Moderate to Severe Acne

Moderate to Severe Acne

Serious Corrective Treatment:
Moderate to Severe Acne

Your patients have probably tried a number of prescriptive medications and over-the-counter products without success. Most prescriptive medications work by killing propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) but approximately 30%-45% of today's P. acnes strains are resistant to one or more of the more common antibiotics, making them useless. Additionally, long-term use of antibiotics is associated with increased cancer risks. (See Valuable Acne Tips for more information on this subject.) Over-the-counter products focus on the symptoms of acne rather than the biochemical causes. While this may be okay for some cases of light to moderate acne, these products provide little benefit for acne that has progressed to the moderate to severe stages.

Biochemically Speaking, Acne Is Easy to Understand: Testosterone (an androgen hormone) targets the skin and the sebaceous glands where sebum is produced. It combines with the enzyme 5alpha-reductase to produce dihydrotestosterone, which stimulates the sebaceous glands to produce increased volumes of sebum. Sebum is expelled out into the follicular tube.

Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) and other bacteria on the skin and within the follicles produce bacterial lipases (enzymes) that move into the follicle opening and convert sebum into free fatty acids, which irritate the follicle lining. This irritation causes excessive production of cells and cellular debris, which block the follicle and trap P. acnes inside. The P. acnes inside the blocked follicle breed and produce acne infections. Infections grow and irritate and inflame the skin, and macrophage cells produce histamines that cause the skin to become red, puffy and sensitive or even itchy. This causes more follicle blockage and promotes more acne infections.

Most Other Acne Products: Most acne products attempt to kill P. acnes with ingredients like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, and keep the follicles open with ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid and glycolic acid. They do not address the other issues that cause acne. Additionally benzoyl peroxide forms free radicals in the skin which promote damage and inflammation. Benzoyl peroxide can cause premature skin aging, slow healing and is associated with increased skin cancer risks. In 1995 the FDA issued warnings regarding the use of benzoyl peroxide and changes it status from safe to uncertain. (See the Valuable Acne Tips page for additional information on this subject.)

BiON Acne Products: BiON acne products kill P. acnes and a variety of other undesirable bacteria that produce lipases. Antibacterial agents include cinnamon extract, sage extract, turmeric extract and small amounts of salicylic acid. The products keep follicles open with sage extract, green tea extract, calcium, minerals in pascalitic clay and small amounts of salicylic acid. BiON acne products block 5alpha-reductase with cinnamon extract, zinc and green tea extract, and thereby reduce dihydrotestosterone. This reduces sebum production. The products very significantly reduce bacterial lipases by removing a variety of undesirable bacteria, and thereby reduce the production of free fatty acids that promote follicle blockage. The products block the production of histamines with specific extracts from green tea and turmeric to prevent additional histamine-induced acne. BiON acne products address all aspects of the biochemical progression that cause acne and achieve control of moderate to severe acne is over 80% of cases, including tough acne cases that have even resisted treatment with Accutane®.

BiON's high rate of success comes from its comprehensive approach of treating the multiple causes of acne, rather that focusing on the symptom like most other over-the-counter products. The dermatologist and biochemist who develop BiON products have a clear understanding of the skin biochemistry involved with acne and the natural plant extracts that will correct or control this skin chemistry.

More Biochemistry: Over a period of time moderate to severe acne creates specific chemical deficiencies in the skin. In some cases these deficiencies become systemic (bodily) deficiencies and this causes acne to become chronic (perpetual). As an example, the skin requires huge amounts of zinc to fight acne and to repair/heal its infections, placing a strain on skin and body zinc supply. The majority of people with moderate to severe acne develop systemic zinc deficiency based upon the severity of the acne. As a result infections tend to become larger, last longer and heal more slowly.

BiON acne products contain zinc to help provide the skin with an adequate supply to block new infections and promote the repair/healing of existing infections, in the forms of zinc sulfate, zinc contained in pascalitic clay and zinc contained in plant extracts. Taking a multivitamin supplement daily with 15-25mg of zinc is beneficial in replenishing the body's supply, or a 20-30mg zinc supplement daily for several weeks. Do NOT take zinc supplements if pregnant or nursing without the advise and consent of the patient's physician. Meats, poultry and fish are main sources of dietary zinc. Vegetarians should research other sources (such as beans) or consider some form of supplementation.

