FAQ about Acne-Ltd III
"The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same thinking that created them".
- Dr. Albert Einstein
ACNE
FACTS:
1) 80 percent of the population suffers from acne.
2) Bacteria is generally the number one cause of acne.
3) There are many different types of acne.
4) Ultraviolet rays are acne contributors, not preventors. Make the sun
"fun" and avoid a sunburn as the burn damages the skin with potential cancer in the
long term of over exposure. However, even for several hours, the skin will dry and the
sweat glands can restrict and trap sebaceous gland oils. Wear the proper sunscreen or
sunblock to keep your skin moist while preventing burns which also reduces the risk of
more acne.
ACNE MYTHS:
1) Acne is caused by dirty skin. Acne pimples are not caused by dirty
skin but by clogged pores. In fact, if skin is over washed frequently, you can actually
make your acne much worse. The best approach
to hygiene and acne: Gently wash your face twice a day with a mild soap and pat
dry. Aggressive cleansing of the skin will irritate it, causing the skin
to produce more oil to form a protective barrier against abuse.
2) Chocolate or fatty foods cause acne. It may seem that
each time we eat certain foods our skin erupts in acne, but its not so much
the specific food as it is the acidic nature of the food. The key is to
balance your intake of acidic and alkaline foods, which keeps the skin in
the proper pH range.
3) Stress causes acne. Stress can not cause acne, but it
can make acne worse, and having acne can be very stressful. When the
body becomes stressed, the adrenal cortex converts adrenal androgens to
testosterone in BOTH men and women, resulting in overactive sebaceous glands.
The ovaries produce 25% of the testosterone while 75% is converted from adrenal
androgens in the normal female. Women only have 10% of the testosterone that
men have. Men have thicker skin and muscles than women and can handle
much more testosterone. When the male or female body is
stressed, the adrenal androgen conversion can almost double the testosterone
in both men and women. This causes the T zone of the face to be oily,
while other areas are still dry from dehydration. Adult acne and rosacea
are sometimes by-products of stress and/or dehydration. Water and
estrogen calm the "body's stress alarm system". The most important
element of acne treatment is to keep the skin (body) hydrated. Water
is a most important acne treatment in that it is alkaline (pH 7.3) and can
be considered a natural treatment or an almost free acne treatment.
Below are a few examples of what acne can look like. The third picture illustrates acne scarring, which is caused by severe cases of acne:
 ACNE COMEDONICA |
 ACNE VULGARIS |
 ACNE SCARRING |
We continually update this site to keep you informed of the latest scientific findings about acne.