Acne & Acne Scars

Acne is an inflammatory skin condition that that usually appears on the face, back, shoulders, neck, chest, and upper arms in all skin types, and all genders.
8th Sense -Acne FeatAcne & Acne Scars

Acne is an inflammatory skin condition that that usually appears on the face, back, shoulders, neck, chest, and upper arms in all skin types, and all genders.

Acne most frequently occurs during puberty and adolescence, but it can manifest for the first time in adulthood. If acne presents in adulthood it is almost always high androgen activity, as seen in insulin-resistance and PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome).

Acne develops when the sebaceous glands produce excessive sebum (glands producing oil) and, combined with with dead skin cells, block neighbouring hair follicles, making an “ideal” environment for bacteria to develop and cause inflammation. The most common bacteria is Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes).

Causes & Triggers of Acne

The cause and trigger of acne is complex and often due to multiple factors:

  • Hereditary predisposition
  • Hormonal imbalance (excessive androgens, androgen/estrogen altered balance)
  • Stress with excessive cortisol production
  • Insulin resistance syndrome
  • Low immunity
  • Minerals and vitamins depletion (Zinc, Vitamin D, etc.)
  • Gut dysbiosis
  • Ineffective detoxification

Pimples, cysts, blackheads and whiteheads and nodules are all different types of acne and can be present at varying degrees. Acne can leave post-inflammatory hyperpigmentations and scars that can have a negative psychological impact.

Prevention / Early Diagnosis

Prevention, early diagnosis and treatment is important if you want to avoid scarring and possible psychological effects. It's never a good idea to “wait” for acne to go away.

Plan of Action for Acne Removal:
  • Increase cell turnover to keep pores from clogging (chemical peel).
  • Introduce oxygen into the pores to stop bacterial growth (cryo-mesotherapy).
  • Control and eradicate bacteria (LED therapy using blue light and antibiotics in severe cases).
  • Control and eradicate inflammation (I-pixel laser and IPL).
  • Slow down excess skin oil production (topical creams, topical preparations, suppressing DHT receptors – androgen receptors).
  • Control and remove underlying causes and triggers (integrative medicine approach with tailored lifestyle changes).
  • Control and remove acne scarring (I-pixel laser).

FAQ

Keeping your skin clean is important. However, overly vigorous washing will only cause more oil production and aggravate your condition.

Stress can trigger acne prone skin to “break out” easily. Altered cortisol affects the immune system, disturbs bacterial balance in the skin and often, if prolonged, contributes to gut dysbiosis that is associated with prolonged acne. Reducing stress, adding adrenal adaptogens and using specific probiotics can help with acne.

There have been studies concluding that removing dairy products and high GL food from your diet makes a difference in eradicating acne.

Anyone with acne knows this is not true. Acne scars are a result of skin damage and the emotional impact can be very serious and destressing.

*Disclaimer: Treatment results will vary on a patient to patient basis. No guarantees can be made.