You’ve sat there, frustrated and feeling hopeless as the countless “before and after” photos that ficker on the screen, each one showing a famous celebrity who used this “magic formula in a bottle” to rid themselves of acne forever.
They’ve never looked better.
But there’s a real problem with these late night advertisements that prey on your fears, and attempt to lure you in with promises of clear, clean and blemish free skin forever..
You’ve tried ALL of those so called “remedies”!
From instant “cures”, solutions, treatments and creams, you have absolutely been through the ringer trying every new technique and remedy to hit the market. In the process, you’ve spend a small fortune struggling to get your skin in better shape, but you are no closer to a blemish free complexion than you were before spending all of this time and money trying to eliminate it!
As someone who had sufered from severe acne for many years, I’m happy to inform you that your search for an AFFORDABLE, EFFECTIVE treatment is over and best of all? You never have to watch another acne infomercial again because you will know exactly how to treat your acne yourself – all in the privacy of your own home!
Through years of trial and error, testing, spending thousands of dollars on treatments, and dealing with advanced health experts and experienced dermatologists, I fnally conquered my acne nightmare, forever - and I’m confdent that by following the treatments and remedies featured within this post You will be able to as well.
While it took many years before I would discover that the majority of treatments and solutions heavily promoted to those of us sufering from acne, can actually intensify our acne and cause excessive breakouts, it took even longer before I got to the point in my life where acne was a thing of the past.
Had I known about the strategies you are about to discover, I would have spared myself years of grief and anxiety.
High school might have been a blast and I might have worked up the nerve to ask that girl out to the prom. In university, I might have joined the soccer team, and in my early twenties, job interviews and profle photos might have been a lot easier to deal with.
Acne nearly destroyed my life, and after so many years of being a pharmaceutical guinea pig, and having spent more money than I care to admit on solutions and treatments only to wind up right back where I started, I decided to break down the walls of secrecy, and squash the lies and myths that plague and haunt anyone who is dealing with acne.
I spent months compiling my entire strategy within this post, so that people just like you, who are sufering unnecessarily, can begin to improve the quality of your life by putting a permanent end to your acne nightmare.
And that’s exactly what it is, isn’t it? A nightmare.
Acne takes an incredible toll on our minds and bodies. It’s not just a cosmetic problem, acne is often responsible for sleepless nights, incredible pain and the loss of confdence and self esteem.
Even the greatest social butterfy will eventually wield under the power of acne and hide out in the back of the room, avoiding being photographed, constantly afraid of being noticed.
It all stops today. While these treatments and home based remedy’s take some time to work, if you take action and follow the information contained within this post, you will be able to control and fnally eliminate acne from your life, permanently.
So, grab a drink, turn of the T.V and get ready for an eye opening adventure into the many diferent methods of regaining control of your life and defeating your acne, once and for all.
Why You REALLY Have Acne
Natural, holistic or at-home remedies can be an inexpensive way to combat acne.
Natural and herbal remedies
Despite extensive research into the causes of acne and why certain people consistently sufer, while others never experience a single bout of acne, it has never been scientifcally proven as to the exact cause of acne.
There are however, contributing factors often associated with those who have acne and those who don’t, including:
Puberty
Teenagers and zits, they always seem to go hand in hand, and it’s a time in our life that even those of us who have never sufered from acne before (or after) experienced the symptoms of breakouts.
In fact, studies have revealed that over 94% of the entire population between the ages of 12 and 24 have sufered from acne at one time or another.
The reason why acne is so common amongst teenagers is based around the hormone, androgens, which begin to work overtime as we approach puberty.
Androgens can cause our hair follicles and skin pores to become enlarged and extremely oily and when the oil mixes with our skin cells, it can cause our pores to become blocked, resulting in temporary acne breakouts.
Your Hormones
Hormones seem to play a major role in causing acne, and has been consistently linked to causing severe acne in both teenagers and adults.
It’s a Family Thing
It’s been said that while acne is not directly hereditary, if your parents sufered from severe acne, you are far more prone to acne yourself.
Scientists are still studying the links between children with acne and parents and no concrete evidence of a direct connection is available at this time.
Your Prescriptions
Depending on the type of medication you are on, specifc prescription drugs are known to cause acne to fare up, especially anti depressant and anti anxiety medications, as well as specifc types of steroids, barbiturates and lithium.
If you are on any medication and you believe that it is causing your acne to fare up, contact your doctor and discuss alternative prescription based options that you can take to avoid causing your acne to get worse.
