While there are ways to avoid acne on the whole, there are also times when you get that one pimple in the worst imaginable spot, and you feel like you're walking around with a giant bulls-eye on your face. Well, here's how you can single out that one pesky zit and make it disappear ASAP.
Steps
Do not touch or pop the pimple. It will only make the pimple more obvious and risk infection and scarring. Instead, take up the following routine, twice a day, until it disappears.
Wash your face gently but thoroughly with a mild, medicated soap and warm water.
The water shouldn't feel hot, and lukewarm is a little too cool.
Use a washcloth. If you don't have access to a washcloth, wash your hands very well with soap and water, and then make sure the soap is completely off.
Wash for about 30 seconds.
Pat your skin dry with a towel.
Apply a benzoyl peroxide topical cream on the pimple. Homeopathic alternatives include tea tree oil, baking soda paste (mix with a little water, apply and let dry), and witch hazel.
After topical treatment is dry, apply a basic face moisturizer (unscented and non-comedogenic) is best). Without moisturizing, the skin around the pimple can dry and irritate your skin, possibly making the pimple more inflamed and noticeable.
Cover the pimple with medicated concealer (optional).
Learn how to prevent acne in the first place, so that you stop that next monster pimple before it even starts.
Tips
Wear sunblock (oil-free) when you go out on a sunny day. Since pimples are raw skin, sunburn will only make it worse.
Warnings
2.5% to 5% Benzoyl-Peroxide Solutions are sufficient; 10% or higher can irritate the skin and exacerbate the problem.
Don't use rubbing alcohol. It will sting like crazy and dry and irritate your skin.
toothpaste mixed with lemon juce left on overnight works too...
Monday, October 1, 2007
Acne and Vitamin Supplements
For years, scientists, doctors, biologists, dermatologists, and dieticians have searched for and studied all of the various causes of acne. Since the majority of the worlds population suffer from acne at some point in their lives, there is no surprise that such efforts are invested in finding out how to it. While there have been some definitive answers on whether acne is hormonally induced (yes), and what can be done to prevent it (prescription drugs, certain herbal remedies, etc), there are still many unknown factors that cause acne.
However, of all the many acne questions that science is yet to find answers to, the most controversial is whether or not diet has an effect on acne.
Historically, diet was thought to be linked to acne. Doctors and housewives alike believed that a high fat content in ones diet would cause an oilier complexion, and this in turn would create acne breakouts.
However, as time went on, science found no directly link between a diet high in lipids (fat), and acne. Since acne is caused by a bacterial growth in sebum trapped in clogged pores, there is no such thing as "extra oil secretion". So, for at least the last 15 years, western medicine has claimed there is no connection between diet and acne.
However, a study conducted in 1997 has rekindled the flame in the "diet causes acne" argument, and this time, with a bit more heat.
This study, conducted by Dr. Lit Hung Leung, states that Acne breakouts are because the body cannot create enough of Coenzyme A to break down the fatty acids that create sebum. The reason is, Coenzyme A is probably the single most needed enzyme in the body. This Coenzyme-A is what synthesizes sex hormones, and what breaks down fatty acids.
The only part of Coenzyme-A that the body does not produce itself is vitamin B5. So, if there is a shortage of B5, there is a shortage of Coenzyme-A. And if there is a shortage of Coenzyme-A, the body will use it to synthesize sex hormones, not break down fatty acids.
So, you can see where this is going?more fatty acids, more sebum production, more acne.
Now, the interesting thing is that Dr. Lit Hung Leung substantiated this claim by testing it on 100 people. The group took 10 grams or more per day of pantothenic acid ( B5 ), and used a B5 topical cream of 20% by weight. After 2-3, sebum production was reduced, and many people with acne noticed a reduction. For those with more extreme acne, a higher dosage of B5 was used (approx. 15-20 grams per day), and treatment was prolonged to see an effect, sometimes up to 6 months.
So, while one study does not definitively prove whether B5 can prevent or reduce acne, it may well be worth considering, particularly for those who want a natural or herbal cure for acne, and do not want to use chemicals such as benzoyl peroxide, or other prescription acne treatments.
Acne Rosacea - A Blush You Can Do Without
What do former presidents Bill Clinton and Boris Yeltsin have in common? A condition called acne rosacea, a chronic inflammation of the blood vessels in the skin, which causes a ruddy complexion and small acne-like eruptions on the cheeks, forehead and nose.
In men it can often cause the skin on the nose to thicken and swell, leading toa condition called rhinophyma.
Nobody know what causes it but the list of potential triggers is endless. The main culprits are alcohol and rich, spicy foods.
Because its roots are unknown, there's no permanent cure either, so management is the key. This is partly achieved by identifying what makes the rosacea worse through a process of exclusion and by the use of topical antibiotics - usually metronidazole.
A GP's diagnosis is vital since the symptoms can be similar to more serious conditions such as lupus. Rosacea can last a lifetime, especially in men, but often clears up on its own.
Acne Prevention Tips
Preventing acne is an extremely difficult thing to do. There really isn't a cure for it, yet it drags yourself esteem way down. So just what can an acne suffer do to help minimize breakouts? Here are some basic tips to help control your condition.
Wash Your Skin Gently:
When you wash you should be very careful about how hard you press or rub your face. If you press to hard it will irritate your skin. This can also break open any pimples that you currently have. So, be sure to press lightly when washing and drying your face.
Dont Pop those Zits:
Popping pimples is a really bad idea. By breaking them open you can leave scares and cause more infection.
Avoid Stress:
Stress will cause you to have a breakout. You need to make sure you get enough sleep, eat healthy, and take time to have some fun. This will be one of the hardest things to do when trying to prevent acne.
