pores | Young Looking Skin

Chocolate-lovers beware: a new study from the Netherlands suggests the delicious sweetie may aggravate acne. Past research also suggests that increased insulin can cause inflammation in the skin, leading to breakouts, while low-glycemic diets stop sugar spikes connected to acne,

Seems like every time we turn around, another scientist in a lab coat is wagging a finger in our face and telling us things we don’t want to hear. Soda gives us cavities. Alcohol gives us hangovers. And now that a new study from the Netherlands suggests that chocolate causes acne, we’re close to giving up and sticking our hungover, toothless, pimple-covered heads in a big fat sack of denial until the medical profession decides that we’re allowed to enjoy our favorite things again.

Sadly, denial won’t silence the Dutch scientists who claim that their study shows a definite link between chocolate consumption and the acne that plagues 80% of American teenagers. To investigate chocolate as a potential cause of acne, the researchers took blood from healthy adults before and after they ate 1.7 ounces of chocolate containing 30 ounces of cocoa. Then they exposed the blood samples to Propionibacterium acnes, a bacteria known to cause acne, and to Staphylococcus aureus, which aggravates acne.

In the blood samples taken post-chocolate consumption, the blood cells exposed to Propionibacterium acnes produced more interleukin-1b, a sign of immune system inflammation and a signal that chocolate is linked to the inflammatory response associated with acne. The cells exposed to Staphylococcus aureus produced more interleukin 1O, which is believed to lower the body’s defenses against microorganisms and thus could allow bacteria to infect and worsen pimples.

This research isn’t conclusive however, which is good news for those of us who like clear skin and chocolate-covered everything. For one, the Dutch scientists used a teeny tiny sample size (only seven people). For another, there are lots of things present in chocolate besides cocoa (like fat and sugar) that could have caused the blood cell reaction. And finally, while we might not have a perfect pimple cure, science has progressed enough to know that any single person’s susceptibility to acne has more to do with their genetics, hormones, and medications than their favorite junk food. Plus, even if chocolate is responsible for acne, it’s also responsible for this.

Source: http://foodbeast.com/content/2013/05/01/science-says-chocolate-causes-acne-cockblocks-our-love-affair-with-truffles/#.UYRaYqJkOSo

It’s our problem having acne. We have tried various treatments and spent a lot of money just to remove acne, still, it is there! It is a problem of many of us (80% of Americans) especially teenagers. Acne can leave people scarred for life. Never give up! Acne cures could just be around the corner.

Did you know that acne-causing bacteria live on everyone’s skin?

So, how is it that some complexions are lucky enough to avoid those problematic pimples while others… aren’t?

Well, that same question has helped local experts uncover what could be the secret weapon in the battle against blemishes.

“I am the most self-conscious person about my acne, video blogger Cassandra Bankson.

When 14-year-old video blogger Cassandra Bankson braved her bare face for her YouTube followers, her complexion confession went viral.

“I’m going to show you guys what my face looks like without makeup: this is my face.”

“This is probably the most nerve-wracking thing that I’ve ever done because it’s my biggest insecurity, said Bankson.

For 19-year-old Jeffrey Shen…

“I didn’t really have high self-esteem,” said Shen.

His condition improved slightly over the years, but the obstacles were more than skin-deep.

“Sometimes I think it could make other people uncomfortable so I hesitate sometimes to join into social events,” said Shen.

No matter how severe or subtle… no matter how young or old… at any stage and any age, acne can be kryptonite for your confidence.

“Acne is most prevalent in teenagers, but still, about 11% of adults have acne,” Huiying Li, Ph.D.

But a dose of derm relief may be on the horizon for zit zappers everywhere thanks to a recent UCLA discovery.

“Bacteria is not necessarily all bad,“ said Li.

For years, the treatment to take down acne was centered on killing *all* bacteria on the skin.

But for the first time, researchers learned there is some bacteria that might actually help protect pores.

“In the people with clear skin we found a 3rd type of strain which are hardly found in any acne patients so we think this one is highly associated with clear skin,” said Li.

Experts now hope increasing the body’s ‘good bacteria’ can have sufferers saying bye-bye to blotches, for good.

“I think it could potentially change maybe the approach of the drugs hopefully so that they work and that’s really exciting,” said Shen.

More targeted research still needs to be done, but the UCLA team is working with companies to potentially develop a pro-biotic cream that could be sold over the counter within three years.