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Conventional dermatologists and their counterparts in unconventional
medicine tend to disagree about the causes and treatment of
problem skin conditions. For instance, most dermatologists
argue that diet makes no difference to acne, whereas nutritionists
and other alternative practitioners say their experience shows
otherwise.
We suggest you talk to your doctor but also try using pure,
natural skincare products, overhaul your diet, make sure you
get plenty of sleep, fresh air and exercise, take stress management
seriously, and consider consulting a qualified nutritionist,
naturopath or Chinese herbal medicine practitioner.
Acne is an inflammation of the
sebaceous glands and occurs where the glands are most active;
on the face, neck, back and chest. Excess sebum blocks the
hair follicles and pores, bacteria builds up and spots and
pimples erupt. The sebaceous glands are controlled by androgens,
the male hormones also found in women. Hence the eruption
of acne at puberty and other times of hormonal upset - although
at least one woman in 20 has acne after the age of 25.
Treatment:
most dermatologists suggest over-the-counter preparations
for four to six weeks, then, if the condition doesn’t
clear up, antibiotic creams and/or long courses of oral
antibiotics or drugs which influence the way the skin responds
to hormones. If you get an unexpected breakout after years
of clear skin, change your skincare products and be gentle
with your skin, i.e. no scrubbing or exfoliating. Also rethink
your diet. In a small study conducted recently, three out
of four acne sufferers found a clear improvement using the
pure, organically-grown Dr. Hauschka skincare products combined
with a low fat, vegetarian diet, rich in salads, vegetables,
whole grains, Quark (a curd cheese), yoghurt and sour milk.
At the same time, they cut down on alcohol, nicotine and
caffeine, and avoided meat, processed meat pulses, processed
sugar and margarine, and juice concentrates. They also took
regular exercise.
Blackheads, Whiteheads
and those funny little White Skin Bumps
which can appear on your face are not caused by dirt but are
due to sebum blocking the hair follicles. Blackheads are their
colour because the sebum oxidises when exposed to the air,
just as a cut apple turns brown.
Treatment:
steam your face under a towel over very hot water (add chamomile,
sage, echinacaea herb or tincture). Use gentle masks, particularly
kaolin. Regular facials from a good beauty therapist may
also help. Never squeeze blackheads, whiteheads or skin
bumps: it may cause cross infection and can leave scars.
Red Patches, as opposed to a flattering
rosiness in your cheeks, are often due to enlarged blood vessels,
which may be an inherited condition or caused by rosacea.
This usually occurs on the cheeks and nose in women of 30
plus. Rosacea, which is sometimes activated by the menopause,
is a particularly unkind skin disorder since sufferers are
often thought, quite wrongly, to be drinkers. The cause is
a mystery, although heat or sunlight probably stimulate the
release of chemicals which encourage the blood vessels to
enlarge. Rosacea seems to run in families, particularly Northern
Europeans and Southern Celts whose pale faces tend to flush
and blush easily. However, this apparent trend may simply
be because the enlarged blood vessels are more noticeable
in pale skin as it has no pigment to act as camouflage.
Treatment:
avoid extreme heat or cold, chocolate, spicy foods, coffee,
oranges, orange juice and red wine which may irritate it.
Take supplements of Vitamin B1 and B2. Soothe irritation
with Bach Flower Rescue Remedy Cream. If you have found
conventional medicine unhelpful, try consulting a qualified
naturopath or Chinese herbal medicine practitioner.
Facial Eczema is another possible
cause of red patches and rosacea keratitis, pustules and acne-like
rashes can affect the eyes and eyelids. Consult a dermatologist,
qualified naturopath or Chinese herbal medicine practitioner.
Yellow patches, medically called
xanthelasma, which are usually found around the eyes (particularly
on the lids), may be a result of fatty deposits. In about
50 per cent of cases, they are a sign of abnormal fat levels
in the blood; others are caused by recurrent sun damage, which
distorts the elastin fibres in skin. The fibres mat together,
resulting in waxy yellowish lumps, often on the upper lid.
Treatment:
although this condition is not unique to smokers, it is
greatly increased in habitual puffers, so first of all stop
smoking. Consult your doctor and ask for a referral to a
dermatologist.
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