Acne Magazine : Skin Care, Tips, Treatment Reviews

While it is of utmost importance that we eat an anti inflammatory diet to help keep breakouts at bay and keep our skin smooth, even toned and supple, it is also important that we use anti inflammatory types of topical products.

Why? Well, we don’t want to use products that irritate our skin even more with harsh chemicals and detergents – these actually PROMOTE inflammation. This is why we have some recommendations for natural, gentle acne cleansers that we feel help promote healing and smoothness as well as a reduction in any redness or irritation.

Some of the best anti inflammatories are antioxidants. This means things like topical vitamin E, argan oil, tea tree oil, lavender essential oil, olive and coconut oil, and other topical oils that contain large amounts of naturally soothing antioxidants seem to work the best when tending to overworked skin.

One of the recommendations for topical anti inflammatories has been rubbing ground up aspiring with a bit of water on the face. I never had too much luck with this reducing my acne breakouts, but some people do.

Try very hard to avoid things like parabens, sulfates, benzoyl peroxide and other harsher chemical types of ingredients. If the ingredient is several words long, for example, you probably can guess that it is a chemical concoction that isn’t so great for your skin.

I know a lot of the anti inflammotories I listed above are oils, and people who already have oily skin tend to shy away from this. That is totally understandable. But most of them are noncomedogenic. That means they do not clog the pores and lead to further acne breakouts.

If you use them minimally and don’t load them up on the face, they are less likely to cause pore clogging and you still can get the benefit of the antioxidant properties.  You can also gain a lot of benefit from this if you also have aging skin, or perhaps even rosacea, which is consistently reddened and irritated, flushed skin.

It is perhaps even more important to apply topically anti inflammatory products for skin that suffers both acne and rosacea, since these are both inflammatory skin conditions.

Argan oil is primarily known as an ingredient (a somewhat trendy one at that) in conditioners and shampoos for dried out and damaged hair. So now why are people talking about argan oil for the treatment of acne? Apparently there is some information that this active ingredient in the “Moroccan Oil” hair products may also have some thereapeutic benefits for acne.

Contrary to popular belief, there is a cure for acne, whether or not you choose to fix it through lifestyle and diet, or natural remedies. Whether you are trying to prevent, lessen the effects or completely cure a blemished face, argan oil will significantly help your skin. This oil is created from the nuts of argan trees.

The main ingredient in this great oil is the essential fatty acid linoleic acid which is actually an excellent ingredient in acne soaps and cleansers, which is known for its healing properties for the skin.

The culprit for most cases is an overproduction of sebum oil in your body. This is typically caused by a hormone surge in your body. Using this natural oil helps to reduce the production of the sebum oil in your body, therefore reducing or eliminating your blemishes. This great oil also has anti-aging and anti-wrinkle benefits, making it a perfect solution for smooth, blemish free skin.

Just how can this oil help? It is different than the rest of the creams and other solutions marketed to cure acne because it treats the root of the problem, rather than just offering a topical solution. By applying this oil to the body parts that are most prone to blemishes, you will help your body reduce the amount of sebum production. By balancing the amount of sebum oil in your body, your skin will be smooth and blemish free.

Using argan oil on a daily basis will also help to unclog pores that have been affected by inflammation and irritation from too much sebum oil. Clearing out these pores is like giving your skin a new lease on life. Clean pores equals clear skin, which means no more blemishes.

Since it’s is 100% natural, it’s safe for almost anyone to use, even those with sensitive skin types. With its antimicrobial and pH balancing properties it also aids in the reduction of skin irritations.

For smooth, wrinkle-free and acne free skin, a natural and effective approach is to use argan oil on a daily basis. Known for its natural ability to smooth skin and help to unclog the pores in the skin, after using it for a few weeks, you should notice a major difference in your skin’s condition.

Acne is a skin condition that most people will have at some point in their lives. It is most common in teenagers, but it also can occur in people in their adult years. The first impulse of many people that have acne is to run to the dermatologist and get a prescription for a medication or cream when really they may benefit greatly from some of the best natural acne treatments available.

However, treatments that are prescribed by dermatologists are often expensive and may come with many unpleasant side effects. For this reason, a person should try natural remedies for acne. Some of the natural TOPICAL remedies that have been shown to be effective at treating acne include: salicyclic acid, benzoyl peroxide and sulfur.

Salicyclic acid has been proven to reduce the size and appearance of pimples. It works by unclogging the pores and removing dead skin. Removing the dead skin will promote the growth of new skin. It is not only effective at treating acne, but it has also been shown to be effective at keeping it from coming back.

