What causes acne? we share 4 things that could be responsible.
Growing up, I always had healthy skin. I ate what I wanted, when I wanted without any repercussions. Just before my eighteenth birthday a pimple popped up on my cheek, little did I know that this would be the beginning of a seven year journey that changed my life forever. It started off as one, then two, before forming into clusters covering most of my face.
Horrified, I knew exactly what was happening. “My time has come” I naively thought to myself. I believed that acne was a rite of passage most teenagers experienced before adulthood, never associating my poor dietary choices with the health of my skin.
Hello acne! -_-
However, after numerous facial treatments and multiple visits to my doctor I knew deep down that an alternative solution existed that did not burn my skin or my pockets. My general practitioner claimed that diet had absolutely no effect on acne and alternatively prescribed several medications, which I declined to take after reading the side effects. Remaining hopeful, I stayed up each night reading biology books and relatable anecdotes from individuals worldwide, dealing with the same skin condition as myself.
When one day, something clicked.
As I searched for the cure, I ended up finding so much more.
Acne is a build up of oil, bacteria and dead skin cells which results in inflammation and can be caused by a combination of factors.
1) Bacteria:
Although acne is not infectious, Cutibacterium acnes (also known as Propionibacterium acnes) is present on the skin and can result in inflammation.
Often times oral and topical antibiotics are presented to help patients manage acne. However, prolonged and repeated use of antibiotics come with known risks including antibiotic resistance. Moreover, antibiotics also harm healthy bacteria resulting in dysbiosis, which causes secondary issues.
“Understanding the bacterial community on the skin is important for the development of personalised treatments in acne. Instead of killing all bacteria, including the beneficial ones, we should focus on shifting the balance toward a healthy microbiota by targeting harmful bacteria or enriching beneficial bacteria.”
Dr. Emma Barnard, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA.
At Soiled Skin we uphold this approach to healing skin. We appreciate differences in genetic make up and create solutions that work with your body, not against it.
Fresh fruits are anti-inflammatory and rich in antioxidants.
2) Diet:
This should be the starting point to healing any chronic condition. I find it fascinating that in 2023 prominent establishments are still releasing articles stating that changing your diet is an ineffective way to treat acne. On the contrary, food items such as dairy products and high glycemic index foods have been directly linked to acne.
Diet also affects the functioning of your hormones (which will be the next potential cause of acne). Look out for a future blog post where we will break down the best diet for healing your skin!
3) Hormones:
Hormonal changes during significant times in your life such as; puberty, menstrual cycles, pregnancy and menopause can lead to an increase in oil production and acne.
As mentioned previously, what we ingest affects us in more ways than one. Some soy products mimic the hormone estrogen in the body which can result in a hormonal imbalance. In addition, commercial milk and its derivatives can impair the health of your gut affecting the production and secretion of hormones, having a knock on effect on the health of your skin.
4) Excess oil production:
When the sebaceous glands in the skin produce too much oil, it can clog hair follicles and cause acne. But what causes this excess oil production? Hormones. And what causes your hormones to be out of whack? Your diet.
Topical solutions such as our Cleanse & Glow - Scrub and Mask are designed to combat excessive oil. Our facial masks contain fullers earth which is antiseptic and absorbs oil and impurities.
Our body is interconnected, once you get to the root of your skin ailment(s) healthy skin is right around the corner! Today I am so grateful that I had acne, hyperpigmentation and discolouration. The wealth of knowledge that I possess as a result has enabled me to heal my skin and countless others.
I encourage you to join our community and share your experiences whilst on your journey to healthy skin!
