Acne Vulgaris / Pimples
Acne Vulgaris is a type of skin disorder which is usually common in adolescence; however it can happen in any age due to different reasons. It is a chronic disorder involving blockage or inflammation of sebaceous glands (oil secreting glands) and hair follicles which are present in the skin. Acne affects mostly the facial region but can be spotted on chest, shoulders and back, it could be presenting as inflammatory or non-inflammatory lesions, or a mixture of both.
Initiation of acne during puberty is due to hormonal changes happening in the body. During this period the sebaceous glands becomes proactive thus secretion of sebum is increased. When oil (sebum) and dead skin cells, clog in the skin’s pores it can give rise to acne. Or if any micro organisms enters into these pores it could turn infectious which worsens the condition of the pimples causing swelling, redness and pus.
According to modern research skin conditions also have a genetic (hereditary) reason.
Causes of Acne Vulgaris:
- Excessive consumption of fatty and fried food
- Excessive starch intake (breads etc)
- Indigestion with Chronic constipation
- Inadequate water intake
- Irregular meals
- Inadequate sleep
- Stress
- Tobacco abuse/Alcohol /drug abuse etc.
According to Ayurveda:
Acne is mainly caused by lack of sweating or sedentary lifestyle, mingled with improper dietary habits like overeating, consumption of excessive sour, spicy and salty food etc.
A mix and match of the above reasons leads to undigested food lying down in the gastrointestinal system, thus creating toxins over a period of time. This leads to blockages in various organs and systems of the body like liver, kidneys, the digestive and excretory systems.
However with time, if not excreted, these toxins also get pushed in the blood flow and are deposited through blood on different parts of the skin. Because of lack of sweating and sedentary lifestyle involved, these are not flushed out from the skin. Thus creating blockages in the oil glands and hair follicles, leading to pustules/small pimples, pus, redness, multiple eruptions, pain, itching, etc.
If this continues for a long time the eruptions of toxic depositions through blood keep on increasing mainly over the facial skin which is called Acne Vulgaris by the modern science.
Signs and Symptoms of Acne vulgaris:
Outburst of the acne starts with the mild symptoms like
- Seborrhea(increased secretion of sebum)
- Pustules
- Pin head pimples etc.
These symptoms get aggravated later
- Hyper pigmentation over the healed area
- Scar formation due to improper healing etc.
Note: As the healing capacity decreases with the advancement of toxin formation all over the body and also with age, and if this skin disorder is prolonged without proper treatment it becomes chronic, which could then result in the scar formation.
Due to the aggravated symptoms the person may suffer from other psychological symptoms like depression, anxiety, reduced self-esteem, etc.
Ayurveda Body Cure’s treatment plan for Acne Vulgaris:
Your treatment plan will be recommended after your detailed consultation by our Specialist Ayurvedic Consultant. This will include specific herbal remedies, dietary and lifestyle changes, Yoga and other exercises, subtle detoxification along with herbal massage based therapies.
Herbal medication:
A combination of specific herbs is selected according to the individuals’ body constitution, severity of the pimples or Acne, climatic conditions, lifestyle, etc.
Herbs like Shalmali (Bombax malabaricum), Lodhra (Symplocos racemosa), Kushta (Saussurea lappa), Manjishtha (Rubia cordifolia), Haridra (Curcuma longa), Vacha (Acorus calamus), Chandana (Santalum album), Saariva (Hemidesmus indicus) etc.are beneficial in acne.
Local applications such as herbal masks, herbal face washes are also suggested to apply on the affected area.
Detoxification/Panchakarma:
Detoxification is the most important part of your treatment plan. It helps in the elimination of toxins rapidly from the body, thus removing the toxin barrier and enhancing the effect of herbal medications. Detoxification through lower channels (Virechan) or through oral route (Vamana), nasal medications (Nasya), etc will be recommended accordingly after determining the condition of the disorder. These subtle or intensive detoxifications as decided by our Ayurvedic Physician will help you in a much faster and complete relief from your skin issue.
Diet and lifestyle recommendations:
Improper diet and sedentary lifestyle are the main cause for the growth of acne so necessary changes such as healthy cooking habits and general dietary rules are suggested to improve your health and skin, thus gradually nullifying the effect of poor dietary habits.
Click here for Diet plan for Acne
Yoga and exercise recommendations:
Sedentary lifestyle with lack of exercise and excessive mental stress is one the major factors influencing your skin and its ageing.
Yoga postures like Sukhasana (Cross Legged Pose), Anjali Mudra (Salutation Seal), Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend), etc and breathing techniques like Kapalbhati, anulom-vilom will help in relieving mental stress.
Massages/therapies:
Herbal massage based therapies such as Abhyanga (full body massage), Mardana (deep tissue massage), etc. along with some specila Ayurvedic therapies like Shirodhara(third eye theraphy) are also suggested. These massages improve the blood circulation all over the body help in flushing out the toxins in the form of lymphatic drainage and urination. Thus directly acting on the root cause of Acne Vulgaris help in preventing and curing it, along with other skin disorders.
