Acne Free with an Acne Detox Diet

The acne detox diet idea has been around for some time, and has formed more than it's share of controversy. Is an acne detox diet an effective acne cure, or just another "concept" that is yet to be proven? I thought a bit of investigation was in order, and you'll never guess what I found.

The acne detox diet theory resulted from contemporary clinical studies that reconsidered the findings of two other landmark studies conducted in 1969 and 1971. These studies determined that acne was brought about by a genetic deformity that causes your body to produce an excessive amount of sebum oil, a natural oil that your body uses to keep your skin comfortable and pliable.

Excess sebum oil tends to come together in hair follicles and skin pores, plugging the pores and furnishing a perfect breeding ground for the P-acne bacteria (Propionibacterium Acnes), which is present on everyone's skin. In average numbers, the P-acne bacteria is actually valuable, controlling other, more nasty, bacteria that come our way.

Unfortunately, excess sebum oil lets the bacteria multiply to abnormal levels, resulting in skin inflammation. Your body's natural defenses then send white blood cells to the area to control the bacteria. The resulting conflict causes more irritation and the arrival of white heads, blackheads (once exposed to the air), pimples, and, well…acne.

But…How does that effect an acne detox diet?

Quite a bit, actually. The more modern studies have found that the findings reached in the 1968 and 1971 studies were not only incorrect, but that the studies, themselves, were inherently flawed. Apparently, once they found the DNA-sebum oil link, they stopped looking for other causes.

Researchers in the recent studies didn't stop, and finally found that there is a absolute link between diet and acne. What they didn't see coming was to find that the link wasn't so much what you were eating, but much more about how what you're eating is produced.

A large percentage of the foods we eat, both at home and in restaurants, are made with chemicals that act as preservatives. This keeps the food safe and fresh for much longer, which, in itself, is not a bad thing.

What is a a bad thing (and the reason for using an acne detox diet) as a natural remedy for acne is that these recent studies also found that, over a period of time, these chemicals tend to collect inside your body until they reach a unhealthy level, causing your body's natural defenses to begin to eliminate the poisons.

They also discovered that, in people prone to acne, the body expels of these chemicals by emulsifying them in sebum oil (remember that from earlier?) and secreting it out through your skin. This creates the exact same conditions as those created by faulty DNA, and results in acne outbreaks.

So, you can see how an acne detox diet that rids your body of these chemicals before they reach a toxic level, can be not just an acne cure, but the acne cure.

Disclaimer: This posting is based on information freely available in the popular press and medical journals that deal with acne and diet. Nothing herein is intended to be or should be construed to be any sort of medical advice. For medical advice the reader should consult with his or her physician or other medical specialist.