Natural treatment for Acne | Accredited Naturopath | Brisbane
Before you launch down the rabbit hole of the various natural treatments, supplements, diets and skin care for acne, it is important to first learn how the skin works. Understanding skin science and how your skin works to protect and rejuvenate itself will help you properly care for it.
The anatomy of the skin
Musarrat Ansary, T., Kamiya, K., & Ohtsuki, M. (2022). Keratinocyte Stem Cells: Role in Aging. IntechOpen. doi: 10.5772/intechopen.102805
The image above is the epidermis of the skin, which is the most superficial layer. It is made up of five layers, starting from the deepest layer:
Basal layer
The deepest layer of the epidermis.
This layer is made up of stem cells, which replicate to give fresh new healthy cells called keratinocytes, as well as melanocytes, which inject pigment into the skin for UV protection.
Keratinocytes = cell made of keratin
Melanocytes = cells the produce melanin/melanosomes
Your stem cells use their DNA to tell them how to create new healthy cells. This means the health of your stem cells DNA will affect the ability to make healthy cells. What affects DNA?
Nutrient deficiencies
Inflammation and oxidative stress
Genetics
Medications
Stress, trauma
It takes 14 days for new keratinocytes to be made from a stem cell. These new keratinocytes will be pushed upwards, to form the Stratum spinous.
The health of the keratinocytes are extremely important, because as they push upwards to the outer layer, they are responsible for:
pH of the skin, which is important for skin immunity
Protecting the skin against dehydration
Desquamating - AKA our natural ability to exfoliate
Ability to tolerate ‘actives’ found in cosmetics
The health of the melanocytes are important to understand, as unhealthy melanocytes can cause pigmentation issues visible from the top layer. Things that harm the melanocytes are:
UV damage
Essential fatty acid deficiency
Genetics
Spinous layer, or stratum spinosum
Sits on top of the basal layer.
This layer is full of the brand new healthy keratinocytes that the basal layer just created - there is a dense amount, which when healthy, gives the skin a hydrated, juicy, plump, soft look. It also gives the skin its strength, as these cells are held together by a ‘glue’, called desmosomes.
I like to think about these cells as looking like nice, juicy, glossy, plump grapes
They are plump and juicy as keratinocytes look like a full water-balloon - the balloon is made of Essential Fatty Acids, acting as a protective cushion, to the inside of the balloon, which is full of Cytoplasm, which has a consistency of thick water.
This layer also contains Langerhan cells, which are basically security guards of the skin - they are able to surround harmful particles and break them down, so they are not absorbed deeper into the body. They play a large role in Skin Immunity, and if they feel overwhelmed, they can ‘call for back up’ and trigger an inflammatory response. This will look like red, sensitive, tingly and irritated skin.
Granular layer, or stratum granulosum
Sits on top of the stratum spinous.
The plump keratinocytes are still being pushed upwards, and now they begin to compose.
I like to think of this stage as the change from grapes, to sultanas.
The cell membrane dissolves (AKA the ‘grape skin’, or the ‘balloon’ if following from the examples above). This releases the Essential Fatty Acids, which will then release the Cytoplasm, or ‘thick water’.
This means the Essential Fatty Acid and Hydration component of this cell is extremely important.
So now there is water (hydration) and oil (protection) present in the skin…forming the acid mantle in the stratum lucidum.
Stratum lucidum
Exists between each layer of the corneum, and the surface of the skin.
This is a mixture of water and oil, from the decomposed keratinocytes.
What happens when you add oil to a glass of water? The oil sits on top, and acts like a barrier. This is exactly what happens on your skin.
This barrier is extremely important for:
Preventing water loss or dehydration.
pH balance, which is essential for protecting against pathogens and harmful bacteria. The pH of the skin should be between 4.5-6.5 (acidic).
Slows the absorption of actives - yes that’s right! It can control how well your body uses the actives in your cosmetic products.
The acid mantle is the foundation to healthy skin and is ESSENTIAL to target when you have any skin concern.
Things that affect the acid mantle:
Keratinocyte health - Essential Fatty Acid component, and hydration component.
Cosmetic products.
Inflammation and oxidative stress.
UV damage.
Excessive active use, or using actives when your acid mantle is weak.
Stratum corneum
This is the most superficial layer - think about what has happened..
Your stem cells in the basal layer created nice plump keratinocytes,
Which formed a nice thick layer in the stratum spinosum,
Which then started to decompose, releasing their healthy oils and water to form a protective barrier on the skin.
We are now left with the skeleton - or the grape skin, or the balloon. This is a fully keratinised cell, which have a name change to corneocyte.
The Stratum Corneum contain enzymes, which chomp away at the skeleton, allowing them to naturally release. Think about the enzymes as being your own inbuilt exfoliation system!
This is the layer where we also COMMUNICATE to our basal cells who are creating new cells. We tell them what the outside world is like - UV issues, humidity issues, dryness… whatever the issue is, your cells are able to tell your basal layer so small changes can be made if required.
Traditionally, we used to think of the corneocytes in this layer as being ‘dead’, but we now know they are alive and play an important role in communication.
If you excessively exfoliate, or use harsh chemicals on your skin to remove ‘dead’ cells, you will be messing with your ability to communicate to create healthy new skin cells.
The time taken for a cell to be created in the Basal Cell Layer to when it is sloughed off in the Stratum Corneum layer is called a skin healing cycle.
In a young, healthy skin it will generally take around 14 days for a Stem Cell to create a new Keratinocyte and another 14 days for this Keratinocyte to be naturally desquamated from the Stratum Corneum.
This means that it is normally a 28 day or 1 month time frame.
As we age, or cells become more and more damaged, cellular action slows. This means we start to see cell turnover happening more slowly.
A general guide for age brackets and the associated skin healing cycle is:
• 20 years old – 1 month
• 30-40 years old – 2 months
• 50+ years old – 3 months
Naturopathic Treatments for Acne
Work on the Acid Mantle as a foundation.
Ensure your products aren’t triggering your Epidermal health.
Consider your inside health
Do you need to address inflammation? If so, where is the inflammation coming from? Diet, gut, hormones, stress…
Are you eating the right types of fats?
Do you have any underlying hormonal imbalances?
Do you need to support your nervous system?
Are you eating the right types of cofactors to support your epidermal health?
Consult with a Naturopath:
Unsure where to start? I offer face to face consultations at my clinic in Stafford, Brisbane. Or I offer online consultations Australia wide via Telehealth and zoom.
Citations:
Musarrat Ansary, T., Kamiya, K., & Ohtsuki, M. (2022). Keratinocyte Stem Cells: Role in Aging. IntechOpen. doi: 10.5772/intechopen.102805