How To Cure Acne

In this article I'll give you an overview of how to cure acne.
 
This focuses mostly on natural treatments, because, as you are about to discover; only they can help you to cure acne permanently.
 
Before we get to curing acne we have to go through what causes it. Curing acne is reasonably simple once you understand what causes it. The reason many acne victims struggle is they don't focus their efforts on the real problem. While bacteria and sebum lead to acne, the real problem is much deeper and often related to your lifestyle.
 
Once you understand the real problem it's not that complicated to fix it. And you'll understand why those creams, lotions and pills haven't helped you to cure acne.
 
Before we get started I want to say that I'm not a doctor and everything here is not backed by rigorous research. I've learned this through years of research on acne and health and interacting with other acne victims. What you read here has helped me, my customers and countless of other acne victims to cure their acne.

What causes acne

 
According to medical textbooks acne is caused when skin pores get blocked by excess sebum and dead skin cells. Propionibacterium acnes multiplies in blocked skin pores and secretes chemicals that break down the wall of the pore, spilling other bacteria into the pore and forming an acne lesion [1].
 
However medical texts rarely go beyond this bacteria and sebum explanation.
 
There are many theories as to why the skin produces more sebum and the pores get blocked for some people but not for everybody.
 
Several hormones such as testosterone, androgens, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), as well as insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-I) have been linked to changes leading to acne. Still the exact mechanism remains a mystery.
 
The most interesting theory comes from Dr. Loren Cordain. In his paper Dr. Cordain explains how swings in blood sugar levels lead to [2]:
 

• Increased turnover of skin cells. Meaning cells die faster and new ones grow to replace them. This means there are more dead skin cells in the skin pores.
• Skin cells failing to separate after death. Normally skin cells separate after death so they can be easily pushed out. This is controlled by a hormone called IGFBP-3. Blood sugar problems bring down IGFBP-3 levels. So more skin cells remain together and block the skin pores.
• Increased oil (sebum) production.
• Overgrowth of P. acnes bacteria in the skin pores.
• Inflammation of the blocked pore

 
Problems with blood sugar metabolism are caused by insulin resistance, which is a result of wrong diet and lifestyle habits.

Insulin resistance

 
Insulin is the hormone that takes the glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream and escorts it into cells. In people with insulin resistance cells are resistant to insulin. Therefore the pancreas has to release more insulin to bring down the blood glucose levels. Insulin is closely related to the hormones that have been linked to acne. More insulin means more of the hormones that have been linked to acne.
 
Closely related to insulin resistance is a condition called chronic, low-intensity inflammation [3], [4].
 
Inflammation is the body's response to injury. This is true whether the injury results from a cut or bruise or an immune system reaction. As the immune system reacts to an invader it also damages the nearby cells and causes insulin resistance in them.
 
In case of an acute inflammation this is not a problem as it only happens in a limited area, such as is the case with cuts and bruises.
 
Chronic or systematic inflammation is entirely different matter. Inflammation turns chronic when the offending substance (such as chemicals and toxins) or pathogen (for example bacteria and virus) persists in the body. Inflammation turns systematic when the circulatory or lymphatic systems spread the offending agent all over the body.

Acne and inflammation

 
Chronic inflammation puts the immune system sort of 'on the edge'. It reacts easier and possibly too vigorously to what it perceives to be invaders. And this could cause otherwise harmlessly blocked pores inflame into pimples.
 
And research suggests that overreacting immune system plays a fundamental role in acne [5],
 
Link between chronic inflammation and acne could explain why so many people struggle to get over this skin condition. Further chronic inflammation rarely has a single and easily identifiable cause. It's often a result of many factors, such as:
 

• Diet
• Allergies: Both food, especially gluten intolerance, and other allergies
• Sleep
• Stress levels and emotional state
• Body burden of chemicals, pollutant and toxins
• Overgrowth of bacteria or virus
• Body fat levels
• Consumption of alcohol, coffee, tobacco and other drugs and stimulants

 

Acne as a lifestyle disease

 
It's interesting to note that insulin resistance and chronic inflammation can be almost completely attributed to diet and lifestyle factors. From this it's easy to hypothesize that acne is also related to the person's lifestyle.
 
This is only a theory, and has never been clinically studied, but in reality it has shown to be effective in controlling and reversing even the most persistent cases of acne.
 
This is by no means the complete story. For example, it doesn't explain why some people with unhealthy diets and lifestyles never get acne, while other, seemingly much healthier people, do. So some other, yet unknown, reason influences that.
 
Despite that limitation theory is still applicable for acne victims and many have cured their acne following it.
 
Time for a little recap. Insulin resistance (blood sugar problems) and chronic inflammation are the underlying conditions that trigger a hormonal reaction that leads to a host of symptoms, such as increased sebum production, blocked pores and bacterial overgrowth. Combined these lead to acne.
 
Now that you understand what causes acne let's talk about curing it.

 

How to cure acne

 
Please understand there are no products that will cure your acne. On the other hand there are many products you can use to treat or manage your acne. I'm sure you are familiar with many of them, such as creams and lotions, light therapy, supplements, antibiotics and other drugs.
 
Often these treatments focus on keeping your skin pores open or killing bacteria. In other words they treat the acne-related symptoms of insulin resistance and chronic inflammation. But these treatments do nothing to correct insulin resistance or chronic inflammation.
 
As the underlying cause remains it's unlikely these treatments can permanently get rid of your pimples. They may ease breakouts or even temporarily clear your skin, but usually acne comes back sooner rather than later.
 
The only permanent solution to acne is to reduce insulin resistance and chronic inflammation.
 
These are lifestyle-related conditions and diet and lifestyle changes are the only effective solution. To get you started on the right direction consider these suggestions:
 

• Eat plenty of anti-inflammatory foods and avoid inflammatory foods.
• Exercise regularly, preferably outdoors in fresh air.
• Make sure you get enough sleep.
• Maintain positive mental attitude.

 
As you carry out these changes your cell become more sensitive to insulin and inflammation levels come down. Over time your acne also fades away.
 
Finally let's talk briefly about genes and acne.

 

Genes and acne

 
Contrary to the popular medical opinion I do not believe genetics plays a big role in acne.
 
Genes as the cause of acne leaves too many unanswered questions:
 

• While it is true that children of acne sufferers are more likely to get acne similar diets and lifestyle, rather than genes, could also explain this. And in the light of information about the connection between insulin resistance and inflammation in acne, is more likely explanation.
• Incidences of adult acne in women have almost doubled in 30 years [6]. Also the mean age of patients seeking clinical treatment for acne have increased from 20.5 to 26.5 years [7]. Genetics could not explain such growth since the gene pool doesn’t change that rapidly. Our diets and lifestyles have changed, however.
• Acne is absent or rates of incidence are far lower in many non-Western populations with low-GI diets. However as people from these nations adopt a Western-style diet they often develop acne [8].

 
The point here is not to rule genes totally out of the equation. The point is that you should not think you can't cure your acne because of genetics. In my opinion anyone can cure their acne by changing their diets and lifestyles.