Acne that affects millions of Americans today has created such a widespread market for ‘Vitamins for Acne’ that a regular industry has sprung up throughout the continental USA which is spreading its tentacles all over the country like never before. And I, as a lifelong acne researcher, now find it as one of my duties to shed some valuable light on the subject.

Primarily, I do not consider any vitamin for acne supplement will ever be able to cure your acne alone. It matters little whether it consists of b5 overdose therapy, vitamin a or zinc or a combination of both – the result is the same. However, to know more about the friendly ‘vitamins for acne’ and their role in curing acne, I need a few of your valued moments. Stay with me for a couple of minutes or more if you wish to gain a first hand knowledge about the topic but remain rest assured that a couple of sugar-coated vitamin pills every morning can never rid you of your adolescent acne how much you may hate or love it.

Though it may sound a bit discouraging, the statement made above is not aimed at disheartening you from taking this option of becoming acne free for the rest of your life since there are quite a few vitamins and minerals that often play crucial roles in the process of curing acne naturally. Also, if taken in the right proportion synergistically, vitamins can prove fairly effective in helping the system to clean itself of biological debris faster than prescription medications. They also help restore the long lost hormonal balance, bringing back the healing process of your skin much more rapidly than any other known resources.

However, wanton use of vitamins without the aid of professional consultation may prove perilous and its overdose can be lethal in the long run. So, if you are serious, go visit a medical doctor or a dermatologist, take his or her opinion and then go for a course of vitamin for acne. But whatever you do, follow the instructions carefully, taking the medications according to timings set by the specialist.

Meanwhile, I shall also try to converse about the true relationship of the vitamin for acne supplement and the natural holistic method of treatment that cures acne naturally for good.

Vitamins for Acne – how do they interact with each other?

Hormonal imbalance in the body and undue build up of toxic matters in the blood and lymphatic glands are said to be two major factors that cause acne formation in human beings. These are the two internal causes because of which acne gets formed. No vitamins for acne can tackle both the issues in its singular capacity, they nevertheless can help the body in releasing most of the toxicity and thus becoming internally cleaner.

How are vitamins for acne necessary? They supply the nutrients that can regulate the hormones. And when these nutrients are not there, the body’s own hormonal regulation system may end up malfunctioning, and this will naturally lead to an imbalance of the hormones.

Furthermore, vitamins for acne can also boost up your body with significant nutrients vitally useful for restoring the lost hormonal balance that the body desperately craves for. Curiously enough, studies have proved that most acne sufferers are deficient with those nutrients where the supplements come handy in restoring them in their proper perspective. Of particular significance are some fatty acids in the form of vitamins that really work wonders in most people suffering from acne.

There are a few more secondary factors that cause acne and the vitamins for acne supplements can take care of them too. They ensure that the body’s internal mechanism to fight these factors is strengthened and this aids in healing.

Some common Vitamin for Acne

Save and except some types of vitamins that are usually not so user-friendly, there are quite a few vitamins like vitamin A, B (B- complex more) and C, E, magnesium and zinc which are beneficial to acne sufferers in a great way. Those who have acne are often deficient in them.

These combo vitamins are said to have numerous positive properties which include stabilizing the hormones, fighting the free radicals, strengthening of the immune system, controlling the sebum production and improving the skin healing process. As an added bonus, they are said to have special agents that reduce stress, the major cause of hormonal imbalance in men and women.

Natural sulfur or MSM is yet another supplement that is crucial to acne prone skin. They ensure that the body has the essential fatty acids like Omega 3, 6 and 9 – all obtained from natural sources which contribute towards regulating hormone secretion and so can improve one’s acne condition overnight.

But you will still need to remember a few points. Do keep in mind that you should never take more vitamins for acne supplement than what has been prescribed to you. What is important is to take the right combination and that too at the right quantity – this will ensure that the results are optimized. You need to also take them at the right time. This will ensure that the level of absorption is correct so that they can efficiently help you get rid of the acne.

The last word

Given the proper perspective, vitamins for acne can do their job well. However, there are precise classes of vitamins to suit various needs. Some vitamins are needed for nutritional purposes and for improving the healing process of the skin, while others are meant for balancing the hormones and stimulating the organs of elimination to a fine degree so that the detoxification becomes perfect. Vitamin supplements can also help in skin repair, collagen formation, improving the immune system and in keeping stress under control

However, it should always be remembered that acne is never caused by lack of vitamins in the body and so it may be wrong to deduce that its replenishment would automatically rid the body of this distressing disease condition. Acne is basically quite a complex type of ailment that can be triggered by numerous factors, some of which are internal, some external. It, therefore, requires an equally complex therapeutic procedure to release its hold on the affected person in which vitamins at best can work as catalytic agents.

