In adults, it’s thought that hormone imbalances, stress, or aggressive products that irritate the skin are predominantly responsible for our erupting epidermis.
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We’re sitting in a circle, my friends and I. We’re listening to Radiohead and passing a cigarette stolen from my dad. I glance at the teenage faces around me, all hidden beneath limp hair that covers hormone-ravaged complexions.
I am one of the lucky ones. My skin is still clear. Unfortunately for me, it didn’t last.
Dealing with Adult Acne
Although I thought I’d survived the trauma of adolescent acne, I was wrong. Instead of struggling with it like all my friends during those awkward, uncomfortable years, my face flowered far later. By the time I was investing in heavy duty concealer, everyone else had outgrown their acne and had glowing skin.
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Trips to the doctor only resulted in frustration as topical creams, antibiotic treatment, and the pill all failed to have an impact. It felt like symptoms were being targeted on a superficial level rather than the underlying cause being sought after. My skin remained riddled with pimples—angry, red, and raw.
Acne during our teenage years can largely be attributed to fluctuations in hormone levels that activate the oil glands in our skin. Usually, dead skin cells are shed, but the excess sebum binds the cells together and they get stuck, block the skin’s pores, and bacteria develops—the perfect conditions for a pimple.
Traditional treatments are focused on preventing bacterial overgrowth, regulating oil production, and managing hormone fluctuations. In adults, it’s thought that hormone imbalances, stress, or aggressive products that irritate the skin are predominantly responsible for our erupting epidermis.
Ayurveda and Acne
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Yet, Ayurveda has a slightly different perspective. Ayurveda, the traditional healing system in India, makes the connection between acne, impaired digestion, and a build-up of toxicity in the body.
You see, in Ayurveda, everything in existence is made up of five elements: Fire, Water, Earth, Air, and Space. These elements partner together to form ‘doshas’ or ‘types’ that influence our physical attributes and mental characteristics.
Vata is the dosha of Air and Space. Its qualities are dry and cold. Pitta is Fire and Water. It’s qualities are heat and intensity. Kapha is the pairing of Earth and Water. Its qualities are heavy and slow.
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From an Ayurvedic perspective, illness, disease, and acne are caused by an imbalance of all three doshas, although it is predominantly pitta dosha that is usually to blame for most spots.
More importantly, Ayurveda recognises that we can manage these imbalances and optimise our health with diet and lifestyle changes that promote good digestion, improve elimination, and increase our vitality. It can help to try and understand which dosha is the driving force behind our own acne.
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