Acne is one of the common problems seen in teenage. Girls get it at an age earlier than boys. Usually, the problem of acne clears in early 20’s, but many cases remain where it still persists and people need treatment even in thirties and forties. It can lead to low self esteem and inspite of being a simple disorder it can play a crucial role in their lives and personality development

Causes:

• Acne occurs due to inflammation of blocked pilosebaceous follicles which further can be due to multiple causes.
• Increases sebum secretion is one of the causes considered for acne but there are cases of diseases like acromegaly where there is increased sebum secretion but still there is no acne.
• Hormonal disturbance is an important cause where acne occurrence is seen and homeopathy has a very good role in such cases. Hormones from testes, ovaries and adrenals are the main hormones which stimulate the sebum secretion. In acne the sebaceous glands appear to be unduly sensitive to normal levels of these hormones.
• Familial tendency is also seen in cases of acne
• Acne also show rise or decrease with menstrual cycle timing in females.

Acne is there less of a local problem and more of a deeper problem and homeopathic medicines can be useful in correcting the internal disorder and stop the tendency to acne.

Symptoms:

• Eruptions /lesions are seen on face, shoulders, upper chest and back
• Oily or greasy skin
• Whitehead and blackheads are seen with eruptions.
• Also seen are inflammatory elevated skin eruptions, nodules and cyst occur with one or types of lesions predominating.

Diagnosis acne is mostly a spot diagnosis where as it can be investigated to check for hormone levels if needed in cases with acne associated with virilisation

General Management:

1. Regular washing with soap and water is essential.
2. Antibacterial skin cleansers are also useful.

Homeopathic Approach: Acne mostly starts in teenage and continue in certain cases even beyond teenage. Acne is rightly treated by homeopathy by a constitutional remedy. The response is pretty fast with the constitutional remedy and time for continuing medicine varies from case to case. The benefit is when a patient is treated for acne with a constitutional remedy; patients get benefitted for other disorders also which patient is suffering from. As a homeopathic medicines will treat the internal disorder or imbalance which is causing the acne. See a registered homeopathic practitioner for acne to get the right remedy.

Few Homeopathic Remedies for acne which can be helpful for local or mild acne are given below

Bovista: Acne or allergic reaction after use of cosmetics or any cosmetic treatment like facial etc:

Calcarea Phosphorica : Acne in anemic girls with gastric disturbances. Acne in adolescents. Acne rosacea. Acne on nose.

Hepar Sulphuricum : Acne with pus and are painful and very sensitive to touch. Acne on forehead.

Natrum Muriaticum: is one good remedy for acne in teenage girls but should be prescribed only if constitutional totality of the patient matches the remedy picture.

References:

• Davidson’s Principles and Practice of Medicine, 21st Edition
• Boericke W, Boericke O. E. New Manual of Homoeopathic MateriaMedica& Repertory [with relationship of remedies]. B. Jain Publishers (P) Ltd, New Delhi –110055.
• Hering, C., The Guiding Symptoms of our Materia Medica Vol. 1 to 10, Reprint Edition 1993, B. Jain Publishers (P) Ltd, New Delhi –110055.
• Gibson D, Study of Homeopathic Remedies, RADAR Homeopathic Software
• Kent J.T, Repertory of Homoeopathic Materia Medica , B. Jain Publishers (P) Ltd, New Delhi –110055.