Acne Vulgaris

Acne Vulgaris - an article by Dr Frances Pitsilis

Personal & Corporate Physician MB, BS Dip Obst, Dip Occup Med, MACNEM, FRNZCGP


Acne is the most common condition seen by dermatologists and affects nearly 100% of the population at some point in life. Those with acne have a worse quality of life through embarrassment, depression, lost job opportunities, social withdrawal and psychological stress.

What is actually going on in acne is that there are more male hormones stimulating production of gland secretion and growth of the sebaceous glands in the skin. There is also increased thickening of the top layer of the skin and lining of the sebaceous gland ducts – these cells shed and plug up the ducts, causing white and blackheads. In teenagers there is a growth of Propioni bacterium acne. There are also chemical messengers causing irritation and inflammation.

It is true that avoiding chocolate and sugar does help.

In adult women, triggers of acne can include stress and the menstrual cycle. A particular condition called polycystic ovary syndrome can be associated with acne. This syndrome involves hairiness, acne, irregular menstrual cycles, infertility and insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance is where your body does not cope as well with sugar or starch and tends to make more insulin to cope with it – the result is that you gain weight and have more inflammation in your body which makes the acne worse.

The treatment of acne apart from cleansers, lotions, scrubs and creams, is to have a low glycaemic diet – low sugar and starch. Oral contraceptives and drugs have been used. Laser light therapies and facials will all help but not cure the condition. And in some – sort those hormones!