Everything You Need to Know about Acne and its Remedies

You have a party to attend tomorrow and have got everything ready right from your dress to your accessories, you being the perfectionist! The day of the party dawned bright and clear and suddenly a quick look in the mirror revealed something which made you look again at it with horror and a feeling of gloom coming out of nowhere to steal your early morning chirpiness. That’s right, a big pimple on your nose! On your nose? That’s where everybody’s attention is going to go! There’s not enough time to do some homemade acne treatments that work!

Acne is actually a skin disorder where the sebaceous glands get infected or inflamed. It generally occurs on the face, but can also appear on the back, chest, neck, shoulders, buttocks and upper arms.

Acne’s Origin and what it is actually

Acne is a problem which mostly occurs during your teenage years. But if you are unlucky it will follow up to your adult years. Which makes us come to the point how did acne originate. Is it a gift of a modern lifestyle? Surely people in the early days did not have acne? Acne goes as far back as 2000 years ago when Ancient Romans, Pliny, and Celsus also reportedly had acne and discussed it! So you are not alone in the world, In fact, you are in exalted company. Before you start your acne treatment find out why do you have it in the first place.

• Acne causing bacteria on your skin – Bacteria thrives on your skin, the bad bacteria cause you to break out more that you would like to have.
• It’s in your genes – Now you can blame your genes if you break out. Maybe your father had it or someone related to you. You can seek solace from the fact that it’s not your diet or what you are doing that is causing you distress but your genes.
• Not maintaining your hygiene – You are a fitness enthusiast and go to the gym regularly, but chances are you are not paying enough attention in cleaning your face properly and sweat combined with the oil coming out of the pores can break havoc on your pretty face. Trying in vain to find some pimple remedies that work? Go to the root of the cause first.
• Hormones the main culprit – Hormones create havoc and hormones called androgens overactive the skin’s oil glands making it a thriving zone for pimples and acne. Nothing can bail you out from the situation, not even home acne treatments that work.
• The sleep factor – Does sleep elude you? As you pursue fun and entertainment sleep remains in the back-burner and a stress hormone like cortisol causes a breakout. So if you are looking for some quick acne remedies, fix your sleep routine first.
• Weather playing spoilsport – Is weather not your best ally? Especially when your skin breaks out with the tweaking of the weather.

 

• On medication – Some medication causes your skin to breakout, It’s a side-effect which sometimes you have to endure.
• Sometimes, some foods are the culprit -Foods such as milk, soy, sugar, peanuts etc. Swap some of the foods like cow milk with almond milk, sip on green tea to get your cup full of antioxidants. It can be regarded as a natural cure for acne.
• Beauty products clogging your pores – Some of the beauty products you use unsuspectingly blocks your pores and causes breakouts. Even if you think that these are acne products that work. Remember to check the label as comedogenic ingredients can create havoc with your skin.
• Cleaning your skin too much or too less – Even if you want to clean the sebum and oily film that seems to gather on your face, too much of washing has the opposite effect, it produces, even more, sebum and even the fastest home remedy for acne cannot help you.
• Sleeping with makeup on – Do you do that? Then that’s exactly what you shouldn’t be doing. It clogs your pores and thus more breakouts on the way. Remember before you hit the snooze button wipe off the makeup.

Now that you know what causes acne what should you do prevent the same or cure it quickly and effectively? Look out for acne treatments that actually work.

Simple Remedies to Cure Acne at Home

If acne is causing you too much trouble, you have to think of a few remedies or quick fixes to prevent them from coming back, or spreading it all across your face and body. These will also mean making some lifestyle modifications to keep your face scrupulously clean. There are some basic do’s and dont’s to follow, which will take care of your acne prone skin:

• To prevent oil buildup, the face should be given a wash first thing in the morning and evening with warm water and a mild cleanser. Washing is recommended after exercising, especially when using a helmet or hat, as sweat can cause your pores to clog.
• Do not use a washcloth or sponge as these tend to irritate the skin Gentle, alcohol-free products are best; astringents, toners, and exfoliants can irritate and dry the skin, making the acne look worse. Scrubbing should not be done at all as they aggravate the skin.

• People with acne should stop touching the face, as oils and dirt from the hands can aggravate breakouts. Stop picking at your pimples as they can cause scarring.
• As oil from the hair can get onto the face, washing hair regularly will help. Oily hair has to be washed regularly.

Direct sun and tanning beds are a definite no-no. Tanning damages the skin and increases the long-term risk by 75%. Moreover, some acne medications make the skin very sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) light, which is increased with the use of tanning beds.

Over the counter remedies

Most cases of mild comedonal acne occur in teenagers and young adults, and these can usually be treated with topical creams and gels. The most common of these are retinoid, like Retin-A, Differin, Tazorac etc. They work by unblocking clogged pores.

Dermatologists will often combine with an oral antibiotic, such as doxycycline, which destroys the bacteria which is instrumental in causing inflammation around the blocked pores.

Oral contraceptives are also effective in treating acne, especially for women.

Home Remedies for treating Acne

If you are too worried about the side effects of over the counter medicines try these simple all natural acne treatments. They are sure to help you when you are in a spot!

