Archive for June, 2009

Diet and Acne

June 3rd, 2009, Posted in Causes

There is no doubt that diet can be linked to acne in some way, although exactly how is not yet completely clear. There is a lot of scientific research being done on this at the moment so hopefully at some point in the future there will be a conclusive answer, but for now we have to make generalisations from the studies that have already been done. Home remedies for acne often don’t focus on the diet when in some cases it could make the difference between succesful and unsuccesful treatment for the patient.

First of all, chocolate has been shown to not cause acne by several scientific studies. We’ve mentioned this several times on the website but its such a common myth it’s definitely worth another! Chocolate is usually high in antioxidants which means it may actually reduce the amount of acne by reducing the persons stress. There however has been a link between drinking partially skimmed milk and acne because of the hormones that are present in the milk. The same goes for cottage and cream cheese, so these may be ones to avoid if you are looking to get rid of your acne.

Home remedies for cystic acne are another myth - most of the time they don’t work like the person says they will, which is why a visit to the doctor is always important so that you know what is going on!

A recent study showed that there was a link between rapidly digested foods that are high in carbohydrate such as cola and sweets and acne. This is because they make your body secrete a large amount of insulin which releases a hormone that is known to have a partial effect of causing acne. This is where eating a healthy diet may prove to help your acne. This is a suggested reason for why some cultures don’t seem to have a problem with acne while Western society does.

Low levels of vitamin E and A have been seen in people with acne, which is why some home remedies recommend taking supplements for these to help your diet.

This last point isn’t strictly about diet but is important to note nonetheless. Acne is not something that dirt causes, so washing your face will not stop the problem. However washing may help to unclog the pores making spots less likely to form so isn’t a bad thing to try.

The best thing to do is ask your doctor which is the best diet for you to go  on to help your acne. He or she will be able to provide tailored to your exact situation rather than generalizations. Natural home remedies for acne aren’t always going to do you much good, but there are some exceptions.

Myths about Acne

June 3rd, 2009, Posted in General

When looking for home remedies for acne there are some common misconception and downright untruths that are passed about by people. Acne has been a common problem for many years and science has only begun to find answers comparatively recently, so it is no surprise that there are plenty of myths about acne floating around the world. Just a few of these are discussed in this article, but there are many more. In general the best way to be sure if what you have been told is correct is to ask your doctor or other healthcare professional who will be able to advise you on the scientifically backed facts about acne and the latest developments.

Acne is caused by chocolate?

This has been shown to be untrue (you might be pleased to know!). In fact, in some cases chocolate may actually help someone recover from acne, although this is yet to be conclusively proven. However, eating lots of chocolate comes with its own obvious health problems - and in general eating a healthy diet may help with acne. The occasional chocolate bar isn’t going to give you an outbreak of pimples though. The same goes in most cases for other kinds of junk food, although again they aren’t the best if you are trying to eat a healthy diet.

Laying in the sun gets rid of acne?

This is another common one, although in actual fact darker skin is just more effective at hiding any pimples and swelling in the face. Laying in the sun for too long without adequate protection for your skin can cause much more serious problems than acne, so make sure you always wear enough sunblock and don’t lie in the sun for too long at one time.

Only teenagers get acne?

This is another myth - but it is easy to see where the misconception lies. Acne is caused by the production of a male hormone which happens to both sexes during puberty, but it can happen at any time during someone life and not just in their teenage years. Home remedies for back acne are in high demand because this is another place that acne can strike, although it is not usually as devastating as on the face.

Acne home remedies as well as over the counter acne medicine can both be effective when treating acne, but make sure you always consult with your doctor before embarking on any kind of treatment plan to make sure it is safe and isn’t a waste of time/money - or both!

Home Remedies For Acne

June 3rd, 2009, Posted in General

A lot of the problems of Acne can be caused by your diet. While it has been proven that chocolate does not cause acne, that doesn’t mean diet is unrelated to the disease. In fact it is very important - and a healthy diet will help more than just acne, but your overall wellbeing. Home remedies for acne include but are not limited to diet changes.

Many people look for natural home remedies as they are often more convenient as well as being cheaper. However everyone is different so make sure you see your doctor before trying and of these. Home remedies for curing acne can be quite difficult to judge, so if you aren’t sure you should always visit a doctor to get professional medical advice!

There are plenty of home remedies for acne, and some are more effective than others. The list below shows some of the more common ones that you can try. Be aware that every person is different and these methods may or may not help your situation. Eating a healthy diet rich in vitamins can only help the process.

  1. Toothpaste is regularly recommended for reducing swelling os spots and pimples on the skin. This one is easy to try out, just put some toothpaste on your skin before you go to bed and see if it has made a difference in the morning. It’s best to test this for yourself on a small area of your face rather than trying the whole face in one night, as it’ll be easier to see if a real difference has been made.
  2. A mixture of rose and lemon water can sometimes help reduce the swelling of acne. Put the mixture (one part each of rose and lemon) on your face and then rinse about half an hour after. Try doing this regularly to see whether it makes a difference.
  3. Orange peel is another common one. After mashing it mix it with water before putting it on your face. Again, do this regualarly for maximum benefit.
  4. Garlic is another treatment often passed around for acne, although it isn’t the most comfortable! If you can stand the smell, then try applying it to the area of acne regulaarly to aid in reducing the swelling of the pimples.

Again, these methods won’t work for everyone although they seem to have worked for people in the past, so it may be worth giving them a go if your doctor says that it is advisable to do so. Always get the go ahead from your doctor before doing any home remedies for acne just to be on the safe side - you don’t want to make the situation worse!

Home remedies for acne scars are usually less effective than for acne itself. This is because scars are difficult to treat, but it can be done as long as you are willing to pay a bit of money for laser surgery.