Approximately 80% of North Americans have suffered with acne at some point in their lifetimes. This is important since acne is not only a vanity issue, but can also have major implications on a person’s self-esteem and mood. Studies show that 44% of patients with acne have significant anxiety and 30% are even clinically depressed.
We are bringing you all that you need to know about breakouts; what causes them and how to clear your skin, naturally.
Before we teach you how to get rid of breakouts, it’s important to first understand why your skin is breaking out in the first place. Acne occurs when the pores of your skin become blocked with a combination of dead skin cells, oil and bacteria. First, your skin cells begin producing an excess of sebum, a form of oil.
Execess sebum can be caused by:
• Stress
• poor dietary choices
• Excessive drying of the face from harsh washes
• Increased levels of male hormones
• Decreased levels of female hormones.
You can see how this may get complicated. This excess of sebum then mixes with dead skin cells of the face and creates a comedone or pimple. Bacteria multiplies in this area, feeding off the oil and dead skin cells to create cystic lesions or whiteheads. At this point people tend to touch their faces, apply too many chemicals in the form of conventional makeup and even pick and pop their zits, all of which just spread the bacteria to the rest of your skin and cause more pimples.
While the technicalities of how pimples are formed are clear and consistent across all patients, the underlying factors for why your skin is over producing oil or bacteria can vary drastically. Acne is a message from your body that something you’re doing within your diet, mindset or lifestyle isn’t working for you and is disrupting that balance of your physiological systems.
A Naturopathic approach to acne seeks to uncover the imbalances that are at the root of your acne. All patients are unique and there are many causes of breakouts, which is why it’s so important to work with a professional in order to determine what is causing your specific skin problems.
The Naturopathic Doctors at Bronte Wellness can work with you to help clear your skin, naturally. Our personalized acne treatments involve an hour-long relevant skin history and physical exam and individualized functional testing to really get at the root cause of your acne in order to help you develop an effective and sustainable skin treatment plan.
Looking to connect with a Naturopath in Oakville to develop a personalized acne protocol to clear your skin from the inside-out? Book your appointment today.