Acne Bacteria and Environment

Its hard to belief, acne bacteria do not cause acne. Acne researcher exposes the true connection between acne bacteria and acne formation. Discover why acne is not a problem with your skin.

Propionibacterium acnes, or p acne bacteria, the bacteria we all have on our skin. Like all life forms it fights to survive and sustain their lives. Conventional medicine taught us to believe these microscopic creatures are the cause of acne.

Everyone has acne bacteria on their skin, regardless if the individual suffers from acne or not. Streptococcus bacteria, for example, exist in everyone's throat, but it doesn’t always cause a strep throat or tonsillitis. The reason is that similar to the acne bacteria these bacteria will not trigger the formation of a strep throat (or acne in the case of the acne bacteria) unless the specific condition or the right “environment” is created.

As long as the acne bacteria stays in balance with your internal system, acne bacteria will “mind their own business” and will defend the body from colonization of harmful bacteria. Acne bacteria feed themselves from the secretions of our sweat and sebaceous glands, and in a balanced biological state, sustains the flexibility of our skin.

Acne is an environment that forms only when the production of sebum on the skin is excessive. This excessive production of oil is triggered mainly by hormonal imbalance.

When blood toxins (usually blood toxins that are expelled through your skin) are mixed with this over production of oil, the p.acne invades the hair follicles and starts to multiply. The P. acne multiplies by feeding themselves of the oil using enzymes. As part of this feeding process, acne bacteria produces free fatty acids that irritate the skin. The body calls the white and red blood cells to defend itself. The red and white blood cells often cause an inflammatory response, that results in the familiar symptoms of acne: swelling, pus, whiteheads, nodules and pustules.

Killing the acne bacteria using antibiotics is a destructive approach. By taking antibiotics, it upsets the natural balance of the P.acne in our body, eradicates the good probiotic bacteria and enables the intrusion of harmful bacteria to skin. Killing the acne bacteria using antibiotics also a fruitless approach because constant intake of antibiotics will eventually cause the p.acne to become resistant to antibiotics. Moreover, it doesn't stop the environment that caused the P.acne to multiply.

acne bacteria
The only way to stop acne permanently is to neutralize the acne environment (when the bacteria multiplies and feeds on blood toxins and excessive production of oil). To stop acne, you must balance oil secretion and discharge your body from accumulated toxins and control the nutritional, hormonal, psychological and environmental triggers.

The secret for permanent clear skin is therefore, neutralizing all the factors that form the acne environment while keeping the acne bacteria at an optimal balance.

Mike Walden is a certified nutritionist, independent medical researcher, natural health consultant and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, "Acne No More- Open The Door To An Acne Free Life." For information on Mike's Holistic Clear Skin program, visit: Acne No More

Type of Acne

Acne can be classify into four grade. Dermatologist classified acne based on a few criteria such as :

  • amount of inflammation, if any
  • areas of the body affected by acne
  • types of inflamed comedones present
  • types of non-inflamed comedones present
  • amount of breakout activity


Grade I 

The mildest form of acne. This type of acne appear only very occasionally and in small numbers. Basically, seen in early adolescence especially at the nose and/or forehead. Blackheads and milia will be found, sometimes in great numbers, but there is no inflammation for acne Grade I.

This type of acne can be successfully treated at home using product containing salicylic acid. Grade I acne may progress to Grade II if left untreated.



Grade II


Grade II acne is considered moderate acne. There will be blackheads and milia, generally in greater numbers. You will start seeing more pa pules and the formation of pustules in this stage. They will appear with greater frequency, and general breakout activity will be more obvious. Slight inflammation of the skin is now apparent.

For teenagers, you will see the acne progress from nose and forehead to other part of the face. The acne also may start to affect the chest and shoulders. Adult women may find greater breakout activity in the cheeks, chin, and jaw line area, especially just before and during the menstrual cycle.

Grade II acne can still be treated at home. In addition to a salicylic acid, a benzoyl peroxide lotion should be used daily to help kill the bacteria that cause inflammations. Grade II acne may progress to Grade III, especially if pimples are habitually picked at or squeezed.



Grade III

Grade III  acne is considered severe. The main difference between Grade II and Grade III acne  is the amount of inflammation present. The skin is now obviously reddened and inflamed. Papules and pustules have developed in greater numbers, and nodules will be present.

Grade III normally involves other body areas, such as the neck, chest, shoulders, and/or upper back, as well as the face. 

A dermatologist should treat acne at this stage. Grade III acne is usually treated with both topical and systemic therapies available only by prescription. Left untreated, Grade III acne may progress to Grade IV.


Grade IV

Grade IV is the serious stage of acne. It is often referred to as nodulocystic or cystic acne. The skin will display numerous papules, pustules, and nodules, in addition to cysts. There is a pronounced amount of inflammation and breakouts are severe. Cystic acne is very painful.

Acne of this severity usually extends beyond the face, and may affect the entire back, chest, shoulders, and upper arms. The infection is deep and widespread. 

Grade IV acne must be treated by a dermatologist. It tends to be hard to control, and almost always requires powerful systemic medications in addition to topical treatments.

Acne : Good Skin Regimen

Simple practice you can apply and may help you:

1) Cleanse twice daily with a 5% benzoyl peroxide wash. An alternative for those who are allergic to benzoyl peroxide is 2% salicylic acid.

