A Review of Holistic Acne Treatment

Holistic acne treatment is based on the belief that the solution to effectively control the frequency, duration and severity of acne is to remove known causes of the condition.

According to WebMD, acne is caused by a blockage of pores in the skin. These blockages are created when excess sebum fills the pore too quickly to move out of the pore, causing swelling. Anaerobic bacteria can begin to grow in the pore, further increasing swelling, infection and pus. ^[1]

An article in Wikipedia explains that many factors can contribute to excess sebum. These factors include genetic history, hormonal activity, stress, hyperactive sebaceous glands, dead skin cells, bacteria, skin irritation, some medications and exposure to chlorinated aromatic compounds which include synthetic fragrances in body care and cleaning products.^[2]

Further research in Wikipedia describes another type of acne that is caused by exposure to chlorinated dioxins. This type of acne is aptly named, 'chloracne'. Increased pigmentation, excessive perspiration, sweaty, clammy skin and acne-type lesions under the arms, on the shoulders, back and arms, as well as the groin area, often accompany chloracne.^[3,]

Holistic strategies to control acne are based on the belief that the solution to effectively control the frequency, duration and severity of acne is to remove known causes of the condition. Holistic strategies involve a combination of controls which include an evaluation of diet to avoid synthetic and plant hormones, supplements for nutritional deficiencies commonly associated with acne, avoidance of environmental factors such as known contact allergens in body care products, as well as avoidance of allergens in cleaning and laundry products.

Diet may play a large role in the frequency, duration and severity of acne outbreaks. Products that contain synthetic hormones such as dairy products and soy may upset the natural hormonal balance of the body, one of the contributing factors for acne. Holistic controls often include limiting synthetic and plant estrogens in the diet. In addition, holistic treatment of acne often includes vitamin supplements zinc and vitamin E as deficiencies in these nutrients have been clinically associated with those who have acne. Two studies that support this strategy, "Patients with dermatitis herpetiformis, acne, psoriasis and Darier's disease have low epidermal zinc concentrations" and " Does the plasma level of vitamins A and E affect acne condition?" were among many available at the PubMed web site.^[4,5]

Holistic controls include avoidance of chemicals in body care products, such as chlorinated aromatics, to control the frequency, severity and duration of acne effectively. WebMD lists many common ingredients in body care products that may make acne worse. These ingredients include: sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, TEA-lauryl sulfate, laureth-4, and lauryl alcohol, propylene glycol and polyethylene glycol (PEG), silicone and dimethicone, isopropyl alcohol, SD alcohol, isopropyl myristate, and acetone, butylstearate, and oleic acid, mineral oil, petrolatum, or lanolin, methyl- or propylparaben, phenoxyethanol, and imidazolidinyl urea, pumice, aluminum oxide, and sodium tetraborate, as well as dyes, such as drug and cosmetic red dyes found in blush make-up.^[6]

In addition, it is recommended that the skin be kept from drying out. Dry skin can cover the top of pores like a cap and prevent the free-flow of sebum and natural oils from the pore. Considering the proliferation of these common acne-antagonists in conventional body care products shampoos, soaps, lotions, creams and more contain a lot of these ingredients, voidance can be a huge challenge. Because of this, all-natural soaps and lotions are recommended for skin care. Simple natural oils such as extra-virgin olive, sunflower and coconut are recommended to prevent drying of the skin.

National Institutes of Health, Department of Human Services includes "Environmental irritants, such as pollution and high humidity" in their list of factors that can make acne worse.^[7] The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) specifies "products for household cleaning and maintenance products, personal care or hobbies" as sources for indoor air pollution.^[8] In this article, Indoor Air Quality, the EPA also lists "allergic skin reaction" as a potential health reaction to air pollution.^[9] The same article states that indoor air pollution may be up to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Because of this information, holistic controls also include avoidance of chlorinated aromatics in cleaning and laundry products. Chlorinated aromatics include synthetic fragrances, triclosan, chlorine and ammonia. In addition, avoidance of spray cleaners and room deodorizers is highly recommended because propellants and synthetic, chlorinated aromatic fragrances hang in the air, much like cigarette smoke, contributing to contact allergens known to increase the frequency duration and severity of acne symptoms. It is very difficult to avoid specific contact allergens in cleaning products since these products do not list ingredients on the label. For that reason, baking soda and vinegar are suggested as replacements for cleaning and deodorizing the home and washing laundry.