But, in most cases they are quite dutiful agents, doing their part well. And in this complex procedure, choosing a holistic method of treatment is indeed the last word since it is comprehensive, all-inclusive and probably the broadest spectrum healing procedure ever known to humanity. Vitamins for acne and the holistic approach has to work together to create the right environment that can fight acne successfully.

Acne is a disease rarely associated with systemic medical problems; however, the importance and morbidity of acne should not be underestimated because its disfiguring can have important negative psychosocial consequences for affected individuals including diminished self-esteem, social embarrassment, social withdrawal, depression and even unemployment [1, 3].

Risk factors/Triggers

1. Food/Diet

Foods such as nuts, cola, milk, cheese, fried foods and iodised salts have been implicated as triggers of acne vulgaris; however, the connections between nutrition and acne has not definitely been proven as they are rarely supported by good analytical, epidemiological or therapeutic studies [4, 5]. On the other hand, recurrent acne as noted by Niemeier et al (2006) may be a cutaneous sign of an underlying eating disorder.

2. Genetics

A genetic background is supported by a case control study by Goulden et al, as noted by Rzany et al (2006). This stated that the risk of adult acne vulgaris in relatives of patients with acne as compared with those of patients without acne is significantly higher [4].

3. Hormones

According to Rzany et al (2006), hormonal influences on acne vulgaris are undisputed as shown by the higher incidence of acne in male adolescents. Premenstrual flare has also been recorded as causing acne [5].

4. Nicotine

Smoking has also been named as a risk factor for acne vulgaris; however, conflicting data exists as to the link between smoking and acne. Some population based studies have found links between smoking and acne whilst some others have not [4].

Important!

Contrary to popular misconceptions by young patients and occasionally their parents, acne does not come from bad behaviour nor is it a disease of poor hygiene. It also has nothing to do with lack of cleanliness [2].

Types of acne vulgaris

There are two main types of acne vulgaris, inflammatory and non-inflammatory; these can be manifested in different ways,

1. Comedonal acne, which is a non-inflammatory acne

2. Papules and pustules of inflammatory acne

3. Nodular acne (inflammatory acne)

4. Inflammatory acne with hyperpigmentation (this occurs more commonly in patients with darker skin complexions) [1]

Clinical manifestations

In general, acne is limited to the parts of the body, which have the largest and most abundant sebaceous glands such as the face, neck, chest, upper back and upper arms. Among dermatologists, it is almost universally accepted that the clinical manifestation of acne vulgaris is the result of four essential processes as described below [1, 6],

1. Increased sebum production in the pilosebaceous follicle. Sebum is the lipid-rich secretion product of sebaceous glands, which has a central role in the development of acne and also provides a growth medium for Propionibacterium acnes (P acnes), an anaerobic bacterium which is a normal constituent of the skin flora. Compared with unaffected individuals, people with acne have higher rates of sebum production. Apart from this, the severity of acne is often proportional to the amount of sebum produced [1, 6].

2. Abnormal follicular differentiation, which is the earliest structural change in the pilosebaceous unit in acne vulgaris [1].

3. Colonisation of serum-rich obstructed follicle with Propionibacterium acnes (P acnes). P acnes is an anaerobic bacterium which is a normal constituent of the skin flora and which populates the androgen-stimulated sebaceous follicle [androgen is a steroid hormone such as testosterone or androsterone, that controls the development and maintenance of masculine characteristics]. Individuals with acne have higher counts of P acnes compared with those without acne [1, 6].

4. Inflammation. This is a direct or indirect result of the rapid and excessive increase of P acnes [1].

Non-inflammatory acne lesions include open and closed comedones, which are thickened secretions plugging a duct of the skin, particularly sebaceous glands. Open comedones, also known as blackheads, “appear as flat or slightly raised brown to black plugs that distend the follicular orifices”. Closed comedones, also known as whiteheads, “appear as whitish to flesh-coloured papules with an apparently closed overlying surface” [1].

