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