Loose Clothing:
Loose clothing will be much more easier on your skin when your working out. Tight clothing will cause the sweat and oil to be absorbed into your skin more then it needs to be. Loose clothing will also allow for less irritation from the clothing itself.
Are You Addicted To Your Acne Trigger?
An acne trigger is any thought, location, feeling, food, emotion, response, drink, drug, memory and/or experience that sets off a series of hormonal reactions in your body that ultimately result in an acne formation.
If a food or drink is the culprit behind your acne breakouts you may actually be addicted to your preferred culinary delight. The allergy addition could stem from the body's response to frequently consumed allergens. During an allergic response, the body releases endorphins. These endorphins in turn create the feeling of a natural high. Any substance that promotes this fleeting state of euphoria may be additive. So, you may be eating a food that you are allergic to just to get high, and as an after blow, you get acne. Ouch.
Surprisingly, eating a lot of any particular food, even a "healthy food", can incite an allergic response. Though still unexplainable, the food creates an immune response and/or stresses specific digestive enzymes. Poor digestion can irritate the body in multiple ways, generating an allergic response.
One way to decide whether or not you are allergic to a certain food is to examine the foods your most often crave. Are you eating the food to experience a gastronomic high? Foods containing chocolate, dairy, wheat, corn, tomatoes, and soy are common sources of food allergens.
Sources and additional reading:
The Inflammation Syndrome: The complete nutritional program to prevent and reverse heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, allergies, asthma. Jack Challem. John Wiley & Sons. 2003.
Stop Inflammation Now! A step-by-step plan to prevent, treat, and reverse inflammation- the leading cause of heart disease and related conditions. Richard M. Flemming, M.D. with Tom Monte. G.P. Putman's Sons. 2004.
Possible Acne Messages
There are over ten forms of acne a person can experience, from chloracne to acne mechanica. Just as acne can take on varied forms, there are a variety of reasons why one may have acne.
Acne formations act as messengers from the body, suggesting beneficial changes to your lifestyle and areas of your life to which you should pay more attention. You know when you have found an acne message because using the information from the message actually improves your health and deepens you level of self-awareness.
Below is a sampling of the some of the needs or unresolved issues that may be exposed by an Acne Message.
Needed diet alteration
Poor level of self-love
Reduction in over the counter medications
Internal detoxification
Need for more exercise
Move to a different relationship or end a current one
Need for more personal challenges
Poor stress management
Uncontrolled emotions
Social anxiety
Boredom
Un-addressed personal fears
Unmeet goals
Unexpressed Feelings
Bodily neglect
Unadjusted to new settings
Contact with new environments
Poor understanding of cleansing agents
Misuse of hair care products
Excess hormones in foods
Weak organs
Extreme sensitivity to criticism
Acne is not a superficial condition. It strikes deep into the heart and psyche of everyone suffering with this disease. Once your acne trigger(s) is unveiled and dealt with, you, your health and self-esteem reap all the benefits.
Is Milk Giving You the Zits?
A study published in the February 2005 edition of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology re-ignites the acne diet controversy. The study's director, Clement A. Adebamowo, MD, and his team reported finding a positive association between acne and milk consumption.
Dr. Adebamowo based the study on a 1998 high school diet questionnaires completed by 47,355 women, and data collected from physicians who, in 1989, diagnosed teenagers with severe acne.
Dr. Adebamowo hypothesized that the acne association with milk could arise from the presence of hormones and bioactive molecules in milk. Iodine may also provoke the acne flare-ups.
Excess iodine can irritate the pores and trigger acne.
Iodine is a trace mineral that regulates thyroid hormones while promoting normal growth and development. It is present in iodized salt, seafood and crops grown in iodine rich soil.
The Recommended Daily Allowance, RDA, of iodine for adults is 150 mcg, but one cup of milk has 88mcg of iodine.
The easiest way to determine if milk irritates your skin is to stop consuming dairy products for three to four days. If you don't notice any new acne eruptions after this pause in milk drinking, you can moderate you intake of milk in the future to keep zits at bay.
Do these Zits Mean Anything? An Acne Treatment That Uses Modern Science and Ancient Wisdom
In 2001, after comparing over 250 studies and 150 drugs, a team at Johns Hopkins Children's Center still has no clue as to how to successfully treat acne. With this lineup of intelligence failing to cure acne, how can any average Jane expect to free herself from a zit affliction? Simple; crack the code of your zits.
An effective acne treatment has remained elusive because the deeper meanings behind the information-packed pimples are too often neglected or unexamined, until now.
"Listen to the messages of your zits", proclaims Naweko San-Joyz, author of Acne Messages: Crack the code of your zits and say goodbye to acne. Zits are smart and full of knowledge about you and your lifestyle. Those pimples on your face act as little messengers from the body to suggest beneficial changes to your lifestyle and areas of your life to which you should pay more attention.
Acne Messages guides the exacerbated acne sufferer to find out exactly what causes their unique case of acne. This is the shortcoming of most acne prescriptions and creams; they treat acne as a target as opposed to probing into what emotional, physical, psychological and or nutritional needs set off the acne trigger.
Once you decode you zit, the zit will reveal a wealth of practical information about you. For example, how well you cope with stress, whether or not your specific nutritional needs are being met, if your personal goals are being met, if your organs are functioning at optimum levels, and whether or not your self esteem is balanced are just of sample of the revelations communicated by zits. Using ancient wisdom and modern science San-Joyz helps people with acne pinpoint the root cause of their unique case of acne.
Acne Messages is designed for people with acne who can find no relief with drugs, special diets, or creams alone.
