What Causes Acne?
Maybe, like me, you remember very well the Seabreeze and Clearasil days. Unfortunately, I had cystic acne as a teen that required a dermatologist’s intervention. The go-to cures back then were things like benzoyl peroxide and antibiotics! The bad news is that not much has changed when it comes to acne cures, especially DIY acne treatments! Most are way too harsh for the skin and do not provide good long term results.)
The good news is that a holistic approach to acne does work!
What Causes Acne?
Dirt, oil and bacterial overgrowth are not the things that are ultimately causing your acne.
Everyone has experienced some form of acne in their lifetime. The important thing to understand is that there are different types of acne, along with causes, solutions and considerations. For a long time the medical community believed that diet and lifestyle did not influence acne. Today we know for an absolute fact that it does.
Simply stated, behind ALL ACNE is irritation and inflammation, and that can come from internal or external factors. In most cases, it's both. In 2020 when we were all covered in masks, many people began to develop acne, or their acne worsened. Most believed that it was caused by dirty masks and keeping the mask clean would stop the acne. It didn't. The acne was actually being caused by the masks continual rubbing on the face. It basically created irritation, then inflammation, followed by breakouts.
Address the Inflammation
Contrary to popular belief, excessive oil production and dirt are also not the main reasons for acne. Many people, even teens, produce tons of natural skin oil and rarely break out. Again: underneath acne is inflammation. This needs to be addressed and understood first and foremost, as the main stressor to the skin. Causes of potential acne-causing inflammation are:
External: Topical skin products (preservatives, fragrance, harsh chemicals, and pore cloggers)
External: Hair products that end up on skin
External: Broken down skin barrier
Internal: Gut related issues from improper diet
External: Over use of harsh acne cures like salicylic acid and retinoids
Internal: Stress
Internal: Hormone-related issues
Internal/External: Allergies and sensitivities to certain foods
Environmental pollutants
Secondary Causes of Acne
Dirt, debris, oil and bacterial overgrowth are secondary reasons for acne, but what comes first is the inflammation. “Dirt” is made up of minerals and is not harmful to skin. Natural skin oils are helpful and supportive to the skin in the right amounts and should never be stripped to”cure” acne. Bacterial overgrowth in the pores typically happens when the skin's natural, beneficial bacteria are compromised, causing inflammation to the skin. This creates an opportunity for bad bacteria to take hold in the pores and on the surface of the skin.
Helping people with their acne is 20% detective work to determine its potential cause, 10% in-office facial care, and the other 70% is what YOU do at home with proper, professionally guided skin care and lifestyle.