May 12, 2008

Amazing Home Treatments for Acne

Acne can be devastating on a person's social life. Acne can strike at any age, although it usually starts in the early to mid teens during puberty. If you are like me, you probably have, or have had acne, or know someone who does. Otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this article.

If acne is left untreated, and the person’s health is not cared for, the acne may worsen. This may lead to scarring, permanent damage to the skin, and even permanent damage to the person's self esteem and social life. Here are a few quick tips as well as topical treatments that may aid in healing.

6 Acne Tips and Home Recipe Treatments

1. Drink plenty of fresh, filtered or spring water. If you hate water, try adding flavored stevia to it. Try to drink at least 8 to 10 glasses per day, more if you happen to drink a caffeinated product, which you shouldn’t.
2. Stay away from processed or fried foods. This means burgers, prepackaged meals, white bread; anything prepackaged that includes refined flours, hydrogenated oils, refined sugars, vegetable oils, and even corn syrup.
3. Try to eat at a minimum, 5 servings of fresh, not cooked, fruits and vegetables. Whole grains, preferably sprouted, and lean meats. If you have aggravating acne on other parts of your body beside your face, consider going on a gluten free or corn free diet as well.
4. Stay away from caffeinated products. They may give you a boost, but they also give the hormones and skin a boost, thus increasing oil production and reducing the body’s immune system towards bacteria.
5. Buy PH correct skin care products. Maintaining a correct PH balance of the skin goes a long way towards keeping it bacteria free and reduced the possibility of the skin becoming irritated.
6. Try some at home recipes:
a. Try a honey and yogurt mask. The combination helps balance and moisturize the skin. It is also, usually, PH balanced. Use raw honey and yogurt with active cultures for best results.
b. Add oatmeal to the mix above to help draw out impurities.
c. Buy food grade Aloe Vera from the local health food store. A small bottle goes a long way. Either apply a small amount with a cotton pad twice per day, or leave some in a spray bottle in the refrigerator. It’s so refreshing on a hot day, or when a hot break out occurs. Remember to keep it refrigerated when you open it.
d. Grind up cucumbers, mint, and honey. Use as a face mask or gentle scrub. It detoxes, sooths, cools, nourishes, tightens, and helps draw out dead skin and bacteria from your pores. Plus it will correct your PH.
e. Mix up some egg whites and use them as a skin tightening mask. The combination of the protein and other properties of the egg will help clear up the skin.
f. Rinse your face with hot water and a little apple cider vinegar or fresh squeezed lemon juice. This is an acid balance mix. Just clean and disinfect the sink and fill it with water as hot as your hands can stand. Splash your face several times, up to 30 times, after washing it with soap. The hot water helps clear out oil and bacteria while the acid from the vinegar or lemon helps maintain the acid balance of your face.
g. Consider going on a cleanse. A mild two or three day cleanse will help clear the body of aggravating foods and give the body a good boost by allowing it a period to clear out toxins. A simple cleanse might be an all fresh fruit and vegetable diet with lots of water and foods like cucumbers ,fresh salads, and berries.
h. Keep your hands off your face. By keeping your hands and other germy objects off the affected area, or acne prone area, you can keep the bacterium that causes infections and white heads from ever entering your pores.

If you have tried the above methods, and are frustrated with what treatments your doctor has given you, consider purchasing some topical’s from your local store. The ingredients you should look for include: Micronized Benzoyl Peroxide, Alpha Hydroxy Acids, Beta Hydroxy Acids, Green Tea Extract, Allanton, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Aloe Vera Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, and/or Licorice Root Extract. These ingredients have been shown to improve the skins condition, fight breakouts, and keep the skin healthy, perhaps even reversing skin damage caused by previous breakouts.

It is important to keep the skin well hydrates and nourished form the inside out. So be sure to eat well, drink plenty of water, and care for your skin daily. It’s the largest organ on your body, and the most important. Without it we really would die. So care for the skin your in, it’s the only open you’ll get!