Acne
Acne Treatments
Treat the underlying causes of acne
Treatment goals:
(1) Reduce sebum production
/ Testosterone activity
(2)
Stimulate cell turnover / Help skin shed dead cells
- to prevent build up
(3) Prevent bacterial
accumulation / Reduce inflammation.
Resist temptation to pick or squeeze your blackheads /pimples
Squeezing, scratching, rubbing or even touching
your pimples and blackheads results in more pimples .
Since these actions actually increase sebum production. Also,
when you squeeze, you can rupture the membranes below your skin, causing infection
and sebum to spread underneath your skin. The result is more pimples.
Control your blood sugar
Your diet is a likely underlying reason
causing the Propioniform bacteria to result in acne cysts or lesions.
Too much
glucose
from
sugars
and ALL
grains (including
whole-grains) raises
INSULIN
levels, reduces
INSULIN sensitivity and increases levels of the hormone IGF-1
associated with acne:
Vegetable-carbs
(high fiber/low starch)vs. Grain-carbs
(low
fiber/high starch) - vegetable-carbs are slow to break down into
the SIMPLE sugars, glucose
and fructose, and
have minimal impact on INSULIN
levels; in contrast, when grain-carbs are digested, they more quickly break
down into glucose and
fructose, raise INSULIN
levels and also INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR (IGF-1), which increases
male hormone levels, which stimulate sebum production by sebaceous glands.Studies
support that low-glycemic diets improve acne
In
a 2007 study published in the American Journal of Clnical Nutrition -
young men (ages 15 to 25) with acne were placed on low-glycemic diets for 12 weeks,
showing significant improvements in acne and INSULIN sensitivity.
Robyn N Smith, Neil J Mann,
Anna Braue, Henna Mäkeläinen and George A. Varigos, A low-glycemic-load diet improves
symptoms in acne vulgaris patients: a randomized controlled trial, Am. J. of Clin.
Nutr., Vol. 86, No. 1, 107-115, July 2007
A 2002 study found
similar results to above study
Cordain L et al, Acne vulgaris: a disease of Western civilization. Arch Dermatol.
2002 Dec;138(12):1584-90 .
By removing
high glycemic foods from your diet, you should notice rapid improvement in your
complexion in just a few weeks
CUT OUT / MINIMIZE:
MODERATE / LIMIT
Sugars / High fructose corn syrup
Pasta, Rice, potatoes
Fruit consumption -
Processed foods
Fruit juice (unless highly diluted)
Bread / Cereal grains (including whole-grains and corn)
Colon Cleanse
Cleanse your colon.
This
simple process has demonstrated dramatic improvement in skin blemishes by facilitating
the removal of toxins from body.
Clear
the "Exit Doors"
Facial Steaming Deep Cleanse
Facial steaming removes oil from your facial skin
and unclogs / minimizes your pores.
One of
the best, yet most overlooked ways to eliminate acne - It unclogs and detoxes
facial pores, removes dead skin cells, and stimulates blood circulation which is
essential for the reproduction of new cells.Unclogged pores can't form acne!
Acne sufferers
need only do this powerful remedy a few times per month to fully benefit from its
results. Overdoing it (more than 3-5 times / week) can dry your
skin out too much.
How to do a facial steaming cleanse:
Boil water. Bring
a large pan of water to a boil or boil a kettle full of water and pour into a large
bowl placed ready on a table for use (safer than carrying a bowl full of hot water
to the table)
Optionally add a few
drops of some anti-bacterial essential oils. E.g. lavender, lemon,
chamomile, tea-tree and/or oregano oil. Adding a teaspoon of salt can also help
disinfect skinUse a headband to
keep hair out of your face Steam your face for
5-10 minutes. Sit at a table next to the pan or bowlful
of hot water with a light-colored towel (allows you to see the water level) over
your head to make a tent and stay over the steam. Don't get too close to the water
at first or it will be too hotRinse your face with
warm and then cool water. Next gently pat dry with a soft towel
Kill the infecting bacteria
Wash affected areas morning and night with organic
antibacterial soap. Be gentle to your skin - overwashing
actually stimulates sebum production, increasing your acne.
