Hey all,
This article was an interesting read but I dunno how much of it is true.
http://www.acneeinstein.com/dont-know-how-to-get-over-acne-let-me-help/
It highlights that taking topical antioxidants is good for reducing inflammation. My question is what are some good brands out there and is the article on the right track?
I don't buy it. I believe you would have better results with a diet that promotes healing and decreases inflammation and inflammatory response. Topical solutions imo are either produced with such insufficient concentrations that it would take the whole bottle to make a difference; this reminds me of advertisers who promote biotanical solutions because they contain extracts... in such low quantities it takes a lot to see any difference. And again so argue that the molecules are too big to enter the skin or ineffective at the current pH. Stuff that is often overlooked.
In this article i see they mention squalene. I know its used as a moisturizer however, i know there is a debate about it regarding the source. One source comes from a shark and the other idk. I seen this on essential day spa. They discussed how one source is better than the other.So might as well just buy natural vitamin e oil. But ive seen this be thrown out because it can actually make worse inflammation.
If your looking for a moisturizer that is light and promotes healing use something with hyaluronic acid
I don't buy it. I believe you would have better results with a diet that promotes healing and decreases inflammation and inflammatory response. Topical solutions imo are either produced with such insufficient concentrations that it would take the whole bottle to make a difference; this reminds me of advertisers who promote biotanical solutions because they contain extracts... in such low quantities it takes a lot to see any difference. And again so argue that the molecules are too big to enter the skin or ineffective at the current pH. Stuff that is often overlooked.
In this article i see they mention squalene. I know its used as a moisturizer however, i know there is a debate about it regarding the source. One source comes from a shark and the other idk. I seen this on essential day spa. They discussed how one source is better than the other.So might as well just buy natural vitamin e oil. But ive seen this be thrown out because it can actually make worse inflammation.
If your looking for a moisturizer that is light and promotes healing use something with hyaluronic acid
Some of your submitted articles do not link to actual pages. Even then I am subject to my own beliefs and I stand to say that diet in my opinion and what i have seen has a greater effect than topical solutions. However, combine show better results. In my own experimentation vitamin c caused acne and blackheads. Probably because of the solution. Anything in a lotion form is heavy and thick on my skin. I have yet to find anything that works for its purpose without causing a problem. I can also say compared to chemical whiteners, and exfoliation, vitamin C topically did nothing.Which reminds me of information i read once again on essential day spa that debated the effective types of vitamin c for their purpose. I had the link at one time. Basically ascorbic acid is preferred if i remember correctly.
I take b3 by mouth and have found better results systemically for acne and for cholesterol health and sleep to name a few. At one time i did use topically b3 with extremely dissatisfaction. Every time it caused facial irritation and burns even when diluted. I'm sensitive to some products more than others.
But thats my belief. What works for you may not work for others. That is why this type of alternative therapies are not mainstream like established products such as BP and retin a and antibiotics.
None the less is still appreciate the research as long as its used for just that and doesn't sway people into buying a product or service.
Acne is an immunological disease. It's not just oxidation of lipids. A couple minor points: the rabbit ear is a woefully inadequate model for human acne due to the prevalence of false positive results (and differing circumstances, like lack of bacterial colonization).
See: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17687685
Also, squalene and other lipids are oxidized in everyone's skin whenever they go into the sun, and if anything, sun has been shown to help acne, probably because oxidized squalene increases inflammation which results in faster lesion healing (not necessarily reduced lesion occurrence). Older people also have plenty of oxidized squalene, probably more than younger people, and yet they have less acne. No causation has been shown here.
On the other hand, there is certainly truth behind the idea that acne is an inflammatory disorder, which is why pretty much every single acne medicine has an anti-inflammatory effect. And antioxidants can be anti-inflammatory either directly or indirectly, thus exerting similar effects. But it's important to realize here that these antioxidants would not be addressing the cause of the problem, as most acne medications fail to do. The cause of the problem is a fundamentally dysregulated immune system; the body reacts to a commensal organism or food antigen in a way that it shouldn't. And this is very hard to fix.
Acne is an immunological disease. It's not just oxidation of lipids. A couple minor points: the rabbit ear is a woefully inadequate model for human acne due to the prevalence of false positive results (and differing circumstances, like lack of bacterial colonization).
See: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17687685
Also, squalene and other lipids are oxidized in everyone's skin whenever they go into the sun, and if anything, sun has been shown to help acne, probably because oxidized squalene increases inflammation which results in faster lesion healing (not necessarily reduced lesion occurrence). Older people also have plenty of oxidized squalene, probably more than younger people, and yet they have less acne. No causation has been shown here.
On the other hand, there is certainly truth behind the idea that acne is an inflammatory disorder, which is why pretty much every single acne medicine has an anti-inflammatory effect. And antioxidants can be anti-inflammatory either directly or indirectly, thus exerting similar effects. But it's important to realize here that these antioxidants would not be addressing the cause of the problem, as most acne medications fail to do. The cause of the problem is a fundamentally dysregulated immune system; the body reacts to a commensal organism or food antigen in a way that it shouldn't. And this is very hard to fix.