Monday, June 14, 2010

19 Simple Home Remedies For Acne

Home Remedies For Acne ; Finding ways of treating acne at home is much easier than most people think. The ones that are mentioned below are easily prepared and always available. You may find these ingredients lurking in your bathroom, your kitchen cupboards or in your fridge vegetable compartment. Chances are you will and you may find these ingredients as an effective natural acne treatment.

1. Carrot Juice: The essential oils found in carrot juice will aid digestion and help stop acne.

2. Aloe vera juice: Is a great remedy for acne. The cactus-like leaves produce a gel like substance that has medicinal properties that disinfect while they heal at the same time. Aloe has also been found to be good for healing scars. Works fast as acne treatment. Use as an ointment on acne. It can also be taken internally to treat acne.

3. Salt: Salt naturally kills bacteria. It was used in the olden days to clean wounds, and why we use it to gargle our throats when they’re sore. To leave your face oil free and squeaky clean, simply wash your face twice a day in warm salty water.

4. Cucumber Remedy: You'll need to blend cucumber and make a paste. Apply this as a mask on your face and leave it for 1/2 an hour before rinsing.

5. Garlic: It is not the nicest smell for most people but if you rub the pimple(acne) with a freshly cut clove of garlic, it will release the oil which acts as an antiseptic, thus drying out the pimple(acne).

6. Lavender oil: can also be directly applied to skin areas with acne.

7. Cooked oatmeal: can also be applied on the skin for about 15 minutes. Then wash off.

8. Apple Cider Vinegar/Lemon Juice: Removes excess oils from facial skin, therefore is effective as an acne treatment.

9. Avocado: mashed up avocado paste and water can be a good facial wash.

10. Honey: Honey has antibacterial properties so it is great for disinfecting and healing minor blemishes. Apply a honey mask to your face once or twice a week. It is also gentle on sensitive skin.

11. Egg white: Egg whites can be an effective acne remedy when applied on the acne for at least 15 to 20 minutes.

12. Ice: helps to reduce or slow the redness or inflammation of a pimple, but hasn’t been proven to reduce acne. Hold an ice cube to your pimple until you can't stand the cold. Or put some ice in plastic bag and hold it against your face.

13. Ground Orange Peel: has limonene as a component, which acts an anti-bacterial, or anti-fungal agent. Limonene (oil extracted from citrus peel) is actually chemically produced for household cleaning agents. Grind the orange peel with some water and apply it to your face.

14. Almonds is also good for blackheads. Make a paste with it and use it as a cleanser. It's a great emollient which softens and smoothes the skin. Almond oil contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and some E. It helps the skin to balance loss and absorption of moisture.

15. Vinegar/Cumin: Paste made from the mixture of vinegar and ground seeds of black cumin can also be applied to the skin as an acne treatment.

16. Bay leaves: Ground bay leaves that are blanched in water and are cooled afterwards can also be applied on the skin with acne.

17. Toothpaste: put a dab of white toothpaste on pimple(acne) and leave it overnight. If this doesn't work, you can use a little triple antibiotic ointment or a zinc-based baby rash ointment.

18. Nutmeg and Milk: One of the really good home acne treatments is by applying a paste of nutmeg and milk. Take nutmeg in a small bowl and add milk to it. Stir the mixture till a smooth paste is formed. Apply this paste and leave it for one to two hours to see a considerable difference in acne marks.

19. Steam: Taking steam 2-3 times a week, drastically reduces the occurrence of acne. Take a pot of hot, boiling water, add a few drops of lavender essential oil and let the erupting steam hit you in face. Steam opens up the pores and cleans them, thus eliminating the chances of bacterial infection. However, make sure to apply an ice cube over the face, after steam to close the pores again. Remember, this is an important step, because the open pores can worsen the condition.

The above tips of home acne treatments can relieve the symptoms of acne, the next time you have a bout of acne, all you have to do is walk to the kitchen and whip up the best home acne treatments. Clear Skin: Organic Action Plan for Acneis a great book that helps you to learn how to create simple natural homemade skincare for your acne and post-acne marks. Support us by getting your copy here!















