Natural Remedies for Acne

What is Acne?

Acne is a skin condition which has many causes, but primarily the same superficial symptoms. As most people are aware one of the main contributing factors to acne is hormonal imbalances. This explains why teenagers often are plagued with embarrassing acne. Another cause of acne is a candida overgrowths. (See Candida) Poor diet, and poor nutrition, are also linked to acne, when toxins and poisons are unable to leave the body through other channels, so instead they escape through the skin. Heredity also plays a role, as far as hormonal imbalances, and also how sensitive your skin is to irritation.

Antibiotics for Acne?

Many doctors prescribe antibiotics for the treatment of acne. The problem with this method of treatment is that antibiotics kill the good bacteria in your intestines. This can lead to more acne, yeast infections, and a candida overgrowth. Not to mention antibiotic resistance.

Accutane for Acne?

Another popular treatment is Accutane. Accutane is a form of vitamin a. This sounds harmless enough, but studies have shown that there is a chance for a woman to have a child with birth deformities from Accutane. In fact, women who are of child-bearing potential must agree in writing to use two specific forms of birth control and have regular pregnancy tests before, during, and after taking Accutane.

Frequent blood tests are also required when you are taking Accutane to monitor your liver and kidney functions. Some major side effects of taking Accutane are depression, seizures, hearing problems, and more.

Oral Contraceptive for Acne?

Oral Contraceptives are another common treatment for females with acne. This method is kind of hit and miss. Some women experience clear skin with simply taking a birth control pill, while other women’s skin will go crazy on birth control pills. If you are using birth control pills as a contraceptive, and you have acne it would be worth a shot to try a few different pills to see if any of them lessen your acne. On the other hand taking oral contraceptives for the treatment of acne shouldn’t be your first choice. Estrogen dominance is a chronic problem these days. Estrogen overload has been linked with cancer in women. So taking extra estrogen isn’t a preferable idea.

Natural Remedies.

Now for the natural remedies. Since there are many causes of acne, but only a few differing symptoms I think I found the cure no matter what the cause. Eating a low glycemic diet will undoubtedly clear up your skin. Yes, sugar, and white flour, are really bad for you. And most of all and to my surprise I might add, they have a tremendous effect on your skin.

Eating refined carbohydrates and sugar leads to a surge of insulin and an insulin-like growth factor called IGF-1 in your body. This can lead to an excess of male hormones, which cause pores in the skin to secrete sebum, a greasy substance that attracts acne-promoting bacteria. Additionally, IGF-1 causes skin cells known as keratinocytes to multiply, a process that is associated with acne.

Now I know that eating a strict diet might not be that appealing, so here are some other options. Whether the initial inflammation stemmed from genetics, a hormonal imbalance, a candida overgrowth, or poor diet it is the inflammation that is causing your ance. So you could treat your acne with anti-inflammatories, natural ones of course.

Taking Supplements

All supplements are NOT created equal. Some supplements do not dissolve properly, some are not strong enough, some do not really contain the nutrients that they claim on the label, and finally some are just not manufactured properly. If you happen to buy such supplements, the desired results will not materialize and they will not be effective. You cannot use price as a way to determine what supplements to take. Sometimes the inexpensive supplements are better then the expensive ones and vice versa. Please read the HEALTH RESOURCES section of this website for additional information.

We may have recommendations in two different sections.

The first section will be called “Essential”. These are supplements that are very very important to take. They should all be taken in that section.

The second section will be called “Important”. These are supplements that although they are not essential to be taken, they are important and they will help!

Essential:

Chromium Picolinate – Aids in reducing infections of the skin.

Take as directed on the label.

Flaxseed Oil – To supply essential gammalinolenic acid, needed to keep the skin smooth and soft, repair damaged skin cells, and desolve fatty deposits that block pores.

Take as directed on the label.

Vitamin B Complex – Important for healthy skin tone. Improves blood flow to the surface of the skin.

100 mg x 3 times a day

Zinc – Aids in healing of tissue and helps to prevent scarring. A necessary element in the oil-producing glands of the skin.

30-80 mg daily. Do not exceed a total of 100 mg daily from all supplements.

Give these supplements a try. It’s all about inflammation, so if you want results fast, take the supplements listed above, and then start eating a low glycemic index diet, and you will be shocked at how improved your acne is!