| All acne lesions will not necessarily result in acne | | | | do not form without the presence of androgens. |
| scars. For example, inflamed "chin acne" that | | | | Regardless of the exact mechanism of your acne |
| typically precedes menstruation in women, will not | | | | lesion inflammation, consuming foods with high |
| cause scarring if the inflammation is reduced | | | | levels of antioxidants can mitigate the effects of |
| quickly. | | | | inflammation. |
| Yet once you experience an inflamed acne lesion, | | | | 1. Increase intake of antioxidants |
| you can take measures to prevent you chances | | | | Foods containing vitamins A, C and E help reduce |
| of acne scarring. The most potent thing you can | | | | inflammation as help neutralize free radical damage |
| do to reduce your chances of developing an acne | | | | and reduce inflammation. |
| scar is to reduce inflammation. | | | | Vitamin A foods include: organ meat, sweet |
| The entire acne scar process results from the | | | | potatoes, spinach and apricots Vitamin C foods |
| body's attempt to remove inflammation caused | | | | include: peppers, lemons, strawberries, broccoli |
| by an acne lesion. You can reduce acne | | | | Vitamin E foods include: shrimp, sunflower seeds, |
| inflammation by: | | | | nuts, and oils |
| 1. Increasing your intake of antioxidants 2. Limiting | | | | 2. Limit irritation to the site of the acne lesion |
| irritation to the site of the acne lesion 3. | | | | When you have an acne lesion, it is tempting to |
| Encouraging removal of excess fatty acids at the | | | | touch the lesion and wonder when of if it is going |
| site of the acne lesion. | | | | to go away. Each touch to an acne lesion further |
| As dermatologist Peter T. Pugliese points out in his | | | | irritates the skin. |
| report "The Skin's Antioxidant Systems" in the | | | | When you touch or press and acne lesion, you |
| December 1998 edition of the journal | | | | could force an acne lesion contained in one pore |
| Dermatology Nursing, all skin disorders, including | | | | to burst and thus spread the infection to |
| acne, are characterized by inflammation and thus | | | | surrounding pores, and enlarge the acne lesion. |
| will benefit from antioxidant therapy. | | | | Also, touch an acne lesion increases the chances |
| While the exact inflammation response that | | | | that you skin will come in contact with more |
| characterizes a acne lesion is not fully understood, | | | | bacteria via your hands. This additional bacterium |
| the Global Alliance to Improve Acne Outcomes | | | | gives your skin one more factor to defend itself |
| links the inflammation response to blood and | | | | against and increases the inflamed, red, painful |
| cellular responses due to the increased presence | | | | response even more. |
| of Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes). | | | | 3. Encourage removal of excess fatty acids at |
| Additionally, the inflammation could result from a | | | | the site of the acne lesion |
| hormonal response due to an increase in the | | | | You can reduce the presence of fatty acids on |
| androgen levels in the skin the ultimately increase | | | | your skin by using an effective clay mask to |
| oil secretion and thus the changes of developing | | | | absorb the excess oils. As these oils are |
| an acne lesion caused by a clogged pore. | | | | removed, the inflammatory response within the |
| When examining the effect of hormones in the | | | | skin can be reduced. |
| development of acne, James C. Shaw reported in | | | | In short, blemishes need not result in scars if you |
| a 2002 edition of the American Journal of Clinical | | | | take the three-pronged approach to limiting skin |
| Dermatology that androgen plays a key role in | | | | irritation. |
| the development of acne generally acne lesions | | | | |