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What is Acne?

Acne is skin condition which is common in teenagers, but can be present at any age. Acne causes pimples on the skin and can affect anywhere on the body but mainly affects the face, back, shoulders and chest. The cause of Acne is when hair follicles become blocked by dead skin and oils. Sebaceous glands are small glands found under the surface of the skin. These glands are attached to hair follicles which is where hairs grow from. The sebaceous glands are essential to lubricate the hair and skin and prevent either from drying out. This is achieved by producing a substance called sebum. When the sebaceous glands start to produce too much sebum, the excess oil mixes with dead skin particles creating a plug in the pore. If the pores are blocked near the surface of the skin, a whitehead spot will appear and begin to bulge. If the blockage is deeper into the follicle then it will allow dirt to build up closer to the skins surface, causing a blackhead spot to form.

Propionibacterium is a bacteria that is normally harmless and lives on the skin of most people. When follicles become blocked the bacterium infects the blocked hair follicles causing an immune response. This immune response is responsible for causing red swollen lumps to develop on the skin. These bumps can turn into papules, pustules, nodules or cysts.

Symptoms of Acne

• Whiteheads (closed plugged follicles)

• Pustules (Pimples, which are papules with pus at their tips)

• Papules (small red, tender bumps)

• Blackheads (open plugged follicles)

• Nodules (Large, solid, painful lumps under the skin)

• Cystic Lesions (Painful, pus-filled lumps under the skin)

How is Acne Diagnosed?

A GP can diagnose acne by examining your skin. This involves examining your face, chest, back or shoulders for different types of spots, such as blackheads, nodules, pustules etc. How severe your acne is will determine where you should go for treatment and what treatment is best for the patient.

Natural Treatment for Acne

Organic Silicon – Is a great supplement for reducing symptoms of acne and combating mild to moderate cases of acne. Organic silicon aids the production of collagen, which promotes healthy outer cell layers of the skin meaning it is less likely to get inflamed from hormonal waste that is heavily connected with acne.

Zell Oxygen – Is another supplement that can reduce symptoms of acne. This is down to the high content of vitamin B complex and mainly the vitamin B5. Vitamin B5 is seen to help with acne and skin aging. A randomized controlled trial from a 2014 study found that people who took a B-5 dietary supplement for 12 weeks saw significant reductions in acne and skin inflammation.

Organic Barley Grass Juice Powder – Can also be effective at reducing acne symptoms and outbreaks. This is because barley and barley grass is a great source of azelaic acid. Azelaic acid is used topically to treat both rosacea as well as acne. Ingesting barley grass juice powder can produce significant improvements to acne prone areas as azelaic acid is well known for reducing skin inflammation while also preventing the development of comedones (clogged pores) which are two large contributing factors of acne.

Primebiotic– is our specially designed probiotic supplement built to suit the needs for a wide range of health conditions. Probiotics have been documented to help with acne in a number of different ways. Firstly our Primebiotic has Lactobacillus acidophilus which was one of the first probiotic bacteria to be used to aid acne symptoms. One of the first ever studies on probiotics effects on acne showed there was a notable improvement in the severity of acne in patients taking Lactobacillus acidophilus during the 4 week trial. Bifidobacterium lactis can also help address gut-related triggers of acne through the improvement of health of the stomach microbiome while also reducing inflammation. In the same study, to demonstrate its positive effects a patient was given Bifidobacterium lactis daily for 4 weeks. The results was the patients had a largely improved composition of the stomach microbiome with significant increase of good bacteria across the board. This strain of probiotic was also confirmed to be effective in another trial showing significant reduction of inflammatory messengers and markers of oxidative stress.

Colloidal Silver – is well known for its ability to kill bacteria. This aids patients with acne as a major factor of the condition is bacteria infecting hair follicles, thus causing symptoms to occur. It is recommended to ingest colloidal silver to get the health benefits, as prolonged use on the skin may cause a blue/silver pigmentation to become present in the skin.

Propolis– is effective in reducing acne symptoms for those with sensitive, acne-prone skin. This powerful supplement is able to fight off acne effectively due to its antibacterial as well as its anti-inflammatory properties. It can help to reduce the number and severity of pimples while also reducing redness.

MSM- MSM supplementation can actually improve acne symptoms via three different pathways. These are through its anti-inflammatory properties, the fact that MSM strengthens the skin as well as its strong antioxidant properties. It is possible to purchase creams or even make your own MSM paste and apply to acne prone areas, but the amount of benefits will be largely reduced using MSM as a topical cream. For best results we advise oral ingestion of MSM with doses ranging from 1-6g daily. Although this dose is safe for most individuals we advise starting with a lower dose and increasing over time as in rare cases, an intolerance may be present.

Home Remedies for Acne / Lifestyle Changes

• Lightly exfoliate regularly

• Exercise

• Get at least 15 minutes of sun daily (do not use sunbeds)

• Do not shower more than once per day

• Avoid all fried food and all processed oils
  

• Not using make up or only using a mineral based make up.

• Washing off make up with warm water before sleep

• Try not to touch your face