Benzoyl peroxide is a natural remedy that has been used for many years for many reasons. It is also works as a natural acne treatment. Benzoyl peroxide contains antibacterial properties that help unclog the pores. While this product is very effective, it is important to remember that it has a tendency to dry out skin. It is best to look for benzoyl peroxide that contains moisturizers.

Sulfur is one of the most popular natural treatments for acne. In fact, it is highly recommended by holistic health practitioners. Sulfur has antibacterial properties and works best when combined with alcohol and salicylic acid. Many people respond just as good, if not better to homeopathic or natural remedies as they do to prescription treatments.

However, if one’s acne does not improve or worsens, it may be best to seek out other alternative acne treatments.  You know me, and I always recommend dermatological interference only if nothing else has worked.

I truly believe that we have access to some of the best all natural acne treatments today. I can attest to my own success with herbal remedies for acne and topical treatments that really help to treat the acne from the outside as well, and smooth and tone your skin and help the acne postules to heal well that are already existing.

I have been down the physician route with my acne when I was younger, and I found that I had to stay on dangeorus medications long term to even get my skin to clear up for a little while.  It just wasn’t worth it for me.

Hey there, here is the final part III of our natural vs. medical acne treatments series. It is meant to explore the range of options that those with acne have today to treat and cure their acne until their hormones calm down and they get older. Even then, adult acne is a huge issue today.

We talked about antibiotics, fruits, vitamins, and various other natural methods of acne treatment.  Let’s talk more about the choices out there available to you for you to help get rid of your acne today. 

Your dermatologist is also able to help you achieve clear skin without a prescription. Medical lasers, lights, chemical peels and microdermabrasions are very popular alternative among patients suffering from acne.

Microdermabrasion, typically used for fine lines, can also be helpful in controlling acne and is also very useful for acne scarring treatment.

This procedure consists of using a hand held device that blows small crystals on the skins surface. This acts as a polishing agent. Then a small vacuum sucks the crystals and skin cells off. This helps to polish and soften the skin, while unclogging the pores.

Chemical peels are another drug free option that can be performed. Results are known to be good, but redness and irritation are also a side effect. Chemical peels can also be painful and expensive.

Options such as red and blue light therapy have been known to help eliminate pimples along with white heads and black heads. The blue light is thought to help kill bacteria, while the red light is thought to help with inflammation. People can even purchase these red and blue light machines to use in their homes.

It can then be performed at home twice a day. Although this treatment seems to work best with mild to moderate acne it is one of those options that has very low side effects.

There are many options out there to help fight acne. Herbal remedies are safe and time tested and it would be wise to start with these natural, alternative remedies first. They tend to be cheaper and have the lowest risk of side effects.

But, if medical help is needed, rest assured that there is an arsenal of creams, antibiotics, and lasers that can have you looking picture perfect in no time. But, regardless of whether you choose herbal alternative options or products prescribed by a dermatologist do what feels right for you.

Here is our second part in a three part series on natural acne treatments versus medical acne treatments.  We know that this is a very personal choice, as it was for me. But I finally found my skin savior in Zenmed’s dermacleanse system, and so I know that natural and herbal acne remedies can work, and they can work well, without the negative side effects.

Which is why I am of course a huge proponent of natural skin care in general. Read on for part II of the Natural vs. Medical Acne Treatments article series!

Another alternative acne treatment can be achieved with vitamins. Vitamins such as Zinc, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E also are known for their skin clearing benefits. Zinc, taken by capsule, helps to repair skin and strengthen the immune system.

Vitamin A can also be taken by capsule and promotes a healthy completion. Vitamin E counteracts acne by being a natural antioxidant and can be found in antioxidant-based natural acne remedies like Acnezine. These vitamins can also be found in certain complexion clearing foods as well.

Foods such as bananas and blueberries contain antioxidants that protect the skin from free radicals. In that same token, it is advised to reduce the amount of sugar and refined starches as these seem to have an adverse effect on your skin.

When natural herbal options and an alternative acne treatment have been used without success, medical help may be needed. Medical science has been greatly advanced in recent years and your options have never been better. There are many new topical and oral products that a dermatologist can prescribe.

Herbal remedies for acne are useful, but medical treatments seem much stronger and faster because they just are much more concentrated, and that is both why they can be effective, and why they can have bad side effects. Depending on the severity of the acne, a dermatologist will decide whether to use a topical cream or an antibiotic or a combination of the two.

Some of the most common topical products that a dermatologist may prescribe might be Clindamycin and Erythromycin. These products are applied twice a day and are tolerated very well with a very low amount of irritation.

