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AcneAcne is a red, irritating skin rash primarily affecting teenagers and young adults. It can, however, occur at all ages. Typical acne appears in the oil-producing areas of the body—namely, the face, chest, and back. Acne can also occur on the neck and upper arms. Acne can have a short-term, potentially lasting psychological effect. Decreased self-esteem and self-confidence can lead to social withdrawal and even depression. Left untreated, severe acne can lead to disfiguring scarring, which can be difficult to treat. Several factors contribute to the development of acne. The primary problem is that the abnormal flaking of cells inside the hair follicle leads to the formation of a plug. The plug can enlarge and even rupture the hair follicle. A ruptured hair follicle spills its contents of oil and debris into the skin where it leads to swelling and causes redness (inflammation). Bacteria that normally live on the skin also play a role in acne development. The bacteria known as Propionibacterium acnes are responsible for causing acne. These bacteria produce substances that cause redness and irritation (inflammation). They also make enzymes, which dissolve the sebum (oil from oil glands in the skin) into irritating substances. These substances also make the inflammation worse. Certain hormones called androgens are an additional factor in causing acne. Androgens are male hormones that are present in both men and women, but are higher in men. Androgens do two things: First, they enlarge the sebaceous glands in the skin. Second, they cause these glands to increase sebum (oil) production. The increased sebum leads to plug formation and serves as more "food" for the bacteria. Androgens surge at puberty, which is why teens develop armpit and pubic hair, and why boys develop facial hair and deeper voices. This hormonal surge also contributes to the development of acne in teens. Estrogens, which are the female hormones, actually can help to improve acne in girls. A woman's monthly menstrual cycle is due to changes in the oestrogen levels in her body. This is why acne in a female may get better and then get worse as she goes through her monthly cycle. A doctor may recommend acne treatment with birth control pills, which contain the helpful estrogens. We also now believe that acne can run in some families. This may be due to some genetic factor that has not yet been discovered. Anatomy of the hair follicle: Hair follicles exist on virtually all skin except for the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. Inside the follicle, the hair extends up from the deep layers of the skin and comes out of a pore. Near the surface, the oil gland (sebaceous gland) enters the hair follicle where it empties oil (sebum) at a relatively constant rate. The sebum lubricates the skin and provides a protective barrier to prevent drying. Skin on the face, chest, and back has an especially large number of sebaceous glands. These are the areas where acne occurs. Acne lesions: There are 2 major types of acne lesions: non-inflammatory and inflammatory. Non-inflammatory acne lesions include blackheads (open comedones) and whiteheads (closed comedones). Open and closed comedones along with papules and pustules are referred to as papulopustular acne—a form of inflammatory acne. Nodular acne is the most severe form of inflammatory acne. Non-inflammatory acne: Open comedones result from the enlargement and dilation of a plug that forms from oil and flakes of skin inside the hair follicle. The hair follicle pore remains open exposing a black plug (known as a blackhead). The dark colour is not dirt inside the pore. Instead it is the oil inside the pore, which has become exposed from the outside air. A closed comedo forms if the hair follicle pore remains closed. The plug in a closed comedo or whitehead is therefore not exposed to the outside air, and no black colour develops. The closed comedo simply appears as a tiny, sometimes pink bump in the skin. Inflammatory acne: Inflammatory acne lesions consist of red blemishes, pimples also called zits (papules, pustules), and larger, deeper swollen tender lesions (nodules). Papules are closed comedos, which have become red, swollen, and inflamed. Pustules are closed comedos, which become inflamed and begin to rupture into the skin forming pustular heads of various sizes. Nodules represent large, tender, swollen acne lesions, which have become intensely inflamed and rupture under the skin. If untreated, these can produce deep scarring. Skin problems can be caused by a variety of physical and emotional factors which include poor diet, deficiency of oxygen from closed, overheated rooms, environmental and chemical pollutants, food intolerances, hormone inbalances, smoking, drugs, synthetic cosmetics, stress or emotional problems, working or exercise outside in the sun, wind or rain. When tackling a skin problem the main long term solution is to try and find out the root cause for the disorder rather than just work out the symptoms. Our skin often just mirrors our inner health. Some possible treatments can include the following: Wash once or twice daily with soap and water to remove excess oil from the skin. Avoid scrubbing too abrasively because this can actually irritate the skin and cause acne to worsen. Over-the-counter acne medications can be used either at bedtime or during the day. Always follow the directions on any acne product. Many cover-up products are available without a prescription to improve the appearance of blemishes while they have a chance to heal. Most work well and should not worsen acne. Some cosmetics and other skin care products, however, can cause acne to worsen. Look for make-up, cosmetics, and skin care products labelled with the word noncomedogenic. This means that it does not cause or worsen acne. Aromatherapy treatments can also help to treat acne sufferers. It is well worth consulting a trained aromatherapist for help but many essential oils can be used to treat the skin externally. There are quite a number of different essential oils which may be used to help this condition. Some of these oils include Lavender, Tea Tree, Bergamot, Geranium, Rosemary, Neroli Carrot Seed, Cinnamon, Clove Bud, Chamomile Roman & Chamomile German, Cedarwood, Frankincense, Grapefruit, Juniper, Lemon, Lemongrass, Lime, Litsea Cubeba, Mandarin, Manuka, Palmarosa, Patchouli, Rosewood, Yarrow, Ylang Ylang essential oils whilst Evening Primrose and Jojoba carrier oils can either complement these essential oils or be used on their own. Massage may help to stimulate the circulation. To try to help we have separated the oils below into rough groups as to how they made aid acne conditions: Essential Oils to help clear the body’s toxins: Essential Oils to promote the growth of new cells: Essential Oils to balance and reduce sebum: Lavender and Tea Tree essential oils can be used undiluted on individual spots. A facial steam bath and help. Facial oils can be applied daily. Dilute essential oils in either of the recommend carrier oils and massage gently into the skin. |
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