Q. Hi D! What exactly is the cause and how do you deal with middle-age acne, the type which strikes women (maybe even men) in their late 30ies early 40ies? Can detoxification help here, and if so, how do you detox? I would really appreciate a practical, natural and effective skin regimen to keep my face clear of zits in this stage of my life. After all, forties is a sexy place to be and I don’t want unannounced skin eruptions to spoil the party.
– Joyeeta, Editor of Masala.
A. Thanks for writing Joy. Acne is a pain at any age. Tell me about it, I have been dealing with it ever since my hormones took a toss in the teens. Things looked good before,during and after pregnancy (ah, that maternal glow! Makes you realize the role of hormones behind a clear skin), and then, those raging hormones struck again, but with lesser passion than in adolescence. Over the past few years, I have had personal success in keeping skin eruptions in control by following a natural diet and skin regimen, and I would be more than happy to share.
First, let’s cover the possible causes of acne. 90% of the time, acne is activated by a shift in hormone levels and blood biochemistry. Stress, fatigue, tension, worries and overwork directly impact our endocrine system, which is responsible for hormone secretions in the body. Faulty diet and lifestyle on a daily basis can alter our blood biochemistry in terms of its pH value. When the pH of our blood inclines too much towards the acid side, the liver (amongst other organs) cry out in distress. Corrective action is orchestrated by the body to pull out more alkaline minerals from the blood, tissues and bones to restore the pH status of our blood. Eliminating excess toxic build-up in the blood is of dire importance. This in turn affects all organs and tissues, especially organs of elimination such as the large intestine, bladder and yes, the skin, which is the largest organ in the body aiding in eliminatory functions through sweat and nasty eruptions – zits, pimples, rashes, boils.
Objectively, you should be thankful to your skin for not keeping the toxins locked up inside, only to be transferred to your muscles and joints which in turn could lead to a dreaded chronic disease. The skin is actually keeping you healthy within. But one look at a pimple with its shiny white head jutting out of your face makes you fret and curse the Almighty, and it does make us wonder – why the face of all places? The skin is all over the body, so why not detox with a zit on the butt to begin with!
Upon research, I uncovered that the skin on the face is slightly different from that on other parts of the body. In order to give our facial skin and muscles that extra finesse so it can stretch around the unique contours of the face, the facial skin with its epidermis and six dermal layers is a combination of collagen, elastin, sweat and sebateous (read oil) glands, along with fine layers of adipose (fat) tissue. Although each of us basically have the same skin structure internally, the percent of elastin, collagen and sizes of sweat and oil glands are different in each of us.
Reason? Our unique prakruti or metabolic types, says Ayurveda. Ultimately, the three bioenergies Vata, Pitta and Kapha are the master hormones controlling our metabolic and hormonal activities. Generally, persons with high Pitta (fire biohumor) prakruti are most prone to releasing heat and toxins through the skin. In men and women who are not originally predisposed to acne in teenage years but suddenly suffer acne when they hit forty, the reason is most likely related to a diet and lifestyle which was not in harmony with their inherent constitution which led to an imbalance in the Pitta humor, manifesting as imbalances in the skin and Pitta organs such as the liver.
Remember that female hormones change every few years. An excess of either estrogen or progesterone alters the biochemistry of the blood since these hormones directly impact secretions of oil and sweat, as well as fat metabolism among other things. Hence, unexpected skin surprises in terms of acne or melasma are not uncommon as we age.
Let’s not waste any more time in coming to the solutions. The suggested natural solutions may work wonders for some. Others would warrant an in-depth analysis of the root cause of the acne and solutions may need more customizing to their metabolic type. Modern skin treatments could be used as an adjunct to expedite the skin clearing process. Ultimately, following a healthy natural regimen will ensure a healthy glow to the skin in the long run.
1. Keep the hormones in balance: Hormone heroines in this regard are aloe vera, shatavari, ashwagandha, krachai, basil and saffron, to name a few common ones. These herbs are high in adaptogens – phytonutrients which help regulate blood sugar, stress responses and hormonal balance.
2. Detox liver frequently with green bitter herbs like karela (bitter gourd – 1 tablespoon raw juice per day for a month), lettuce leaves, fenugreek, coriander and aloe vera. These are the top liver detox herbs which will eventually detox our blood and skin.
3. Keep the skin clear with a seasalt water rinse at the end of the day. Add a drizzle of either distilled vinegar, kaffir lime or apple cider vinegar. This helps maintain the pH balance of skin. Remember how our skin glows after a seabath! This is the power of seasalt to exfoliate the epidermis of grease and debris.
4. A pack of amla juice, honey and ghee provides a lot of nutrients for aging skin. Amla is packed with vitamin C and AHA, vital to remove dead skin. Honey and ghee are the timeless emollients and moisturizers, helping to keep wrinkles at bay.
5. Exfoliate using Baba Ramdev’s scrub (I love that one) or create one in your kitchen using ground rice, haldi, kapoor (camphor), chandan (sandalwood powder), amala powder, jeera and ajwain powders, with a pinch of salt. Use yogurt or royal jelly or milk and honey to make a paste and gently scrub on face and body for that holistic cleansing and radiance.
6. A whole natural diet rich in fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds provide a lot of skin nutrients like B-complexes, zinc, calcium, etc. An early morning fruit juice blend with a few bitter leaves or veggie like karela can do wonders.
7. Avoid strong beverages like tea, coffee, alcohol and colas on daily basis. These increase the acid level of blood the soonest (so do chocolates). Limit red chilies and excess ginger, onions and garlic in diet if you are prone to toxic heat.
8. Deep breathing and pranayama like sheetkari, sheetali, anulom-vilom, etc. cool the circulatory system of excess heat. Yoga helps to harmonize metabolic functions.
9. Rest and relaxation is a must. Get plenty of sleep, water and fresh air at the end of the day!