24 Jun Inflammatory Acne
Acne is one of the most common chronic skin disorders in Western world. Since it is a particularly visible disorder, acne impacts both physical and emotional well-being, forcing an affected individual to seek medical care. Unfortunately, it is one of the hardest conditions to treat, often proving to be resistant to multiple medications, and almost always relapsing. Treatments for acne range from topical antibiotics or steroid creams, to topical and systemic vitamin A derivatives, to surgical laser techniques. Despite multiple treatment options, acne remains virtually incurable, with the majority of treatments working only for a certain period of time. And even though many health experts now start to recognize such an entity as “inflammatory acne,” the field of dermatology, as a whole, is resistant to considering dietary factors as aggravating and/or promoting skin inflammation.
As a naturopathic doctor, I view skin not simply as a separately functioning organ, but as an organ which reflects internal processes and health of the entire system. There is a strong connection between digestive health and skin. Therefore, the popular statement “You are what you eat” is particularly true for skin; your skin shows what you eat. Consequently, if there is an inflammation in the digestive tract, it is highly likely to manifest as inflammation of the skin.