Acne is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the pilosebaceous unit, characterised by open and closed comedones, macules, papules, pustules, cysts and scars. There is usually bacteria present. Acne can range in stages, usually classified as 1,2,3 & 4 from mild congestion and blackheads to painful inflamed cystic acne.
There are many causes of acne, which include but are not limited to
- Hereditary
- Hormonal; this is brought on by hormonal changes or hormonal imbalances in the body.
- Stress induced (which effects cortisol levels)
- Dietary; wheat, dairy and sugar can affect a skin that is prone to acne
- Gut Function; pore digestion and other related gut issues will present on the skin
The following are a chain of events that lead to acne:
Symptoms: Red inflamed areas, Blackheads, rough bump feeling below surface of skin, white heads, and pus can be present, painful bumps or nodules with or without a head.
Treatment recommendations: Enzyme therapy, alkaline wash. RP peel, Led Light Therapy.
Benefits of treatments
Managing your acne from the beginning will prevent the likely hood of scarring and post inflammatory hyper pigmentation down the track. It will improve self-confidence and raise self-esteem, while building healthy well-functioning skin for the future.
Time frame of alleviating
Depending on your individual case, which stage your acne is at, and the cause of the acne, the treatment time line can vary greatly. Our aim is to get the skin functioning from the inside out which can take time, and commitment to homecare from you. Generally you will start on a 12 week program. You will begin to see results within that time frame. However to completely revise your skin it could take the course of a year.
Foods to avoid
Dairy: Dairy contains growth hormones which speeds up the process of acne. IGF1
Gluten: Some people find gluten quite hard to digest which can lead to poor gut functioning, when our gut is not functioning toxins leak into our blood supply and cells are left with a toxic environment. It also means we are not receiving the vital nutrients from our food leaving our immune system compromised and open to foreign invaders.
Sugar: perhaps the worst evil of all, sugar plays with our insulin levels spiking them telling our body to produce more insulin and causing spikes in pimple making hormones such as testosterone and adrogens.
Genetically modified Soy: Too much Soy can mess with your hormone levels. Always check if buying soy milk or tofu that it is GMO free.
Foods to eat
Alkaline foods: Green leafy vegetables, lemon water, turmeric, good fats including coconut oil, avocado, olive oil, nuts and seeds.
Try and stick to eating as many natural whole foods as possible, which means eating no processed food in packaging. Try alternatives to dairy like coconut milk or almond milk.
Please contact the friendly team at Reverse Skin Clinic to find out more about our Acne treatments, or to book your next treatment.