Acne - causes, treatment and diet

To set the scene, acne is an extremely common skin disorder affecting many people between the ages of 12 and 30. It’s more common in males because male sex hormones stimulate the production of sebum and keratin which lead to blocked pores. During puberty, hormones are more active in both sexes, so girls can also be susceptible.

However acne is not confined to teenagers. Hormonal imbalances and all drugs – especially steroids (including the Pill and HRT) – can contribute to acne.  Some women suffer from pre-menstrual acne due to progesterone release after ovulation.

First I will be looking at dietary aspects of stopping acne and over the next few days I shall bring you some life-style tips to help your quest for a clear complexion.

What causes acne?

Hormones stimulate the production of sebum from sebaceous glands on the face, back, chest and shoulders, which also produce oil to lubricate our skin. If the glands are over-active, pores become sticky, trapping bacteria and skin to form a blockage that may eventually rupture, spreading inflammation.

Other possible blockages can come from eating excess saturated fats – such as those found in meat and dairy products – so be sure to minimise your consumption of these. However, you do need a good intake of essential fats, so foods to stop acne include oily fish, seeds and nuts. Lecithin granules can be added to food to help absorption of essential fats.

Treating acne

Conventional treatments for acne focus on over the counter remedies which may reduce inflammation but don’t get to the root of the problem. If acne becomes infected, antibiotics are prescribed and for persistent cases, a drug like Roaccutane.

One warning, it is dangerous for the baby if a woman becomes pregnant while taking this drug and as there are some other worrying side-effects, watching your diet is well worthwhile to avoid such risks.

There are other concerns about the side effects of using drugs for acne, so my recommendation would be to use natural methods where possible.

The skin is one of the body’s organs of elimination and if there are too many toxins for the liver and kidneys to process, some of these wastes are excreted through the skin as sweat. As toxins pass through the skin they can disrupt the health of the skin, so, a liver detoxification programme and a high fibre diet can help clear toxins. Also, be sure to minimise the load on the liver by reducing your every-day exposure to chemicals and pollution.

Foods to stop acne

To help cleansing, eat a high fibre diet – fruit and vegetables also contain antioxidants and other essential nutrients; for instance: peas, broccoli, green beans, berries. To prevent acne, the body’s acid/alkaline balance is important – bacteria flourish in an alkaline environment. Fruit and vegetables help maintain an alkaline balance.

Foods containing vitamins A, C and E are good for the skin. Vitamin A is found in tomatoes, red peppers, mango, carrots, sweet potatoes. Vitamins C and E can reduce spreading and scarring, respectively. Vitamin E is found in nuts, avocados, whole grains and green vegetables.

Vitamin A and zinc help the body fight infection.

If stress is a problem eat plenty of foods that contain vitamin B5, such as mushrooms, avocado, yoghurt, corn.

As to possible dietary deficiencies, teenage diets, particularly in boys, may lack zinc (found in shellfish, soybeans, wholegrains, almonds and Brazil nuts) which is used up by spurts of growth and sexual maturing.

Garlic is a natural antibiotic that can destroy bacteria and enhance the immune system. It is best eaten raw.

A good intake of water is important to keep the skin hydrated.

I have already mentioned the importance of foods containing essential fatty acids (oily fish, nuts, seeds).

Foods to avoid for acne sufferers

Foods to avoid are: alcohol, butter, caffeine, cheese, chocolate, cocoa, cream, eggs, fried foods, hot/spicy foods, margarine, meat, dairy products, wheat, salt, sugar in all forms and soft drinks.

Obviously avoid all junk foods.

Acne and Food Intolerance

Sometimes acne is associated with low stomach acidity which leads to poor digestion. Exposed to inadequately digested food, the gut may become inflamed and ‘leaky’, allowing undigested foods into the bloodstream. This can cause an inappropriate response, or food intolerance.

Stomach acid level can easily be corrected by appropriate supplements (HCl) to improve digestion, and identifying and eliminating problem food(s) should give great improvement.