ACNE(PIMPLES) AND HOMOEOPATHY

ACNE(PIMPLES):

- Acne, better known as pimples, is a common skin condition deeply affecting the teens.

- Its emotional impact is severe, ranging from distress to poor self-image and self-esteem.

CAUSE:

- Clogging of pores with dead skin cells and oil (sebum). Acne may be mild to severe in nature.

- Severe acne often leads to formation of scars.

- The primary cause of acne is the rise in level of hormone androgen in the body. Androgen levels rise around the age of adolescence. Androgen activates the sebaceous (oil) glands under the skin and makes them grow bigger and produce excess oil.

- The hair follicles get plugged with this oil and dead skin cells, giving the bacteria a chance to thrive and cause acne. The medical term for acne is acne vulgaris.

- Hormonal activity supposed to be responsible, such as menstrual cycles and puberty.

- Another factor is heredity or genetics. Researchers believe that the tendency to develop acne can be inherited from parents. For example, studies have shown that many school-age boys with acne have a family history of the disorder.

- Stress, dietary factors such as dairy and chocolates, oil-based skin cosmetics, loss of sleep, hormonal changes, irregular menstrual cycles, drugs like cortisone and hormone replacement pills are a few.

- Acne begins around puberty and get worse during adolescence. The 12-25 year age-group is most vulnerable with an 80-90% chance of getting acne. Yet, acne before puberty is not unheard of. Also, there are those who continue to suffer this condition way past their teens and through their adult years. Hormone imbalance is usually the culprit.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY:

- Excessive secretion of oils from the sebaceous glands accompanies the plugging of the pores with naturally occurring dead skin cells (corneocytes) blocking hair follicles.

- The accumulation of these corneocytes in the duct appears to be due to a failure of the normal keratinization process in the skin which usually leads to shedding of skin cells lining the pores.

- Oil secretions are said to build up beneath the blocked pore, providing a perfect environment for the skin bacteria Propionibacterium acnes and the lipophilic (oil/lipid-loving) yeast Malassezia to multiply uncontrollably.

- Under the microscope, however there is no evidence of pooled trapped sebum. Indeed the oil perolates through the plugged duct onto the surface.

- In response to the bacterial and yeast populations, the skin inflames, producing the vision lesion.

- The face, chest, back, shoulders and upper arms are especially affected.

- Dandruff may arise due to excessively dry or excessively oily scalp. When these flakes shed off and fall on the face, they can clog pores and cause pimples. However, such pimples are mostly found in the forehead region.

TYPES:

- The different types of acne are papular acne, pustular acne, cystic acne, nodular acne, comedones, blackheads and whiteheads.

Papular Acne includes small, pink coloured lesions.

Pustular Acne is filled with pus.

Cystic Acne is acne where the infection goes deep into the skin and forms a painful bump filled with pus under the skin.

Nodular Acne is hard, large and painful acne.

Comedones Acne is basically clogged hair follicles. A comedo can turn into a whitehead or a blackhead. Open comedo with its opening on the skin surface is called a blackhead. A closed comedo with its opening beneath the skin surface is a whitehead.

DIFFERENT ACNE: 

Acne Vulgaris

It is most commonly experienced around puberty, typically of the face and shoulders / chest.

Acne Rosacea

A red rash predominantly on the face.

Acne Keloidalis Nuchae (pseudofolliculitis nuchae)

A rash caused by shaving.

Acne Conglobata (Hidradenitis suppurativa)

Chronic abscesses or boils of sweat gland and hair follicle; in the underarms, groin, buttocks and under the breasts in women.

Acne Cosmetica

Acne caused by use of cosmetics.

Acne Fulminans

An extreme form of acne conglobata.

Acne Medicamentosa

Acne cause by starting or stopping medicine.

Baby Acne

A rash seen on the cheeks, chin, and forehead of infants.

Chloracne

Acne caused by exposure to chlorinated hydrocarbons such as dioxins or PCBs.

HOMOEOPATHIC TREATMENT:

- Homeopathy offers very safe and natural treatment for acne. Homeopathic medicines for acne work internally, in a very gentle and effective way, without any harsh external applications.

- Rather than suppress acne, Homeopathic medicines treat the condition at the root.

- These medicines, which are safe from any adverse side effects, are prescribed after a thorough in-depth analysis of symptoms.

Homeopathic Medicines for Acne

Psorinum

- Top grade Homeopathic medicine for acne of nearly all types.

- Psorinum is one of the best rated Homeopathic medicines for acne. It is indicated for acne of all types – acne simplex, acne pustular and acne indurata. 