Tea tree oil is a good natural, topical antibiotic
for the skin - used in lotions or soap
MMS (Master Mineral Solution, 22.4% sodium
chlorite solution) is activated by adding an
acid to produce chlorine dioxide solution (CDS). optionally combined with DMSO
(for deeper penetration). Has shown great success as an effective
topical antibiotic to quickly deal with acne; chlorine dioxide is formed when
the extremely alkaline pH of MMS (pH range 12-14) is lowered. The more acid you
add, the lower the PH of the solution drops, and the more available bacterial-fighting
chlorine dioxide is released as free chlorine dioxide in solution.
Chlorine Dioxide Therapy
(Using MMS)
DMSO - Cell
Membrane Penetrant
For MMS application choices and instructions:
Chlorine Dioxide
Therapy (Topical Applications)
Trace minerals zinc and chromium
Zinc This mineral is reported to have very satisfactory
results in clearing acne. Some acne sufferers see results even within a few days,
others persist over a few months before eventually attaining success.
Zinc
actions against acne:
Stabilizes the formation of oily sebum within
the pores of the skin
Acts as an immune booster that speeds up wound
healing
Antioxidant
Increases vitamin A absorption
Reduces hormonal effects on the skin -to
break the acne cycle.
Take
30 mg ELEMENTAL zinc in a supplement . In the morning (
with breakfast) and 30mg (with dinner) for 2-4 weeks, and then cut back to 30-50
mg once / day. Common forms are zinc picinolate (highly absorbable????), zincgluconate
or chelated zinc)
Try
taking on empty stomach with a full glass of water - but if you
have stomach cramps / nausea then take with food (being aware that food interferes
with absorption some, especially foods high in phosphorus or calcium. E.g. whole
grains, legumes, milk and nuts)Zinc sulfate
is purported to cause stomach problems Zinc can
interact with tetracycline
Chromium
Helps heal skin infections. Supplement once/day
to speed up healing and prevent future breakkouts
Topical vitamin A therapy
Retinoids reduce sebum production.
Retinoids inhibited sebocyte proliferation in a dose-dependent manner and down-regulated
lipid synthesis and sebocyte differentiation in vitro.
Zouboulis CC, Xia L, Akamatsu H, Seltmann H,
Fritsch M, Hornemann S, Ruhl R, Chen W, Nau H, Orfanos CE
1998 Dermatology 196 21
PubMed
Topical NATURAL
vitamin A retinoid
in a natural, chemical-free cream base )
The best choices
for treating acne are either:
Retinaldehyde
(aka. Retinal) (0.05 -0.075%). The only antibacterial retinoid
and causes less irritationRetinol (1%)
Vitamin
A / Retinoids -The Beauty Vitamin
Important
information for effective use of topical
retinoids and handling
any irritation. A common problem, particularly when beginning
treatment
Tailor application
amount and frequency to skin type and personal reaction to treatment.
Redheads / blondes with delicate skin require lower, less frequent
dose than brunettes with thicker more resiliant skin. Reaction time may take a few
days to a couple of weeks. Begin slowly and build
up only if necessary. Start with one treatmentevery two
days; if peeling/burning/redness is too intense, then stop for 4-5 days before resuming
treatment applications further apart; some initial peeling/flaking is usual as skin
cell regeneration takes place; DON'T GIVE UP! - skin becomes more tolerant
over time.Only apply cream at
night. Retinoids
are inactivated by light, but phototoxity from using topical retinoids is
minimal and has been over-exaggerated. Wait at least 15-30
minutes after washing face before application. Especially
if washing with soap; washing makes skin overly receptive and sensitive, which can
cause irritation;It is absolutely necessary
to apply a soothing moisturizer in the morning. Limits
/corrects irritation from previous night's application. Even males need to
do this Apply a natural sunscreen
lotion if going outside in the sun Minimize frequency
of application around the delicate nasolabial folds Use opened
retinol product within 1 month of opening.
