Get Rid of Acne with Proper Diet- Studies
Scientists predict that in the nearest future acne and pimples will be an ordinary part of our look. Still many try to get rid of acne. But how to do it in the best and quickest possible way?
For example, adult women with acne can at least partially solve their skin problems by eating fish instead of meat a couple of times a week and increasing their intake of fruits and vegetables. Italian dermatologists write about it in the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology [1]. Reducing the amount of stress in your daily life can help, too.
Let’s investigate the problem from the beginning!
What is Acne?
Acne (pimples) is a chronic condition of the sebaceous glands, which is inflamed sores of red or white color, and painless blackheads – comedones. Acne appears on the face and all over the body, and is not just a fleeting nuisance, but a disease that requires professional treatment.
Types of Facial Imperfections
In addition to acne, there are other types of inflammation, but they are all somehow associated with blockage of the sebaceous ducts and/or increased secretion of sebum. What is the difference?
Acne
One pimple is not acne yet. But if they spread all over the face and huddle together… So, we are talking not about a one-time inflammation, but about a serious disease that must be treated with the support of specialists – a dermatologist, gynecologist, endocrinologist, cosmetologist, and gastroenterologist. If acne is not cured or treated incorrectly, scars can remain on the skin – post-acne.
Black dots
Blackheads/black dots are called “open comedones”. The mechanism of their occurrence is the same as that of acne, only the process does not occur under the skin, but on its surface. By the way, black dots appear not at all due to a large amount of dirt: the reason is in the oxidative process, which occurs when the sebaceous plug and oxygen interact.
In fact, acne is blackheads that were not removed on time (we already mentioned that a mixture of sebum and impurities is an ideal environment for the development of bacteria). If you notice something on your face, do not peel it under any circumstances! Exfoliation can spread bacteria all over your face and cause pimples.
Causes of Facial Acne
Contrary to stereotypes, acne (both small and large) is spread not only among adolescents. Nasty bumps can occur in women and men at any age, even infants! Why does the skin start to bloom all of a sudden?
In Women
- Hormonal disbalance. Hormones can go crazy, for example, during periods of pregnancy or menopause.
- Genetic predisposition. Most often, acne affects the owners of oily or mixed skin types, which are known to be inherited.
- Improper nutrition. “Dangerous Trinity” – flour, fatty, sweet. Try to remove it from your diet and your face will be noticeably clearer.
- Improper care. The main stages of problem skin care include cleansing, deep cleansing (exfoliation), make-up removal, toning, and moisturizing. None of them can be missed! At the same time, the composition of cosmetics must contain sebum-regulating and bactericidal components: zinc, salicylic acid, eucalyptus or black elderberry extract, activated carbon, clay, etc.
- Digestive problems. A problem with the gastrointestinal tract can lead to an imbalance in the intestinal microflora and the accumulation of toxins that negatively affect the condition of the skin.
- Stress. At the most inopportune moment, a pimple jumped out in a conspicuous place? The law of meanness has nothing to do with it: just the stress hormone cortisol also affects the production of sebum.
- Bad habits. These are, first of all, smoking, alcohol, non-compliance with the drinking regime, and sleepless nights.
In Men
- Lack of care or improper care. Due to a large number of sebaceous glands, men’s skin almost always suffers from oily content. Add to this the abundance of testosterone, which stimulates the production of sebum, and you will have no questions about where men get acne.
- Shaving. If bacteria get into the wound after shaving, inflammation is not far off.
In Children and Teens
- Hormonal disbalance. During puberty in adolescents, global hormonal changes begin, the level of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone production increases. And they, in turn, provoke excess sebum secretion. Voila, here’re your pimples! Most often, inflammation in adolescence occurs in the T-zone: it is here that most of the sebaceous glands are located.
- Infant acne. The appearance of pimples on the face in babies is associated with the imperfection of the excretory system and an excess of maternal hormones. There is no need to treat them: subject to hygiene standards, they will pass away quickly enough on their own.
How to Get Rid of Acne
“Of course to treat acne on the face with the help of cosmetics (lotions, masks, and gels)” – this is how they will tell you in any mass market. But such methods are not able to solve serious skin disorders, even if this is guaranteed in the annotation. Good cosmetics is only a preparatory process before removing acne, which the specialists of the medical centers deal with, because acne has certain degrees of severity, and the dermatologist selects the right treatment measures.
How Does The Treatment Take Place?
Acne treatment boils down to removing dead cells, destroying pathogenic bacteria, restoring hormonal levels, and creating an anti-inflammatory effect by the following methods:
Face Cleaning
This procedure involves superficial cleansing of the skin from milia, comedones, subcutaneous acne, and excess oiliness. Ultrasonic, manual, ABR cleaning has only an external effect and does not always cope with intradermal inflammation.