- It is equally effective for acne in oily skin where the overactive sebaceous glands secrete excess sebum leaving the skin constantly greasy. Here Psorinum helps decrease oil secretion and treat acne.

- In case of acne that worsens from eating sweets, chocolates, meat and fatty food, Psorinum is the medicine to prescribe.

- It also treats intolerably itchy acne and that which worsens during the winter.

Asterias Rubens

- Pimples on the face at the age of puberty. A remedy for the sycotic diathesis; flabby, lymphatic constitution, flabby with red face.

- Nervous disturbances.

- Pimples on side of nose chin and mouth.

Hepar Sulph

- Effective Homeopathic Remedies for acne that are pustular in nature.

- Pustular acne refers to acne size of pea that contains pus.

- The pus may sometimes be stained with blood. Where pus or blood stained pus oozes out of pimples, Hepar Sulph will be effective.

- The pimples may be extremely painful here.

Easily bleed. Unhealthy skin; every little injury suppurates.

Cannot bear to be uncovered; wants to be wrapped up warmly.

- Sticking or pricking in afflicted parts. Great sensitiveness to slightest touch.

- Suits especially scrofulous and lymphatic constitutions that are inclined to have eruptions and glandular swellings.

- Great sensitiveness to all impressions.

- The lesions spread by the formation of small papules around the side of the old lesion.

- Chilliness, hypersensitiveness, splinter-like pains, craving for sour and strong things are very characteristic.

- Acne in youth is also best treated with Hepar Sulph.

Kali Bromatum

- Wonderful Homeopathic medicine for acne on face, chest and shoulders.

- Homeopathic medicine Kali Bromatum works wonders in treating acne located on the face, chest and shoulders.

Marked itching may attend the acne. The acne may be simplex, pustular or indurated.

- Kali Bromatum is also prescribed where acne leaves ugly scars. Bluish-red pimples are a sure shot sign that Kali Bromatum will work.

- We frequently find acne in Epileptics who have been maltreated by bromides. This remedy is especially adapted to the acne simplex and the acne indurata, especially in hyperaesthetic, nervous females.

- Face flushed. Acne of face, pustules.

- General failure of mental power, loss of memory, melancholia, anesthesia of the mucous membranes.

- Suicidal mania with tremulousness.

Belladonna

- Acne rosacea. Alternate redness and paleness of the skin.

- Skin dry, hot and swollen, pustules on face.

- Face is red, bluish-red, hot, swollen, and shining.

- Patient is restless and talks fast.

- Acuteness of all senses.

Antimonium Crudum and Natrum Mur 

- Antimonium Crudum and Natrum Mur are the most suitable Homeopathic medicines for acne on cheeks. 

- In case of heat in the cheeks along with acne, Antimonium Crudum aids fast recovery. The acne may be papular or pustular. Yellow scabs may cover the acne. Burning sensation is another complaint.

- Face with sad expression Fat, fretful, cross and peevish; cries if looked at, touched or washed.

- Homeopathic medicine Natrum Mur will show best results in itchy acne on oily cheeks. Prickling pain in the acne is complained of. Natrum Mur is also prescribed for acne in girls who are anaemic.

Sulphur

- Useful Homeopathic medicine for itchy acne.

- Sulphur is a very useful Homeopathic medicine for acne that is extremely itchy.

- Chronic acne.

- Sulphur is advised for people with dirty, unhealthy looking skin covered in acne that itch a lot. Scratching worsens the itching.

- Face is Pale, sickly color.

- Heat and spotted redness of face.

- Black pores. Itching intensely in evening and from warmth. The itching gets aggravated during the night. Warmth, too, worsens the itching.

- The skin is rough and hard and the acne is associated with comedones and constipation; great aggravation from water is the characteristic leading to Sulphur in skin affections.

- Burning sensation may also be observed.

- Sulphur is also a good choice of Homeopathic medicine for acne that has been treated with external applications or ointments in the past.

Silicea 

- Top rated Homeopathic medicine for acne on forehead

For acne on forehead, Silicea heals best and fast. It works even better for pustular acne.

- Itching may attend the acne. 

- Excessive sweat may be noticed along with acne on the face, especially the forehead.

- Silicea is also a wonderful Homeopathic medicine for cystic acne.

Carbo Veg

- Varicose vein and acne over nose and cheeks. Acne due to gastric derangement

Berberis Aquifolium

- Prominent Homeopathic medicine to erase acne scars

- Berberis Aquifolium is one of the majorly indicated Homeopathic medicines for acne that result in formation of scars.

