This article reviews past and more recent data regarding the link between diet and acne, commenting on areas where new investigations many help to elucidate the true contribution of diet to the pathogenesis of acne. Expert Review of Dermatology (Source: Medscape Dermatology Headlines)

 

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Background

Acne vulgaris afflicts more than fifty million people in the United State and the severity of this disorder is associated with the immune response to Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes). Systemic therapies for acne target P. acnes using antibiotics, or target the follicle with retinoids such as isotretinoin. The latter systemic treatment is highly effective but also carries a risk of side effects including immune imbalance, hyperlipidemia, and teratogenicity. Despite substantial research into potential new therapies for this common disease, vaccines against acne vulgaris are not yet available.
Methods and Findings

Here we create an acne vaccine targeting a cell wall-anchored sialidase of P. acnes. The importance of sialidase to disease pathogenesis is shown by treatment of a human sebocyte cell line with recombinant sialidase that increased susceptibility to P. acnes cytotoxicity and adhesion. Mice immunized with sialidase elicit a detectable antibody; the anti-sialidase serum effectively neutralized the cytotoxicity of P. acnes in vitro and P. acnes-induced interleukin-8 (IL-8) production in human sebocytes. Furthermore, the sialidase-immunized mice provided protective immunity against P. acnes in vivo as this treatment blocked an increase in ear thickness and release of pro-inflammatory macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP-2) cytokine.
Conclusions

Results indicated that acne vaccines open novel therapeutic avenues for acne vulgaris and other P. acnes-associated diseases.

Acne is a skin condition that occurs due to the overproduction of oil by the oil glands of the skin. The skin has thousands of tiny hair follicles. Each has a sebaceous gland that produces an oily substance, oil. The oil that lubricates the skin is normally trapped in oil pipelines blocked and results in what we know as pimples, black and white dots on the surface of the skin. Sometimes it also includes deep lesions of the skin which are called cysts.

Skin pimples are small blisters that contain sometimes pus.

Blackheads formations are dark on the skin due to an accumulation of oil and mixture of cells blocked in a pore of skin.

Whiteheads are small chair or white bumps pores due to a blockage.

Cysts bags are closed under the skin or deeper that contain fluid or semi substances.

Areas of the skin that are most prone to acne are the areas that contain the highest number of sebaceous glands. For example, it is estimated that 2000 sebaceous glands per square inch on the forehead. The face, chest, shoulders and back are the areas where the highest population of the sebaceous glands.

Acne usually occurs in people between their teens and 20s. However, it is not limited to that age. The elderly and children may also have acne.

Facts about acne

• In most people, acne is expected to last approximately three to four years and in 15% of cases, acne may continue for eight to twelve years.
• In a smaller percentage (5%), acne will last beyond the age of 25 and may continue until the age of 40.
• For women in particular, acne may not occur until the age of 25.
• In 70% of cases, women will notice an outbreak of acne on the precondition of their monthly menstrual cycle of discharge or blood of menstruation in women, perhaps due to a increased androgen steroid hormones responsible for the development and maintenance of male physical characteristics. Androgens are a natural fat-soluble steroid organic compounds present in the bile acids, many hormones, certain natural medicines, and the precursors of some vitamins, hormones responsible for the development and maintenance of the physical characteristics of men.
• The most serious cases of acne tends to occur more often in men, because they produce more male hormones that stimulate the formation of acne .
• Women with a lot of body or facial hair, and those who have irregular periods may be at increased risk of acne. These women may want to keep their hormone levels evaluated by a physician.

What are the causes of acne?

The overproduction of sebum - with the dead skin cells - hair follicles blocks. The characteristic black spots, or black heads, appearance is due to the presence of pigments in the skin, not dirt.

Whiteheads are more common and are likely to become inflamed because the grease and bacteria that collects can not escape.

If the hair follicle ruptures blocked, inflamation occurs. This can lead to the formation of nodules and cysts, which leave scars as they disappear.

There is no scientific basis to the idea that diet or food (eg, chocolate, fatty foods or fried) worsen acne, but some people identify foods that they believe make their acne worse.

Triggers for common acne include:

• Examinations, new relationships and other forms of stress.
• The time just before a period begins
• Pregnancy
• Some cosmetics and medicines

What are the symptoms of acne?

The main symptoms are spots ranging from small to big pain white dots, red with anger cysts filled with oil and pus. Can leave scars discoloured pitting of the skin.

Acne appears most often on the face, but they can also appear on the neck, behind the ears, on the chest and groin. Usually it is a mild condition, but for 15 percent of people it is serious.

Who gets acne?

Acne affects mostly young adults, but can also be a problem for the elderly. It usually begins at puberty, between the ages of 12 and 14 when the increased levels of the male sex hormone androgen type (these girls as well as boys) stimulate the glands sebaceous to increase the production of sebum.

More than 90 percent of adolescents have acne.

Women are usually affected at a younger age, the peak gravity being between 17 and 18 years, while men peak between 19 and 20 years. Men tend to be most affected because they produce more testosterone.

What is the treatment of acne?

The goal of treatment is to prevent skin scarring and psychological distress, and to shorten the time someone has to put up with acne . The treatment used depends on the severity of acne.

Health of the skin needs a good intake of vitamins A, C and E, zinc and at least eight glasses of water a day (we should all do so whether or not we have acne).

If someone has only a few acne spots from time to time, or a face wash medicated lotion that removes excess fat and cleans the skin is all that is needed. Gels, creams and lotions containing benzoyl peroxide are also useful because antibacterials and skin peeling actions help reduce inflammation and unblock pores.

Many complementary therapies that claim to treat acne work for some people but not others. Some of the most reliable are facemask acid gel colloidal silica (which should be used twice a day to remove excess fat and dead skin cells) and oil, tea tree-gel, which has antiseptic and antibacterial effects.

Avoid compressing spots, which could push an infection inflammatory chemicals and deeper in the skin, making cysts and permanent scars most likely.

When stains are resistant to many and simple measures, antibiotic treatment to reduce the number of bacteria and inflammation is used. It can take up to eight weeks for any significant improvement, and that treatment is usually needed for at least six months.

Some people with severe acne scars require powerful drugs provided by hospital skin specialists to control acne, and the laser to reduce scarring.

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