Do you let your zits tell you at least these five things about yourself before you pop it, slather it with creams, or ingest some acne wonder drug? If not, this could be why you are one of the 17 million people in the United States still coping with acne.
Read Acne Messages, decode the messages of your zits and say goodbye to acne. You can begin your own Acne Messages just $14.99 plus shipping and handling. Available at Noixia.com and AMAZON.com.
Acne and Skin Problem Myths Debunked
Isn't skin a wonderful thing to have?
An obvious benefit of skin is that it protects our bodies' internal organs from harmful elements like dirt, insects, bites, toxic chemicals, nasty weather, and the like, and it certainly is more attractive than what's underneath.
When skin is healthy it's nice to look at, but when it's diseased, it can not only affect you physically, but more painfully can cause stress and social problems.
Like the common cold, acne and similar skin diseases can be treated and covered up, but cannot really be cured. The best treatment is prevention and knowledge about what makes your skin happy, so that you can avoid skin care enemies and breakout triggers.
The real cause of acne can vary from individual to individual, but some factors can be stated with relative certainty:
1. Acne occurs when pores or hair follicles become blocked or clogged.
2. There are basically 4 types of acne manifestations: whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, and nodules.
3. Acne can appear pretty much anywhere on the skin, though it causes the most concern when it shows up on the face. The worst forms of acne break out, however, on the chest and back, and most commonly on males rather than females because of hormonal differences.
4. There are many common myths and untruths about acne, rosacea, and other skin care problems.
Some acne myths include "you'll outgrow it, so leave it alone", "being out in the sun helps acne", "acne problems are directly or indirectly proportionate to sexual activity", "acne visits dirty people", "acne is contagious", and too many more to list in this short article.
The sad thing is that belief in the myths can be devasting, in that proper treatment is avoided, and lifestyle changes that don't need to be made can take away pleasure unnecessarily.
For example, at one point in my life, I truly believed that I was allergic to chocolate and that it caused my breakouts. Whenever I would succumb to the temptation and have "just a little" I would stress out waiting for the red spots, and sure enough they would appear.
After several years and much experimentation, I learned I had no allergy, the stress was a trigger for me, and a new over the counter face scrub has kept me in the clear ever since.
Knowing what triggers your breakouts can be the difference between constant battles and healthy skin. The Internet is a wonderful place to get the information you need, so stop stressing out and learn what it takes to put your best face forward.
Busting Acne Myths Requires Individualized Treatment and More Research
If you have acne, you know the deal- everybody has a cream or suggestion to help you get clear skin. But how do you separate myth, medicine and folklore to find an acne treatment that works for you? That's what researcher Parker Magin set out to do in a study entitled, A systematic review of the evidence for 'myths and misconceptions' in acne management.
Magin and co-researchers from the University of Newcastle, New South Wales, conclude that clinicians cannot be "didactic" when making acne treatment recommendations that are based on diet, hygiene and sunlight exposure. According to Magin, acne treatments should be individualized.
Meanwhile, the Academy of Dermatology has published a press release touting, The Stubborn Truth About Acne: Myths and Misconceptions. Though this article discusses a recent Stanford University survey that examined acne myths held among young adults, it offers no solid advice for securing an acne antidote. Moreover, its meaning is paradoxical.
For example, the article headlines Alexa Boer Kimball, M.D. who is an assistant professor of dermatology at Harvard University. Dr. Kimballs sums up the survey on acne by saying "that substantial differences still exist between popular belief and scientific support, yet this does not change the way patients attempt to care for their acne."
Dr. Kimballs's comments at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology casts a discrediting shadow over her groundbreaking research that aimed to separate acne fact from fiction. Just two years ago in 2003, Dr. Kimball was apart of a Stanford University study investigating the effect of stress on acne. Then, Dr. Kimball concluded that, "increased acne severity was significantly associated with increased stress levels? while self-assessed change in diet quality was the only other significant association." The results of this study suggested that the link between acne, and diet and stress are no longer hypothetical but warrant further examination.
Another investigation aiming to demystify acne came for Dr. Loren Cordain. Cordain and his associates explored the link between diet and acne in a study called Acne Vulgaris: A Disease of Western Civilization. Cordain noted that Kitavan Islanders of Papua New Guinea and the Aché hunter-gatherers of Paraguay had no active cases of acne. This prompted the question, "So why does acne vulgaris affect 79% to 95% of the adolescent population in westernized societies?"
Cordain found that genes alone do not cause the disparity of acne incidences between non-westernized and modernized societies. Other factors must enter the equation.
Acne can arise from hormonal shifts, stress upheavals and a host of other causes. Your best defense against acne is observing yourself and noting what conditions, foods and emotions aggravate your acne situation. From there, you can use self-care to reduce acne flare-ups.
5 Acne Treatment Tips You Can Use Today
Dealing with acne can be embarassing at any age. Luckily, there are a number of things you can do everyday to make sure your skin is less prone to flare ups. Here are five tips for taking control of your acne starting today.
1. Exercise - Keeping in shape can help fight acne by fighting off negative stress levels that can come from negative self-esteem and depression. However, some safeguards need to be in place to ward off acne that can result from your workout routines. Watch what you put on your body with regards to clothing, sports gear and equipment.
For example, tight lycra and nylon exercise outfits might look great in the movies and on magazine models, but if you are susceptible to acne problems, avoid these synthetic fabrics that tend to trap in body moisture and heat resulting in a bacteria frenzy. Instead, choose loose clothing made of cotton or natural blends to allow more air to get to your skin.