DO NOT stop taking your medication until you consult with your family doctor.
Our Environment
If you’ve been exposed to chemicals at your workplace, or even at home with household cleaners, air fresheners or scented detergents, you might fnd that your existing acne may become temporarily irritated.
There have also been case studies performed where people who had no former history of acne began to experience extreme breakouts after being subjected to ongoing chemical cleaners, especially when cleaning without protecting their hands with gloves.
All Natural Acne Remedies That Work
Natural, holistic or at-home remedies can be an inexpensive way to combat acne.
Natural and herbal remedies are derived from living plant life. If you every have taken a vitamin supplement you might have noticed the taste just before swallowing, it tastes like ground plants, leaves etc, that is because it is. There are no chemicals involved.
Natural herbal remedies do not alter hormone balance, change chemical levels in the brain or trick your body.
Why? Because the herbs contain certain properties that are meant to regulate functions the body to promote healing and health.
They are not synthetic or man made, they are simply from the earth and are here to help with problems that we face. Herbal supplements are a healthy alternative to prescription drugs.
Some of the natural remedies are listed below.
- Drinks rich in antioxidants and Vitamin C and/or E can assist in freshening and rejuvenated skin.
- Vitamin E rich foods can diminish acne-related scarring.
- Tea tree oil is a popular home remedy for acne. It is an essential oil that is diluted and applied topically to acne lesions. Because tea tree oil can kill bacteria, applying topical tea tree oil to acne lesions is believed to kill the bacteria that cause acne.
These herbs include burdock, cleavers, red clover, fgwort, poke root, echinacea, and blue fag. A great combination is blue fag, burdock, yellow dock, and echinacea. These can be mixed together and infused with hot water to make a tea.
Drink a cup of this 3 times a day. You can put a little honey in it to make it taste better.
When you are investigating the over the counter options, always focus on medicine or ointments contains Benzoyl peroxide 5 percent.
Apply this to your problem areas before bed, each day.
The Benzoyl helps with open sores and pimples as well as unblocking blackheads and removes the bacteria that commonly inhabit the pores in your skin. You should only need a small amount, just a fngertip measure will do.
Benzoyl peroxide efectively kills bacteria, drys your skin and promotes the renewed growth of new cells.
You can purchase lower doses over the counter however stronger forms will require a prescription.
Here are a few of my favorite home-based remedies for instantly treating acne:
Hot And Cold Compress Packs
This is one of the most popular home based remedies and a very simple one to try. All you do is wet a towel and press it up against the area of your body that has acne, whether it’s your face, chest or back.
This will reduce swelling and instantly eliminated clogged pores, which is a primary culprit in the cause of acne.
Natural Fruit Juice
One simple yet efective strategy is to use natural fruit juices as a way to alleviate the presence of external cysts and painful blackheads.
You use these juices as a topical application, stirring a bit of cucumber or citric fruit juice with a bit of almond oil.
Once mixed up, apply it the entire area where acne exists and leave on for a period of 15 minutes. Rinse of with lukewarm water and pat dry.
Almond oil and other natural substances like it, are easy remedies that will help remove acne if applied regularly.
Do this 2-3 times each week.
You can also replace cucumber juice with apricot juice or lemon juice, as long as they are natural with no added sweeteners or sugars.
Fenugreeks Leaf Remedy
Rather than cure acne, fenugreek leaves help prevent acne from returning once you have it under control. You simply crush the leaves into a small bowl, and add water to form a paste.
Apply this to your face, as a mask, and leave it on overnight. Make sure to use an old pillowcase, as it can leave light stains.
Mask Of Honey
Honey contains natural antibacterial qualities and is often used as a facemask in spas and home treatments. These masks are inexpensive and can be purchased from your local drug store.
Apply the mask once or twice a week, and enjoy the results. It works exceptionally well!
White Vinegar Treatment
Once again, this is a topical treatment that works wonders. With a cotton ball, soak in white vinegar and apply to infected area, leaving it on for 5-15 minutes.
Rinse of with cold water. If you fnd the vinegar too strong, dilute it with 1/3 cup of water, and apply.
Oatmeal Mask
Simply cook a small amount of plain oatmeal and apply to your face. Allow this mixture to set on your face for 15 minutes before rinsing of.
Oatmeal acts as a natural exfoliate, and provides instant relief. Try to integrate this method at least twice a week, as it takes very little time and efort and will yield great results.
Yeast Solution
Mix 1 tablespoon of dried or fresh yeast with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice;
apply on face, wait until it gets hard (try not to move), peel or wash with warm water.
