The inflammatory skin disorder acne affects nearly 80% of the population aged 12 to 44 years to varying degrees. Far from being just a cosmetic problem, acne can cause scarring, emotional stress and result in diminished self-confidence.
Let’s take a look at acne and how naturopathy can help cure it.
What is acne?
Acne is a disease that affects our skin’s sebaceous (oil) glands. Connected to your pores by a canal called a follicle in which a thin hair grows, these glands produce an oily substance called sebum that carries dead skin cells to the skin’s surface. When a hair follicle clogs up, a pimple develops. Acne therefore appears as a result of inflammation of the oil glands.
The disease usually first appears during adolescence, when an increase in hormones called androgens causes the oil glands in the skin to increase in size and in oil production. Despite the fact that everyone who goes through puberty experiences these hormonal changes that causes acne, not everyone develops the disease because each person’s body chemistry is different.
What causes acne?
Causes of acne include:
- Excess oil production
- Hair follicles clogged by oil and dead skin cells
- Bacteria
- Excess activity of a type of hormone (androgens) and other hormonal imbalances such as those related to puberty, pregnancy, menstruation, and oral contraceptives
- A poor diet high in bad fats and sugars
- Allergies and candida
- Auto-toxicity which can occur when your body does not eliminate waste properly
- Birth control pills
- Certain medications, including drugs containing corticosteroids, testosterone, or lithium
- Environmental pollutants
- Genetics
- Nutritional deficiencies, incl. Vitamin A and Zinc
How does naturopathy treat acne?
Acne-prone skin and breakouts can be difficult to control, and topical treatments alone often offer only limited relief. Medical treatments also are limited and not ideal in the long term.
Daily antibiotics are a common medical treatment for acne, one that can have major negative effects on long-term gut health. Women who suffer from hormonal acne are often prescribed the oral contraceptive pill with side effects such as blood clotting disorders, increased risk of certain cancers, and hormonal problems once they stop taking the pill. The last resort is Accutane, a drug that has been linked to depression and dries the skin, causing dry and flaky eyes, lips, and hands.
In naturopathy, the key to successfully controlling acne is to first identify the underlying cause. As is the case for many other naturopathic treatments, nutrition is key to treating acne. The health of our skin, our largest organ, externally reflects what is going on with our health beneath the surface. For some people, the cause of their acne is obvious (hormonal acne or poor diet) while for others it may be due to a combination of different factors.