And when you are finished with your workout, get out of clothing wet from perspiration or water sports. Shower and change into dry, clean clothing. And keep your sports gear and equipment clean, too. Dirty headgear, for instance, can irritate forehead areas prone to acne problems. So toss headbands into the washing machine after workout sessions.
2. Cosmetics - To avoid pore-clogging and skin irritations that are similar to acne and that can contribute to acne, use products labeled noncomedogenic or oil-free. Shimmering facial colors can contain a flaky mineral called mica that can cause skin irritations and clog pores. Other additives in coloring that can cause similar reactions are coal tar derivatives, carmine and heavy cream in blushes.
More preventative measures include using a lip gloss that promotes a matte finish instead of a high gloss for less pore-clogging; note the more the shine, the more then comedogenic content and the more the pores can clog. Beware that eye creams can contain heavier concentrations of moisturizers than regular creams and lotions, meaning they have greater potential to clog pores in the surrounding facial areas.
3. Diet - Studies show that diet does not play a role in either the cause or the treatment of acne. However, what is recommended for acne preventative care is this: what is best for your body is best for your skin, especially since your skin is the largest organ of your body. So remember to watch your diet and consume healthy vitamins, minerals and other supplements. This will help to prevent and help conquer acne breakout.
4. Hygiene - A healthy skin regimen should include no harsh scrubbing or over-washing, because this can cause possible skin irritation or possible over production of oil to replace what has washed off, clogging pores in the process. Products with gentle exfoliation ingredients are OK to use; i.e. not scratchy nut or fruit shell pieces that can tear skin. And skip alcohol products when possible; these can take off the top layer of your skin and cause your glands to product more oil, clogging pores in the process.
If you do spot acne-troubled areas, do NOT mess with them. Remember that these are already weeks in the making, and squeezing or picking blemishes can force the infected area to regress back inside, further troubling the region and possibly leave a scar. If necessary, seek help from a dermatologist for alternative treatments.
5. Shaving - Shaving for both genders is actually an excellent way of exfoliating or removing dead skin to help with the prevention and spreading of acne instead of leaving the remains to clog pores. And for some light acne cases already in process, shaving can help rid whiteheads and blackheads from the face. A word of caution: for areas with infection or high inflammatory activity (redness, sensitive, open acne, sores, etc.), do not shave. Or at the very least, use a shaving cream for sensitive skin!
Emotionally Dealing with Acne
It is a fact that nearly 17 million people in the United States alone currently have acne. Thus, acne is the most common skin disease. However, if so many americans are afflicted with this skin disease, then why is there a social stigma with acne? Due to the ever increasing social and media pressure on americans to become as beautiful as they can be, acne can be a detering blow. If acne is untreated, then it can lead to disfiguration of the skin and permanent scarring affecting self esteem for years to come.
First, acne must not only be treated physically, but emotionally as well. Since acne predominantly affects teens during puberty, which is a stage of generally low self-esteem as the body develops, acne can cause deep emotional scars as well. How does a teen, who is constantly bombarded by media influences telling them that they have to look perfect, accept acne as a common problem that should have no effect on their personal worth? There are several tips that these teens can do that can help overcome acne emotionally.
- Attend Motivational Summer Camps
- Join Clubs at School
- Participate in Sports
- Develop a Talent
- Work at a Part-Time Job
These tips help build self-esteem that acne breaks down. For instance, if a teen participates in sports, then not only will they feel that they are part of a group (comradery) but also revel in the accomplishments of the team. A Part-Time job gives the teen a sense of worth, that they can be a valuable part of the work force. The money earned helps gives the teen more self-worth, that they have earned it. If the teen has a natural talent, such as music, the parents can encourage the teen to develop the talent.
Developing a talent not only instills within the teen a healthy work ethic (practice), but seeing the gradual improvement will help boost self-esteem. Perhaps the largest resource that teens can use to overcome the emotional scars of acne is their parents. If parents talked to their teens regularly, and have open conversations with their teen about their acne, then the teen will feel less ashamed of their dilema. Parents can also relate their own experiences with acne, since most americans deal with pimples and zits at least in some point in their life. Parents can also get advice from other parents on how they have helped their teens deal with acne.
On AcneRelief.org there is a forum where both parents and teens can write about their own experiences with acne, and learn from what others have written.
While acne can be devestating for teens during the developmental years of puberty, the worst scarring can be emotional, not physical. Teens should always remember that acne is a common skin disease that affects many americans. If acne is hurting their self-esteem, parents can boost their self-worth by maintaining open conversations with their children and encourage activities such as clubs, sports, and developing talents.
How To Use Fish Oil To Help You Stop Acne
If you want to control acne breakouts, you need to supplement your diet with fish oils which contain omega-3 and omega-6 oils. These fish oil also contains EPA and DHA fatty acids which are necessary for creating prostaglandins.
Normally, enzymes in your body break down omega-6 into DGLA, AA, EPA and DHA fatty acids.
Dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA)
Arachidonic Acid (AA)
Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA)
Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)
These four fatty acids eventually change into prostaglandins.
What are prostaglandins?
Prostaglandins are chemical hormones that come from omega-3 and omega-6 oils and that help,
regulate every function in your cells and organs.
Postaglandins also keep androgen hormones in control so that excess sebum is not produce in the hair follicle, which results in acne.
This is the reason why Essential Fatty Acids - Omega-3 and Omega-6 - are critical foods to eat.
However, eating plenty essential fatty acids may not insure that you produce enough EPA and DHA, which produce the essential prostaglandins.
It is critical for acne and more importantly for your health that you get enough EPA and DHA in your cells and organs so they can produce the required prostaglandins.
