Plant project (3000 words, PART 3!!!!)

Ease and Clarity

Issue 1

June 2015

Letter From the Editor

Women Advocating Acne Relief would like to thank you for reading our very first newsletter. For many years, skin blemishes known as acne have afflicted each one of us on the newsletter staff. But only recently have we decided to band together and find our own way to combat that which plagues our lives. Acne is a dermatological condition that most people have experienced at some point in their lives. Most people afflicted with acne encounter it in their teens and early twenties. But at any given time, forty to fifty million people suffer from acne (1). It is, after all, the most common skin ailment.

Acne can have a major impact on a person’s life. It can greatly affect their self-esteem, leave scars, and persist far into adulthood. Acne occurs when pores in the skin clog. Once they are clogged, they become the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and pimples develop. Acne can present itself in many different forms: blackheads, whiteheads, papules, pustules, cysts, and nodules (1).

In this, our first issue, we are going to discuss your options for acne remedies. From medical treatments to natural, herbal treatments, we will help you decide what is best for you. We take into account their validity and their impact on your wallet so that you can better prepare yourself for your battle against acne. And hopefully WAAR can help you win the war against pimples.

Treatments: Medical and Herbal Alike

Fortunately for us acne ridden folk, we are not alone. A large population suffers from acne. Because so many are afflicted with it, many treatment options have been made available. And it seems that there is a different treatment for every different kind of pimple. Below are listed the active ingredients in many medicated acne treatments (2) and what they do for your skin:

· Benzoyl Peroxide: It is used to kill bacteria that can be involved in the formation of acne. Unlike other antibacterials, bacteria cannot build up a resistance against benzoyl peroxide. This means that the medication will not ever have to be replaced by a stronger medication because the bacteria cannot adapt to survive in environments where benzoyl peroxide is present. It is often combined with other medicinal ingredients. Benzoyl Peroxide has been found to be extremely effective at preventing breakouts (3).

· One study found that in conjunction with retinoids, skin improved in sixty percent of test subjects while with retinoids alone, only thirty percent noticed improvement (4).

· Another showed that two and a half percent BP was more effective than both five and ten percent (5). This could be attributed to BP’s ability to irritate the skin. In higher concentrations, the skin becomes more irritated and thus more susceptible to acne.

· Salicylic Acid: Salicylic acid reduces the speed at which skin cells are shed from the follicles within pores. This helps prevent the clogging of pores. It also can help dissolve whiteheads and blackheads (6).

· A study of three clinical trials and an essay finds that salicylic acid brings down the total number of acne on test subjects. One study even claiming that it reduces the number greater than benzoyl peroxide (7).

· Antibiotics (Topical and Oral): Antibiotics reduce the number of bacteria on the surface of and within skin. Depending on the severity of acne, antibiotics can be applied on the surface of the skin or taken orally. Oral antibiotics are often administered to those with more severe acne (8). One major downside of antibiotics of any kind is that the bacteria that are resistant of the drug survive and create a new population of bacteria that cannot be removed with the same antibiotics. In this way, antibiotics are often considered moderately effective at removing acne.

· One study shows that over twenty years, the effectiveness of antibacterial acne medication gradually lessens (9). This is because the bacteria gradually becomes more resistant to the antibiotics. If the antibacterial medications are used too much, they will eventually become ineffective and therefore should be reserved for those who have no other options.

· Topical Retinoid Medications: Retinoids are an effective anti-inflammatory and can regulate abnormal growth. They prevent the clogging of pores by helping reverse the process by which pores clog (10). There are several types of retinoids, some being more effective than others (10).

· One study showed that tazarotene (a retinoid) was more effective at clearing skin of acne than adapalene (another retinoid). Those who used the former, experienced improvement at a rate of seventy-seven percent whilst the latter only a rate of fifty-five percent. Tazarotene is more active at preventing pore clogging than many other retinoids (10).

· Azelaic Acid: It is similar to benzoyl peroxide in that it kills bacteria. It was also found in one study to be similarly effective as benzoyl peroxide (11).

· Birth Control (containing Estrogen): Birth control can be effective at controlling acne for women who experience breakouts due to apparent hormone imbalance (2).

· Androgen Blockers: These reduce the oils that your pores excrete called sebum. This in turn, reduces the number of blocked pores and pimples that will form. Androgen blockers have a hefty list of possible side effects, though. They include headache, fatigue, liver dysfunction, as well as several more (12).

