Acne

Acne & Essential
Fatty Acids

Linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid that the sebaceous glands use as a normal component of sebum.  Essential fatty acids are required by the body and most people are more familiar with linoleic as omega 6 oil, flaxseed oil, safflower oil, evening primrose oil, or a number of other terms.  Essential fatty acids are very powerful anti-inflammatory agents.  Subsequently, sebum made with linoleic acid is actually calming to the skin and follicles. 

Modern foods have avoided essential fatty acids in favor of "designer" lipids like trans-fatty acids. Research has found links suggesting that trans-fats may break down the body's supply of beneficial essential fatty acids.  When linoleic acid is not available in the skin, the sebaceous glands produce sebum with oleic acid and this form of sebum is irritating to the skin.  It promotes blockage that causes blackheads, whiteheads and acne.  Some scientists have suggested that sebum produced with oleic acid is drier, firmer and, therefore, it promotes blockage within the follicles, such as blackheads and whiteheads. 

Due to low consumption of essential fatty acids or high consumption of trans-fats or hereditary factors that frequently involve digestive enzyme issues, some people have systemic deficiency of essential fatty acids and linoleic acid. This condition becomes a driving factor in acne and other skin problems.

Identifying Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency:
A volume of whiteheads are almost always involved with linoleic acid deficiency and they can develop very quickly.  Blackheads may or may not be present.  The condition may or may not have developed into acne, usually cystic acne.  In most cases the skin tends to be dry and may be prone to inflammation, but this may not always be the case.  Generally, other forms of prescriptive and non-prescriptive acne treatments have been unsuccessful. 

BiON Success:
BiON products and diet modification successfully control essential fatty acid deficiency and whiteheads/blackheads and acne.  The BiON products contain linoleic acid but additional dietary supplementation is beneficial to speed the control of acne and the reduction of whiteheads and blackheads.  Skin care professionals who carry BiON products can obtain additional specific information from the BiON office regarding supplementation. 

© 2008 BiON Research