To increase the prostaglandins in your cell walls, it is necessary for you to take a fish supplement, which contains both the EPA and DHA.
Of course eating salmon, halibut, and mackerel twice a week will be a plus in providing your body with more EPA and DHA.
Here's what I use daily. Spectrum Essentials puts out an excellent product called
Omega-3 Norwegian Fish Oil
Two capsules contains
EPA - 360mg
DHA - 240mg
Omega-3 - 892mg
Stearic, Lauric, Palmitic Acids - 508mg
Using the Omega-3 Norwegian Fish Oil is critical in getting relief from acne, so take two capsules per meal.
When your body creates prostaglandins, it creates a good prostaglandin and a bad prostaglandin. Here's how to encourage the production of good prostaglandins.
·Maintain a ratio of two times more omega-6 than omega-3 in your diet.
·Eating too much omega-6 can lead to producing excess bad prostaglandins.
·Take a multi-vitamin and minerals with your meals to provide these nutrients for breaking down the
essential fatty acids into prostaglandins
·Reduce the amount of meat, saturated fat, dairy, and eggs you eat to reduce the production of AA, which blocks the activities of the good prostaglandins
·Eat cold water fish at least twice a week to provide EPA and DHA to your diet
Include at least 20% of your diet calories as good fats - omega oils and fish oil. This is essential for controlling the excess activity of your hormones and reducing the inflammation of your acne.
Use Essential Fatty Acid To Help You Prevent or Eliminate Your Acne
To eliminate or clear your face of acne it will require you take a variety of health steps. The use of essential fatty acids is but one step. I have identified 10 different steps but will only discuss one step in this article - using essential fatty acids.
Getting sufficient essential fatty acids is of prime importance in clearing acne. It's these fatty acids that help to control the production of excess androgens - the hormones that surge during the teen-age times It is androgens, which causes excess sebum oil to clog your hair follicle and contribute to creating your acne.
The three fatty acids you need to get daily are:
·omega-3
·omega-6
·omega-9
When you are deficient in these essential fatty acids, you will have,
·A weaken immune system
·Inflammatory disorders
·Poor skin
·Skin eruptions and other wounds that won't heal
·Sebum production increases (this is what happens
when you have acne)
·Sebaceous glands size increases
Eating essential oils are necessary to provide you the right oils that are used in the sebaceous glands. These oils can come from straight vegetable oils or from oils in specific foods such as nuts and seeds.
Here's what you need to do. Use flax seed oil (omega-3 oil) and olive oil (omega-6 oil) in your salad. These are the best oils to eat and are called polyunsaturated fatty acids.
The other oil that is even better for you is called monounsaturated fatty acid or omega-9. This oil is found in avocados and somewhat in olive oil.
Most diets people have contain an excess of omega-6 oil (olive oil), so mostly likely you need to concentrate on getting more omega-3 oil (flax seed oil) into your diet.
You can get omega-3 oil from,
·avocados
·sesame seeds
·pumpkin seeds
·walnuts
·dark leafy green vegetables (spinach, mustard greens, kale)
·wheat germ oil
·salmon
·sardines
·albacore tuna
Or, you can take one to two tablespoon of flax seed oil, omega-3 oil, each day. This will give you the amount of omega-3 oil that your body needs. You can add this oil to your morning cereal, soups, smoothies, salads and other liquid foods.
You can get omega-6 oil from,
·olive oil
·flaxseed oil
·flaxseeds
·grape seed oil
·pistachio nuts
·olives
·sunflower seeds
·chicken
·evening primrose oil
·pumpkin seeds
·pine nuts
Taking 2-3 tablespoons of omega-6 oil a day will give you the amount of this oil that you body needs.
So, to control those androgens and help your body reduce the production of acne or pimples start using more essential fatty acids.
3 Easy Ways to Treat Body Acne
Are you suffering from Body acne? or Zits below the neckline? Don't worry. You are not alone! Lot's of teen get body acne. It is common in the winter months, when you are wearing piles of heavy clothing.
Sweat can clog skin pores and lead to breakouts all over. Other things that can cause body acne are tight fitting clothing ( It traps sweat against the skin, leading to clogged pores and blemishes) stress and hormones. Body acne commonly pops up on the chest and back.
Ø To zap body acne and prevent it from coming back, you can wash your body daily with a salicylic acid based cleanser. Look for this ingredient on product labels.
Ø Shower daily and be sure to shower as soon as possible anytime you have been sweating - such as after playing sports, working outside or just being in the sun. After your shower, you can follow up by a body moisturizer that contains Alfa Hydroxy acid. This will exfoliate skin and help prevent breakouts, without drying skin out.
Ø At Nighttime you can treat body acne just like facial acne, by applying an acne zapping gel or cream at the effected parts.
Ø If your body acne is particularly bad and wont respond to this treatment after about a month, you will probably need to see a dermatologist.
Here's The One Thing You Can Start Doing Today That Can Help Prevent Acne
You probably don't know this yet but product wastes and toxic build up in your system is one of the main reasons why you have acne or why your skin breaks out.
You see, your body has 4 channels of elimination...your bowels, kidneys, lungs, and your skin. Your bowels and kidneys are the primary channels that your body expels product wastes and toxics through.
The only time that your body expels product wastes through your lungs and skin is when your bowels and kidneys are overloaded with product wastes and toxics or when your bowels becomes sluggish.
When this happens, your body will take some of the product waste and expel it through your lungs and skin (your secondary channels of elimination). Resulting in acne breakout.
However, you can prevent this from happening by increasing "fiber" intake. Fiber will absorb these toxins and product waste, and help your bowels sweep them out of your system fast.
