help: clear skin - What causes acne?

Acne is a very common condition. It is recognisable by areas of spots, redness, blackheads, whiteheads, pimples and greasy skin. This skin condition affects 80% of 11-30 year olds.

Acne is one of the most recognisable skin conditions. Despite its prevalence (8 out of 10 teenagers are affected), acne causes social embarrassment, associated physical and psychological scarring and can be life changing.

What is acne?

Many people ask “what is acne” and “do I have acne”? Acne Vulgaris is a simple identifiable skin condition that starts when oil and dead skin cells clog up your pores. The most common names for acne are blackheads, blemishes, whiteheads, pimples, spots or zits. When you have just a few red spots or pimples, you have what’s termed a mild form of acne. Severe acne can mean hundreds of pimples that can cover the face, neck, chest and back. Or it can be larger, solid red lumps that are painful, and these are known as cysts.

How does acne form?

Acne starts with the formation of a microcomedo, which is simply a clogged hair follicle (or pore) in the skin. Stage two consists of non-inflammatory lesions, whiteheads (closed comedones) and blackheads (open comedones). These non-inflammatory lesions can then turn into inflammatory lesions. Depending on how severe your acne is, the inflammatory lesion range comprises of small pimples on your skin, small raised spots containing pus (pustules) or nodulocystic lesions, which is characterised by lots of inflamed and non-inflamed firm lumps and cavities which can cause scarring.

What causes acne is still uncertain. The strongest medical leads suggest it is caused by changes in hormones called androgens, or it may be due to alterations in follicular linoleic acid levels, and the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1a (a group of proteins which controls your body’s response to infections). Other factors, such as your genes (if you parents had acne), stress, and diet, may also affect the development and severity of acne.

Is there a cure for acne?

There are acne treatments that successfully treat and control the condition if the right skincare routine is carried out and maintained.

Causes of acne

A few small studies have shown a correlation between certain food groups and acne. Dairy products and carbohydrates with a high glycemic index may be possible causes of acne. However there aren’t any foods that are proven to actually cause acne. A diet high in protein and carbohydrates with a low glycemic index has been shown to improve acne breakouts.

What are the present therapeutic approaches to acne and the causes of acne?

Treatments for acne include topical therapy (which means treating the surface of the skin with products such as creams, gels and lotions) or systemic therapy (such as using antibiotics). Dependent upon the severity of the acme, a single or combined therapy is suggested. In general, topical and systemic therapies aim to reduce hyperkeratosis (thickening of the outer layer of the skin), follicular plugging, while reducing bacteria and inflammation.

The main active ingredients in gel, cream or liquid formulations consist of retinoids and antibiotics. Hormonal treatment is occasionally used for most types of acne in both adult and adolescent females. However these types of non-natural therapies are often accompanied by adverse side effects.

Whatever the type of acne or perceived cause of acne, it’s important to seek out the right type of treatment to alleviate the long term affects.

Acne Treatment Before & After - How help: clear skin has helped

Looking for an acne treatment that works? Have a look at these before and after images of acne sufferers to discover how help: clear skin has helped them improve their skin.

If you suffer from mild, moderate, severe or intermittent hormonal acne, we hope the transformations of our case study participants give you the confidence to try our natural spot treatment.

See below for our participants’ individual stories, from their personal experience with acne to the remarkable difference that taking help: clear skin regularly has made. If you’ve been struggling to find a spot treatment that does the trick for you, remember that suffering from acne does not need to be a long term condition as these stories demonstrate.

“...there is a remarkable difference in my skin...” – Coco Cerys

So today I've had (what seems) like a rare moment to myself and thought I would let you all know about my experience with a months worth of help: clear skin.

First, I guess I should go into what my skin is usually like...in 2 words, pretty poor. I'm not talking acne or anything that severe, but I suffer from a very oily t-zone, lots of KP (keratosis pilaris - the little bumps on your skin that aren't quite spots). Then I get the occasional 'cluster' of whiteheads but when I began this trial my skin was particularly bad for some reason.

How it works: So the product basically comes in sachet form, to be taken once in the morning, once at night. I have to say my main issue was remembering to take it. The sachet can be added to a drink, or food (though I never tried it) and it essentially dissolves like an Alka Seltzer (only with NO foul taste).

And now, for the terrifying part...the before and after photos...NO makeup AT ALL.

So as you can see there is a remarkable difference in my skin. Whether it's just down to using the product, overeating at Christmas (more unlikely) or even hormones I definitely have seen results. Those angry blighters are a rare occurence.

Overall, I would recommend help:clear skin

“I always thought acne would be something I would grow out of...” – Sarah P

Sarah Pinder, 22, was horrified to find that for her, acne wasn’t a ‘teenage’ issue, after suffering with angry spots and sores all over her body for more than 10 years.

Sarah says: "I always thought acne would be something I would simply grow out of but it never happened. As I got older my confidence levels dropped and it stopped me from socialising with friends and family outside of the house. Because it wasn’t just confined to my face, it also really limited what I felt comfortable wearing too."

