What Causes Acne?

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 caused by exposure to chlorinated dioxins. ^[3] 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. 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 through water and vegetation, 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 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.

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.^[4] The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) specifies "products for household cleaning and maintenance products, personal care or hobbies" as sources for indoor air pollution.^[5] In this article, Indoor Air Quality, the EPA also lists "allergic skin reaction" as a potential health reaction to air pollution.^[6] The same article states that indoor air pollution may be up to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air.

WebMD lists many common ingredients in body care products that cause skin irritation and may make acne worse. ^[7] Many of these ingredients overlap the known environmental antagonists mentioned by the EPA as sources for indoor air pollution. In other words, not only are these ingredients contact allergens when applied to your skin, they continue to increase acne symptoms as they remain in your air. Some of 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. Even the Cosmetic Ingredient Review states, 'It is recognized that Sodium and Ammonium Laureth Sulfate may induce eye and skin irritation." Yet these chemicals are the most prevalent in conventional body care and cleaning products.

Zinc, vitamin A and vitamin E deficiencies have been clinically associated with those who have acne. Two studies that support the connection of acne with vitamin deficiencies, "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.^[8,9]

While not clinically proven at this time, 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. However, many resources suggest limiting dairy products from the diet. Dairy products contain both naturally occurring hormones and synthetic hormones to increase milk production. Soy is a 'phytoestrogen'. This means that it mimics human estrogen and has the potential to upset the delicate hormone balance of the body.

This article is intended to cover only the causes of acne. For information about your options of controlling acne including: antibiotics, chemical peels, isotretinoin and the holistic approach, please visit my web site: http://www.sunflowernaturals.com/acne.shtml

Resources:

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

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

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

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

5. Environmental Protection Agency, http://www.epa.gov/iaq/ia-intro.html

6. Indoor Air Quality, http://www.epa.gov/iaq/voc.html

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

8. 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

9. 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