Linoleic acid is a normal component of sebum. It is an "essential fatty acid" required by the body and most people are more familiar with this bio-chemical as omega oil, fish oil, flax seed oil, safflower oil, evening primrose oil, or a number of other terms. Essential fatty acids are very powerful anti-inflammatory agents. The sebaceous glands normally make sebum with linoleic acid and this form of sebum is calming to the skin. Modern foods have avoided these essential oils in favor of "designer" lipids like trans-fatty acids and research has found links suggesting trans-fats may break down the body's supply of essential fatty acids. When linoleic acid is not available in the skin, the sebaceous gland produces sebum with oleic acid and this form of sebum is irritating to the skin and promotes acne. It has been suggested that oleic acid sebum is drier, firmer and more prone to cause blackheads, whiteheads and promote follicular plugs that lead to acne infections.

BiON acne products contain linoleic acid to ensure it is available for production of non-irritating sebum and to act as a powerful antioxidant and reduce skin inflammation. People with dry skin and continual follicle blockage (blackheads, whiteheads and/or acne) may benefit from increasing their consumption of foods rich in linoleic acid/omega oils or taking supplements such as flax seed oil. Do NOT take linoleic acid supplements if pregnant or nursing.

Moderate to severe acne involves other deficiencies, usually at skin level, such as antioxidants, calcium and other minerals. BiON acne products contain these elements to normalize skin functions and reduce inflammation. Acne Inhibiting Gel contains all of the elements that have become deficient as a result of long-term moderate to severe acne and this highly specialized product rebalances the skin's chemistry. Therefore it is always suggested for treatment of moderate to severe acne. Once acne is fully under control this product is no longer necessary to maintain control. Green Tea/Clay Mask also contains many of these elements and is extremely effective in drawing infections out of the skin and preventing new infections.

Specialization of Products: Moderate to severe acne occurs in excessively oily skin and oily, normal and combination skin and even dry and dry, sensitive skin. BiON has products specifically developed for each of these skin type groups so the products don't irritate or dehydrate the skin.

Cleanser Group:
    Glycolic Cleanser - For Excessively Oily Skin: Very effectively removes oils and lipids while washing off P. acnes and other bacteria and their lipases.
    Antibacterial Cleanser - For Oily, Normal and Combination Skin: Cleanses without stripping the skin's moisture barrier. Contains cinnamon bark extract, which effectively kills P. acnes, as well as E. coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus (staph infection) and other dreaded bacteria. Cinnamon also blocks 5alpha-reductase.
    Bacteriostat Cleanser - For Dry and Dry, Sensitive Skin: Gently cleanses without stripping the skin's moisture barrier. Contains sage, turmeric and wild oregano, which effectively kills P acnes, as well as E. coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus (staph infection) and other dreaded bacteria. Turmeric blocks histamines in the skin that promote irritation in dry and dry, sensitive skin types.

Follicle Exfoliation Group:
    Salicylic-Glycolic Gel - For Excessively Oily to Oily Skin: Uses a higher ratio of salicylic acid to glycolic acid to penetrate very oily skin and keep the follicles clear of cellular debris and reduce oiliness. Also kills P. acnes.
    Glycolic Gel - For Oily, Normal and Combination Skin: Uses a smaller ratio of salicylic acid to glycolic acid to keep the follicles clear of cellular debris without overly drying the skin. Also kills P. acnes.
    Follicle Clearing Lotion - For Dry and Dry, Sensitive Skin: Uses a combination of natural plant extracts that clear the follicles, reduce the over-production of cells and cellular debris and reduce skin inflammation that contribute to acne. Also kills P. acnes.

Chemical Rebalancing:
Acne Inhibiting Gel: For Moderate to Severe Acne, All Skin Types: Introduces new technology in the treatment of acne. Corrects the biochemical imbalances within the skin that are created by moderate to severe acne and cause acne to become self-perpetuating. This chemical re-balancing boosts the skin's immune functions to work with other BiON products to successfully combat acne. Kills P. acnes, blocks 5alpha-reductase, stimulates immune/healing processes and reduces histamine inflammation.

Poultice Mask Group:
Green Tea/Clay Mask - For All Skin Types: Uses natural pascalitic clay rich in zinc, calcium and other minerals to literally draw infections out of the skin. Green tea, safflower and yeast extracts reduce inflammation and promote quick healing. Blocks 5alpha-reductase and kills P. acnes and bacterial lipases. It is powerful enough to prevent hormonally-induced acne that occurs at the beginning of the monthly cycle.

For information on the regimens for moderate to severe acne see the Regimens for Acne page.

BiON
TOPICAL BIOCHEMISTRY
For Healthy Looking Skin®

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