However, the once shy girl from Dudley came out of her shell after trying help: clear skin.

Sarah experienced such a dramatic improvement in her skin in just a few weeks that her confidence soared. So much so she landed herself a new job and began enjoying getting out and about socialising with friends too.

"Now my skin is looking and feeling so much better I feel much more positive about the future.".

“Even professional beauty experts suffer with problem skin.” – Sarah B

Sarah Baxter knew she would suffer from acne prone skin at some point in her life as several members of her family battled with the skin condition for years. Her mother in particular had severe breakouts throughout her 20s.

For over ten years, Sarah tried to control the aggressive and often painful hormonal spots on her face by spending vast sums on different cleansers, treatments and over-the-counter topical creams. She even tried a gluten-free diet, which unfortunately had no effect.

Working as a make-up artist, Sarah admits she often felt embarrassed and insecure because of her skin condition: "People do look at your face and skin when you're doing their make-up. It does make me feel incredibly self-conscious."

Sarah decided that she had no other option but to start taking a daily dosage of antibiotics to combat the problem. This was a last resort for Sarah, who was never keen on taking prescription drugs due to the side effects and uncertainty around dependency.

However, following a friend's recommendation in autumn of 2009, Sarah stopped taking the antibiotics and started taking help: clear skin, which is rich in natural antimicrobials. After just one week her skin began to clear and after three weeks, her skin was in the same condition as when she was taking antibiotics.

“Since taking help: clear skin, the spots I have been getting are a lot smaller, not as painful and don't last as long. Needless to say I am very impressed, as I have never found anything which has worked as well as antibiotics."

Sarah is now pleased that she can use a natural acne treatment rather than prescription medication. "I really didn't want to be dependent on antibiotics to control the acne, this way I am more in control of what goes into my body, with the same effect."

“It's really helped with my confidence” – Sunddas

Acne is a very common condition. It is recognisable by areas of spots, redness, blackheads, whiteheads, pimples and greasy skin. This skin condition affects 80% of 11-30 year olds.

Acne is one of the most recognisable skin conditions. Despite its prevalence (8 out of 10 teenagers are affected), acne causes social embarrassment, associated physical and psychological scarring and can be life changing.

What is acne?

Acne is a simple identifiable dermatological condition that starts when oil and dead skin cells clog up your pores. The most common names for acne are blackheads, blemishes, whiteheads, pimples, spots or zits. When you have just a few red spots, or pimples, you have a mild form of acne. Severe acne can mean hundreds of pimples that can cover the face, neck, chest, and back. Or it can be bigger, solid, red lumps that are painful (cysts).

Small non-inflammatory acne lesions may not be more than a minor annoyance, but anyone with more harsh inflammatory nodular acne can suffer soreness. The resulting social embarrassment, as well as acne associated physical and psychological scarring, can be life changing.

How does acne form?

Acne starts with the formation of a microcomedo, which is simply a clogged hair follicle (or pore) in the skin. Stage two consists of non-inflammatory lesions, whiteheads (closed comedones) and blackheads (open comedones). These non-inflammatory lesions can then turn into inflammatory lesions. Depending on how severe your acne is, the inflammatory lesion range comprises of small pimples on your skin, small raised spots containing pus (pustules) or nodulocystic lesions, which is characterised by lots of inflamed and non-inflamed firm lumps and cavities which can cause scarring.

What causes acne is still uncertain. The strongest medical leads suggest it is caused by changes in hormones called androgens, or it may be due to alterations in follicular linoleic acid levels, and the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1a (a group of proteins which controls your body’s response to infections). Other factors, such as your genes (if you parents had acne), stress, and diet, may also affect the development and severity of acne.

Is there a cure for acne?

There are acne treatments that successfully treat and control the condition if the right skincare routine is carried out and maintained.

Does diet affect acne breakouts?

A few small studies have shown a correlation between certain food groups and acne severity (such as dairy products and carbohydrates with a high glycemic index), but there aren't any foods that actually cause acne. A diet high in protein and carbohydrates with a low glycemic index has been shown to improve acne breakouts.

What are the present therapeutic approaches to acne?

Treatments for acne include topical therapy (which means treating the surface of the skin with products such as creams, gels and lotions) or systemic therapy (such as using antibiotics). Dependent upon the severity of the acme, a single or combined therapy is suggested. In general, topical and systemic therapies aim to reduce hyperkeratosis (thickening of the outer layer of the skin), follicular plugging, while reducing bacteria and inflammation.

The main active ingredients in gel, cream or liquid formulations consist of retinoids and antibiotics. Hormonal treatment is occasionally used for most types of acne in both adult and adolescent females. However these types of non-natural therapies are often accompanied by adverse side effects.

Whatever the type of acne or perceived cause of acne, it’s important to seek out the right type of treatment to alleviate the long term effects.