Blackheads and blocked pores

Facial skin is made up of tiny openings known as pores, which are responsible for producing oil that makes your skin soft and supple.

A clogged pore can be caused by a number of factors: lack of sufficiently washing the face, which may result in clogged pores; the body producing too much oil; dry skin on the face that blocks pores; or dust and debris that block pores.

Although they may look different, pimples, blackheads, and white-heads are all results from clogged pores. Pimples, blackheads, and white-heads are various forms of acne that affect the face, chest, back, and shoulders.

Initially, to understand what a pimple is, you have to understand the difference between white-heads and blackheads. If the pore is completely clogged and remains closed at the surface, it is called a white-head.

White-heads:

• Are clogged with sebum, an oily substance
• Have a white appearance
• Most commonly evolve into pimples

Differing from a white-head, a blackhead is formed when a pore is only partially clogged, allowing some of the trapped sebum to slowly drain to the surface. The black colour is caused by the oxygen in the air reacting to the exposed pore.

Blackheads look like specks of black dirt on the skin and can be unsightly. They may lead to infected pores and redness. Blackheads can be prevented with careful cleaning and an informed use of the appropriate facial products.

Pimples usually develop after white-heads or blackheads have become infected.

Increased hormone activity during puberty, pregnancy or while taking certain drugs can result in overproduction of oil in the pores. When too much oil and dead skin cells become trapped in the pores, they form a plug. Clogged pores and blackheads can also result from the overuse of makeup, lotions and sunscreen or from inadequate cleaning. As dirt and dead skin cells accumulate, they can fill the pores. At the other end of the spectrum, overly vigorous cleaning can stimulate overproduction of oil, also leading to clogged pores and blackheads.

The right combination of diet, nutrient supplements, and topical skin products can work to combat acne while also fighting the signs of ageing from the inside out

Treating various forms of acne is a simple task that involves your diet, nutrient supplements, and topical treatments. Primarily, your diet is the most common cause of your acne. Beautiful clear skin has everything to do with what you eat and put into your body.

Eating foods rich in antioxidants will improve your immune system and help fight acne.

After you change your diet, take body supplements that contain antioxidants, fatty acids, and vitamins.

You can help reduce the occurrence of blackheads by eating the right kinds of foods. Altering your diet to include high protein, low-glycemic carbohydrates, and healthy fats are a great start to clearer skin This will reduce sebum production, increase good moisture in the skin and help the production of new skin cells. Avoid cooked carbohydrates and fats, replace these with fresh fruits, vegetables and raw fats (avocado, olives, olive oils, etc.)

According to research, eating refined carbohydrates and sugar leads to a surge in insulin. This in turn leads to an excess of male hormones, which encourage the skin to excrete large amounts of sebum. This grease-like substance encourages the growth of bacteria responsible for acne.

Our natural diet is fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. When you cook many of the foods that have become the staple diet of people today (bread, pasta etc.), they become similar in chemical structure as sugar and cause the following reaction in the body:

Refined carbs/sugar = more insulin = more hormones = more sebum (oil) = more bacteria = more acne.

Fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds in their natural state provide the body with all the nutrients and enzymes required for digestion and absorbsion. In cooked food many of the vitamins and minerals have been destroyed and virtually all of the enzymes, this means the body has to work even harder to digest and absorb what nutrition is left. Increasing temperature causes exponential increase in the rate of chemical reactions. When food is heated, the rate of reactions of degradation and oxidation of nutrients increases dramatically. As a result, we consume fewer nutrients and more acne aggravating free radicals.

Free radicals are what people commonly refer to as 'toxins'. In a person with acne, often the digestive system is sluggish — from poor diet and/or antibiotics. This means it doesn't work efficiently to get rid of toxins and absorb nutrients from food, and these toxins are expelled via the skin (acne).

Nutritionists are always telling us of the value of antioxidants — they mop up free radicals. This is basically what a detox diet does, it's full of antioxidant food to get rid of the toxins. If you put the right fuel in, you can expect dramatic results. A diet rich in antioxidant food will help reduce acne.

Skin Sinners

Cut down on the following foods	Alternatives / better options
Red meat (beef and pork)	Organic chicken, organic fish, veggie mince,
Dairy products (milk, cheese, yoghurt, cream etc.)	Goat's milk/cheese, sheep's milk/cheese, soya milk/yoghurt/cream
Smoked fish, meat or cheeses	Marinated tofu/plain tofu
Processed foods (ready meals, tinned meals etc.	Tinned fruit/vegetables in water or own juice (not brine or syrup). But much better would be simply to eat fresh fruit and vegetables.
Wheat and wheat products	Wheat/gluten free bread/pasta; oats and other grains (buckwheat, quinoa etc.)
Refined flour (white bread, white pasta etc.)	Wheat/gluten free bread/pasta; rye bread
Refined sugar (sweets, white sugar etc.)	Local raw honey, maple syrup, agave nectar
White rice	Brown rice, chick peas, lentils
High fat foods (deep fried, takeaways etc.)	Stir fry with minimal oil, steam, raw food
Yeasty foods (yeast, mushrooms, beer/lager, yeast extract)	-
Spicy food	Fresh ginger, mild chilli's
Burned or char-grilled food	-
Salt	Tamari (soy sauce without yeast)
Additives & preservatives	-
Caffeine	Herbal teas
Alcohol	Organic wine, clear alcohol (vodka, gin etc.) and wines with fewer preservatives
Chocolate (refined sugar and milk)	70% cocoa solids and cocoa fat chocolate, raw cacao and cacao powder

Vitamins, minerals and acne

For good skin health, you need plenty of antioxidants (vitamin A (mainly from beta-carotene), vitamins C and E and selenium), B vitamins, vitamin D, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, chloride, magnesium, zinc, iron and sodium. A diet high in beta-carotene and zinc can be especially beneficial to acne. Men with acne can also benefit from extra selenium. Having plenty of the right minerals and vitamins will also help your skin by speeding up the healing process and spots and scarring will fade more quickly.

 Try not to apply make up if your face is sweating.

Always remove your make up with a cleanser at the end of the day.

Keep all your make up brushes and sponges clean.

Wash them in mild shampoo once a month and let dry completely before using.

Drink at least 2 litres of still mineral water daily. Drinking plenty of water helps reduce acne by flushing toxins out of your system and keeping your kidneys, liver and bowel functioning effectively. A sluggish digestive system is often linked to acne. Drinking plenty of water and eating lots of fibre in the form of fruit and vegetables will keep your insides healthy. Water will also help keep your skin supple and hydrated. Dehydrated skin can become dry and flaky, the skin's natural exfoliation slows down and pores become blocked which in turn can cause spots