2) Apply a gel or cream containing 5% benzoyl peroxide; an alternative is sulfur or resorcinol.

3) At night, apply a spot cream containing sulfur to the affected areas.

4) Use a light skin moisturizer and water-based oil-free makeup.

Acne Vulgaris

What is Acne Vulgaris?

Acne vulgaris (cystic acne or simply acne) is a common human skin disease, characterized by areas of skin with seborrhea (scaly red skin), comedones (blackheads and whiteheads), papules (pinheads), pustules (pimples), nodules (large papules) and possibly scarring. Acne affects mostly skin with the densest population of sebaceous follicles; these areas include the face, the upper part of the chest, and the back. Severe acne is inflammatory, but acne can also manifest in noninflammatory forms. The lesions are caused by changes in pilosebaceous units, skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland, changes that require androgen stimulation.

Acne occurs most commonly during adolescence, and often continues into adulthood. In adolescence, acne is usually caused by an increase in testosterone, which accrues during puberty, regardless of sex.

acne
credit:wikipedia

Presentation

Acne usually presents with a greasy skin with a mixture of comedones, papules and pustules, which present just after puberty and continue for a variable number of years, usually stopping in late teens or early 20s but uncommonly continuing well into adulthood.

The face is affected in 99% of cases, the back in 60% and the chest in 15%.

Acne runs a variable course with marked fluctuations.

Nodulocystic acne: severe acne with cysts. Cysts can be painful. They may occur in isolation or be widespread over the face, neck, scalp, back, chest and shoulders.

The severity of the condition varies enormously between individuals. It is unsightly but the degree of distress is sometimes disproportionate.

Virus That Could Cure Acne

The secret to zapping irritating acne may have been on our faces all along. Scientists at UCLA and the University of Pittsburgh have discovered that a common, benign skin virus naturally preys on a type of bacterium that causes nasty zits to form. Now experts think it could lead to groundbreaking acne-fighting treatments, and should prove welcome news for pimple-plagued teens everywhere. A guide to the discovery, and what it means for your face:

Acne forms when tiny hair follicles become clogged with oil and dead skin, says Michelle Castillo at CBS News. When pores get backed up, bacteria like Propionibacterium acnes can cause infections that inflame the skin and result in zits. It's estimated that 85 percent of all people will experience acne at some point in their lives.



Why is acne worse for teens?
During puberty, a teenager's hair follicle glands begin growing larger. To help lubricate the skin, these glands produce an oily substance called sebum, and bacteria like P. acnes live inside the fatty acids of the oil. That's why teens are so susceptible to breakouts and why as many as 40 percent of them end up suffering from acne or acne scarring.


Treatment?
The report, published in the journal mBio, examines a type of virus called a bacteriophage that lives harmlessly on our skin. These bacteriophages, or phages for short, seek out P. acnes bacteria and "inject their genetic material into [them], forcing them to make more and more new phages until they burst," says Daniel J. DeNoon at WebMD. Now skincare experts think tapping these predatory viruses, which leave other cells alone, could hold the key to stopping zits dead in their tracks.

Current acne treatment is based on various factors, including cleaning out the pores to remove sebum, using antibiotics to kill bacteria, reducing swelling with anti-inflammatory medicine, or using hormone treatment therapy for especially bad acne. These approaches all have their limitations: Antibiotics often fail, for example, because P. acnes can develop a natural resistance. Phages, which doctors hope to develop into a topical cream, offer a "more efficient approach because they are a natural predator, unlike a synthetic antibiotic," says Christopher Wanjek at LiveScience. That means acne-causing bacteria would be less likely to develop a natural resistance.

Acne Scars Treatment

Acne is a skin condition that affects up to 80% of people in their teens and twenties, and up to 5% of older adults. While many people recover from acne without any permanent effects, some people are left with disfiguring acne scars. There are some topical skin care products and medications that can improve mild scarring, but most acne scars are treated with a combination of surgical procedures and skin resurfacing.

Early Acne Scars
After an acne lesion has healed, it can leave a red or hyperpigmented mark on the skin. This is actually not a scar, but rather a post-inflammatory change. The redness or hyperpigmentation is seen as the skin goes through its healing and remodeling process, which takes approximately 6-12 months. If no more acne lesions develop in that area, the skin can heal normally. Any color change or skin defect still present after 1 year is considered to be a permanent defect or scar.



Preventing Early Acne Scars
The best way to prevent post-inflammatory changes caused by acne is to prevent acne lesions from occurring. This is done by understanding the factors that cause acne and using the appropriate treatments for the different acne types.




Treating Early Acne Scars
The post-inflammatory changes caused by acne are part of the skin's natural healing process. There are certain practices and medications that can help facilitate this healing process.


  • Unprotected exposure to the sun causes more skin damage and delays healing, therefore wearing a good sunscreen is important.
  • Using tretinoin  (Retin-A, Renova, Avita) speeds up the skin's remodeling process and helps heal post-inflammatory changes.
  • Appropriate formulations of Alpha-Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) and Beta-Hydroxy Acid (BHA) that contain the correct concentrations and are at the appropriate pH also help the skin's remodeling process.
  • Picking at scabs should be avoided at all costs. Scabs form to protect the healing process that is going on underneath them. Pulling a scab off before it is ready interferes with the healing and remodeling process, prolonging the time that post-inflammatory changes will be visible.

source: dermatology

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