• Cleanser made with grapes – Cut out the grapes in half and removes the flesh; rub it on your skin to make an effective cleanser at home.
• Cucumber – oatmeal mask- peels the cucumber and blends it with oatmeal. Mix one teaspoon of yogurt and apply it on your face for thirty minutes. Wash off. These are acne treatments that work.
• Honey mask – Wash your face with warm water to open up your pores and then apply the mask and keep it for thirty minutes. Wash your face with cold water to close down the pores. It is a simple and easy acne homemade mask.

• Oatmeal Mask – It is a great natural mask as it soothes the inflamed areas of the acne-prone places. Mix a part of baking soda, oatmeal, and water to form a paste of runny consistency. Apply it on your face and rub it off slowly wash with cold water thoroughly.
• Egg mask – Beat an egg and squeeze half a lemon into the mixture. Apply it on your face and keep it for thirty minutes. Wash it after thirty minutes to reveal a clean face and that also reduces the appearance of pores.
• Turmeric face pack – Mix the turmeric with two teaspoons of gram flour and yogurt. Squeeze half a lemon in the mixture. Apply all over face and keep it until it dries. Rub off the pack with water using a gentle rotating motion. This is a great homemade face mask for acne.

Incorporate these Lifestyle Changes to keep your acne in Check

If you think that your that your acne is not coming under your control, try and tweak your lifestyle, to suit your needs.

• Get some sleep – The more you sleep, the more you will be able to reduce stress hormones like cortisol and help reduce your acne too.
• Change your diet – Change your diet and avoid food products like milk and milk products and remember to have your greens. Cut back on the refined sugar, white flour to balance your hormones.
• Exfoliate -Use a scrubber to scrub away the blackheads and whiteheads and remove clogged pores.
• Keep your cell phone away from you – yes, your cell phone is a breeding ground for bacteria and always wipe it with a sanitizer to stop your skin getting infected!

• Increase your intake of omega -3 fatty acids – Omega -3 fatty acids are skin-friendly and can be found it in foods like walnuts, avocados, flaxseed oil, and salmon.
• Protect your skin from the sun – Apply sunscreen whenever you venture out of your home to protect it from the harsh rays of the sun. Inflammation from sunburn can cause your skin to breakout, so it is best to protect it from the sun.

Now that we are conversant of the lifestyle changes we have to incorporate to take care of our skin, let’s take a closer look at our diet and see if we can find any skin-friendly recipes to take care of our skin and these can be regarded as homemade acne remedies that work fast.

4 Simple Homemade Recipes to Beat Acne

Juicing can help you in many ways, not only are they full of antioxidants, they are a great way to add lots of vegetables and fruits which are great for your skin and hair. This juice recipe is great to beat acne.

Apple Kale juice:

A wonderful concoction of the best of fruits and vegetables. Kale is considered one of the healthiest of vegetables, as it is full of antioxidants, add to it the fiber of apples and the nutritious celery and you have a drink which will be a toast to good health.

Ingredients:

• 1 green apple
• 1 bunch kale
• 3-4 stalks celery
• 1 cucumber
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Handful of parsley
• ½ inch ginger, peeled

Method:

• Wash the vegetables.
• Peel the vegetables.
• Blend nicely.
• Whenever you think of health food, you think of salad and the following recipe is no different. Chop and dice these delicious vegetables and bid acne a cheerful farewell.

Chicken Salad:

It’s an awesome combination of protein and fiber. A tasty blend to tease your taste buds.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked chicken, diced
• 1 cup grapes, halved
• 3 tbsp. red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup organic apples, diced
• 6 tbsp. extra light mayonnaise
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Combine first five ingredients in a large bowl.
2. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Stir into chicken mix.
3. Arrange these lettuce leaves on serving plate and top with chicken salad.

Beet Ginger Salad:

Beta carotene is best absorbed with some essential fatty acids and the usage of olive oil in this dish helps the body to absorb the nutrients better.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raw beets, peeled and grated
• 1/2 cup organic carrots, grated
• 2 tbsp. apple juice
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
• 1/8 tsp. sea salt

Directions:

1. Combine grated beets and carrots in a small bowl.
2. Mix apple juice, olive oil, ginger, and salt in a separate bowl and drizzle over salad mixture.
3. Toss gently. Enjoy

Method:

• Wash the vegetables.
• Peel the vegetables.
• Blend nicely.

Whenever you think of health food, you think of salad and the following recipe is no different. Chop and dice these delicious vegetables and bid acne a cheerful farewell.

Mixed Fruit Salad:

Berries are the best resources of antioxidants and a salad full of berries can mean a rare combination of health and taste.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 fresh blackberries
• 1 mango sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh strawberries
• 1 kiwi, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/2 cup organic orange juice
• 1 handful of chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Combine berries, kiwi, mango and pomegranate in a salad bowl.
2. Pour orange juice over the salad in the bowl.
3. Sprinkle with walnuts.

The secret to healthy, luminous acne-free skin lies in the combination of diet and lifestyle changes. A little tweaking of the diet, drinking lots of water and exercising are the basic three rules which you need to follow to have healthy skin. Instead of looking for acne treatment, think of preventing acne in the first place. You are just a step or two away from a blemish-free and spot-free skin.

Everything you Needed to Know about Acne and Acne Cure – PDF