1. Hormonal AcneBy: M Yannitell

2. Causes of Acne Hormonal changes during adolescence Changes in hormone levels before a female’s menstrual period or during pregnancy Rich moisturizing lotions or oily makeup Emotional stress Nutritional supplements that have iodine Some anticonvulsive medications and lithium Illegal steroids

3. Myth Foods and beverages, such as chocolate, nuts, greasy foods, and cola cause acne These Do Not Cause Acne!

4. Consequences of Acne Spots Redness Feelings of embarrassment/ low self esteem Physical Scarring- Ice Pick: deep, very narrow scars that extend into the dermis Boxcar: round or oval depressions with steep vertical sides Rolling: rolling or “wave-like” undulations Keloid: looks raised, firm mass of tissue

5. Cystic or Nodular Acne Can leave skin pitted or pockmarked Cysts are large Infection is deeply-rooted in skin Scarring is inevitable unless action to cure is quick Popping a cyst forces the infection further underneath Leads to further painful inflammation Leads to numerous breakouts in the future

6. Massive consumer overload of Products Overwhelmed Yet???

7. How to restore the integumentary system to normal function? Fresh fruits, vegetables, nut, and seeds Juicing Water Reduce stress Exercise- Improves skin blood flow and supports in the healing process Boots the condition of the internal organs, allowing them to eliminate waste more effectively Relaxation techniques, i.e. meditation Reduce sugar intake and refined carbohydrates Can trigger a process leading to the production of too many male hormones, in turn excreting huges amounts of sebum

8. How to restore the integumentary system to normal function? Reduce caffeine intake Hikes the level of stress hormones in the body Healthy amount of sunshine Triggers the production of Vitamin D Fresh air and sunshine cut down on stress levels Facial Steams with oils Homemade scrubs (recipe in Personal Strife section) Teas/Infusions Click the glass of tea for recipes!

9. Personal Strife It seems as I am ‘gracefully” moving through my thirties, there is nothing graceful about my hormonal acne these past two years. Here is my personal reflection on what is working: Tretinoin– As much as I hate having to reach for a prescription, this is working great Derivative of Vitamin A Increases skin cell turnover Promotes the extrusion of the plugged material in the follicle Prevents the formation of new comedones People usually get frustrated due it taking a few months to see results

10. Personal Strife Continue Water, water, water! Your body needs it! Juicer. I make a carrot and apple juice. Makes my skin look healthier! I once sent an email to the author of susanweed.com about hormonal acne and she responded telling me to add more Nettle infusions to my diet (still working on this) I learned about a great facial scrub from my herbalism class. This works great and makes my skin feel soft and clean: 1 T grounded almonds, 1 T rose petals, and 1 T oatmeal

11. Personal Strife Continue Lavender Steam facial for around 20 minutes, followed by taking an ice over face. Feels great! And lastly, my last comment on my opinion about acne is that the internal state of the body always reveals itself through the skin. Stresses, sleep deprivation, and poor nutrition are always evident!