The Oily Crisis Acne is a four-letter word, yet zit, pimple, boil, breakout and blemish are no better. While an effective treatment has been known for fifty years, the pharmaceutical industry is less interested in addressing the core problem than in providing a lifetime of cosmetics, cleansers, and OTC medications. Nor are many dermatologists eager to provide a permanent solution either, since they are paid by the visit not by curing patients.
To treat cystic acne, blackheads, scars, and greasy skin, we may turn to hormones, azaleic acid, Proactiv, dermabrasion, or overdose on zinc, selenium, B5, tetracycline and radiation to no avail. Most over-the-counter are worthless or harmful, or make outrageous promises about magical overnight cures, and products based on benzoyl peroxide, in particular, should not be used by anyone, because they might wipe out bad bacteria but also oxidize Vitamin A in the skin, which not only fails to stop the oil but invites more aggressive bacteria to worsen conditions beyond control.
And oil is the key, since bad bacteria require an anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment, and when excessive sebum pumped out by overactive sebaceous glands backs up inside pores, it supplies a perfect place for them to breed infection. So doctors bring out the big gun, Accutane. It may be harsh, but it does work (at least while you're using it) for it's the only prescription able to restrict oil production and thus evict bacteria from their happy home.
Accutane is derived from Vitamin A, the very first vitamin discovered by scientists in 1913; however, arctic explorers found out about it the hard way a year earlier. They were running short on food and tried polar bear meat, but unable to stand the stringy flesh, they ate its liver instead. The meal containing up to 3 million IU, causing hair loss, itching, peeling, irritability, headache, vomiting and death. Of survivors, one reported his acne cured. About the same time, Eskimos were beginning to experience a strange plague of skin diseases, since they have strong livers and can store large amounts of the vitamin, yet due to a modern diet, they began to consume much less than their ancestors, leading to larger oil glands and ultimately cystic acne.
Everyone has a different "Minimum Daily Requirement" for Vitamin A, but not unlike the Eskimos, races that had once relied heavily on fatty fishes require high amounts for their skin. Still, the RDA must err on the side of caution to protect the masses, and this had burdened those of us with stronger livers with a poor complexion. Though pharmaceutical companies love to take advantage of our deficiencies, no one can dream of patenting a vitamin, so they invented a slew of Vitamin A derivatives like isotretinoin (Accutane), asking us to believe they're better than the real thing.
By the similarity of the molecules, it should be no surprise that Accutane overdose has identical side-effects to Vitamin A overdose: burning, itching, peeling, scaling, fatigue, headache, fractures, blurred vision, joint pain, dry lips, hair loss and liver dysfunction. This is because Accutane is not really a cure but a quick fix to a lifetime of deficiency, and following up to a year on it, users often find oil and pimples return, requiring a second, third, and fourth treatment but with no lasting relief. Lastly, Accutane's powerful side-effects means the "cure" is worse than acne itself, forcing us to choose between good health and a healthy complexion.
The Skin Solution As surface oil is not the cause, washing ten times a day will not make a difference, and skin problems will persist unless the internal source can be turned off. Vitamin A derivatives like retinoic acid (Retin-A) are water-soluble for use in quick-drying creams, but they ignore a basic principle that oil and water do not mix, thus they cannot penetrate the skin, being water soluble. Alternatively, our topical Vitamin A Skin Solution is oil-based and easily overcomes the dermal barrier. Plus its self-moisturizing formula minimizes redness, peeling, or the need for lip balm, and thus is gentler on the face than Accutane though equally effective.
Those having merely a oily face or oily nose will notice a visible shine reduction following the first application. Users with mild acne may experience a brief purge depending on how many closed comedones need to be opened, but pimples will heal quickly and become progressively smaller and fewer in number as skin becomes smoother each day. Cystic acne is always the worst case and it can be tenacious, but even the most challenging skin conditions can be clear of blemishes, bumps, scars and discolorations in a matter of months. The most successful results can be had by adhering to the prescribed Daily Regimen.
Once the oil is under control, cut back to a minimum dose of topical Vitamin A to keep sebum suppressed, and be sure to reintroduce sufficient dietary sources to prevent glands from enlarging again. Our product is edible, but we cannot recommend it as a supplement, since a single drop far exceeds the mandated RDA. Please see the Disclaimer for safety warnings and contraindications.
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