Detailed Study Notes on Advanced Acne Training - Part 1
Advanced Acne Training - Part 1
Course Overview
Objective: To educate on the multi-faceted drivers of acne over a duration of 7 weeks. This program aims to provide tools for understanding potential underlying causes of acne in clients.
Focus Areas: Internal health impacts on acne, including diet, hormones, gut health, stress, and the nervous system.
Approach: A holistic strategy emphasized through skin education by Orenda Women's Health.
Framework of Treatment Plans
Importance of Time: Dedicate sufficient time for a treatment plan that addresses dysregulation across various systems with the help of practitioners.
Internal Treatments: Focus on treating the causes of acne, rather than just symptoms.
Collaborative Care: Work alongside a corneotherapist to select a prescriptive skincare range tailored to individual skin needs.
Quality Skin Care: Emphasis on optimizing skincare routines in conjunction with understanding hormonal, stress, and dietary influences.
Understanding the Problem
Acne Prevalence: 4 out of 5 individuals aged 12-24 experience acne of varying severity (85%+ prevalence).
Typical Treatments: Women are often prescribed oral contraceptives (OCP), Roaccutane, or antibiotics to manage acne.
Course Content Breakdown
Week 1: Introduction to Underlying Drivers of Acne
Focus on understanding the root causes behind acne, rather than surface treatments.
Core Topics
Investigations & Naturopathic Treatment
Typical Conventional Treatment Options
Hierarchy of Needs & Internal Drivers of Acne
Pathophysiology of Acne & Influence of Internal Health
Conventional Treatment Options
Oral Contraceptive Pills (OCP):
Function: Suppresses the body’s natural reproductive hormones (estrogen and androgens) thereby reducing androgen-associated sebum production.
Mechanism: OCP reduces the stimulation of sebum from sebaceous glands.
Antibiotics:
Oral Antibiotics: Such as doxycycline, minocycline, and erythromycin prescribed to decrease proliferation of C. Acnes bacteria affecting acne formation.
Topical Antibiotics: Clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide are used for localized treatment.
Roaccutane (Isotretinoin):
Mechanism: Inhibits sebaceous gland function and keratinization, reducing sebum production and C. Acnes proliferation. It also shrinks sebaceous glands, leading to fewer breakouts.
Treatment Timeline
Typical Age of Onset and Treatment Journey:
14-16 years: Initiation of OCP to manage androgen and sebum production.
20-30 years: Exploration of Roaccutane, doxycycline, peels, and collaboration with naturopaths and nutritionists to address hormonal balance, alongside skin barrier restoration.
Post-OCP (20-30s): Rising androgen levels lead to increased sebum production.
Result: Acne may persist, albeit often less severe, affecting skin barrier function.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Treatments
Roaccutane
Strengths:
Significant reduction in breakout severity and diverse driver management (hormones, stress, gut health).
Weaknesses:
Common side effects include headaches, sun sensitivity, dry skin, depression, hormonal fluctuations, and potential thyroid dysfunction.
Risk of acne recurrence and impaired skin barrier post-treatment.
Oral Contraceptive Pills
Strengths:
Can effectively reduce acne severity, particularly in hormonal imbalances and serves as contraception.
Weaknesses:
Underlying drivers of hormonal imbalance remain unaddressed after cessation, potential nutritional deficiencies, and emotional side effects, including mood swings and anxiety.
Antibiotics
Strengths:
Reduction of acne severity and inflammation.
Weaknesses:
Potential side effects include gastrointestinal upset, opportunistic infections, and antibiotic resistance.
Topical Corticosteroids
Strengths:
Reduces inflammation efficiently.
Weaknesses:
Prolonged use can lead to adverse effects, such as telangiectasia and diminished skin barrier function.
Essential Care During and After Treatments
Focus on repairing hydration, improving skin barrier function, and supporting detoxification processes, particularly when co-prescribing medications like OCP or Roaccutane.
Special attention on mental health support during treatment phases to address emotional well-being alongside physical changes.
Pathophysiology and Factors Influencing Acne
Key Factors Affecting Acne
Sebum Quality and Production: Influences include hormonal responses, stress, and diet-related factors.
Retention Keratosis: Nutritional deficiencies and metabolic functions affect the ability of skin to renew.
pH Balance and Skin Barrier: An optimal acid mantle, affected by various nutrients, plays a critical role in skin health and microbiome balance.
Hierarchy of Internal Needs in Acne
Integumentary System
Hormonal Regulation
Nervous System
Digestive System
Immune System
Navigating the Drivers of Acne
Understand key questions for treatment mapping:
When did acne first appear?
What treatments have been effective?
Diet considerations: excesses or deficiencies?
Are events cyclical with the menstrual cycle?
What emotional health considerations are relevant?
Investigations and Naturopathic Treatment
Blood Tests Relevant to Acne
Tests can reveal:
Hormonal imbalances, liver function, nutrient deficiencies, metabolic dysfunction.
Stool Tests:
Assess gut health, microbiome diversity, and potential digestive issues contributing to acne triggering elements.
