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 diseases and strokes.
And if you’re a fan of the food-related theory of acne symptoms, then you’re right!
Islanders eat mostly high-carbohydrate foods with a low glycemic index (fruits, sweet potatoes, yams, coconut) and fats, particularly fish. Such a diet led the researcher to create a Paleolithic diet, but the conclusion was one: these ocean people never tasted Western delicacies, and therefore nutrition, 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 appears periodically or accompanies a person almost from the teenage period, when the hormonal system began its active activity. 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 like 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 could imagine.
What else does humanity know about acne?
• Acne is a disease of the sebaceous glands that do not choose where to appear on your body. Everything is determined genetically 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, it cannot be passed on to other people, and no one has yet died from it. But acne is often the cause of psychological problems in teenagers and adults, as it creates serious, first of all, aesthetic discomfort.
• Acne does not only affect teenagers. Rashes affect even babies and adults who are long over 50.
• Acne, in many cases, is 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 nutritionist.
• A diet high 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 provoke a sharp jump in insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1). They inhibit the action of the gene regulator FOXO1, which is responsible for the hyperproduction of sebum. In such conditions, the skin loses its ability to control the development of the bacteria Cutibacterium acnes (acne propionic bacterium). 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 at 16-18 years, and in 30-40% of boys – at 18-19.
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”, non-cavity formations that appear due to the growth of the epidermis).
3. Pustules (pus-filled with purulent discharge).
4. Nodules (subcutaneous nodular formations, often painful and accompanied by inflammation).
5. Cysts (formed 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, they are also called milia, appear when sebum, bacteria, and keratinized scales of the epidermis come to the surface. They look extremely unaesthetic, and they also choose such super-visible places as the upper and lower eyelids, which automatically spoils the overall image.
Only a cosmetologist can extract their contents and properly process them. Therefore, in no case should you try to cut off any of the inflammatory elements of acne on your own, the trouble will be: even worse than before. Although there is a chance that Milia will clear up on their own, you won’t even notice.
