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Written by Tania
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At some time or other during their teens 85 per cent of young Britons
suffer from acne - the unsightly spots which are the bane of growing
up. Until recently it was a popular belief - though never proven - that
it was the high sugar and fat content in a diet of chips, burgers,
chocolates and soft drinks, for example, that caused acne.
Although junk food is still thought to be linked to the problem, the
fault may lie less with the prime suspects - sugar and saturated fat -
than with iodine-containing chemicals. These are often added to the
salt that is used liberally on chips, crisps and many other convenience
foods. Equally, a bad complexion or dull-looking skin may have more to
do with what you do not eat than with what you do.
Acne starts when the sebaceous glands overproduce oil, or sebum,
secreted through the pores. Sebum carries dead cell debris away with
it, but its overproduction blocks the pores with a sticky mass of oil
and dead cells. When this happens, the bacteria normally present in the
skin convert the mass into compounds that irritate and rupture small
glands, causing inflammation and unattractive pustules.
Some people are genetically predisposed to acne, but the most common
causes are emotional stress and the increased activity of sex hormones,
or androgens. These hormones stimulate the oil glands - typically on
the face, shoulders, back and chest - and are especially active during
puberty. Boys are more prone to acne than girls because they have
higher androgen levels, but many girls also suffer, usually in the week
before their period.
Research has suggested that many acne sufferers are deficient in zinc.
Healthy sources include shellfish, nuts, lean meat and skinless
poultry. Yogurt and skimmed milk supply zinc in smaller amounts.
Vitamin A, which helps to maintain a healthy skin, is abundant in liver
and eggs, while beta carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A, is
found in dark green or orange vegetables such as spinach and carrots,
and in orange fruits, including apricots and mangoes.
An acne sufferer's diet should contain plenty of polyunsaturated fats,
which have also been claimed to counteract acne. Several of the B
vitamins, normally supplied by a well-balanced diet, are believed to
prevent blackheads and leave the skin less greasy. A lack of vitamin C
is known to make people more vulnerable to infection, while vitamin E,
found in wheatgerm, eggs and cold-pressed vegetable oils, helps to heal
the skin.
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