Acne & Pimples
Depending on its severity, acne can cause emotional distress and scar the skin. The earlier you start treatment, the lower your risk of such problems.
Four main factors cause acne:
- Excess oil production
- Hair follicles clogged by oil and dead skin cells
- Excess activity of a type of hormone (androgens)
The follicle wall may bulge and produce a whitehead. Or the plug may be open to the surface and darken, causing a blackhead. A blackhead may look like dirt stuck in pores. But actually the pore is congested with bacteria and oil, which turns brown when it's exposed to the air.
Pimples are raised red spots with a white center that develop when blocked hair follicles become inflamed or infected with bacteria. Blockages and inflammation that develop deep inside hair follicles produce cystlike lumps beneath the surface of your skin.
Factors that may worsen acne
These factors can trigger or aggravate acne:
- Hormones. Androgens are hormones that increase in boys and girls during puberty and cause the sebaceous glands to enlarge and make more sebum. Hormonal changes related to pregnancy and the use of oral contraceptives also can affect sebum production. If you suspect that hormones may be the cause of your acne, you may want to consult an Integrated Doctor who specialises in the area of Hormone Health or a Naturopath with specific training in Hormones. We work with Dr Gary Wilson, Dr Achana Ratna, Dr Sarah Moore and Naturopath Victoria Martin who have specific knowledge in the area of Hormones.
- Certain medications can make acne worse. Examples include drugs containing corticosteroids, testosterone, lithium, contraceptive pill or contraceptive IUD.
- Diet. Studies indicate that certain dietary factors, including skim milk and carbohydrate-rich foods — such as bread, bagels and chips — may worsen acne as it increases inflammation in the body.
- Stress. Stress can make acne worse.
TREATMENT AND WAYS TO MANAGE ACNE AND PIMPLES.
1. Topical creams that reduce bacterial infection, calms inflammation and speeds up healing will help reduce the severity of acne and help pimples and acne heal, reducing scarring and emotional stress from having this skin condition. Our Natural Acne and Pimple Cream has Propolis, and Manuka Oil as active ingredients as these are natural anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and assist with skin repair. Helping the skin heal with prevent scaring and help old scars face.
Using this cream regularly will not result in any tolerance or resistance, unlike regular use of antibiotic creams which work well initially but as the bacteria develops resistance, their effectiveness tends to decrease.
Our Natural Acne and Pimple Cream also has Zinc Sulphate and Vitamin B3, which helps to reduce redness and assists with skin repair. It has Kakadu Plum extract, one of the highest sources of natural source of Vitamin C to stimulate collagen production, Calendula, Cucumber and Chamomile extract to calm the skin, and Green Tea Extract to help with healing.
It is light and easily absorbed, and won't clog your pores. It has no alcohol which will dry your skin, and contains no parabens, SLS, triclosan, artificial fragrance or preservatives.
Try it now to feel the difference! Click here.
2. Diet: eat more whole foods, rich in anti-oxidants and less refined carbohydrates. Food and supplements rich in Omega 3, 6 and 9 such as Olive Oil and Fish or Krill Oil help to reduce inflammation.
3. Drink lots of water to flush toxins out of the body. A liver detox supplement with Milk Thistle and Dandelion helps the liver process toxins more effectively and these are eliminated from the body.
4. Supplements such as Vitamin A and Zinc are beneficial for healthy skin as they help regulate sebum production.
5. Lactoferrin, Probiotics and S. Bourlardii helps improve gut health which reduces inflammation.
6. We also make an amazing Anti-Spot Serum which has the natural anti-bacterial properties of Manuka Oil, and Hemp Seed Oil which is rich in Omega 3, 6 and 9 which helps with calming the skin and maximising healing to decrease redness and scarring.
To speak to our Naturopath Victoria Martin about supplements to help reduce stress, treat adrenal fatigue, and balance hormones naturally, click here.
Dr Sarah Moore can be reached here.
To make an appointment to see Dr Gary Wilson and Dr Achana Ratna, click here.