Tag Archive for Pimples

What’s in a name? Sometimes using a word can change the cultural reaction to its meaning

There’s an obscure branch of science called semiotics. It studies the process called communication. How a message is passed from one point to another using signs and symbols. So, birds and frogs sing to attract mates. Other species of animals and plants release chemicals into the environment to mark their territory, tell each other when they are fertile and ready for action, and so on. Humans have developed language so that meaning is attached to sounds or images. At the simplest level, everyone will recognize the noises made when people are in pain or happy. Groans and laughter are universal. But then it gets complicated because different languages used in different cultures produce different meanings for the same sounds or images. For example, the several hundred million people in Indonesia and Malaysia (more than currently live in the US) think that the three letters “air” mean “water”. In fact, groups of letters can be given any meaning. Some of these meanings will be kind, others less so. To understand these meanings, you have to be in the culture. Someone who is not a native speaker will never understand all the different shades of possible meaning in a given language.

One of the most feared words is most cultures is “acne”. It may only be four letters, but to people approaching puberty or their parents and family, this is something to dread. There seems to be no end to the cruelty of humans to each other. Once a difference emerges in a group, it’s picked on as something terrible and the attacks begin. Only those who match the norms are safe. That means anyone whose skin suddenly erupts into pimples is treated as a plague carrier. Their personal hygiene standards are criticized and every aspect of their character is put under the microscope. This treatment is damaging to self-esteem. Confidence fades when you are victimized in this way. What should be a normal part of growing up that everyone accepts becomes a dangerous rite of passage. There are only two ways to deal with this problem. Either the culture must change to be more forgiving of difference or the medical profession must supply a “cure”.

Against this background, it’s fascinating to see the spread of “acne” as a brand. Now emerging from Sweden on to the world market comes Acne, the fashion label, and Acne Paper, the fashion magazine. The fashion house has just opened its first store in New York offering a wide range of own-label clothing from fashion jeans to stylish dresses and blazers. It’s also working on furniture, music and movies. The magazine is also about design (and fashion). It’s mainly European in style. The importance of the use of this word is that it may begin the process of changing culture. If more people wear the clothes, sit on the furniture, read the magazine and listen to the music, the horror of the word may start to fade. People will still be cruel to each other but they may pick on different features (or just use different words). Until we get this cultural revolution, you can always rely on the drug market for relief. Buy accutane online and find an effective treatment almost every time. Better still, using an online pharmacy lets you buy cheap accutane – treatment is always better value when it’s affordable.

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What’s the relationship between stress and acne?

At one level, this can look like a really stupid question. Anyone who has ever had acne will know that the reaction of others to the appearance of pimples causes stress. In fact, as a teenager, getting through the weeks or months of acne can be a real challenge to self-confidence. Just as you are growing into your own skin and working out who you are, the world suddenly treats you as a disease carrier and disrespects you. But this rather misses the point. Medically, it’s important to know whether stress causes acne or, once it has arrived, makes it worse. If it does, teaching relaxation techniques could be either a preventative measure or an effective treatment. Even if there is no medical evidence of benefits, there can be emotional benefits from relaxation and breathing exercises.

Until the turn of the century, there was little research into this issue. This is a highly profitable business for both drug companies and the cosmetics industry. What cannot be cured can be covered up with foundation powders and creams. To spend money on research into whether this profitably combined industry can be swept away by simple relaxation exercises is therefore not encouraged. Every possible source of funding would turn the interests of researchers into the development of new drugs, creams and powders. However, at some point, medical curiosity is raised and small-scale clinical trials are run. Universities are supposed to be set up to engage in blue-sky not commercial research. Thus, for example, a survey involving only twenty-two students at Stanford University School of Medicine “proved” that the stress of examinations worsened acne. When this was combined with changes in diet, the acne became even more severe. Unfortunately, the number of participants is not statistically significant and, as with similar studies, it’s not possible to generalize the findings to the general population. For now, the profits of the drug and cosmetic companies are safe.

Nevertheless, stress should remain on the research agenda. In theory, stress stimulates the release of the steroid cortisol, adrenaline and other hormones into the blood stream. Even in women, male hormones associated with excess oil production are released. Stress also affects the auto-immune system and interferes with the healing process. This slows down the recovery from the infections in the pores caused by the bacteria. Even unscientific observations show more inflamed papules filled with puss during stressful periods. Thus, relaxation exercises should become a regular part of life for everyone who suffers from acne.

Even if this does not prevent acne, it will improve recovery time and give people a psychological lift. Anything that helps people face the world with more confidence is a good thing. For those who remain sceptical, the best solution is to buy accutane online. This is the most powerful of the drugs used to treat acne and, in the vast majority of cases, clears up the skin during the first period of treatment. Given the savings that can be made when you buy online, cheap accutane is the best way to beat acne when relaxation is not an acceptable strategy.

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