Another medical acne treatment that can be prescribed by a dermatologist are oral products. The oral acne treatment most commonly prescribed is Tetracycline. This is usually the first oral antibiotic prescribed to patients because of it’s low cost and few side effects. It is taken once a day.

Women are advised to be put on birth control since this acne treatment might cause a birth defect in an unborn child. Those that use Tetracycline products have been known to have a 25% improvement in their skin per month.  However, long term antibiotic use is not advised. It can have some rather serious long term implications, and I’d highly suggest your educate yourself on them.

When you’re dealing with facial scrubs, or body scrubs, which are typically topical skin exfoliants that slough off the dead skin cells and help to reveal newer, fresher skin, you want to be very careful since acne, especially active acne lesions, can be irritated by it.  Home made acne treatments are great because they are cheap and they work well.

The right sloughing agents and scrubs can actually help your skin to beat acne though. You do want to be careful not to use any sloughing agent on open acne lesions however, since it can not only irritate that acne lesion, but can also break it open again and prolong the healing process. You can of course work around the open lesions though, so the rest of your skin can at least gain the benefit of the scrub.

There are many kind sof scrubs you can use that are commercial. You just want to avoid any with heavy mineral oils or moisturizers. Try to find one that reads noncomedogenic, or has things like salicylic acid included or non irritating ingredients.

For a natural scrub that you can easily find at home, the one for oily skin that is the best and least expensive is baking soda. Baking soda, especially when mixed with a few drops of either tea tree oil or lemon juice, has a wonderful antiseptic effect that helps kill surface bacteria which can lead to further acne breakouts.

It also helps to clear the pores so that acne causing debris does not get deposited in the pores long enough to cause any serious damage.  You can use it not only as a scrub where you physically scrub your face with it in your bare hands (be sure not to rub it raw), but you can also use it as an acne mask.

Be careful not to leave it on the face too long, or you may over dry your skin. A few minutes should be fine.  Then you can gently scrub your face with it, just until your skin turns the slightest shade of pink, and rinse it off with warm water – not hot. Hot water is over drying as well, and can actually bring on additional breakouts on its own.

Warm water actually helps the pores open more, so you can really get a deep clean. Hot water tends to close them up more.  When you are finished with your natural facial scrub, make sure you also rinse the final rinse with cold water so that your pores seal up for the day.

Through an ad on television, I just heard of a natural product used effectively in the treatment of acne.  The name of the natural product is tea tree oil .  Upon researching tea tree oil, I found out that it is a natural product with a multitude of uses.

Tea tree oil is derived from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia, which is a plant native to Australia.  Tea tree oil is meant to be used topically only and should never be taken orally as it is toxic.  Never put tea tree oil in food or drinks.

Tea tree oil is an essential oil and has a fresh aroma like camphor.  It has many functional properties when used topically since it is antiviral, antibacterial, antiseptic and antifungal.  Tea tree oil has been shown to be very effective in the treatment of MRSA which is caused by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus.

Because of it’s antiviral qualities, tea tree oil is a viable treatment topically for herpes or cold sores, shingles blisters and chicken pox.  Tea tree oil is also effective in the treatment of head lice and to treat infestations with the scabies mite.

Tea tree oil, when added to shampoos, shows a high level of success in the treatment of dandruff.  Now , to get back to the treatment of acne, tea tree oil, at a 5% concentration has an effect similar to topical applications with 5% of benzoyl peroxide.

It is the antiseptic quality of tea tree oil that helps to kill acne causing bacteria.  Tea tree oil is not meant to be used undiluted.  You can mix 5% tea tree oil with 95% water to use topically to treat your acne.  Other vehicles used for dilution of tea tree oil include aloe vera, lavender and witch hazel for topical applications for the treatment of acne.

Tea tree oil is generally effective for treating mild to moderate acne.  After using a solution with tea tree oil, it is best to avoid the sun as it may dry and irritate your skin, but my experience has been that it is pretty mild and soothing, so it really doesn’t dry me out if I only use it occasionally. Now, it may be another story if you use it every single day….

Acne is definitely a skin condition that relies on even, stable hormone control (be sure to read here for hormonal acne treatments – natural of course!), since a lot of acne is hormonally driven. However, there are a number of other golden rules when it comes to maintaining clear, supple, ageless and flawless looking skin over time as well, and that includes the intake of a lot of antioxidants in your diet.

Not only are antioxidants excellent for your overall health and disease prevention regimen, but they contribute greatly to the beautiful skin that you see on celebrities and  models as well.

If you see someone with beautiful, glowing skin, chances are, they get a lot of antioxidant rich foods in their diet, it’s just a simple fact.  There are even acne remedies that are based on strong antioxidant dosage, like the popular one called Acnezine, which uses antioxidant (and anti free radical, which are cells that destroy healthy skin cells and help further acne) therapy as it’s primary weapon.

