Acne

A number of different types of acne exist, the most common of which is juvenile polymorphous acne. This phenomenon is generally triggered during puberty, under the effect of hormonal factors, and spontaneously disappears around the age of 19-20. In a few cases (1%), it continues into adulthood.

Skins with acne have three points in common:
Seborrhoea
Obstruction of the pilo-sebaceous follicle
Inflammation of the follicle

Skin is greasy and shiny, dotted with open comedos (blackheads) or closed comedos (microcysts) and inflammatory lesions (papulae) which sometimes contain pus (pustules).

SEBORRHOEA :

The activity of the sebaceous glands increases considerably at puberty. This hyperseborrhoea of hormonal origin results from an increase in androgen synthesis, hypersensitivity of the androgen receptors or from exogenous products with androgenic activity such as some synthetic progestogens. Sebum is distributed over the skin's surface and the excess accumulates in the ilosebaceous duct.

OBSTRUCTION OF THE PILOSEBACEOUS FOLLICLE :

The second stage consists in an obstruction of the pilosebaceous duct by a build-up of a mass of dead cells in the sebum.
An obstruction occurs at the surface of the pore and the duct becomes distended:
this is what is called a blackhead.

INFLAMMATION OF THE FOLLICLE :

The third stage involves degradation of sebum in the pore by bacteria present in the pilosebaceous duct (Propionibacterium acnes).
This leads to the release of irritant fatty acids which then attack the duct wall, causing it to break open and release its contents onto the dermis: an inflammatory reaction takes place.
The blackhead becomes a spot filled with pus.
This type of skin is often irritated by overly aggressive treatment and external factors, for example shaving.

SKIN PH : A KEY FACTOR IN THE SKIN'S BALANCE

Normal skin has an acid pH of about 5.5
This acidity plays a vital physiological role.
In the course of inflammatory processes such as acne, skin pH is between 9 and 9.3.
Several hypotheses have been put forward concerning the origin and nature of this acidity.
The most likely is that physiological skin acidity is essentially due to the presence of LIPID - AMINO ACID associations. These associations, also called LIPOAMINOACIDS, contain a number of free carboxyl groups. One solution is therefore to attempt to provide unhealthy skin, which has a basic pH, with elements which supply carboxyl free radicals in as close a form as possible to physiological processes.

Caprylylcollagenic Lipoaminoacid
A Biological Anti-Acne Agent

PURIPHYL® treatment is from the Héliabrine HA line of facial skin care products. It constitutes a novel approach to treating skin with acne using an active ingredient, CAPRYLYLCOLLAGENIC ACID, which acts on both bacteria and on-site by supplying the biological acidity needed to reinforce the skin's self-defence mechanisms.
See clinical tests below on the activity of Puriphyl Solution.

CAPRYLYLCOLLAGENIC ACID OR C8CO
BELONGS TO THE LIPOAMINOACID FAMILY

IT RESULTS FROM COMBINING:

• THE ACID GROUP (COOH) OF CAPRYLYLIC ACID, A NATURAL SKIN CONSTITUENT WHICH PLAYS THE ROLE OF A MULTIFUNCTIONAL ANTISEPTIC (it is a bacteriostatic, fungicidal and virulicidic agent)
• AND THE AMINE GROUP (NH2) OF THE COLLAGENIC AMINO ACIDS the most important of which is hydroxyproline which has restorative properties

Biological Properties of Caprylylcollagenic Acid

• Supply of protective skin pH type biological acidity
• High transepidermal penetration capacity as a result of a lipoprotein structure which constitutes an important feature, similar to that which regulates the passage of substances across the cell membrane.
• Antibacterial properties: Large spectrum of activity against Gram +, Gram -, yeasts and especially against bacterial species found in acne lesions (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis ,Propionibacterium acnes)
• Anti-seborrhoea properties
• Anti-acne properties