So by taking enough fiber, you'll be able to speed up your bowels transit time thus, preventing your body from expelling toxics through your skin and preventing acne.
So your next step is to start eating the type of foods that contains the highest amount of fiber.
What types of food contains the highest amount of fiber? Fruits and non-starchy vegetables.
Fruits such as apples, bananas, oranges, raspberries, and strawberries. And vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, spinach, parsnips, and potatoes. These contains the highest amount of fiber.
But this does not mean that you go out and eat as much of these high fiber foods as you can.
You should only consume enough so that your bowel transit time is between 12 to 18 hours. In other words, try not to consume too much fiber in day or else your transit time may be too fast causing nutrients to pass through your system without being absorbed. So if your transit time is under 12 hours, you may want to reduce the amount of fibers consume each day.
However, if your transit time is more than 24 hours then you really need to consume more fiber intake or else your body will start expelling these product wastes and toxins through your skin (resulting in acne breakout).
For me it's about 32 grams of fiber a day but it may be different for you, so you should really test it out for yourself and see how much grams of fiber you should be consuming each day. It's probably best to start out with 30 grams of fiber a day and go on from there.
How much grams of fiber does each fruit and vegetable contain? For the fruits I've listed above it's about 3 grams each and the vegetables are about 2 grams each. However, I do recommend you consume more vegetables than fruits because fruits are high in natural sugar.
While consuming more fiber alone will not stop acne it can help in preventing acne. And that's one portion of the pie in fighting acne.
Acne Wrinkles at My Age?
Puberty brought bouts of acne. In your 20s, finding Mr. or Mrs. Right was of chief consequence. When the 30s hit, you worked to raise little Johnnie or Suzie to be a model kid. Now that your hitting the fabulous 40s, you should be coasting through life, right. Well, why are you suddenly dealing with the cosmetic double whammy of acne and wrinkles? Even your insurance company figures that you should have gotten rid of acne by the age of 25.
The number people over 30 needing acne treatments has climbed to the extent that a report published in Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology recommends raising the age for insurance coverage of the acne drug tretinoin to at least 40. The authors of the report, Drs. Steven Feldman and Alan Fleischer, add that many insurance companies refuse to pay for tretinoin prescriptions for patients older than 25.
Cosmetic Catch 22 Even if your insurance company leaves you to fend for yourself, you still have options for freeing yourself from acne and wrinkles. At first, coping with acne and wrinkles may seem like a cosmetic catch 22. Do you dry your skin with acne cleansers containing benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, and worsen your wrinkles? Or, do you smear on the moisturizer to smooth the wrinkles, but cope with the zits brought on by the extra oil or sensitivity to a new product?
There's a smarter way to handle acne and wrinkles.
1. Interpret the acne
2. Allow your skin to improve as you use self-awareness to remove zits.
Interpret the acne
While dealing with acne and wrinkles, target the acne first because acne is an autoimmune disease. Having an autoimmune disease means that your thoughts, emotions, and/or environment are affecting you in an adverse way and require immediate attention. Thus, acne may reveal that you need to relax more, change your eating habits, reframe your interpersonal dialogue, stop dating that jerk from the office and/or make another beneficial alteration to your lifestyle.
Zits arrive on your face to report on some unpleasant activities within your body and life. Once you get feedback from these zits, you can take action to send the zits away while augmenting your health in the process.
Acne is usually an indication various hidden or overlooked health problems. Here's a sample of the questions you should ask yourself when dealing with acne so that you can unravel the mystery behind your zits. Are you:
Regular?
About 70% of your immune system is located in your intestines. If this area is blocked with waste, your immuno-defenses are down. So, instead of waste leaving your body via the rectum, it chooses to leave through the skin. Waste leaving the skin can cause an infection that presents itself as acne.
Tense?
Tension likewise reduces the vigor of the immune system. Take a few deep breaths throughout the day to calm your body. Take a long walk in the fresh air to wind down.
Eating nutritionally?
Cases of acne have been improved with consuming foods containing zinc, essential fatty acids, vitamin A and a host of other nutrients. All of these vital nutrients are available in leafy green vegetables, fruits and olive oil.
Worried about unresolved issues?
Not resolving personal issues creates conflict and tension in the body. Again, these issues most be addressed to avoid undue stress within the body.
Exercising daily?
Exercise reduces stress and gives you an opportunity to subconsciously contemplate challenges that you may be facing. Physical activity also keeps your muscles and intestines toned, which keeps encourages regularity.
Changing pillowcase frequently?
Using a dirty pillowcase aggravates an acne condition. Your face naturally secretes oils during the night. These oils are sticky. So if you pillowcase if dirty, you are allowing your face to collect extra waste during the night, which could further clog your pores.
Moving or changing your job/career?
New demands or feelings of lose can sometimes accompany change. Transfer these emotions into something constructive by writing in a journal or envisioning how these changes are going to benefit you. Find comfort in these changes and opportunities for new beginnings.
Experiencing excessive facial hair growth and erratic periods?
Conditions such as acne, excessive facial hair, and erratic periods could indicate an androgen disorder or other underlying hormonal imbalances. Your doctor can provide you with a series of endocrine tests to ascertain your hormone levels and what corrective actions you should take. Ricardo Azziz, M.D, who serves as Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Director of the Center for Androgen-Related Disorders at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, estimates that 80 percent of women with excessive androgen levels suffer from an endocrine disorder called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Dr. Azziz adds that women with PCOS often have insulin resistance and are at increased risk for developing Type II diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.