But there are more possibilities for acne relief that may have less side effects, are more natural, and you can grow in your own yard. Herbalists view acne as more than just clogging of pores. They take a more holistic approach. Your skin’s health involves not only the integumentary system (including our skin), but the digestive, lymphatic, and endocrine systems. Listed are some plants that may help you subdue your acne by aiding more than just your skin:

· Fruit: Some of the acids in fruits, especially citrus, have been found to have an effect on acne. Gluconic acid in fruits has been found to be as effective as five percent benzoyl hydroxide (13).

· Tree bark: Witch hazel, oak, and walnut have tannins in them that have natural astringent tendencies, making them attractive as household remedies for acne (13).

· Vitex: can have a similar effect as the estrogen-containing birth control (13).

· Calendula: Calendula flowers can be used to reduce swelling and fight bacteria that can lead to painful, unsightly acne (16). Calendula is a soothing botanical that can make your skin more flexible and help fight acne (16). It can also help heal acne more quickly because of its anti-inflammatory characteristics.

· Lavender: Lavender oil is most commonly known for its soothing abilities. Its relaxing effect can help prevent acne from occurring and shorten the time it takes for acne scars to heal (17). This stress reducer is implemented mainly in tandem with other treatments. Some advocate its astringent properties as part of its appeal to people battling acne. But there is no scientific evidence to back this up.

· Ashwagandha: Ashwagandha may help fight acne with its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties (18). It also is considered an adaptogen; It can provide different responses to help counteract stress (18).

· Yarrow: The flower of yarrow helps stimulate digestion. Some aspects of poor digestion have been linked to acne and therefore it is believed that improving digestion, improves the skin (15).

· Aloe Vera: Aloe has been called the miracle plant because of its ability to help with many different ailments. And acne may be one of them. Aloe Vera’s anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal properties as well as its ability to soothe the skin and support healing can help an individual combat acne (19). A study has shown that in conjunction with a retinoid acne treatment, aloe and the retinoid are significantly more effective than the retinoid alone (19).

· Oregon Grape: The roots can also help stimulate digestion and improve skin clarity (15). The roots also regulate inflammation and have antimicrobial qualities (15).

· Tea Tree Oil: Although difficult to make yourself, tea tree oil is a botanical that has shown great promise when it comes to treating acne. It has proven itself in clinical trials, showing to be as effective as benzoyl peroxide but without causing sensitivity and irritation (15).

Herbal remedies often have fewer side effects than medical treatments. But unfortunately herbs do not have as much evidence backing up their efficacy at relieving ailments like acne as medical treatments do. Word spreads about these possible remedies and people stretch the truth so that others will listen and perhaps use their products. So you have to watch out for the phonies and cheats. When researching these plants, we came across sources with unsubstantiated claims about their herbal remedies. Some herbs we had to leave out entirely because there just was not enough evidence for us to suggest to you that these plants might work.

For example, arrowroot is believed by some to help alleviate acne. One website goes on about how drinking arrowroot tea cleared the acne of the writer (20). “But this is a testimonial”. Just because it worked (or seemed to work) for other people does not mean that it is a fact that it will help you. Her experience is not scientific proof.

In one site’s argument for Seabuckthorn oil, they use large words that most people would not understand to make the herb seem more impressive. This use of fancy words to confuse you can be identified as the use of “jargon”. Within the same paragraph, the author also tries to make the herb sound like it is more than it is by using vague language that makes it seem more attractive for your wants and needs. The technique that they are using to disfigure the truth is called “glittering generalization” (21).

Another site advocating many different herbs to detoxify blood and improve acne refer to experts several times. But they never reveal who these experts are and do not reference any of the information that they must have received from somewhere (22). This can be identified as an “appeal to authority.” Without reference of where they receive their information, their information can be perceived as untrustworthy.

When researching acne treatments on your own, always remember not to trust everything that you read on the internet. Search for reputable sites or better yet, ask a medical professional. We always recommend that you speak with your doctor before making any changes to your daily regimen. And there are dermatologists available that have experience and knowledge on alternative medicine.

Acne Treatment In Folklore and Culture

Economics of Acne

Medical vs Herbal: The Effects on Your Wallet and Theirs

How We Think We Could Back Up Natural Treatments with Science

Our Closing Thoughts

Sources:

1. https://www.aad.org/dermatology-a-to-z/diseases-and-treatments/a---d/acne

2. http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/acne/acne-vulgaris-medications

3. http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/cleansing/myths/how-does-benzoyl-peroxide-work-in-skin-cleansers-.htm

4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3016935/