Course Schedule Overview
Week 1: Introduction to Underlying Drivers of Acne
Week 2: Role of Diet & Nutritional Status on Acne
Week 3: Detoxification Systems & Acne
Week 4: Hormonal Dysregulation & Acne
Week 5: Gut Health, Skin Infection & Immune Function in Acne
Week 6: Nervous System, Adrenal Function & Acne
Week 7: Bonus Week - Supplement Prescription & Clinical Case Taking
Advanced Acne Training - Part 1
Course Overview
The objective of this course is to educate participants on the multi-faceted drivers of acne over a duration of 7 weeks. The program aims to provide tools for understanding potential underlying causes of acne in clients, focusing on internal health impacts such as diet, hormones, gut health, stress, and the nervous system. A holistic strategy is emphasized through skin education provided by Orenda Women's Health.
Framework of Treatment Plans
It is important to dedicate sufficient time for a treatment plan that addresses dysregulation across various systems with the help of practitioners. The course emphasizes internal treatments that focus on treating the causes of acne rather than just the symptoms. Participants will work alongside a corneotherapist to select a prescriptive skincare range tailored to individual skin needs, with an emphasis on optimizing skincare routines in conjunction with understanding hormonal, stress, and dietary influences.
Understanding the Problem
Acne is highly prevalent, with 4 out of 5 individuals aged 12-24 experiencing it in varying severity, leading to 85%+ overall prevalence. Typical treatment options for women often include oral contraceptives (OCP), Roaccutane, or antibiotics to manage acne.
Course Content Breakdown
In Week 1, participants will focus on understanding the root causes behind acne, rather than surface treatments. Core topics covered include investigations and naturopathic treatment, typical conventional treatment options, hierarchy of needs and internal drivers of acne, and the pathophysiology of acne and the influence of internal health.
Conventional Treatment Options
Oral Contraceptive Pills (OCP): OCP functions by suppressing the body’s natural reproductive hormones (estrogen and androgens), thereby reducing androgen-associated sebum production. It reduces the stimulation of sebum from sebaceous glands.
Antibiotics: Oral antibiotics, such as doxycycline, minocycline, and erythromycin, are prescribed to decrease the proliferation of C. Acnes bacteria affecting acne formation. Topical antibiotics like clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide are used for localized treatment.
Roaccutane (Isotretinoin): This treatment inhibits sebaceous gland function and keratinization, reducing sebum production and C. Acnes proliferation, while also shrinking sebaceous glands to lead to fewer breakouts.
Treatment Timeline
Typical age of onset and treatment journeys commence at 14-16 years with initiation of OCP to manage androgen and sebum production. At ages 20-30, individuals may explore Roaccutane, doxycycline, peels, and collaborate with naturopaths and nutritionists to address hormonal balance alongside skin barrier restoration. After discontinuation of OCP in their 20s to 30s, rising androgen levels may lead to increased sebum production, resulting in persistent acne, often less severe, affecting skin barrier function.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Treatments
Roaccutane: Strengths include significant reduction in breakout severity and management of various drivers such as hormones, stress, and gut health. Weaknesses include common side effects like headaches, sun sensitivity, dry skin, depression, hormonal fluctuations, and potential thyroid dysfunction, along with the risks of acne recurrence and impaired skin barrier post-treatment.
Oral Contraceptive Pills: The strengths of OCPs lie in their effectiveness in reducing acne severity, especially in cases of hormonal imbalances, and their contraceptive properties. However, weaknesses include that underlying drivers of hormonal imbalance remain unaddressed after cessation, alongside potential nutritional deficiencies and emotional side effects, including mood swings and anxiety.
Antibiotics: Their strengths include reduction of acne severity and inflammation, while weaknesses encompass potential side effects such as gastrointestinal upset, opportunistic infections, and antibiotic resistance.
Topical Corticosteroids: These efficiently reduce inflammation, but prolonged usage can result in adverse effects like telangiectasia and diminished skin barrier function.
Essential Care During and After Treatments
Essential care should focus on repairing hydration, improving skin barrier function, and supporting detoxification processes, especially when medications such as OCP or Roaccutane are co-prescribed. Special attention should also be placed on mental health support during treatment phases to address emotional well-being alongside physical changes.
Pathophysiology and Factors Influencing Acne
Key factors affecting acne include the quality and production of sebum, influenced by hormonal responses, stress, and dietary factors. Retention keratosis, which is affected by nutritional deficiencies and metabolic functions, impacts the ability of the skin to renew. Additionally, pH balance and skin barrier integrity, critical for skin health and microbiome balance, are significantly influenced by various nutrients.
Hierarchy of Internal Needs in Acne
The hierarchy of internal needs in relation to acne encompasses the integumentary system, hormonal regulation, nervous system, digestive system, and immune system.
Navigating the Drivers of Acne
Key questions for treatment mapping include inquiries into when acne first appeared, which treatments have been effective, dietary considerations (including excesses or deficiencies), cyclical events with the menstrual cycle, and any emotional health considerations.
Investigations and Naturopathic Treatment
Relevant blood tests can reveal hormonal imbalances, liver function, nutrient deficiencies, and metabolic dysfunction. Additionally, stool tests can assess gut health, microbiome diversity, and potential digestive issues contributing to acne triggering elements.
Course Schedule Overview
Week 1: Introduction to Underlying Drivers of Acne
Week 2: Role of Diet & Nutritional Status on Acne
Week 3: Detoxification Systems & Acne
Week 4: Hormonal Dysregulation & Acne
Week 5: Gut Health, Skin Infection & Immune Function in Acne
Week 6: Nervous System, Adrenal Function & Acne
Week 7: Bonus Week - Supplement Prescription & Clinical Case Taking