There are probably no such people on the planet who have never used skin care products, have not seen what acne looks like on the face and how much it is a modern dermatological problem, although…
About 160 km from Papua New Guinea, in the Solomon Sea, there is a people who impressed the Swedish researcher Stefan Lindberg with the purity of their skin. All residents of Kitawa Island (1,200 people), not only do not have any signs of acne, the population has a very low incidence of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
And if you’re a fan of the food-related theory of acne symptoms, then you’re right!
The islanders eat mainly foods rich in carbohydrates and low glycemic index (fruits, sweet potatoes, yams, coconut) and fats, especially fish. Such a diet led the researcher to create a Paleolithic diet, but the conclusion was one: these people from the ocean never tasted Western delicacies, and therefore the diet, in one way or another, affects the condition of the skin.
What is Acne: Acne Vulgaris and Other Skin Curses
White and black acne, abscesses and papules, multiple inflammations and rashes on the skin that periodically appear or accompany a person almost from the teenage period, when the hormonal system began to work actively. The modern and progressive community calls all these unpleasant manifestations on the skin simply – acne (emphasis on the first syllable).
According to statistics, 85% of Americans have experienced acne at some point in their lives. Moreover, it is the most common skin disease. And as much as we want to admit it, acne is mostly related to our eating habits. Because the “communication” of the digestive system with the skin is much closer than we can imagine.
What else does mankind know about acne?
• Acne is a disease of the sebaceous glands that do not choose where to appear on your body. Everything is genetically determined and coincides with a large accumulation of sebaceous glands. Therefore, acne most often appears on the face, back, chest, forearms, and even the buttocks.
• Acne is not contagious, cannot be passed on to other people, and none of them have died yet. But acne is often the cause of psychological problems in teenagers and adults, because it creates serious, first of all, aesthetic discomfort.
• Acne does not only affect teenagers. The rash occurs even in babies and adults who are well over 50 years old.
• Acne is in many cases the cause of social isolation, depression and alienation.
• Acne is not only an aesthetic problem, but a serious sign of a certain imbalance in the body, which can only be interpreted by a dermatocosmetologist. In general, it is better to treat acne together with a gynecologist-endocrinologist and a nutritionist.
• A diet rich in sugar, refined carbohydrates and a high glycemic index dramatically increases the likelihood of acne symptoms.
The last point should be described in more detail and the mechanism of influence should be explained.
Causes of acne
Sweet foods and certain types of carbohydrates cause a spike in insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1). They inhibit the activity of the FOXO1 gene regulator, which is responsible for the hyperproduction of sebum. In such conditions, the skin loses its ability to control the development of Cutibacterium acnes (acne propionic bacteria). Then the inflammatory process begins.
Another name for Acne Vulgaris is a form of acne that usually occurs during adolescence (coinciding with puberty). Acne vulgaris can appear in both boys and girls, the difference is only in the age ranges: in girls from 16-18 years old, and in 30-40% of boys – at 18-19 years old.
Also, the cause of acne, which is worth describing, is clogged pores on the body. As a result of this process, various inflammatory elements and formations, known as:
1. Comedones (white/closed and black/open acne).
2. Papules (“nodules”, formations without cavities resulting from the growth of the epidermis).
3. Pustules (purulent with purulent discharge).
4. Nodules (subcutaneous nodular formations, often painful and accompanied by inflammation).
5. Cysts (they arise as a result of a violation of the outflow of sebum in the sebaceous glands and the gradual accumulation of keratinized epidermis).
For example, whiteheads, also called milia, appear when sebum, bacteria and keratinized scales of the epidermis rise to the surface. They look extremely unaesthetic, and they also choose super-visible places such as the upper and lower eyelids, which automatically spoils the overall image.
Only a cosmetologist can extract their contents and process them properly. Therefore, in no case do not try to cut off any of the inflammatory elements of acne yourself, the trouble will be: even worse than before. Although there is a chance that Milia will clear up on her own, you won’t even notice.
