Both adults and teenagers can suffer from acne. Even though
acne is typically considered a women’s skin problem, men can certainly have
acne. Acne breakouts can occur at different stages of life but are more common
during puberty or when sebaceous glands (oil glands) are more active. The oil
glands are stimulated by androgen in both men & women. Acne is a skin
condition that is chronic and inflammatory in nature. Whiteheads, pimples,
cysts, papules, pustules & nodules are all types of acne. For some, it may
decrease their quality of life and can also be very painful in other cases. The
pathogenesis of acne starts below the skin. Conventional topical products only
provide a temporary solution as they are unable to effectively penetrate the
target site. Even though some topical products may show a visible reduction in
acne, they fail to prevent future acne breakouts as they do not target the root
cause of acne breakouts.
Knowing acne and its pathogenesis.
Acne vulgaris commonly known as ‘acne’ is a disease of the
pilosebaceous unit (comprises hair follicle, hair shaft and sebaceous gland in
the skin) that causes non-inflammatory lesions (open and closed comedones),
inflammatory lesions (papules, pustules, and nodules), and various degree of
scars.
The first factor in acne pathogenesis is the androgen
hormone-induced enlargement of sebaceous glands with the overproduction of
sebum. Excess sebum production causes blockage in the pilosebaceous unit and
increases cell turnover in the follicular canal thus leading to acne.
The second factor in the pathogenesis of acne is a
disturbance in the normal architecture of pilosebaceous follicles mediated by
inflammatory cytokines which induce keratinocyte hyperproliferation which
initiates follicular plugging and leads to the formation of a thin-walled
cystic lesion- comedo. As the keratinocytes and sebum continue to accumulate,
the micro comedo wall eventually ruptures and leads to inflammation.
The acne lesions are filled with sebum – a lipid-rich
substrate that is a rich source for Propionibacterium acnesis (an anaerobic
bacteria that is present on the skin without being harmful) to thrive and
proliferate becoming an opportunistic pathogen.
P.acne is involved in the development of inflammatory
response and stimulates a cascade of the inflammatory response which in turn
activates hyperkeratinization and inflammation.
Altered lipogenesis, sebum production, hyperkeratinization,
proliferation/differentiation of sebocytes, and cytokine expression can be a
reason for the formation of acne lesions. Acne management can be done
efficiently only when the exact mechanism involved in the pathogenesis gets
attention. These mechanisms play direct & indirect roles in acne
pathogenesis.
Acne Grading
There is no universal standard grade for acne grading but
acne severity is classified in a more or less similar manner. Acne lesions
occur primarily on the face, neck, upper back, and chest. When assessing the
severity of the acne, one needs to consider:
- The distribution of acne (back, check, and upper arms)
- Type and number of lesions (comedones, papules, pustules,
nodules) - The presence or absence of scarring.
Our Formulation
Unived’s Acne Relief is formulated with Green Tea Extract,
Milk Thisle from Silybum marianum, Zinc Citrate, natural beta-carotene from
Blakeslea trispora, d-alpha-tocopherol from Soya Oilseeds, Vitamin Mineral
Blend containing Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Selenium, Vitamin D3 from Lichen and
Chromium Picolinate.
Unived’s Acne Relief is a formulation that works on the root
cause of acne. In addition to reducing existing acne, it restrains its breakout
even before the acne starts to appear on the skin.
Mode of Action:
The formulation targets and addresses four key factors that
are involved in acne pathogenesis:
- Excess sebum production due to androgen.
- Hyperkeratinization.
- P.acne bacteria.
- Inflammation.
The key nutrients present in the formulation address each of
these four factors.
- Zinc and Green Tea Extract act as antimicrobial agents and
help to reduce sebum production by blocking DHT. - Vitamin A & Pantothenic acid regulate keratinocyte
differentiation. - Chromium Picolinate prevents excess sebum production by
inhibiting insulin-like Growth Factors (IGF). - Niacinamide, Vitamin E, Selenium & Milk Thistle act as
secondary ingredients and possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Together
these ingredients work synergistically to deliver a holistic approach in
managing acne breakouts.