Once the acne is under control you can move on to the wrinkles. Another reason for treating the zits first is because if you alter your lifestyle in such as way as to free yourself from acne, and you doing this in a healthy and patient fashion, you will actually lessen the number of wrinkles you have.
Health is wholeness and beauty is a reflection of robust health. You'll never buy robust health in a jar. It is a mind, body, spirit and environmental support system that garners full-bodied health. Lets look at want you actually need from a "beauty cream".
Face Cream Education There are five basic ingredients in any given anti-aging or anti-wrinkling cream.
1. The oil or moisturizer
2. The preservatives to keep the cream from spoiling.
3. A scent or flavor
4. A color
5. The active ingredient.
Only one of these components is essential, the oil. The preservative is only needed to keep the cream useful. Your face does not need preservation because the skin is alive. Since some people have allergies to scents and colors in cosmetics, the body says that these two ingredients are not necessary. The active ingredient is usually the latest cosmetic drug or multivitamin that is supposed to lift or dramatically reverse your age by 5-20 years.
Researchers S. Jay Olshansky, Leonard Hayflick and Bruce A. Carnes bluntly comment on the antics of cosmetic companies in their report No Truth to the Fountain of Youth, published in the June 2002 edition of Scientific American. The authors warn everyone aiming to reverse the signs of times on their face that, "? anyone purporting to offer an anti-aging product today is either mistaken or lying".
I bet you are thinking, "Won't that oil make acne worse?" The answer is not if you are using the right oil. Some essential oils such as bergamont, lavender, lemon, neroli, sandalwood, tea tree and ylang ylang have cleansing and antibacterial properties which help combat acne infections. Other essential oil like geranium, clary sage and orange regulate the production of oil on the face. When mixed with a carrier oil such as jojoba or camellia, these essential oils are ideal moisturizers.
Nothing that you put on your face will truly change your appearance. Creams are useful, but they are only one instrument in an orchestra of anti-aging concerts. Health starts on the inside. If you want to improve your beauty start with how you treat yourself and feed yourself. I mean not only what foods you eat but what thoughts you eat.
You may eat thoughts of the sort, "I can't?", "I had a stressful day", "I'm tired of?", "I can't wait until?", "I'm getting old", "My body isn't as healthy as it used to be". The menu is endless. If you want to look young and healthy, you have to think young and healthy thoughts. Here's steps to jumpstart your quest:
Start by changing your thinking. Develop your own youth model, i.e. with steps you'll take to maintain your vitality and stick to it.
Enjoy nutritious foods. A study in the Journal of American College of Nutrition found that eating a variety of fruits and vegetables and using olive oil every day could help keep wrinkles away. The researchers found that people who ate a diet rich in green leafy vegetables, beans, olive oil, nuts and multigrain breads, while avoiding butter, red meat and sugary goodies, were less predisposed to wrinkling. Researchers believe that antioxidant vitamins, such as A, C and E, which are found in fruits and vegetables, may help protect the skin from environmental damage.
Use a gentle cleanser each day.
Steam your face everyday for 5-15 minutes, especially if your have acne. The steam removes waxy build-up on the skin while it stimulates circulation. This combo of benefits cleans to pores to reduce the possibility of acne while firming up the skin and facial muscles.
Exfoliate your skin daily.
Moisturize your face in the morning and evening with natural oils. In addition to the acne fighting oils listed above, you can mix essential oils such as frankinsense, myrrh, neroli and rose to help encourage the growth of new skin cells. You can create a moisturizer by diluting 1-3 of your favorite essential oils in a carrier oil such as jojoba or camellia oil in a ration of 1 part essential oil to 3 parts carrier oil.
Massage your face daily when you apply your facial oil.
Lie down on an incline bench for 5-20 minutes each day to let the blood flow to your head.
Wear a sunhat in the sun.
Give yourself a light skin peel once a month.
Finally, forty can still be fabulous and your beauty-plan a lot less enigmatic. Just remember the basics, interpret the messages of your zits, and educate yourself about wrinkle creams- you don't need them.
Why Drinking Enough Water Can Help Keep Acne Away
You probably don't know this yet but product wastes and toxic build up in your system is one of the main reasons why you have acne or why your skin breaks out.
You see, your body has 4 channels of elimination...your bowels, kidneys, lungs, and your skin. Your bowels and kidneys are the primary channels that your body expels product wastes and toxics through.
The only time that your body expels product wastes through your lungs and skin is when your bowels and kidneys are overloaded with product wastes and toxics.
This can happen when you're not drinking enough water. You see, water is the main carrier of nutrients throughout your body and is quite possibly the single most important contributor to healing and preventing acne flare-ups.
Drinking enough water will dissolve waste products in your system so it can be easily remove and flush out. Without enough water, there won't be much to dissolve these product wastes and toxics...causing it to build up in your system and causing your body to expel these product wastes and toxics through your lungs and skin.
And this can and will result in acne breakout.
How much water should you be drinking each day to dissolve product waste and flush out toxins from your body?
Although some would say you drink at least 8 glasses of water a day and some would say 3 liters a day or half of your bodyweight in ounces a day.
I say, you should drink only enough to see that your urine is mostly clear, which is probably much more than what you're drinking now.
But I wouldn't recommend you going overboard because drinking too much water will also flush out electrolyte minerals out of your system (which is not good).
So how do you know how much water you should be drinking each day?
Test!
Start by drinking 7 glasses of water a day for the next 2 to 3 days. If you see that your urine is clear then 7 glasses of water a day is what you should be drinking.
But remember, you don't want to go overboard so you may want to try drinking 6 glasses of water a day. If you see that your urine is kind of yellow drinking 6 glasses of water a day then you should stick to 7 glasses of water a day. If not then you should stick with 6 glasses of water a day.
