|
Home Treatments- Stumping Acne Before It Strikes |
|
It may sound very simple when you get an advice-'wash
your face two to three times a day'. Now, if I tell you that the most
effective home treatment regimen for acne starts with washing your face.
You think that you know the way to wash your face since you have been
doing it since you were a kid, right? But, what if you are suffering
from acne problems. Then you should wash your face in a different manner
and should follow a strict regime. Wash your face twice a day, either
with a formulated soap that is designed to fight acne, or with an
antibacterial lotion that contains benzoyl peroxide, or salicylic acid,
can help prevent acne.
Washing your face several times a day
however, can wash away essential skin oils. This can cause your
sebaceous glands to create more skin oil -- and perhaps over-produce
skin oil and cause acne problems. Washing your face or entire body
carefully up to two to four times each day with a very gentle soap and
without a lot of friction will leave you with a clean face and body and
should minimize acne problems. However, scrubbing or scraping the skin
with a rough wash cloth, may help you feel clean and refreshed, but that
method is very hard on your skin and will, almost certainly, create acne
problems by scrubbing away natural skin oils and actually damaging your
hair follicles. If you properly care for your skin with washing and
moisterizing, your skin will stay healthy for you.
Diet and nutrition
Another home treatment area concerns your
diet. Even though science has not found a direct link between diet and
acne it is very important to maintain healthy eating habits and to
remember that we are all unique or, more precisely, our metabolism's are
all unique. Greasy hamburgers, for example, may not appear to have a
harmful effect on some people, they may cause major problems, in the
areas of weight management and complexion, for other people. There are
many reports from individual acne sufferers that certain drinks or
foods, such as dairy products, eggs and nuts. These foods can make a
person’s acne worse. If you suspect that something you are eating is
causing your acne, play close attention to what you eat when your break
out. Try eliminating those foods.
The water treatment
An
important yet simple home treatment for acne is drinking water. 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. Wastes and toxins from what you eat and what you breathe will
build up in your system and cause health problems as well as skin
problems such as acne. The human body has four outlets for this buildup
of toxins and wastes: the bowels, the kidneys, the lungs, and the skin.
Your bowels and kidneys are your body's primary outlets for this toxic
buildup. If these two primary outlets are not working properly your
lungs and skin become involved in the process, causing breathing
problems and skin problems. To keep your bowels and kidneys working at
maximum efficiency, drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day; this will help
flush toxins out of your system and keep your complexion healthier.
Vitamins
for skin health
Your skin, just like every other organ in your body,
requires proper nutrition to function properly. Since very few of us eat
a well balanced diet, the use of vitamins to supplement our diet are
very important.
Some vitamins and minerals are powerful
antioxidants that effectively flush toxins out of your body; others have
antibacterial effects. These types of vitamins are vital for keeping
your pores open and healing any damaged skin tissue. However, it is
important to note that taking too much of a vitamin or mineral can be
toxic and extremely dangerous. Each supplement listed has a recommended
dosage that you should not exceed.
The most beneficial vitamins
for your skin health are:
a) Vitamin A: Vitamin A reduces sebum
production and also works as an antioxidant that helps rid your body of
toxins.
b) Vitamin B Complex: B vitamins help to keep your skin
looking healthy and also have a positive effect on the anxiety and
stress that not only accompanies an outbreak of acne but may cause
further outbreaks. The vitamins in the B vitamin family are: Thiamine,
Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Pyridoxine and Cyanocobalamin.
Each one of these B vitamins has a role to play in keeping your skin and
body healthy.
c) Vitamin C with bioflavonoids: Vitamin C has been
called the most important vitamin supplement you can take. Vitamin C
works as an antioxidant and the bioflavanoids work as antibacterial
agents.
d) Zinc: Zinc helps your skin tissue heal, helps prevent
scarring caused by deep blemishes and also has antioxident properties.
e)
Vitamin E: Vitamin E is another antioxidant that will aid healing skin
tissue.
f) Multivitamins: Taking a good multivitamin with
chromium every day will give you most, if not all, of the vitamins you
need to supplement your diet.
|
