inch across.


Natural remedies for Acne 




LEMON

Cut a lemon and rub it over the skin. You can also use diluted lemon juice (with water) to cleanse and exfoliate the skin. The acidity in lemon helps to dry out acne and heal the scars.



TEA TREE OIL

Add a drop of tea tree oil to your regular cleanser. This will help prevent acne breakouts. Tea tree oil also works well to get rid of whiteheads and blackheads.


CINNAMON

Cinnamon is known for its anti-bacterial properties. Mix three tablespoons of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon and make a face mask. Apply on the face for at least 10 minutes and wash it off thereafter.




GREEN TEA

Green tea is said to have anti-inflammatory properties. Add two tablespoon of green tea leaves to a cup of water and allow them to steep for 10 minutes. Dip a cotton pad in the tea and apply it directly to the skin. Allow it to remain on the skin for 10 minutes.




EGG

Eggs can help to tighten the skin pores. Mix one portion of egg white with honey and apply the mixture on your face. Leave the pack on for 10-15 minutes before rinsing.




APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

Apple cider vinegar has antibiotic properties that can destroy bacteria causing acne. Mix one part apple cider vinegar with two parts distilled water. You can use this lotion as a toner on acne-prone skin.




HONEY

Honey is a natural antiseptic and can help heal acne scars. Dab a small amount of honey over the affected area and leave it for 30 minutes before rinsing it off.



ICE CUBES

You can use ice cubes to soothe inflammation and reduce redness. All you need to do is rub an ice cube on the affected area.


How to prevent Acne

1. Toss out skincare and makeup products that contain high amounts of SD or denatured alcohol. Alcohol is a common ingredient in cosmetics geared toward acne-prone skin, and while it may seem as though it’s drying out a pimple, it actually triggers more oiliness! Skin's response to the aggravating toll alcohol takes can make breakouts and redness worse.


2. Avoid thick or solid makeup products like stick or creamy compact foundations. The types of ingredients that help keep these products in a solid or semi-solid form (often waxes, or similar ingredients like polyethylene or ethylhexyl palmitate) are iffy for those with breakout-prone skin. Avoid heavy moisturizers with these ingredients as well. Instead, look for lightweight gels or sheer lotions.


3. Remove makeup before going to bed, no matter how tired you are. Sleeping with makeup on can lead to clogged pores, not to mention cause red, puffy-looking eyes. If you wear heavy makeup, consider pairing your cleanser with a gentle makeup remover and follow up with a soothing toner to ensure last traces of makeup are gone while replenishing skin at the same time.


4. Don’t overdo cleansing your face. Clean skin is a good thing, as we mention above, but over-washing is not—it can actually aggravate acne-prone skin even more. The best method is to wash your skin twice a day (once in the morning, once at night) with a gentle, water-soluble cleanser.


(Don’t use bar cleansers – they can leave a film or residue on your skin, which in turn can clog pores and lessen the effectiveness of any anti-acne products you apply after cleansing, plus they are drying which is never a good thing for any skin type.)


5. Stay away from scrubs and loofahs or rough cleansing brushes. The research is abundantly clear that using a salicylic acid exfoliant will give you triple benefit! You can’t scrub a blemish away, and more to the point, scrubs can make acne and redness worse due to their abrasive texture.

Salicylic acid (also known as BHA) offers a much more effective, gentle, and ultimately natural way to exfoliate skin. Even better, BHA can dissolve oil, keeping pores free of debris which means there’s less chance for breakouts to form in the first place!

6. Use lighter hair-care products. If your hair drifts over certain areas of the face, keep in mind that traces of the products you use to style your hair will also end up on your skin. That means if you have acne-prone skin, you should avoid thick, waxy styling products, or too much



WHAT FOOD CAUSES ACNE?
 There is no proof that certain foods give you pimples. However, there is evidence to suggest that a nutritious diet can give you healthier looking skin. Plus, some people report that cutting down on processed foods helps to reduce pimples.

CAN SOME FOODS CAUSE PIMPLES?
While no foods have been proven to cause pimples directly, there are foods that make you break out.




Sugary and processed foods with a high glycaemic load set off a chain-reaction that might be responsible for an acne breakout.

Foods that can cause break outs include:

Fried chips
Crackers
Pastries and Cookies
Pasta
Soft drinks
Juices


When you eat these foods, your blood sugar, and in turn your insulin levels, spike.

Insulin causes your sebaceous glands to produce more oil. This often contributes to clogged pores and pimples.
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