Holistic strategies to control chloracne educate the patient to avoid dioxin exposure. Exposure to dioxins is almost exclusively through the food chain. Fish, meat and dairy are the main sources for human dioxin exposure. Dioxins are consumed by the animals, are fat-soluble, and deposit in the fatty tissue of the foods available for humans. When people eat fatty meats, they are consuming some of the dioxins stored in the fat tissue of the animal, then the human body stores the dioxins in their own tissue. The recommendation about limiting dietary is a wise recommendation considering the dioxins in fatty tissues of animals. In addition, dioxins enter the body through plastics and plasticizers as emissions from these products are readily absorbed by the human body and deposited in fatty tissue. Dioxins have a half-life of 8 to 132 years in the human body. In other words, dioxins build up in the system over time to toxic levels. Addition efforts to reduce dioxins in the body, two servings a day of any product containing 'Olestra' may also be recommended. An article published by the University of Cincinnati: Olestra Could Be Antidote to Toxins, shows that new research is suggesting that Olestra may help to remove dioxins that contribute to chloracne from body fat.^[10]

Non-toxic controls for acne often include self-care strategies such as steaming and hot compresses with distilled water (to avoid chlorine in public disinfected water supplies) to help relax pores and soften the sebum plug so it can be easily removed from the pore. Often, the increased circulation by heating the skin and softening the sebum plug with steam helps the body remove the sebum plug from the inside without scarring.

Holistic controls are the lowest risk option and may improve other health conditions such as asthma, allergies and eczema that are often triggered by the same chemicals suggested to be avoided to reduce the frequency, duration and severity of acne.

Holistic controls are the least expensive option. The benefits of savings from other allergic reactions such as eczema, asthma and allergies should be taken into consideration by the patient when deciding on acne treatment options. In addition, holistic treatment of acnes requires very few simple ingredients for cleaning the skin and the home. These simple ingredients are pathetically easy to use,

There is minimal environmental impact of holistic treatment of acne. There is the benefit of reduction of chemicals used in the home that contribute to pollution in the environment from reduced household releases of environmental toxins that contribute to ozone depletion. These chemicals cannot be recovered through wastewater treatment systems and are released into the environment from wastewater treatment facilities.

While removing known causes of the frequency, duration and severity of acne are likely to be the least costly, less harmful to the environment, improve other allergic conditions and most successful, this option is not often suggested by doctors, dermatologists and aestheticians.

Summary

In terms or risks, holistic and natural controls are least costly with no social or long-term costs. In terms of effectiveness, holistic treatment removes or controls common contact allergens that irritate skin often leading to acne symptoms may be far more effective than simply masking acne symptoms caused by contact allergens in the environment and dioxins in the food chain. Holistic controls may actually improve other adverse health conditions such as asthma and allergies further reducing the cost of private insurance and social costs through taxation to cover medical expenses incurred by underinsured and uninsured associated with this option. Considering the fact that all options of controlling acne are long-term controls, this route is the least expensive and may be the most effective option.

Resources:

1. WebMD: How Pimples Form, http://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/how-pimples-form

2. Wikipedia: Acne Vulgaris, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acne_vulgaris

3, Wikipedia: Chloracne, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloracne

4. Patients with dermatitis herpetiformis, acne, psoriasis and Darier's disease have low epidermal zinc concentrations. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1977254?ordinalpos=8&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

5. Does the plasma level of vitamins A and E affect acne condition?, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16681594?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

6. WebMD: Irritating substances that may make acne worse,http://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/irritating-substances-that-may-make-acne-worse

7. National Institutes of Health, Department of Human Services, Acne, http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Acne/default.asp#acne_c

8. Environmental Protection Agency, An Introduction to Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), http://www.epa.gov/iaq/ia-intro.html

9. Environmental Protection Agency, Indoor Air Quality, http://www.epa.gov/iaq/voc.html

10. University of Cincinnati: Olestra Could Be Antidote to Toxins,http://healthnews.uc.edu/publications/findings/?/466/1576/