We know it can be embarrassing and make us feel insecure about the way we appear to others.
Acne can be caused by so many different factors, and still there are natural treatments and remedies that will help you get rid of it.
*For the sake of keeping this post simple, I will not be discussing Acne Rosacea or Acne Vulgaris.
Let's dive in...
What is acne?
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What causes acne?
Acne has several causes, but these are the main ones (you'll know which category you belong to):
- Hereditary
- Oily skin (FYI: this is NOT a bad thing and the more you try to remove the oil from your skin, the more your skin tries to replenish it, so don't. Appreciate this...you'll wrinkle slower than generational peers)
- Hormone imbalance
- Monthly menstrual cycle
- Candidiasis (If you suffer from candida, which is basically a fungal infection that can happen anywhere in the body, one of the best natural treatments I've seen for this has been Candida Freedom. They have pills and a soap. The soap is good for topical candida or acne.)
Now, there are other more common factors that contribute to acne that are easier to treat:
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Poor diet high on saturated fats, hydrogenated fats and oils, and/or animal products
- Drug use (e.g. steroids, lithium, oral contraceptives, and some anti-epileptic drugs)
- Exposure to industrial pollutants (such as machine oils, coal tar derivatives, and chlorinated hydrocarbons)
- Stress - This one is a doozy. It's really the root of so many illnesses, so RELAX! =)
How can I get rid of acne naturally?
Depending on what the cause of your acne is from the two lists above, depends on the best solutions for treating it naturally.
When it comes to nutritional deficiencies and poor diet, that is something you have in your control.
Stay Away
Getting rid of nutrient-deficient foods, such as junk food, carbonated beverages, highly processed foods, sugar, enriched flour products, refined foods...etc, is the best way to start, even if you don't have acne. Here's a quick list of ingredients you should stay away from: Bad Ingredient List.
When it comes to drug use, just remember that your body absorbs everything you put inside and outside of it. Harmful chemicals that only add inflammation to your body, will not only cause acne, but other detrimental illnesses and diseases that are triggered by the same.
The skin is the largest organ in the body; you need to make sure you treat it as such and be methodical about how to care for it. I'm going to share with you the best nutrients and remedies to use if you do have acne.
Nutrients
According to Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, the top three nutrients to combat acne are the following:
- Acidophilus - replenishes essential bacteria to reduce outbreaks (taking it pure is better than yogurt, but if you don't want to purchase it, than yogurt is better than nothing at all. Make sure it's not sugar-induced yogurt or your defeating the purpose).
- Collodial silver - Take orally and apply topically with cotton. This is a natural antibiotic. (I personally use this anytime I feel I'm coming down with something. It's definitely always in my house)
- Vitamin A - 25,000 IU daily until healed then reduce to 5,000 IU daily. If you are pregnant, do not exceed 10,000 IU daily. This vitamin strengths the protective skin tissue.
Natural Remedies
- Bentonite clay mask- This is one of my favorite things to do! Bentonite clay pulls toxins from the body and the clay mask really works wonderfully. I have hooked so many people on this mask for good reason. Click on the heading for the best way to use it.
- Stay away from toxins - I blogged on this as well a while ago and there a few key ingredients that you should steer clear from in your beauty products.
- Tea tree oil - this has been my go-to product for years the second I feel like a pimple is coming or once it has taken residence on my face. Tea tree oil is antimicrobial, which is why it's an amazing product for acne. I use the Tea Tree oil by Desert Essence.
- Clean up your diet and eat healthy whole foods - increase consumption of greens (veggies) and fruits
- Drink lots of water - rule of thumb is to drink half your weight in ounces of water daily
- Eliminate junk food, fried food (that's just more oil), saturated fats, hydrogenated fats, carbonated drinks, shortening, trans-fatty acids, refined foods and concentrated sugars
- Limit alcohol intake - this contains lots of simple sugars that will only agitate acne
- Eat a high-fiber diet - this helps clean you out of toxins as well
Consider this!
All disorders, pains and illnesses you feel are your body's way of telling you something is wrong. Taking medication without knowing the true cause is just telling your body to shut-up for a short while. Meanwhile, whatever the main cause is could be progressing at an alarming rate and damaging or compromising other organs or functions in your body.
The natural solutions offered could be permanent or temporary solutions. That all has to do with the cause behind your acne. Unless you know, find out from a medical professional.
As with all health posts, it is important to consult your doctor before beginning any treatments, especially if you are currently taking any medications. None of these statements have been approved by the FDA (if they had, I wouldn't post them =p...jk, but not really).