Photo credit:
Image: Tina Phillips / FreeDigitalPhotos.net










Acne prevention and Acne Treatment Tips

Are you suffering from acne? Why do you get acne? Is it what you eat that gives you acne? How do you treat acne scars? Do teenagers only get acne? What Acne treatments really work? Which Acne treatment should I follow? These are just a few of many questions people ask about this unfortunate condition. It is one of the most widespread and common skin disorders in the world. At least 85 percent of teenagers go through years of suffering with it – and in the United States alone, there are close to 60 million people dealing with this problem. In the Western World, at least 90% of people suffer from acne whereas people living in countries which follow a more natural, fiber rich diet full of fruits and vegetables are not troubled by acne at all.

Acne is a normal skin disorder which can be prevented, even at the earlier stages if taken seriously. People suffering from acne need to pay attention to some simple lifestyle changes. With such a demand for a solution to this condition, it's no wonder that there has been a surge in the market of acne treatments that are being promoted by experts. How can you know which ones will really work though?

One of the most simple, affordable and best natural acne treatments is to simply adjust your diet. Try to eat more fruits and vegetables and less processed foods that contain fat, oils, sugars and milk products. Paying attention to lack of vitamins and nutrients and the amount of water you drink. There are many opinions about which foods may cause acne. The fact is, your body is not the same as every other body. A person can eat plenty of junk food and still have no acne and yet when you eat pizza, you get a sudden outbreak the following day. When that happens, you will need the best natural acne treatments to clear up your skin. It may be easier to eat right and avoid acne, than to use the best natural acne treatments to correct the problem.

The only way to find out what works for your skin is to try avoiding foods suspect foods such as deep fried foods, sugar rich foods,french fries, ice cream, mayonaise, chocolate, peanut butter, creamy salad dressings, buttered toast, macaroni and cheese, refried beans, mayonaise, etc. One of the best natural acne treatments is being careful to read the labels on many packaged foods. When you do, you will see vegetable oil or corn syrup listed as a main ingredient.
Foods such as cookies, crackers, processed foods, breads, frozen dinners, etc. are loaded with oils and/or corn syrup. These oils and liquid sugars can clog your pores and cause acne. Soda pop is mostly corn syrup. A great book which introduces the acne diet and lifestyle is
The Clear Skin Diet: How to Defeat Acne and Enjoy Healthy Skin [CLEAR SKIN DIET -OS]It also covers dietary requirements for protecting the skin - along with suggested food supplements when they cannot be easily met--and summarized, as well as mind-body medical interventions that can influence acne hormones and lessen their impact. Most interesting are the 50 acne-preventive recipes that are provided, along with information on how one can locate the ingredients that are not readily available in most grocery stores. Support us by getting your copy here!

We hope you find the following acne tips useful.

* Do not touch the skin areas which are affected by acne with your fingers, as it can spread the infection to other skin ares as well.

* Cut your hair short if it's long. Hair has oil. When you are moving, dust particles often culminate in your hair, and as your hair touches your face, neck, or forehead, it can provoke acne or worsen an affected area.

* Dandruff and oil in hair can cause acne too, so to prevent that, avoid doing such hair styles which make your hair touch or fall on your face.

* Change your pillowcase often. As products used on the hair, such as styling gels can rub off onto the pillow case and ends up on your facial skin.

* Avoid over washing and rubbing or scrubbing your skin excessively. Acne is not caused by not washing or by having dirty skin.

* Drink 8 glasses of water everyday. Water helps to clean and hydrate the skin and removes toxins.

* Eat food rich in zinc. A deficiency in zinc may cause acne breakouts.

* Add a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables to your daily diet.

* Eat a well-balanced diet to reduce the reoccurrence of acne.

* Take a powerful multi-vitamin twice every day; the biggest organ--your skin--requires proper nutrients to stay healthy.

