Acne is a common skin condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It primarily appears on the face, but can also appear on the back, shoulders, and chest. Acne can range from a mild annoyance to a more serious condition, impacting the quality of life of those who suffer from it.
In most cases, acne arises from the accumulation of various psychological and physical conditions: like a jar that gradually fills until it explodes on the face. If you want to fight acne, you have to start by emptying the jar.
Let's get this straight: acne has NOTHING to do with poor hygiene . Anyone who's never had a pimple in their life deserves no credit and cannot and should not lecture acne sufferers.
If you want to find out which skincare routine is right for your imperfections, take our quiz and buy the Night Cream with the right formulation for you.
1. Genetic predisposition
Genetic predisposition is a significant factor. If your parents suffered from acne, you're more likely to suffer from it yourself. Genetics can influence sebum production and the body's inflammatory response.
Every body speaks a different language; some express discomfort with headaches, others with rashes. Acne is almost always caused by genetics : just as you learned to speak from your parents' language, your body learned to express itself from theirs.
► Unfortunately, this is a factor that cannot be eliminated. If you are genetically predisposed to acne, your skin will continue to use this alarm bell to tell you that something is wrong with your body. Step one to healing acne is therefore learning to accept it, to listen to it, and to love your skin . What is it trying to tell us? What is wrong with us? It seems paradoxical, but after 17 years of battling acne, I've learned to be grateful. Thank you, body, for choosing one of the least debilitating ways to make yourself heard. Thank you, acne, for forcing me to deal with what's inside me and not allowing me to pretend that everything is fine during times of stress or when I take shortcuts to avoid facing my demons.
2. Wrong skincare
Right after genetic predisposition, one of the main causes of acne is poor skincare . Most cosmetics (creams and makeup) on the market are NOT suitable for acne-prone skin. The creams you're most likely drawn to, the ones with the coolest scents and packaging advertised by your favorite influencer and that have given your friends peachy skin, are usually the wrong ones for you. The substances used by major brands to instantly hydrate skin, give it a firm texture, and even tone are precisely the ones that inflame your hypersensitive skin in the long run.
This is especially true for late-onset acne. Women between the ages of 25 and 35 who have worn makeup every day since they were 15 and have always had acne-prone skin have used an average of seven cosmetic products a day for over 10 years: cleanser, foundation, powder and/or bronzer, perhaps a setting spray and/or primer, makeup remover, moisturizers, and acne creams. Unless each of these products has been specifically recommended for your type of acne by a reputable dermatologist or skincare expert , it's very likely that the accumulation of their ingredients (silicones, preservatives, petrolatum, SLS and SLES, etc.) has not only failed to help your skin, but has actually made it worse over time.
► The first step to learning to listen to and love your skin is to change your skincare routine . Take our quiz to find out which products are right for your acne and stop listening to unsolicited advice from non-experts.
3. Hormonal imbalances
Hormones play a crucial role in the development of acne. During puberty, the body increases the production of androgen hormones, which stimulate the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum. This excess sebum can clog pores, leading to acne.
Hormonal imbalances most often play a fundamental role in the appearance of acne. It is no coincidence that 65% of people affected by acne in Italy are adolescents [1] and that "pimples" are often related to the menstrual period for women.
The main hormones linked to acne are androgens (such as testosterone), estrogens (such as estradiol), progesterone, and cortisol (which is strongly linked to stress).
In this regard, it is important to note what other alarm bells our body is activating besides acne.
If you're a woman, have you noticed unusual hair growing on your face, chest, and inner thighs? Is your period highly irregular? Has your diet remained the same, but you're feeling more bloated, especially around your abdomen? These could be symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is often associated with acne.
► If after 3 to 6 months of using your new skincare regimen, you're not seeing satisfactory results on your acne, it's a great idea to schedule a consultation with an endocrinologist, a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders affecting the endocrine system. Typically, at this point in your acne treatment journey, a doctor will order blood tests to determine if you have thyroid disorders, blood sugar imbalances, adrenal disease, polycystic ovary syndrome, or reproductive system disorders.
4. Digestive and intestinal disorders
Acne can also be the result of a cry for help from the intestines and stomach. An overgrowth of intestinal bacteria, low stomach acid, intestinal inflammation, and an unhealthy diet can be directly linked to acne.
► If acne is accompanied by constipation, diarrhea, and persistent stomach pain, you should consider a connection with the gastrointestinal tract and its associated organs. This is where a gastroenterologist comes in, specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of digestive and liver diseases.
5. Trauma and stress
Since acne is our body's cry for help, it shouldn't surprise us that our psychological condition also translates into papules and pustules.
Try to remember when you first noticed pimples. Mine, not surprisingly, appeared right after my parents' divorce.
Trauma and periods of high stress flow into that vase that often overflows in our face and mix with all the other factors I talk about in this article. It is important to underline that if you have not worked on accepting your acne, a terrible vicious circle is established, whereby negative emotions and acne self-generate each other in an endless battle that makes those who suffer from acne twice as likely as others to encounter psychological disorders [2] .
► If you notice a correlation between your breakouts and bad times or actual trauma, dig deep. Open Pandora's box, get to the root, understand where your discomfort comes from , and try to soothe your original wound. Driven by the desire to cure my acne, I decided to begin therapy with a psychologist without whom I would never have had the strength to lay the foundation for a healthy and peaceful future. Once again, thank you, acne, for helping me love myself and improve.
Prevention and Treatments
Prevention Tips
- Regular cleansing of the skin with gentle products.
- Avoid touching your face frequently.
- Use non-comedogenic cosmetics , which do not clog pores.
- Stress management through relaxation techniques and physical activity.
Medical Treatments and Cosmetic Products
- Topical treatments such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, or niacinamide.
- Oral treatments to balance hormones.
- Dermatological procedures such as peels or hyaluronic and lipoic acid injections.
Conclusion
If you've made it this far, you should have realized that it's impossible to treat acne without a holistic approach.
Taking care of your skin means taking care of your body and mind as a whole.
Despite the negative impact acne still has on my daily life and my confidence (or rather, INsecurity), I can't believe that if I hadn't had this uncomfortable wake-up call, I would never have undertaken the difficult work I'm doing on myself. Would I be different without acne? Definitely. Would my life have been easier? Absolutely. Would I have been a better version of myself? No, I probably would have settled for living on the surface of a comfortable and detached relationship with myself, which wouldn't have allowed me to question myself and understand what I and my body really need.
If you want to find out which skincare routine is right for your imperfections, take our quiz and buy the Night Cream with the right formulation for you.
[1] https://health4you.it/acne-in-numbers/
[2] http://edition.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/09/16/health.acne.suicidal.thinking/index.html
