Posts Tagged → acne skin
Natural Acne Skin Care – Healing From Within
Most people do not care to hear this, but if you really want to begin using natural acne skin care, you must examine a few aspects of your daily routine and then make adjustments accordingly. Acne is caused by the follicle of a skin gland becoming clogged. You would think it is simple to cure: wash the face. But there is more to it then that.HormonesBoth male and females can have fluctuations in hormones that will effect the oil glands. Some scientists believe it is testosterone that causes acne.
Females generally have a low level of this male hormone as well as estrogen and progesterone. As we age, the testosterone levels in females may rise, and some males may see a decrease with age.StressThis can go hand in hand with hormone fluctuations and by using natural acne skin care regimes, you will learn to alleviate stress either by meditation, yoga, gardening-whatever hobby you find to be relaxing. Some choose walking or biking. Exercise is a wonderful stress reducer.MakeupMost women do not realize that covering the skin with makeup is one way to clog the pores.
Even if the package says water base and will not clog pores, you are putting a layer of chemicals on your skin and it will react to this foreign agent- acne being one way. If you must use makeup, try mineral powder. Going bare is better and part of natural acne skin care.DietThis is the big one, and where the most changes need to take place for a lot of people. Avoiding junk food, processed pre-cooked meals and introducing more fruits and green leafy vegetables into the diet is a must if you want healthy clear skin.
Drive by the fast food places. If you are rushed each morning and can never eat a good wholesome breakfast and find yourself at the drive-thru for lunch, take some time each night to prepare a healthy breakfast and lunch before bed.Try eating an all fruit breakfast. This will get your metabolism going and you will be getting essential vitamins and amino acids as well. Diet is the main key in natural acne skin care. Make some changes in this area, and you will see a difference in your complexion.
WaterPure water is another factor. If you are not drinking water every day your skin will suffer. Drink eight to ten glasses each day as directed by any health care professional and your skin will thank you. And this leaves us to soda pop. If you are consuming more than one can of pop per day, you are not doing your body good in preventing acne.One vegetable proven to reduce acne and is suggested in natural acne skin care is the cucumber. When blended into a mask and applied for one half hour every day, there is considerable reduction in blemishes.
The Truth About Acne Skin Care
Let’s face it, you are engaged in an ongoing battle when you are afflicted with acne. While acne treatments for a mild case of acne are usually successful, moderate acne is a greater problem. Even dermatologists cannot cure a severe case of acne but can only provide an acne treatment regimen.
However, you can support your acne treatment efforts with proper acne skin care in order to reduce the recurrence of acne flare-ups and not aggravate existing acne.
Knowing What You’re Doing
One of the first pieces of advice is to make sure that you understand and follow the directions for any acne remedy that you are using.
If you are taking a prescription acne medicine, read the patient leaflet that accompanies the medication carefully. Typically for moderate to severe acne a dermatologist may prescribe several acne medicines, each with its own treatment protocol and directions.
In order to achieve the acne free skin that you desire, it is important to use all the acne treatments properly and in the correct order. Consider bringing a tablet of paper, a pen, and a friend or relative with you to your appointment with your dermatologist.
Simply jot down some notes about the order and time of day for applying each acne medicine and what its purpose is.
Remember, just because the acne clears with the use of your acne medicines doesnย’t necessarily mean that you have succeeded in curing acne. Most people with moderate to severe acne must continue to use their acne medicine long-term to prevent any recurrence of their acne problem. Using the acne treatments properly should translate to clear skin and freedom from acne scars.
What About Over-the-Counter Remedies?
Besides using medications prescribed by a doctor, there are a large number of products on the market labeled as skin cleansers, facial cleansers, pore cleansers, and facial pore cleaners that can be used in curing acne.
When cleansing skin that is afflicted with acne, an important point to remember is not to scrub the skin; never scrub your face with a washcloth. It is a misconception that acne is caused by dirt clogging the pores of the skin. You donย’t scrub away the offending dirt; you canย’t scrub away the offensive acne and achieve acne free skin.
Over-washing or scrubbing skin afflicted with acne only serves to aggravate the condition. Rather use only a gentle skin cleanser, lukewarm water, and a gentle motion with your fingertips as your primary acne skin care regime.
When you wash your face with your hands, be sure to first thoroughly wash your hands.
Do Natural Treatments Really Work?
Look for gentle cleansers that are sold as acne solutions. When you’re evaluating skin cleansers for acne, include natural acne treatments in your search as well. For example, a soap made from Echinacea and other herbal ingredients is an effective antibiotic facial cleanser that helps fight acne and restore clear skin. Tea tree oil also has known antibiotic properties and serves as a mild anesthetic that will soothe the irritated skin.
Oily skin is implicated as a one of the causes of acne. It doesnย’t necessarily make sense to use a moisturizer on oily skin as a means of achieving clear skin. But many of the acne treatments, whether they are prescribed or available as over-the-counter products, have a tendency to irritate the skin while curing acne.
A moisturizer is a boost to irritated skin and keeps skin from becoming overly dry due to the acne treatments that have been applied. Look for a moisturizer with the following properties:
- oil-free
- wonย’t clog pores (non-comodogenic)
- containing a sun-screen
Besides a great desire to just scrub away the acne, many people try to remove the acne pimples by hand as a way to get clear skin.
People who are afflicted with acne should avoid touching their face except to gently wash it with mild cleanser as already discussed.
By trying to remove pimples by hand you run the risk of creating acne scars that will last for a lifetime. Instead, have patience and rely on your prescription or over-the-counter acne treatment to work. Acne remedies usually take 6 to 8 weeks before curing acne.
For male acne sufferers, the daily ritual of shaving can be a problem. One acne sufferer has recommended the Gillette Sensor Excel as a gentle and effective razor to use.
Other males prefer to try an electric razor. The advice is to shave delicately to avoid nicking the skin and to shave only as often as necessary. Finding a moisturizing shave gel may be one way to enhance your acne skin care program.
Female acne sufferers have their unique problems too, in finding the right cosmetic products to use. Females who are accustomed to using a foundation product may find that the foundation is difficult to apply smoothly if the facial skin becomes irritated due to the acne treatments being applied.
You may have to abandon the use of some cosmetics during the acne treatment period. Be sure to select only oil-free cosmetics and ones that are labeled as non-comodogenic (wonย’t clog pores) to use on your road to clear skin.
Proper acne skin care is a necessary addition to your arsenal for fighting your battle with acne and achieving clear skin once again.