The Unseen Impact of Acne

The Unseen Impact of Acne: There is help for those suffering.
By Jerry K. L. Tan, MD FRCP

(Article from acneguide.ca)
Acne is universal -- at some time or another we all experience this annoying disease. As teenagers we are frustrated with unsightly blemishes, and as adults, we are dismayed that we can still get acne. Acne has a predilection for affecting the face – a primary site for others to gauge our attractiveness. Facial involvement with acne is an ongoing source of embarrassment and concern – especially for those in the formative years of physical growth, self-image development and socialization.

What causes it?
When the pore openings on the face, neck, back, chest and arms become plugged with skin debris, oil produced by the deeper oil glands becomes trapped - resulting in blackheads and whiteheads. As inflammation develops, we start to see red pimples and even deeper lumps, (cysts or nodules). These inflamed spots can then lead to scarring and staining of the skin.
Oil production increases during adolescence when the sex hormones are elevated and the oil glands have increased in size. Acne becomes less frequent in the early and mid -20’s although some patients can have persistent breakouts in their 40's and beyond.

Facing the facts
While the physical features of acne are readily apparent to us all, the emotional and social impact of acne is often underestimated by non-sufferers. This can be manifested as anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal. Previous studies have shown that those with acne are dissatisfied with their appearance, embarrassed, self-conscious and lack self-confidence. Problems with social interactions with the opposite gender, appearances in public, and with strangers have also been observed. The mental stress of sufferers with acne can be greater than that associated with other chronic diseases such as asthma, epilepsy, diabetes, back pain, arthritis, and heart disease. Acne patients also have a greater tendency to significant levels of depression and anxiety. Of particular note is one study in which 18 per cent and 44 per cent of acne patients, respectively reported serious depression and anxiety. To further illustrate the depth of despair experienced by those living with this condition, six per cent of patients in one study reported thinking about committing suicide. Acne can also affect one’s ability to earn a livelihood. A previous study has shown that those with acne were more likely to be unemployed than those unaffected. A recent Canadian study also observed that those with more severe acne were more likely to be unemployed than those with lesser involvement. It is uncertain whether these findings are due to the patient’s psychosocial impairment or the negative response by potential employer’s to those affected by acne.

The good news
Effective therapy for acne can help reverse both the physical features of acne and the unseen psychological and social impact of this condition. With appropriate treatment, we frequently observe improvement in self-esteem and confidence. From the initial visit where patients may appear withdrawn and sullen, improvement with therapy is typically associated with a more positive outgoing disposition. Studies have demonstrated that effective acne therapy can help reverse feelings of shame, embarrassment, anxiety, and inadequacy. If over the counter preparations do not control your acne you may need to see a dermatologist and medical prescriptions may be necessary.

Available treatments currently available include:
Topical prescriptions
Antibiotic pills
Hormone pills
Isotretinoin pills
Light and photodynamic therapy

With targeted treatments individualized to acne severity and specific patient needs, there is every likelihood that acne can be significantly improved – allowing one to regain his or her confidence to lead a better, more productive life. If you or someone you know is suffering silently, feeling there is no hope, turn to a dermatologist or a doctor to discuss the types of treatments available.

About the author:Dr. Jerry K. L. Tan, MD, FRCPC: Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, Windsor, Canada. Director, Acne Research and Treatment Centre, Windsor, Canada. Area of specialty: acne and rosacea.

Other resources:

Acne Free

No More Acne

Acne Guide

Ultimate Acne Solution

Acne Cured

Acne Clear

How to cure Acne NaturallyTake it from a guy who was afflicted with acne for close to 8 years…this image distorting skin crisis characterized by bumps, excessively oily or dry skin and an accompanying low self-esteem (in most cases) is simply horrifying. The good news is acne, like a myriad of diseases, can easily be controlled and eventually cured by all natural, drugless methods; you only need to be shown how and apply them.
Do you look in the mirror and see bumps, bumps and more bumps all over your face and in the most embarrassing places like right on your lips? Do you look at other people’s faces and wonder what it will be like to have smooth and even skin and not be told by sympathetic friends and relatives trying to console you that "It’s not what’s on the outside that counts but what is on the inside…" (Bet you hear this and go…yeah, that’s easy for you to say, you don’t have acne!) Take it from a guy who was afflicted with acne for close to 8 years…this image distorting skin crisis characterized by bumps, excessively oily or dry skin and an accompanying low self-esteem and depression (in most cases) is simply horrifying! The good news my friends is if you suffer from acne, or know someone who does, it can be controlled and eventually cured without spending tons of money on drugs, visits to dermatologists or as I have heard, even plastic surgery. Trust me, I have been there and know how acne can ruin a person’s whole self-image and the desperate measures one might be considering to get rid of it. The first thing any acne sufferer must realize is that any disease-regardless of its medical diagnosis-is a product of constipation, a clogging up of the body tissues. Consequently, as the body fights to unclog its organs, the process becomes manifested in several ways. Disease is an attempt of the body to rid itself of these toxins and since, according to Dr. Stanley Burroughs, the skin is the next most important eliminating organ (second only to the lungs), acne is merely an indication that you need to cleanse yourself internally and take simple measures to alleviate the outer symptoms as the cleanse proceeds. Just how does one do an internal cleanse? Well, as I have mentioned in quite a few of my articles, the best way to do an internal cleanse (and the fastest I must say) will be to undergo a juice or water fast. Being a radical discipline, it must be undertaken with care but it is with confidence in a fast’s unmatched ability to restore health that you can be rest assured to see a drastic improvement in your skin condition at the end of about a 3 to 4 day fast. As a preliminary stage to a fast and as a suggested dietetic lifestyle, if you are serious about curing your acne and keeping it off, you must make a change in your diet and eliminate all mucus (acid) forming foods such as processed (junk) foods, fast foods, confectioneries, soft-drinks and eat more wholesome and natural foods like your fresh fruits and leafy vegetables, nuts, root vegetables, fresh juices-basically foods that are mucus (alkaline-forming) binding. You can type up ‘mucus forming and binding foods’ in any search engine like Google and educate yourself more on this subject. It is not by co-incidence or an error that Hippocrates ‘the father of medicine’ once stated that: "Let your foods be your medicine and your medicine your foods as nature is the healer of all diseases!" Although knowing what to eat is of uttermost importance, you must learn when and how to eat these right foods. I will make a statement here that may go against every thing you may have read or heard on nutrition but I know what I am saying from close to 6 years on trying this simple method on myself. The worst meal that we as humans partake of is ‘breakfast.’ How so the uninformed may ask; well based on scientifically proven research on thousands of people for over two centuries on such health principles as food combination and the realization that the human body goes through a cleansing process from twelve midnight until twelve noon, and a building program from twelve noon to twelve midnight, your meals during these respective periods should be harmonious with the natural processes. As a result here is a suggested daily menu plan Breakfast: A choice of the following 1. A tall glass of Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice. 2. A tall glass of Fresh squeezed lemonade flavored with genuine maple Syrup (the darker the grade the better) Lunch: A mono-meal of an organic fruit in season for example Apples in the fall and winter, Melons in the summer, Berries in spring. Dinner: Fresh, home-made salads. A simple dressing could be (a) Lemon juice, olive oil and un-iodized sea-salt (b) Avocadoes or Green coconuts blended with tomatoes and some sea salt Or Raw and/or cooked root vegetables such as Celery, Carrots, Potatoes, Plantains, raw or slightly heated fruit veggies (these can be blended into Soups or dressings for your salads) Some factors that must also be noted to ensure the maximum assimilation of nutrients from our meals include thoroughly masticating or chewing the mouthfuls of one’s meals for as the Indian proverb goes "chew your foods well as the stomach has no teeth." In addition, I have also outlined the menu plan above keeping proper food combinations in mind. Moreover, refrain from the habit of drinking liquids with your meals, as I stated in the free resources section of my site on controlling asthma, drinking ANY liquids with your meals tends to dilute the digestive juices in your stomach which consequently deters digestion, assimilation and increases the tendency for constipation. If you must drink water after or before a meal, wait a solid hour or so before or after eating. As is known in the drugless healing world, this simple, yet extremely effective dietetic change has been known to alleviate most otherwise incurable human ailments including acne, asthma and obesity. One factor I must add (from my own personal experience with this device while undergoing a 10 day juice fast) is to AVOID THE USE OF MICROWAVES STARTING NOW. Now that I have briefly covered the internal measures to reducing acne, let’s go over the external ones. *Never repeat the use of a pillowcase in 2 days, always change them nightly so get 7 clean ones. Be conscious of how they are folded to ensure you sleep on the unexposed side upon unfolding the pillowcases. *As much as possible, keep unwashed hands off of your face, if you must touch it, say for example, to scratch an itch, ensure to use the back of your hands. *Try to sleep on your right side. Besides making your sleep more refreshing, this practice ensures that you keep your face off of the pillow and freer to breathe during the night. As an added benefit, your heart functions much better as you are not putting pressure on it based on this position of the body during sleep. *Wash your hair with a mild shampoo every night especially if you use greasy hair products, or use a wrap-around nightcap that covers the hair and ensure the cap is washed every morning. *Make frequent visits to the steam room of a gymnasium or you can steam the face at home as an alternative. The aim here is to aid the skin in eliminating toxins through sweating. *Massage the face regularly as this not only aids in cleansing the face, but it firms up the skin and alleviates unwanted signs of aging such as crow’s feet, bags under the eyes, lines and wrinkles. *Engage in some form of exercise to aid the body in detoxification and metabolism. Being one of the three limbs of drugless healing, exercise keeps you younger, fit and healthy…like you didn’t already know that. I must single out Yoga as one of the best forms of exercise to choose. Some poses such as the Sun Salutations, the Shoulder-Stand and the Peacock pose have been known through the ages to help alleviate many skin disorders and did I mention they give you the added bonus of making you stronger. *For my male readers; if you are of African or Hispanic descent, most barbers recommend you use electric clippers to shave. For Caucasians & Asians, I have observed that using razors might not be a problem although if you prefer, you can use electric clippers also. Ensure that you shave in the direction of the hair's growth (mostly downwards) for an after-shave; it is advised that you perform the facial massaging as well afterwards. In conclusion, acne, as impossible as it at times may seem, is (like almost every other disease) very easy to control and with drugless, all natural methods at that. You just need to be shown how. It is my hope that in a few weeks after you read AND apply the steps in this article; you too can go out and get that date, or flaunt that smooth face to the world as I can guarantee you that acne will become a thing of your past…and will stay that way for life. Resource/Bio Section Foras Aje is the author of the e-book Fitness-Inside and out, a book on Naturopathy about Yoga, Calisthenics, Proper diet and mental attunements. He is also the webmaster at http://www.bodyhealthsoul.com

By Foras AjePublished: 2/25/2006