Those Pesky Pimples
Everyone has experienced it at one time or the other, having escaped the clutches of puberty. When we least expect it (at the most inopportune times there comes the annoying pimple or unsightly acne. What are these things and why do we continue to be besieged by these pesky blemishes on our skin?
As we approach puberty, our bodies change and we produce hormones called androgens, causing the sebaceous glands in our skin to become over-stimulated and enlarged. The extra sebum or oil that the skin produces mixes with bacteria and dead skin cells, which in turn causes pores to become blocked. Bacteria then multiply in the blocked pores causing inflammation, which becomes a pimple or acne vulgaris – all this means is that common acne is often the outcome of all this hormone action in our bodies.
Acne and pimples usually begin to abate when we reach our mid-20s, but can linger into our 30s. In some cases, we may not have had teenage breakouts but find we suddenly suffer from what is called adult acne. There are of course those dreaded pimples that appear around the time of women’s menstrual cycle and for some during pregnancy – blame it on those hormones.
We are not really sure why some people are more prone to having acne than others, however, genes seem to play a big part as chances are if other members of your family have had acne there is a good chance you might too.
Many doctors feel that what we eat doesn’t really have an effect on our skin. However, we all know that by eating a healthy diet and drinking sufficient water the better our digestive tract will work and the cleaner and healthier our body will be. Hence, a diet filled with fresh fruits and vegetables and omitting fried foods, fast foods and sugar can benefit our skin. High-fibre foods, cerasee tea, aloe vera juice, zinc and Vitamins A and B5 can help support skin internally.
It is vital that we keep our skin clean when we have acne and breakouts. It is also equally important that we do not use harsh products that strip the natural moisture from the skin. If the skin on your face feels tight even though you are pouring oil from your pores, chances are you need to change your skin care.
It is a good idea that you change your pillow cases a few times a week so that bacteria will not have a chance to build up and re-infect your face. Change your face towels and hand towels regularly too. Cleansing your telephone or cell-phone with rubbing alcohol will also ward off unwanted bacteria. Also pay attention to the products you use in your hair as they can often aggravate the sensitive skin on your face.
Here are some home remedies to help with your acne/breakouts:
Oat and cornmeal scrub
Mix 1 tsp oats, 1 tsp cornmeal, 1 tsp honey and enough water to make a paste. Massage into your skin and leave for 15 minutes and rinse.
Cerasee Toner
Soak a handful of fresh cerasee in an 8oz bottle of witch hazel for two weeks and use as a skin toner.
Garlic
Crush a garlic clove and rub on breakouts before going to bed.
Cinnamon Paste
A paste of cinnamon and honey can be applied to acne-prone areas and dabbed on breakouts at night. Rinse in the morning.
Spa Elder Tip
Though nothing can “cure” acne, there are some ways we can treat our skin both internally and externally with natural products to help prevent further breakouts. Remember though that home care treatments don’t always work immediately and you do need to persevere and stay on track.
Stella Gray is the Spa Elder at Fern Tree, the Spa at Half Moon, with over 35 years in the spa industry. She can be reached at ferntree@halfmoon.com.