Inflammatory lesions on the other hand include papules, pustules, and nodules; papules and pustules “result from superficial or deep inflammation associated with microscopic rupture of comedones”. Nodules are large, deep-seated abscesses, which when palpated may be compressible. In addition to the typical lesions in acne, other features may also be present. These include scarring and hyperpigmentation, which can result in substantial disfigurement [1].

Psychological Aspects

Numerous psychological problems such as diminished self-esteem, social embarrassment, social withdrawal, depression and even unemployment stem from acne. However, differential diagnosis from a psychosomatic point of view indicates two serious psychological problems, which can arise from acne. These are,

1. Psychogenic excoriation, and

2. Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)

Psychogenic excoriation also referred to as neurotic excoriation, pathological or compulsive skin picking “is characterised by excessive scratching or picking of normal skin or skin with minor irregularities” [5]. According to Niemeier et al (2006) it is estimated to occur in 2% of dermatological patients. Patients with this disorder can also have psychiatric disorders such as mood and anxiety disorders, as well as associated disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder, substance abuse disorder, obsessive compulsive personality disorder, compulsive buying, eating disorder, and borderline personality disorder, to mention a few [5].

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) “is a condition characterised by an extreme level of dissatisfaction or preoccupation with a normal appearance that causes disruption in daily functioning” [3]. Niemeier et al (2006) described it as “a syndrome characterised by distress, secondary to imagined or minor defects in one’s appearance.” The onset of BDD is usually during adolescence, and it occurs equally in both male and female. Common areas of concern include the skin, hair and nose, with acne being one of the most common concerns with BDD patients [3].

According to the Diagnostic and Statistics Manual of Mental Disorders (2000), BDD has three diagnostic criteria,

1. A preoccupation with an imagined defect in appearance; where a slight physical anomaly is present, the person’s concern is markedly excessive,

2. The preoccupation causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning,

3. The preoccupation is not caused by another mental disorder (e.g. Anorexia Nervosa)

Characteristic behaviours include skin picking, mirror checking, and camouflaging by wearing a hat or excessive make up. Apart from these, patients often seek reassurance frequently by asking questions such as “Can you see this pimple?” or “Does my skin look okay?” Some patients also have a tendency to doctor shop, which is essentially going from one specialist to another in search of a dermatologist or plastic surgeon, willing to carry out a desired procedure or dispense a certain drug, to improve their perceived defect [3, 5].

Although it is a relatively common disease, BDD is still an under diagnosed psychiatric disorder and is estimated to affect 0.7 to 5% of the general population. Other psychiatric conditions associated with BDD include major depression, anxiety, and obsessive compulsive disorder. It is also associated with high rates of functional impairment and suicide attempts, high levels of perceived stress, and markedly poor quality of life [3, 5, 8].

Acne Treatment

1. Topical treatment, particularly for individuals with non-inflammatory comedones or mild to moderate inflammatory acne (See types of acne vulgaris). Medications include tretinoin (available as gels, creams, and solutions), adapalene gel, salicylic acid (available as solutions, cleansers, and soaps), isotretinoin gel, azelaic acid cream, benzoyl peroxide (available as gels, lotions, creams, soaps, and washes), to mention a few [1, 2].

2. Oral treatment, particularly for acne that is resistant to topical treatment or which manifests as scarring or nodular lesions. Medications include oral antibiotics (e.g. tetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline, erythromycin, and co-trimoxazole), oral isotretinoin, and hormonal agents (e.g. oral contraception, oral corticosteroid, cyproterone acetate, or spironolactone) [1, 2].

3. Physical or surgical methods of treatment, which are sometimes useful as adjuvant to medical therapy. Methods include comedo extraction, intralesional injections of corticosteroids, dermabrasion, chemical peeling, and collagen injections, to mention a few [1, 9].

4. Sun exposure, reported by up to 70% of patients to have a beneficial effect on acne [10].

5. Light therapy, which is becoming more popular due to the growing demand for a convenient, low risk and effective therapy, as many patients fail to respond adequately to treatment or develop side effects, from the use of various oral and topical treatments available for the treatment of acne [11]. Methods include the use of
visible light (e.g. blue light, blue/red light combinations, yellow light, and green light), laser treatment and monopolar radiofrequency [11]. Many of these light therapy treatments can be used at home.

