Acne / Pimple
Acne or Pimple (Mukhadushika) is one of the most common skin problems, especially during adolescence. Ayurveda mentions the kshudraroga as papules that resemble the sprouts on the bark of a “Shalmali” tree. An increase in ‘Kapha and Vata dosha’ and ‘Rakta and Medha dhatu ‘ causes pimples. The most important contributory factors for this condition is diet. Irregular and wrong dietary habits may lead to acne.
Acne is considered more as a cosmetic issue than a medical condition.
Causes/ Aggravating factors of Acne
Improper dietary habits
1. Adhyashana: Eating more food when a previous meal is still under digestion.
2. Vishamashana: Eating food in larger or lesser quantity, than required.
3. Virudhashana: Eating incompatible foods, this includes foods that are normally healthy but turns to unhealthy as a combination. For Eg: Citrus fruits and milk (seen in many fruit salads, ice creams, shakes), mixing hot and cold substances, having curd with meat or fish etc.
➢ Regular consumption of hot (ushna), pungent (katu), penetrating (teekta), salty food such as pickles, papads, spicy food, fried and oily food, junk food, preserved food, fast food etc.
➢ Weak digestive power (jatharagni) leads to constipation and irregular bowel habits. This also vitiates dosha, rakta and medho dhatu.
➢ Psychological factors such as grief, anger or psychic trauma lead to an imbalance in dosha and flare up a condition of ‘mukha dushika’.
Management Of Acne
The root cause of Acne is much deeper than the skin it starts from the gut and accumulates in the Rasa (plasma of digested food) , Raktha (Blood), lasika(lymphatics) etc. Hence the effect of an external application is limited to mask the symptoms and prevent scars.
1. The first step in the management of acne will be to stop all the causative factors mentioned above. This is a very important step in Ayurveda known as Nidana Parivarjanam
2. Prefer whole food that is easy to digest. Include fruits like guava, apple, amla etc
3. Drink more water to keep the skin hydrated.
4. Wash your face 3-4 times with lukewarm water, can use a mild soap to remove excess oil
5. Can use turmeric/ sandalwood/ Neem powder to apply as a paste on face. They improve skin health.
6. Ensure proper sleep for 6 – 7 hours in the night.
Acnes are usually harmless and subside by itself after the adolescence. But occasionally it may become bit severe and need medical attention. The treatment also differs from patient to patient based on the severity and condition. So it is always better to get an expert advise if you are having a frequent acne problem.
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