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Acne
is perhaps the most common chronic skin disease. It is an
inflammatory condition of the sebaceous ( that is fat or
grease) glands and hair follicles usually found on the
face, the neck, chest and shoulders. Nearly eight out of
ten young people between the ages of 12 and 24 suffer
from some degree of acne. It is closely related to the
disturbance in the hormones experienced at puberty.
The majority of patients recover between the ages 20 and
30 years. But it is still common in men over 30 years. In
women, it rarely lasts beyond the early thirties and is
normally worse before each menstrual period. The diseases
causes a great deal of embarrassment at an age when
people tend to be sensitive about personal appearance.
The skin, covering the entire body, is a marvellous and
intricate mechanism. It serves three main purposes ;
namely, protection of the inner organism, regulation of
body temperature and elimination of cell waste and
systemic refuse. The skin is directly connected with and
intimately bound up with the working of the whole system.
All skin diseases, including acne, are the outcome of
malfunctioning of the body as a whole.Symptoms
Acne is
characterized by the presence of comedones or blackheads,
pimples, small superficial sebaceous cysts and scars.
There are over half a dozen forms of acne. All of them
are concerned with sebaceous glands or the glands
connected with hair follicles. The most common form of
acne is blackheads. The areas chiefly affected are the
forehead, temples, cheeks, and chin, the chest and back.
In rare cases, almost the entire body may be covered with
black heads with extensive scarring.
Causes
All forms of
acne have their origin in wrong feeding habits, such as
irregular hours of eating, improper food, excess of
starches and sugar, excess of fatty foods. Chronic
constipation is another major cause of acne. If the
bowels do not move properly, waste matter is not
eliminated as quickly as it should be and the bloodstream
becomes surcharged with toxic matter. The extra efforts
of the skin to eliminate excess waste result in acne and
other forms of skin disease. Yet another important cause
of acne is a devitalised condition of the skin resulting
from unhygienic living habits. Other causes of the
disorder are excessive use of tea, coffee, alcohol or
tobacco, strenuous studies, masturbation and sedentary
habits which lead to indigestion and general debility.
Treatment
The treatment
of acne by the administration of salve or ointment does
not serve any purpose. They only suppress the action of
the sebaceous glands temporarily. In nature cure, the
main emphasis is on diet and certain water applications.
To begin with the patient should resort to all -fruit
diet for about a week. IN this regimen, there should be
three meals a day, consisting of fresh juicy fruits, such
as apples, pears, grapes, grape-fruit, pineapple and
peaches. Citrus fruits, bananas, dried, stewed or tinned
fruits should not be taken. Unsweetened lemon or plain
water, either hot or cold, should be drunk and nothing
else. During this period, warm -water enema should be
taken daily to cleanse the bowels and all other measures
adopted to eradicate constipation.
After a week of all fruit diet, the patient can gradually
adopt a well-balanced diet. Emphasis should be on raw
foods, especially fresh fruits and vegetables, sprouted
seeds, raw nuts and whole grain cereals, especially
millet and brown rice. Further shorter periods on the
all-fruits for three days, or so may be necessary at a
monthly interval till the condition of the skin improves.
Strict attention to diet is essential for recovery.
Starchy, protein and fatty foods, should be restricted.
Meats, sugar, strong tea or coffee, condiments, pickles,
refined and processed foods should all be avoided, as
also soft drinks, candies, ice cream and products made
with sugar and white flour.
Two vitamins, namely, niacin and vitamin A have been used
successfully to treat acne. The vitamin therapy which may
comprise a niacin, 100 mg. three times daily and vitamin
A in large doses upto 1,50,000 units per day should not
exceed one month. Vitamin E is also vitally important to
prevent scarring from acne and in removing old scars.
Another effective remedy in the realm of nutrition that
seems to offer new promise of help for acne is zinc. It
has shown dramatic results in some cases. Zinc should be
taken in therapeutic doses of 50 mg. three times a day.
After noticeable improvement it can be gradually reduced.
Local
Treatment
As regards
local treatment, hot fomentation should be applied to
open up the pores and squeeze the waste matter. Then
rinse with cold water. Sun and air baths by exposing the
whole body to sun and air are highly beneficial. The
healing packs made of grated cucumber, oatmeal cooked in
milk, and cooked, creamed carrots used externally, have
been found to be effective.
The orange peel is valuable in the treatment of acne. The
peel, pounded well with water on a piece of stone, should
be applied to the affected areas. The lemon has also
proved beneficial in removing pimples and acne . It
should be applied regularly.
A teaspoonful of coriander juice, mixed with a pinch of
turmeric powder, is another effective home remedy for
pimples and blackheads. The mixture should be applied to
the face after thoroughly washing it, every night before
retiring.
The juice of raw potatoes has also proved very valuable
in clearing skin blemishes. This cleansing results from
high content of potassium sulphur, phosphorous and
chlorine in the potato. These elements are, however, of
value only when the potato is raw as in this state they
are composed of live organic atoms.
A hot Epsom-salt bath twice a week will be highly
beneficial in all cases of acne. This bath is prepared by
adding one and a half kg. of Epsom -salt to 50 litres of
water having a temperature of about 100 o F.
The patient should remain in the bath from 25 to
35minutes till he perspires freely. After the bath the
patient should cool off gradually.
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