A SPOT OF TROUBLE: Homeopathy Alleviates Acne

Most of us have experienced the distress and embarrassment of pimples at one time or another. But why lose sleep over acne. Opt for homeopathy. It works and works without side-effects.

Acne is a common, disquieting and depressing disorder - the more severe forms of acne can leave permanent scars not just on the skin but on the psyche. They can cause depression, dejection, even suicidal tendencies.

In simple terms, acne (zits or pimples) is the inflammation of the sebaceous glands - those glands in the skin that secrete sebum, an oily substance that lubricates the skin and hair follicles. It appears as an outbreak of hard-pointed, or isolated, elevations of skin with pimpled spots.

Do you have acne?

• Pimples on the face and shoulders, or on the trunk, arms, legs and buttocks
• Crusting of skin bumps
• Cysts
• Papules (small red bumps)
• Pustules
• Redness around the skin eruptions
• Scarring of the skin
• Whiteheads
• Blackheads

If you have two or more of the above signs, you may most likely have acne. Consult your homeopathic doctor promptly.

What are the Causes & Effects of acne?

There are a variety of factors that cause acne - viz., puberty, hormonal imbalance, bad personal hygiene, dietary faults, stress, certain medications, chemical cosmetics and also lifestyle excesses. Acne isn’t an illness, it is a cosmetic anomaly. Yet, it can cause ripple effects. Long-standing acne can lead to both physical and psychological scarring such as low self-esteem, depression, stress and social withdrawal.

What worsens acne?

• Chronic stress
• Steroid use
• Oil-based moisturisers and hair products
• Heavy make-up, which clogs the pores
• Squeezing or picking acne spots
• Oral contraceptive pills
• Certain prescription medications and steroid creams used in
• Atopic dermatitis (eczema)
• Changes in the menstrual cycle
• Hot, humid climate
• Excess exposure to the sun.

Healing with Homeopathy

Acne is truly a dreadful affliction. It affects one’s appearance and undermines one’s self-esteem.

Homeopathy believes that acne is a defence process. It is the body’s internal response to fighting an intruder (e.g. bacteria). Acne, homeopathy also suggests, heals best when it is tackled from beneath the skin, from within the body.

When one’s face, for example, is affected by acne, it suggests that the body has not come to grips with the eruption through its natural healing processes.

There is also more to acne than the eruption. Yet most people succumb to the immediate temptation of applying some powerful conventional over-the-counter (OTC) external application - cream or lotion - on the troubled spot. When we do this, we are only interfering with the body’s healing patterns. In addition, we are pushing the ‘surface problem’ inwards to a deeper level.

Homeopathy offers a safer and surer way to treat acne - the use of natural homeopathic remedies made from substances that actually cause the same symptoms in large doses, but in micro-doses encourage the body’s own systems to get rid of them. Homeopathic remedies treat the internal causes of the external eruption, and uproot it. In other words, homeopathy works from inside out.

Self-Help Tips for Acne

• Do not scratch or pick at the skin. This may lead to (re)infection. Worse still, it will aggravate and spread the acne.
• Do not use chemical-based soaps that dry the skin. Instead use an aqueous herbal soap. After washing, pat, do not rub, the skin dry.
• Cotton clothing is ideal wear
• Eat a balanced diet. Avoid fast and fatty food. Reduce or cut out meat and dairy. These can worsen and increase acne outbreaks.
• Avoid the use of refined carbohydrates - white rice, excess sugar, white flour (maida) . Caffeine, alcohol and tobacco also tend to aggravate acne.
• Exercise regularly; lose weight if you are overweight. Exercise ups the level of endorphins or feel-good chemicals in the body providing a relaxed and confident feeling.
• Ensure healthy bowel movement. A sluggish bowel causes lethargy and discomfort. Include natural fibre like flax- seed with a meal. Drink plenty of water to keep yourself well hydrated through the day.
• Reduce stress through relaxation techniques such as meditation, visualisation, guided imagery, soft music or yoga

Consult and follow-up with your homeopathic doctor on a regular basis and/or when you notice a change in your acne pattern, symptom or intensity including reduction of your acne spots.