* Take vitamin A daily. It both protects your skin and prevents acne. Plus, vitamin A reduces sebum production.

* Exercise everyday as it helps in proper blood circulation, and adequate transfer of oxygen to all the body cells. Exercising will help in both reducing stress and preventing acne.

* Take shower after undertaking any kind of exercise or physical activity to prevent dirt and sweat from getting accumulated in the skin pores.

* Avoid wearing makeup - Leaving makeup products on your skin only contributes to clogging your pores, causing more pimples and blackheads. If you feel you must wear makeup, be sure it is water-based.

In summary, a good quality brand name multivitamin will probably have the recommended vitamins and minerals that you need to help with acne prevention. Combine this with drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day and making good, healthy dietary food choices. Paying more attention to good hygiene and regular exercise.

We wish you success with these acne prevention and acne treatment tips.





Sunday, June 13, 2010

Brief Introduction to Medications for Acne Treatments

Acne is a skin condition that causes spots. Acne usually affects the skin of the face, back, neck, chest and arms and the severity of the condition can vary. Acne is a very distressing condition and a patient often experiences emotional disorders while suffering from it. To get rid of it a range of acne treatment options are available which even if not able to cure completely can at least lessen the effects left by acne. As acne can't be cured, treatments aim to control the symptoms by:

1. preventing new spots from forming
2. improving those that are already present
3. preventing scarring

There is a range of medicated acne treatment options available to help treat acne, such as the over-the-counter remedies available from pharmacies to treat mild acne.

These usually contain antibacterial agents such as benzoyl peroxide. As well as its antibacterial effects, benzoyl peroxide can dry out the skin and encourage it to shed the surface layer of dead skin. Together, these effects make it harder for pores to become blocked and for infection to develop. Benzoyl peroxide can cause redness and peeling, especially to start with. This tends to settle down if you reduce the number of times you use it. You can then build up your use gradually.

If this doesn't work, or if you have more severe acne, there are a range of other acne treatment options. These come as creams or lotions that you can rub on to your skin, or taken as tablets.

Creams and lotions

There are several creams and lotions available on prescription, including the following: Azelaic acid (Skinoren) is an alternative to benzoyl peroxide and may not make your skin as sore as benzoyl peroxide. Retinoids (eg Adapalene) are medicines based on vitamin A, which you can rub into your skin daily. They work by encouraging the outer layer of skin to flake off.

An antibiotic lotion, such as clindamycin (eg Dalacin T) or erythromycin (eg Stiemycin), applied to your skin can be used to control the P. acnes bacteria. This treatment is usually taken for at least six months.
Creams and lotions that combine an antimicrobial with other acne treatment medication are also available. Creams and lotions will only work effectively if applied daily to all areas of your skin that are prone to acne.

Tablets

There are several oral treatments also available on prescription. Antibiotics, such as tetracycline, can be prescribed for inflammatory acne. These are taken daily for around three months, although it might take four to six months to see the benefits. The success of this acne treatment can be limited because the strains of bacteria are often resistant to the common antibiotics. Antibiotics don't prevent pores from becoming blocked so treatment to prevent blackheads, such as benzoyl peroxide, is often also prescribed at the same time.

Some types of oral contraceptive tablets help women who have acne. A combination of the usual contraceptive pill hormone called ethinylestradiol with cyproterone acetate (eg Dianette) suppresses male hormone activity. This drug has been shown to reduce sebum production so is often used in women with acne.

Isotretinoin (eg Roaccutane) is a medicine known as an oral retinoid, which is also available as a cream. Isotretinoin works by drying up oily secretions. It tends to be prescribed to people with severe forms of acne that have proved resistant to other treatments. There are a number of serious side-effects of this drug, such as liver disorders and depression. Isotretinoin shouldn't be taken if you're planning to get pregnant or are pregnant, as it's very dangerous to an unborn baby. For safety reasons, isotretinoin is only prescribed under the supervision of a dermatologist (a doctor specialising in skin conditions).

By following good hygiene and appropriate acne treatment, most people are able to control their acne.