Bay Leaf Remedy
Grind bay leaves and blanch in warm water, Cool and apply to your face. Rinse of after ten minutes.
Lettuce Solution
Saturate clean, rinsed lettuce leaves in water. Rinse your face with the water.
Tea Bag Cure
Mix 2-3 tea bags to some basil and cook in boiling water for 10-20 minutes.
Then apply on the acne with a clean cotton ball.
The home remedies listed above are ones that been used over the years successfully.
Personally, I have found the honey mask to work wonders, and the Oatmeal mask formula has helped me keep my acne under control without the need for expensive third party treatments.
Proven Methods Of Treating Acne
Being that skin conditions difer in so many ways (oily, normal, dry, or combination skin) there is no such thing as a one-size-fts-all acne cure.
Recently, the FDA has sanctioned the use of a gel called Epiduo for acneafected patients over the age of 12 years.
Prescribed for a one-time use on a daily basis, Epiduo is a combination of two time-tested treatments for acne. Benzoyl peroxide 2.5% and Adapalene 0.1% contained in Epiduo are generically sold and goes by the name Diferin.
The manufacturers of Epiduo, Galderma had stated in a recent press release that the Epiduo gel has been able to combine the two for the frst time and it would hit the market early 2009.
Several other over-the-counter medications such as Stri-dex, Clearsil, Clearstick and Oxy Night Watch contain a key acne fghting ingredient; Salicylic Acid.
If the acne is very severe and a cyst has formed making other medications immune, then a potent Retinoid called Isotretinoin can be used orally.
Oral antibiotics have also become commonly used in order to keep acne breakouts at bay. The antibiotics help to subside the infammation with initial high doses that are later cut down gradually. But if the acne becomes resistant to the antibiotic over time, it cannot be controlled.
In the US, many broad-spectrum antibiotics have been in use for the purpose of treating acne.
A visit to a dermatologist for a detailed examination is the best way to fnd out the treatment that will work for you.
Your dermatologist will be able to determine the best treatment for you depending on the condition of your acne as well as your personal skin type.
Home Based Treatments & Remedies
If you’re willing to walk on the wild side and risk the strange, inquisitive looks from friends and family members who might catch you in the act, here are my personal favorite home based acne remedies ;)
NOTE: All of these remedies are entirely safe.
Toothpaste Solution
When I frst heard about this home based remedy, I’ll be honest, I thought there was no way in heck this was going to work. Still, with nothing to lose, I decided to give it a shot and was very glad I did.
Not only does it work exceptionally well, but also takes only a few seconds to do.
All you need is a dab of your favorite toothpaste.
Apply a small amount to your acne spots, zores and zits and leave it on to dry overnight. (Make sure to use an old pillowcase).
You can also substitute toothpaste with baking soda and water.
Rinse it of in the morning, and you’re done! Do this 2-3 times a week during painful breakouts
Aspirin Mask
Dermatologists have approved aspirin as a way of developing a facemask to help combat acne. This is a safe and efective method and not only does it have the potential to relieve acne, but it can also help to minimize existing scars!
Here is how you create your aspirin mask:
Supplies:
- Honey
- Non coated aspirin (any brand)
- Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti Wrinkle Cream
- Alcohol Free Skin Toner
- Take four aspirin tablets and place them into a small bowl.
- Sprinkle water onto the aspirin. Do NOT use too much water, or the aspirin will dissolve, just sprinkle a few drops to loosen it up. Using your fngers rub the water and aspirin together to blend it well and break the tablets apart. The texture of your mix should be very grainy.
- Now, add two teaspoons of honey to your mixture. Mix the formula together well, so that the aspirin, water and honey are thoroughly blended.
- Apply the mixture to your face making sure to avoid getting any into your eyes. Once you have your face entirely covered with the aspirin mask, leave it on for ten minutes. Do not touch it or rub it in once it’s on your face. After the ten minutes are up, rinse the formula from you face with cool water, which rubbing the grains of aspirin all over your face (exfoliating your skin).
- Next, after washing it from your skin, use the toner to blot your face, smoothing it all over. This will also remove any excess formula and leave your face feeling brand new.
- And fnally, use the moisturizer that you purchase as a fnal touch to polish up your face and replace the moisture. Your moisturizer should contain retinol, which will tighten up your face and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and lines.
Ice, Ice Baby
Another easy home based remedy that worked wonders each time I used this method during extreme breakouts. All you have to do is apply a cold compact (or bag of broken ice) to your face every night before bed.
