Acne is a skin condition that causes different types of bumps on the surface of the skin. These bumps include whiteheads, blackheads and pimples. Acne occurs when the skin’s pores get clogged up with dead skin cell and oil. Acne is most common problem in teenagers. Acne is common and usually treatable. Acne can cause several types of bumps on the surface of your skin. These bumps can form anywhere in your body, but most commonly on face, back, shoulder and neck. Acne is often triggered by hormonal changes in the body, that’s why it is most common in older children and teenagers. Acne is not a harmful disease, but it can cause emotional distress and can make scars on your skin.
Causes
If you want to understand how acne is caused, you need to understand about your skin first. The skin surface is made up of small holes that connect to oil glands (sebaceous glands), beneath the skin. These holes are called pores. The oil glands produce oily liquid called sebum. Your oil gland send sebum to the skin’s surface through a thin channel called a follicle. Acne occurs when the skin’s pores get clogged up by the dead skin cell, excess oil and sometimes bacteria. During puberty, hormones often cause oil glands to produce excess oil, which can increase the risk of acne formation.
Symptoms
Acne signs and symptoms vary depending on the severity of your condition.
- Whiteheads
- Blackheads
- Small tender and bumps
- Pimples
- Large, solid and painful lumps beneath the surface of the skin
- Painful, pus-filled lumps beneath the surface of the skin
Benefits of eating vitamin A rich foods
Vitamin A is one of the most important nutrients which can make your skin healthy. Eating vitamin A rich foods are the best way to keep your skin acne free. Vitamin A is an anti-oxidant that belongs to the class of compound called “retinoid”. Vitamin A is essential for the normal shedding of the dead skin cells that build up inside the pores and ultimately cause acne. The excessive oil production is one of the main causes of acne formation. If you have vitamin A deficiency, you can experience flaky, dry, itchy skin. You might also notice dry eyes and night blindness. If you want to start taking vitamin A supplements, you have to consult with your doctor to determine the healthiest amount of vitamin A to consume. Some foods which are highly rich in vitamin A such as
- Spices (paprika, cayenne and red chili powder)
- Dark leafy greens (mustard greens, spinach and turnip greens)
- Lettuce ( like other greens, lettuce leaves with a dark or red color provides a high amount of vitamin A)
- Dried herbs (parsley, basil, oregano and marjoram)
- Carrots (cooked or raw both are equally healthy)
- Sweet potatoes ( roosted or mashed)
- Butternut squash ( sweet potato or orange squash)
- Cantaloupe ( cantaloupe can provide as much as 68 of your daily value of vitamin A per serving)
- Dried apricots
- Others ( foods including fortified oatmeal, fortified skim milk, mangoes, papaya, peaches, red bell papers and tomatoes).