But if you find that 7 glasses of water a day is not enough. Then you should try drinking more glasses of water a day and see the results.
What you're trying to do here is make sure you're drinking enough water each day. Not too much or too little. Another important thing you should know...
You can't just drink any type of water. There are certain types of water that's full of toxins (such as tap water). The 2 types of water I recommend you drink is distilled water and purified water. Distilled water has no minerals, which means if you drink it, it will leach out any unwanted non-organic minerals from your system.
But since distilled water has no minerals (it's just dead water), you will need to drink some purified water to oxygenate your system. However, you do need to drink them separately and drink it on an empty stomach for it to be effective.
While water alone will not eliminate your acne it will greatly assist your skin in remaining healthy and that will be one portion of the pie in fighting acne.
Why You Will Never Achieve Long-Lasting Acne Free Skin With The "External" Acne Treatments Today
Most of the acne treatments out there just don't have what it takes to get rid of acne.
This is simply because most (or shall I say all) of the acne treatments out there are doing, is just masking the symptoms of acne. And doing absolutely nothing to stop the real cause of acne. Therefore, once you stop using acne treatment, acne will come back again and again every time you stop using it.
This is why acne sufferers continue buy acne treatments month after month (year after year).
And in some cases, most acne treatments will make your acne conditions worse. This is because some acne treatments contains harsh chemical that's not good for your skin, causing it to irritate, itch, peel, and skin dryness.
If you really want to get rid of your acne and achieve a long-term acne free skin. You have to correct the very root problem that is causing acne. You need an internal acne treatment and not the external acne treatments you see today.
You should know that acne is just an external feedback to a much larger problem happening on the inside of your body, and not your skin itself.
So you really need to stop looking at your skin as the problem because acne has nothing to do with your skin and everything to do with what's happening on the inside of your internal system.
Are You Sure Your Diet Doesnt Affect Your Acne?
For those of you who have met me, you know I am often mistaken for being an 18 year old when in actuality I'm 27. I'm currently teaching after-school cooking classes in Brooklyn to middle school kids and I was mistaken for one of the students by an employee. I almost got in trouble for being in the hallway!
All I can say is that the organic food and vegetables must be working!
...and I use Oil of Olay (with SPF) everyday although I am searching for a more natural product that I will like.
Developing Acne
Around the age of 18 I started developing a mild case of adult acne. It actually wasn't too bad, but I noticed it because my face had always been very clear. I was stumped as to why this was happening.
I solved the problem, and I thought it would be great to share my discovery with you. Not only to show how food does affect our skin, but also because maybe it will work for you too!
Caffeine
Around the same time I developed the acne I was also becoming a social coffee drinker. It took me awhile to put two and two together, but I eventually experimented with eliminating the coffee. Guess what! The pimples went away.
Hmmm... So what could it have been? I then figured out that my skin would break out if I had soda, chocolate, or tea. The common factor was caffeine. In fact, I was so sensitive that even decaf caused me to have blemishes. (Decaf still contains a small amount of caffeine leftover from the process.) I also later discovered that alcohol would have the same effect.
I'm not a dermatologist, and many of them will tell you that what you eat does not affect whether you have acne or not, but I will tell you from first hand experience that it does. What seemed to be happening was that caffeine or alcohol would stimulate oil production in my skin (probably because of increased hormone levels). The oil was probably being produced at a faster rate than my skin was able to naturally slough off dead skin cells, therefore my pores would get clogged.
This is my non-technical version of what I think must've been happening
My Skin Is CLEAR!
I've eliminated all forms of caffeine and alcohol and my skin is clear. Of course I get the occasional zit, but not often. I also find that I need to wash my face with a washcloth or exfoliater in the evening and that will keep the occasional pimple to a minimum.
Teenage Acne Revisited
- Rooibos tea has received a lot of attention from scientists over the last 15 years and Japanese scientists in particular have done a lot of research on the Tea and its beneficial properties. Thanks to Rooibos Tea's natural age fighting properties it is excellent for use in skin and healthcare products. Rooibos Extract, derived from the Rooibos plant Aspalathus linearis is not only full of antioxidants, it is also has anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties. Aspalathin the anti-allergic property occurs only in the Rooibos plant.
- Products containing Rooibos extract are well suited for the particular needs of the teenage years. Rooibos skincare products will clean the skin without disturbing the pH-balance of the skin or dehydrating the skin. It will cleanse the pores, get rid of impurities, and help to keep the pores from blocking up again. The advantage of the antibacterial property is that it promotes the healing of problem skin in a natural way. It helps to reduce the incidence and spreading of bacterial infections.
- It is even helpful to add cooled Rooibos tea to the rinsing water when washing the face. Applied topically it has a soothing effect on the skin.
- Modern foods are often over-refined and full of additives and teenagers frequently choose to snack on poor quality food. This can lead to nutritional deficiencies, which could have a major impact on the physical condition of the skin. It is therefore important that teenagers take a balanced supplement of vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids geared to their specific needs.
A new train of thought is that it is essential for teenagers to use a health supplement that contains Vitamin B5. Vitamin B5 is one of the new Buzzwords in the fight against acne. Vitamin B5 supplementation strengthens the immune system, helps the body to deal with stress, and increases stamina.
- Green Rooibos tea is The New drink for the New Generation.
- Green Rooibos tea is unfermented Rooibos tea and it contains 100 times more anti-oxidants than normal Rooibos tea and 10 times more aspalathin - the anti-allergic flavonoid.
- The Annique GRAB Teenage range promotes a healthy, clear complexion by also tackling the problem at its source.
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