A wet towel will also work well, as it will reduce swelling and help to eliminate clogged pores that cause breakouts.
Milk Of Magnesia (Three Part Process)
This is a great home based cleanser that is absolutely safe to use. Simply apply it to the infected area and leave on for 10-15 minutes before rinsing of.
Then, dissolve one teaspoon of Epsom salt (Magnesium Sulphate) into a 3/4 of hot water.
Apply to the infected area with a clean cloth (avoid cotton balls as they may stick to the skin and cause blocked pores). Leave on for 20 minutes before rinsing of with cold water.
Finally, the third part involves creating a home-based toner. You simply add 3 drops of Benzoin oil or peroxide into a cup of cold water.
Wash down your face with this solution and rinse of.
This is an antibacterial remedy, and it works very well, so give it a shot!
Sandalwood Powder
All you need for this remedy is one teaspoon of sandalwood powder and one teaspoon of tumeric.
Mix this with a small amount of white milk (any kind). Spread over infected areas, leaving it on for 15-25 minutes. Rinse of with warm water, and pat dry.
This can take a couple of sessions to begin working but produces incredible results. Once again, it’s entirely safe to do as many times as you wish.
The Oiled Up Strategy
This is one of the most efective methods I’ve ever tried, and it was a regular routine during bouts of extreme acne and fare-ups.
All you need for this acne-free recipe is a small bottle of castor oil, and a small bottle of extra virgin olive oil or Jojoba oil, which works just as well. Virgin oil will provide moisture to your skin and also will draw out any bacteria that may be trapped under the surface of your skin.
Furthermore, virgin oil will also fortify your skin with its natural antioxidants.
Create a mixture consisting of 1/2 olive oil and 1/2 castor oil, equally mixed. You can experiment with other portions later on, but when starting out it’s always recommended to begin with an equal half and half mixture.
Once mixed together, gently massage it all over the afected areas of your body (you can use this anywhere you like including your face, neck, upper body and back). Once you have smoothed it over all of your infected areas, lay a warm compact such as a towel or washcloth over the area for 10-15 minutes.
What this does is naturally steams your face which allows your pores to breath and open up, releasing toxins from beneath the surface of your skin.
Leave the solution on your body with the compact serving as a sealant for 10-15 minutes. Then, massage the oils into your skin again before rinsing of with cold water (not warm, as cold will tighten your skin and close your pores).
If you choose to use olive oil make sure that you purchase extra virgin, not regular olive oil as it will contain fewer impurities. You can also substitute olive oil with jojoba oil, which works extremely well.
A Vitamin A Day, Keeps Acne At Bay
Taking a multi-vitamin every day can help control acne, by ensuring that your skin is given proper nutrition and that your body is not producing an abundance of sebum (which is responsible for clogging pores).
Another useful tip is in adding chromium to your diet, a supplement focused on healing skin infections.
Removing Acne Scars
If you have been left with excessive scarring caused by acne, there are things you can do to minimize and eliminate scarring.
One of these options is called laser re-surfacing, which is conducted within a hospital or medical center by a doctor or dermatologist, and is a corrective surgical method that will quickly eliminate the appearance of scarring. With this technique, the top layer of your skin is removed, revealing a clean, fresh layer without scars.
This is similar to laser eye surgery, where one thin layer of damaged tissue is removed so that a new, untouched layer is exposed, instantly correcting and removing any scarring or damage.
The only downside to this procedure is the costs involved. Re-surfacing can be very expensive however it is a sure-fre method of permanently removing scarring caused by extreme acne.
For deep acne scars, there is a procedure called the punch graft. This is where good, healthy skin is removed from other parts of the body and used to replace scarred skin by way of grafting.
If you are interested in fnding out more about these methods, contact your local dermatologist for a free consultation.
Laser resurfacing is the only defnite solution to removing permanent scarring, however there are also home based remedies that will fade scars, but will not entirely remove them.
One of these treatments is completed by rubbing Vitamin E onto your scarred area. You can purchase Vitamin E is liquid form, or as a capsule that you can cut open and extract the vitamin to rub it onto your scarred areas.
You can also try rubbing virgin olive oil onto your scars regularly, which has been said to help reduce the appearance of scars.
Medicated Options
Medication for acne can either be topical or systemic.
Topical medications are to be applied on the skin where as systemic medications are consumed. The main aim of the medications is to remove acne from the roots by curing the factors that lead to the formation of acne.
Here are some medicines that are used to treat acne.