Hardware Cosmetology
Excellent results can be achieved with laser therapy. The laser beam penetrates the skin, destroys the foci of inflammation, providing an antibacterial effect. Laser therapy helps to remove the cause – harmful bacteria. The skin is cleansed at a deep level. Hence, the question of “how to get rid of acne on the nose, chin, or face” no longer becomes the number one problem after 4-6 procedures. Laser acne removal can be combined with cosmetic products prescribed by the attending doctor.
Peeling
ABR peels, almond, salicylic, medium chemical peels have an exfoliating effect on the stratum corneum of the dermis, promote its regeneration, the production of collagen, and elastin. The session reduces inflammation and comedogenic formation. It is recommended to carry out in combination with laser therapy.
Mesotherapy
Mesotherapy is prescribed as an adjunct therapy for acne to accelerate the anti-inflammatory process. Injections have a beneficial effect on scarless healing by removing acne blemishes.
Adjusting the Diet to Get Rid of Acne
As we’ve told before, diet can be a great way out of scarring and other acne conditions.
Research on the effects of nutrition on acne
The Italians studied 518 women over the age of 24. About half of them suffered from acne (patients) and the other half (control group) did not. The researchers looked at the lifestyle of these women and then looked at how the two groups differed from each other.
Research results on how to get rid of acne
Women with acne were significantly more likely to say they had acne as a teenager, as did close family members. They were also more likely to have problems with body hair. This makes sense: the steroid hormones that cause hair growth also activate sebum production.
Recall, sebum is a substance on which acne-causing microorganisms thrive.
Even more surprising is the attitude to diet. Women without acne ate fresh fish, fruits, and vegetables significantly more often than women with acne. Italians were able to calculate that women who ate fresh fish at least three times a week were almost three times less likely to develop acne than women who did not. The same can be said for women who eat at least three servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
Another factor was stress. Severe stress has tripled the likelihood of acne. The researchers found that dairy products, cocoa, bread, potatoes, rice, and pasta did not affect the presence or absence of acne. Regular milk intake (> 3 days per week) was reported in 55.0% of patients, with no significant difference in milk type between patients and the control group.
A total of 51.1% of women regularly consumed dairy products, but no association with acne was found. This runs counter to other studies. In a previously published small epidemiological study by the same authors, researchers found a link between milk consumption and acne. [2]
Scientists explain the reason for the discrepancy as follows:
“In a previous case-control study, we highlighted the importance of dietary factors in the development of acne in adolescents. Acne was associated with a high intake of milk and skim milk and was inversely correlated with fish intake. In the present study, we did not confirm the association with milk, although regular consumption of fish and fruits or vegetables was a protective factor for the disease, possibly due to the antioxidant properties of these foods. These data, along with the lack of association with BMI (body mass index), seem to indicate different pathogenesis of adult female acne compared with adolescent acne, with a lower influence of metabolic factors.”
Expert opinion on risk factors for adult acne
“In conclusion, it should be noted that our case-control study is one of the few studies using a formal epidemiological methodology to assess risk factors for adult acne in women ≥25 years of age. Our study found that a history of acne during adolescence, a history of acne in first-degree relatives, no previous pregnancies, hirsutism, office work, and reports of higher levels of psychological stress, along with several dietary factors including low vegetable intake or fruits and fish have all been linked to adult female acne. Some of our associations can be regarded as research associations and therefore require further confirmation by other studies,” authors summarize.
Sources:
- Adult female acne and associated risk factors: Results of a multicenter case-control study in Italy. Anna Di Landro, Simone Cazzaniga, Francesco Cusano, J Am Acad Dermatol. 2016 Dec;75(6):1134-41.
- Family history, body mass index, selected dietary factors, menstrual history, and risk of moderate to severe acne in adolescents and young adults. Anna Di Landro,Simone Cazzaniga,Fabio Parazzini,Vito Ingordo. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2012 Dec;67(6):1129-35.
Don’t Get Rid of Acne – Prevent It!
Despite the fact that the onset of acne, to a greater extent, contributes to the internal imbalance of the body, there are ways to help prevent their manifestation:
- Healthy food;
- Physical activity;
- Moderate sun exposure;
- Elimination of nervous stress;
- Skin hygiene with specialized products.
Acne and pimples on the face? How to get rid of acne? An experienced dermatologist will prompt and help with a comprehensive understanding of the origin, conditions, and causes of this disease. Many years of practice and the proper quality of the preparations guarantee a reliable and effective result. Skin rehabilitation is the main goal of their work.
Don’t waste time on the Internet and seek reliable assistance!
More about this topic:
- How to Get Back to the Gym (Injury/Illness/Lockdown)
- Cardiovascular Workouts: Hazards and Risks
- 4 Natural Ways to Get Rid of Pimples as Fast as Possible – HealthLine
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