Keep lid on container to avoid exposing cream to light; or alternatively
buy cream with a pumpTo be safe, do not
use if pregnant or trying to get pregnant. High doses of
any form of vitamin A are contraindicated for pregnant women, since it may be teratogenic
(i.e. adversely affect growing cells /embryo)
Limit break-outs at the start of treatment by combining
topical retinoid with a topical anti-inflammatory cream. E.g. erythromycin
or benzoyl peroxide
Oral NATURAL
(not synthetic) vitamin
A
It
is safe to take doses up to 300,000 units/day for just a few weeks.
Provided
you balance it with vitamin D (usually
from taking a "sunbath ")
and discontinue if unusual symptoms develop, E.g.headaches, nausea;Decrease dose to 100,000
units for up to 3 months and then discontinue supplementation
Regarding
pregnancy and supplementing vitamin A.
The latest studies suggest that
these dosage levels will NOT likely cause complications, but to be safe whilst taking
vitamin A,
do not get pregnant or take during pregnancy.
Consume / Supplement Probiotics
Probiotics re-establish beneficial bacteria in
GI tract to restore immune system function - especially important
after a dose of antibiotics, which indiscriminately kill good, as well as bad bacteria,
sometimes resulting in a yeast infection. Reducing sugar and carbs will remove the "bad"bacterias'favorite
food source.
Dietary fermented / cultured
foods contain probiotics . E.g
yogurt, sauerkraut
Probiotics -"For Life"
Other treatments of mention
Drink plenty of water:
Facilitates cell growth and regeneration
Eliminates wastes
Sloughs away dead skin cells
Hydration improves your skin tone
Exercise. Helps
control blood sugar / INSULIN levels
Sweat.
Sweating releases toxins from skin and increases sebum flow.
Work outside in the sun / Use a sauna
Sleep. ~8 hours
in darkened room
Enhance immune system
Reduce stress
Vitamin D/Sunlight -
Crucial for healthy immune system response.
Most people are D- deficient and
without it your body is unable to control infection, in the skin or anywhere else.
Vitamin D promotes production of broad spectrum,
anti-microbial antibiotics. >200 host defense
peptides essential components of innate immune responseExpose
BARED skin of most of body to sun every day for 30-45 minutes until skin just turns
pink (a "built-in"signal that you have obtained optimal
D production
around 20,000 IU). The best time for taking a "sunbath"
is from 10 am - 2pm; no hat, no sunglasses and especially no sunblock vitamin D
production in the skin, if it is not natural and organic,
suntan lotion contains dangerous cancer-causing chemicals). If sun is not available
use a safe tanning bed that utilizes natural light frequencies.
Echinacea. Echinacea
may help normalize sebaceous gland function by blocking the endocannabinoid receptor-2
(CB2) responsible for sebum production. However, this has not been proven.
Control inflammation
Omega-3 and
Omega-6 dihomo-gamma linolenic acid (DGLA).
The
anti-inflammatory
fatty acids.
The "O3 Fix" - How
to obtain Omega 3
Omega-6 DGLA (Dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid) is found in
evening primrose, blackcurrant or borage oil
Borage, Blackcurrant and Evening Primrose Oils (For Omega-6
DGLA)
Epsom Salts (Magnesium sulfate)
Make and apply (DO NOT RUB
IN) Epsom salt paste to problem areas.
Let sit 10-15 minutes before rinsing off with cold water. Repeat twice daily
for best results. This two-pronged therapy provides antiinflammatory magnesium and
also draws toxins and blackheads from skin.HOW TO MAKE EPSOM SALT PASTE:
Place 2 tbsp. Epsom salts into a small container and add 1 cup of warm water. Mix
with a spoon until the salts have dissolved and formed a thick paste.Soak in epsom salt bath.
Directly treats acne on back, neck, shoulders, and buttocks and indirectly provides
an inflammatory systemic treatment by absorbing magnesium into the body. Add 2 Cups
epsom salts to running water in body-covering warm bath and soak for 30 minutes
Mg - Anti-Inflammatory
Topical lavender essential oil
Good reference
http://www.therapeutique-dermatologique.org/spip.php?article1528#biblio