Oral antibiotics are often used to cure acne. This is usually administered to people who sufer from acne consistently.
However the bacteria that causes acne can soon become impervious to the antibiotics and thus refuse to treat the acne. The doctors then will generally prescribe a diferent round of antibiotics to help the cause. The most common kinds of antibiotics used are erythromycin and tertracycline and its derivatives.
However, erythromycin leads to discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract and tetracycline and its derivatives are not suitable for pregnant women and children who are not yet eight years old. The components of these antibiotics heal the pustule or swelling by drying them up internally.
Topical retinoids is another set of medications that are used to treat acne. They are derived from Vitamin A and can prevent the closing of the pores. By doing so they actually do not let acne be formed.
They include gels or creams like adapalene, tazarotene and tretinoin. The topical retinoids can cause rashes as well as other such irritations. They can cause sunburns because your skin will become more vulnerable to UV rays when using this product.
You would need to use sunscreen if you apply these creams. It is important to contact your skin specialist before you opt for these medications.
Corticosteroid injections are given to patients with acne only when the acne has swelled to an extent of bursting. Thus the swelling diminishes and the acne dries up at a faster rate.
For cystic acne and severe cases of acne, isoretinoin is used. This is only for extreme cases and for healing intricate acne problems.
Oral contraceptives are efective medications for healing acne but also have their limitations. They are not meant for women smokers, women above 35 years of age, or for women who sufer from problems relating to blood clotting.
Oral contraceptives diminish the excess secretion from the glands and thus regulate the hormones to control acne.
Tropical antimicrobials are used to treat moderated acne problems. These medications attack the bacterial colonies.
These medications can be taken individually or coupled with others that treat certain causes for acne formation. They include azelaic acid, benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin, erythromycin and sodium sulfacetamide. Where as azelaic acid and clindamycin lessen the bacterial growth, benzoyl peroxide kills the bacteria to treat acne.
A blend of erythromycin with benzoyl peroxide is extremely profcient in treating acne. However, these medications have certain adverse efects.
Hormonal Treatments
Hormones play a very signifcant role in acne formation. The male hormone, androgen, as well as the female hormone, estrogen, contribute to acne formation.
These hormones are released during puberty and also during menstruation and pregnancy. This is why a larger percentage of females in comparison to males sufer from acne.
A proper hormone balance can be achieved by several methods. These include healthy eating habits, getting rid of strain, taking in a lot of water, and also regularly exercising.
These excess harmful toxins as well as the hormones need to be excreted from your system. This is generally carried out by the kidneys and liver.
However what you need to understand is that these organs cannot function efectively if you have an unhealthy diet. You should consume a well balanced meal so that you body receives all the necessary nutrients and can work profciently.
Too much of any constituent will ultimately lead to a loss of another and harm your body's system. This will consequently damage your skin.
The natural treatments include the use of antioxidants that balance the hormones and also clean the blood so that it is free of harmful toxins.
Additionally, try to drink a lot of water and keep away from cofee can keep acne outbreaks at bay. Avoid stress and anxiety, exercise regularly, and keep away from oily foods. All of these measures tend to restrict the release of excess hormones and prevent acne formation.
Corticosteroids are efective in reducing blemishes. But excess of such medicine can also be harmful - that is why you should always consult your physician before you choose to take them.
The best way to balance hormones is through natural processes. They guarantee great results and carry with them, no risks of side efects.
The Acne Free System
For those who have acne, it is a very good idea to have a diet that contains an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. Also, make it a point to drink a lot of water regularly to keep your system fushed out and toxins consistently removed from your system. Eight to ten glasses a day will suffice.
Another good idea is to focus on incorporating a diet rich with antioxidants and fbre.
These are ingredients in the diet that will keep your skin healthy and ft and enable you to look good and feel great.
Another thing considered to be very good for fghting acne is protein. Vitamin A is also considered by health experts to be a great weapon against acne.
Oregon Grap and Echinacea
These are two herbs that are exceptional at boosting your body’s immune system and will also help minimize bacteria known to trigger or cause acne fare-ups.
In order to consistently manage and eliminate acne, you need to develop a system that involves a good diet as well as following a regimen that incorporates acne-fghting elements into your daily life.
Do not deviate from this system until your acne is well under control. It takes time and efort to combat acne, but if you follow the strategies featured within this guide, you will be well on your way to permanently eliminating acne from your life.
You deserve to look and feel your best. By researching your options, consulting with a skin care specialist and implementing small changes to your diet and surroundings, you can get acne under control once and for all.
To living acne free!