- This medicine helps clear off acne scars wonderfully well.

Arsenicum Iodatum

- Acne hard, shotty, indurated base with pustule at apex.

It will be indicated by a profound prostration, rapid, irritable pulse and severe cases of acne vulgaris.

- Great emaciation.

- Skin is Dry, scaly, itching.

- Debilitating night-sweats.

Dulcamara

Acne rosacea and rash over face before menses.

Bovista Lycoperdon

- Homeopathic remedy for acne made worse with make-up.

- Bovista Lycoperdon is the most significant Homeopathic medicine that offers help in treating acne that arise or worsen with use of cosmetic products.

- This acne is mainly papular.

- Pale swelling of cheeks.

- Skin itching, especially when getting warm, better not scratching.

- Sadness, with restlessness. Easily offended: takes everything in bad part.

- Swelling of cheeks may be noted along with the acne.

Nux Vomica

- Nux Vomica is a very effective Homeopathic medicine for acne when it is attended with gastric complaints.

- The gastric complaint is mainly due to chronic constipation or indigestion.

- The acne may be itchy and accompanied by a burning sensation.

Pulsatilla Nigricans

- Pulsatilla Nigricans is a very well indicated Homeopathic medicine for acne in women, especially when attended with menstrual irregularities of any kind.

- Acne occurring in young girls at puberty is another characteristic indication for prescription of Homeopathic medicine Pulsatilla Nigricans.

- Acne worsened with consumption of fatty foods will also heal effectively with Pulsatilla Nigricans.

Causticum

- Acne rosacea.

- Acne in groups, aggravated by heat.

- Acne especially on nose

- Adapted to persons with dark hair and rigid fibre; weakly, psoric, with excessively yellow, sallow complexion; Ailments from suppressed eruptions.

- Burning pimple with itching.

Chelidonium Majus

- Painful red pimples and pustules; especially on nose and cheeks.

- Wilted skin.

- Dry heat of skin with itching.

- Painful red pimples and pustules.

- Face red, without heat.

- Itching over entire face and forehead.

- Depression and sadness, even to weeping.

- Restlessness and solicitude concerning the present and future.

Graphites

- Pimples and acne; itching.

- Skin is Rough, hard, persistent dryness of portions of skin.

- Unhealthy skin; every little injury suppurates.

- Patients who are rather stout, of fair complexion, with tendency to skin affections and constipation, fat, chilly, and costive, with delayed menstrual history, take cold easily.

- Has a particular tendency to develop the skin phase of internal disorders.

- Anemia with redness of face.

- Tendency to obesity.

- Timid. Unable to decide.

Calcarea phosphoricum

- Acne in anaemic girls at puberty, with vertex headache and flatulent dyspepsia, relieved by eating.

- Skin is dark – brown, yellowish.

- Red, with prickling like nettles after a bath.

Ledum Palustre

- Angry mood.

- Love for solitude.

- Great seriousness.

- Face, Alternatively pale and red.

- Dry pimples like millet seed on forehead.

- Red nodules Boils on forehead.

- Skin Dry, want of natural perspiration.

Case of My Online Charitable Clinic:

                A woman, 30 years old, consults for repeated boils and intensive pustulous acne in the face, having been submitted to several treatments without any positive result.

Her picture presents: flushes of heat, very sensitive to heat in general, clothes, weather, sun, very disturbed by chest or back, wish for iced drinks, sensitive to knocks and great itching on the scalp.

She did not show any mental symptoms.

At first glance one would think of Phosphorus case, but as in all cases when there are no explicit mental symptoms we must investigate the patient's way of living, the conduct and the family history.

Her mother has died when she was only ten years old as the result of a fibroid operation and on that occasion a syphilis was discovered in the mother's blood which induced the physicians to give the girl specific treatment with arsenic and bismuth during eight years.

After the mother's death she went to live with an aunt for whom she developed a great love. After four years the aunt married and now has two children of her own.

Our patient changed in her character, becoming aggressive, sullen and bad tempered, and immediately boils began to appear all over her body and simultaneously she developed an aversion, very pronounced towards her cousins, whom she cannot tolerate, making family life quite impossible.

No doubt jealousy is the determinative symptom in the picture of this patient integrated by: jealousy worsened by clothes, worse from heat, flushes of heat, desires iced drinks, ecchymosis.

Phosphorus was excluded from the diagnosis in this case determined by uncontrolled jealousy, Lachesis was her remedy although she has an intensive desire for cold drinks, this being a less important symptom as her personality was very well-defined.

Patient is cured within 1month of lachesis.

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Dr. Mayur Modi

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