When you think of antioxidants, you may think of fruits and veggies, and you are right, many of these precious system-scrubbing agents are found in these products of the earth. However, there are also antioxidants in certain meats, fish, and grains, just usually in a smaller concentration.  The added benefit of having a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables is that they also contain a lot of fiber, as well as a host of other vitamins and minerals, which often work in unison in the body to help with maximum absorption and utilization of the antioxidant power they carry.

Antioxidants may also be supplemented in the diet by taking certain dietary supplements, or drinking them as well, such as getting them in a great organic green tea with lemon (lemon helps your body to absorb up to 6 times the antioxidants that green tea offers, isn’t that crazy!?).  Even though supplements and vitamins can help boost your antioxidant intake, it’s still highly recommended that you get the bulk of these nutrients through the foods you eat.

Foods, and I mean whole, natural and preferably organic, produce is one of the best ways to ensure your body properly absorbs all nutrients that these little organisms have to offer. Nature is sort of perfect in the way it designed certain things, and who are we to mess with nature and put it in a capsule for everything? Supplements for acne as well as for any other health regimen are great, I recommend them and take them, but they are always going to be secondary to a healthful, wholesome diet.

There are several natural ways to help balance your hormones, whether you are a sixteen year old girl, a woman in her forties, or a man in his teens or later in life. Diet is crucial to hormone control. Eating a ton of refined carbs is a no no. They cause huge spikes in blood sugar, which interferes with hormone control. Thought that the image of a teen who eats nothing but pizza and ice cream having a horrid complexion is a falsehood?

Think again. Diet has a lot to do with hormonal balance and keeping acne free skin. A number of so-called natural acne treatments promise to “equalize” hormonal imbalances to reduce adult acne breakouts. But you should be very cautious when using those drugs, because they can produce side effects and worsen the condition of the skin.

But the good news is effective alternative treatments for controlling hormones and helping treat acne are available. If you’re concerned about adult acne, consult a dermatologist to learn more about safe, proven treatments. Also, check with your doctor for a good advice. Once the doctor successfully identified the relation of hormone to acne, he may normally prescribe certain medications for treatment.

Dermatologists generally prefer to try other treatments for acne first before prescribing birth control pills. Successful treatment of severe adult acne may take months or even years. Therefore, natural methods are the most preferred means to avoid such complexities. An adequate consumption of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients is the foremost step in treating the acne problem. Herbal added to the diet bring out better and quicker results without any adverse effects.

Natural remedies for hormonal imbalance may include herbal extracts from naturopathic sources, but food is also a natural remedy for many ailments. Another good idea is to take your healthy oils with fruits that naturally contain high amounts of enzymes such as papaya, kiwi fruit, figs and pineapple. So, once you notice that something is going wrong, you should immediately solve that problem! That is not just a wish, not just a hope, not just if it works out…but an absolute reason why you must make this change happen now in your life.

Have you ever heard of the word acne? Well, it is a skin disorder, mainly caused by some hormonal imbalance. There are a whole host of problems, symptoms, and conditions which are caused by hormonal imbalance in your body.

Hormones are responsible for the regulation of many important functions; among them are: cell metabolism, muscle metabolism, balance of our internal environment, sexual and reproductive function, sleep and growth cycles, and the burning and storing of fat. In regards to acne, hormones also control and regulate your skin oil production. Oil secreted by skin is also known as sebum. Sebum production goes into overdrive when our hormones are in flux.

The acne dilemma is often experienced more by female society as compared to men. This does not mean that men don’t get acne badly as well, but women are typically the ones that often suffer acne even later into life. Our hormone levels are subject to more swings than men are, simply because we experience life events that change our hormone balance, like our menstrual cycle, pregnancy, menopause, and other events that make our hormones a little more difficult to control than men’s are.

Very often, the teens become victims of acne because they are experiencing numerous changes in hormone levels and hormone activity. They are going through the changes that make them men and women, respectively, and unfortunately this entails a whole lot of hormone craziness during that time period. Our skin’s clarity and freedom from acne depends in large part on what our hormones are doing, so it should come as no surprise that during these formative years of hormone dips and spikes, you would experience acne the worst. .

So far you understand that your acne is an important message that something is going very wrong internally. The big question on every ones mind then is, how do you begin to regulate these hormones in our body? Since this article is going to take up quite a bit more time than I originally thought, I’m going to split this into two parts. Hormone balance, as you know, is absolutely a fundamental, critical aspect to not only hormonal acne control, but also to your mental health, and it is something that should be addressed often.