Recommended Products for Acne

References

1. Brown SK, Shalita AR. Acne vulgaris. Lancet 1998; 351:1871-1876.

2. Webster GF. Acne vulgaris. Br Med J 2002; 325: 475-479.

3. Bowe WP et al. Body dysmorphic disorder symptoms among patients with acne vulgaris. J Am Acad Dermatol 2007; DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2007.03.030.

4. Rzany B, Kahl C. Epidemiology of acne vulgaris. JDDG 2006; DOI: 10.1111/j.1610-0387.2006.05876.x

5. Niemeier V, Kupfer J, Gieler U. Acne vulgaris-Psychosomatic aspects. JDDG 2006; DOI: 10.1111/j.1610-0387.2006.06110.x

6. Gollnick H. Current perspectives on the treatment of acne vulgaris and implications for future directions. Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2001; 15 (Suppl. 3):1-4.

7. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistics Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th Ed. Accessed via: BehaveNet® Clinical CapsuleTM; http://www.behavenet.com/capsules/disorders/bodydysdis.htm. Accessed on: 28th June 2007.

8. Phillips KA et al. A retrospective follow-up study of body dysmorphic disorder. Comprehensive Psychiatry 2005; 46: 315-321.

9. Taub AF. Procedural treatments of acne vulgaris. Dermatol Surg 2007; 33: 1-22.

10. Cunliffe WJ, Goulden V. Phototherapy and acne vulgaris.Br J Dermatol 2000; 142 (5): 855-856.

11. Dierickx CC. Lasers, Light and Radiofrequency for treatment of acne. Med Laser Appl 2004; 19: 196-204.

Disclaimer

This article is only for informative purposes. It is not intended to be a medical advice and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for all your medical concerns. Kindly follow any information given in this article only after consulting your doctor or qualified medical professional. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from any information obtained from this article.

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Cystic acne has become a common skin problem these days. However, most people are unaware of the term ‘cystic acne’. Cystic acne is a serious problem of skin that occurs when people deal with acne pimples roughly. This process results in formation of the cystic acne.

Cystic acne can be defined as the most severe kind of acne. Under this type of acne, the pimples work towards forming cysts. These are actually filled with pus. The problem results in scarring of the skin. These tend to aggravate more when the cysts are squeezed to express the pus. This results in a permanent scar.

There are several effective methods available these days to treat cystic acne. Don’t expect acne creams and gets to work wonders when the skin is suffering from cystic acne. Experts suggest injectable medication or oral antibiotics that are required to cure the cystic acne.

You should visit a good doctor to prescribe you some effective drugs to treat cystic acne. Under circumstances where initial antibiotic treatment proves ineffective, your doctor will prescribe you a stronger medication course to treat the problems.

These are also some effective methods that can treat cystic acne permanently. Cystic acne is termed as one of the most severe forms of acne that gets deeply penetrated in to the skin layers. You should try to understand the causes that result in cystic acne.

You can characterize cystic acne by hard, semi-liquid bumps that grow below the skin with the potential of causing severe acne scars. Acne cysts are quite larger and painful as compared to whiteheads and conventional spots. This type of acne is a result of oil gland blockage that triggers inflammation and pus in the surrounding tissue area.

Cystic acne is further worsened by Retention keratosis, under, this condition, skin cells of cystic acne are shed improperly. This further leads to clogging of the skin follicles and the dead cells in conjunction with the over production of sebum. This environment is perfect for growth of bacterial infections. The infection has potential of spreading to other follicles that can further aggravate the inflammation, swelling and redness.

Experts believe that natural approach works towards fixing the internal problem those results in acne. The holistic approach utilizes multidimensional protocols such as supplementation, dietary changes, rebuilding of the organs of elimination and internal as well as external cleansing. The whole process neutralizes an environment that encourages formation of acne work better to treat cystic acne in the long run. This treatment also prevents further acne scars.

Any oral medication should be taken, under the supervision of a dermatologist.

Isotretinoin is the most common and most powerful drug prescribed for cystic acne treatment. It can be defined as a man-made form of retinoid or vitamin A. It is taken in pill form. It is the only medicine that effectively treats excess oil productions, inflammation and clogged skin pores. The pill is supported to be taken up to twenty weeks and does not require more than one course of therapy in order to cure the problem.

Pregnant women should avoid taking this medicine as there is a possibility of birth defects to a developing fetus. You also require to go for regular checkups while using this medicine.