There is saying, “Your eye are the window of your soul.” Well, When it comes to our skin, “Your skin could be the window of your body”
Acne :
Acne develops when the pores in the skin become clogged with dead skin cells and oil. The result is whiteheads and blackheads.
Bacteria called Propionibacterium acnes also play a role in the inflammation, which results in the red bumps that characterize acne.
Certain areas of the face may be more prone to acne breakouts for various reasons.
Propionibacterium acne : Causative agent.
Propionibacterium acnes is a bacterium commonly found on the skin, in pores and hair follicles. These bacteria play an important part in acne. Although number of factors causes acne, but the primary agents are bacteria called Propionibacterium acnes. It is a non-spore-forming, anaerobic, gram-positive bacillus. It is of low virulence and therefore can be a commensal in the lipid-rich sebaceous follicles and deep layers of the skin. P. acnes mostly colonises the pilosebaceous follicles in the skin of the upper-body, especially the head, neck, shoulders and axilla. Also this bacteria increases enormously during puberty, together with the number of spots.
What’s Your skin tells about your body ?
skin reflects your inner health. By splitting it into different zones, you can understand what is causing your acne. Outbreaks on your forehead can be caused due to poor digestion and lack of water. A swollen, bulbous nose can be an indication of stress or high blood pressure. Acne on cheeks is an indication of exposure to pollution or contact with germs through mobile phones or soiled pillow covers. Breakouts on lower chin may indicate poor dental hygiene. Acne on the chin and jaw line shows a tendency to hormonal disturbances. Acne on chest & back is linked to the liver and poor metabolism.
Acne Face Mapping :
Acne face mapping is a technique stemming from ancient Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine that claims that breakouts in different areas of your face are triggered by different factors within your body and overall health. For example, if you have acne on your chin, face mapping implies that there is a buildup of toxins in your intestines.
Most maps divide the face into 10 or more different zones to pinpoint what lifestyle and dietary changes you should make to avoid breakouts. Some causes include bad sleeping habits, not getting enough vitamins or fiber, drinking too much caffeine, smoking and more.
While making these lifestyle changes would likely promote better overall health, there’s no science that proves that these will also improve acne on different parts of your face. However, you can still use the different acne zones to identify what the real culprits actually may be.
It might be tempting to use a face map to determine what’s causing pimples on your face, but the reality is that acne treatment is something that a licensed doctor or dermatologist should be providing based on your personal symptoms and experiences. While hormonal blood tests may be used to diagnose PCOS in women, there is not a specific hormone blood test that can identify the cause of the hormonal acne that appears in the related facial mapping zone.
With that said, you can still divide your face into the different map zones and make changes to help manage your breakouts if you seem to be getting pimples in the same spots regularly.
So what actually causes acne?
Thanks to modern science and medicine, we know that acne is caused by a combination of factors, including:
Androgens –
these hormones cause the sebaceous gland to create more sebum, an oily substance that keeps your skin moist. An overproduction of sebum can cause blocked pores that lead to pimples and cystic acne.
Dead skin cells –
clogged pores are what ultimately leads to acne. In addition to sebum, dead skin cells can clog pores and turn into blackheads, whiteheads and pimples.
Bacteria –
bacteria getting trapped in pores that are clogged with sebum or dead skin cells can lead to infection, inflammation and possibly cystic acne breakouts.
Genetics –
if you have a family history of acne, it’s possible that genetics play a role in your breakouts. You might also produce more androgen than normal or a naturally slow skin cell turnover rate, both of which can make you more susceptible to acne.
Certain medications –
some contraceptives, antiepileptics, antidepressants and excessive B vitamin use can cause acne. Anabolic steroids can also lead to acne.
Medical conditions –
PCOS, or polycystic ovary syndrome, is a complex hormonal condition that affects up to 13% of women of reproductive age. One of the side effects of PCOS is adult onset acne in women.
Pregnancy and menstrual cycles –
changes in hormones that occur through pregnancy or with menstrual cycles can cause acne in women of all ages.
Dr.Javeed Kakroo is Microbiologist Certified infection control Auditor Kidney Hospital Srinagar [email protected]