There are many factors, both internally and externally, that play a role in the formation of acne. The three main causes are Hormones, Diet and Hygiene.
Hormone fluctuations are probably the main cause of acne because they cause excess excretion of sebum from the skin. This excess sebum mixes with dirt, pollutants, bacteria and dead cells on the skin’s surface and clogs pores. There are many things that cause fluctuations in hormone levels such as stress, puberty, menopause, steroids, oral contraceptives, etc.
Diet is another key factor in the cause of acne. One third of the toxins from your body are eliminated through your skin so if you are eating an unhealthy, toxic diet then the skin will be burdened with excreting these toxins which can show visibly as acne. Likewise, if the other routes of elimination like the colon and kidneys are not functioning correctly then there will be extra burden on the skin to excrete toxic buildup.
Hygiene is the third contributing factor. Skin cells are dying continuously and tend to build up on the skins surface which impedes detoxification and provides debris to mix with sebum and clog pores. Likewise, dirt and pollutants left on the skin will clog pores and slow down the detoxification process.
The consequences of acne can be devastating. Not only is there the initial embarrassment of white heads, black heads and big red bumps that can bring down anyone’s self esteem but there is also the lingering embarrassment of scars depending on the severity of the acne and skin type. Scars can range from small red marks leaving an uneven skin tone to large depressions in the skin’s surface. Women tend to have the advantage of applying makeup and concealer on embarrassing days but these products can also work against them to clog pores and create an ongoing cycle of blemishes.
Luckily, there are many natural support options available to help prevent, treat and correct acne symptoms.
1. Drink plenty of water to help flush the body of toxins. Use this formula: Your body weight/2= # of ounces of water that should be your minimum daily intake.
2. Eat plenty of fiber to ensure healthy bowel movements each day. Acacia Fiber or Psyllium Husks are both good choices. Unflavored Acacia Fiber Powder can be added to your food to boost fiber content without altering flavor.
3. Exercise regularly to promote detoxification, reduce stress and bring a fresh supply of blood to the skin’s surface.
4. Avoid steroids which cause increased testosterone levels.
5. Try to reduce stress wherever possible. Deep breathing, yoga, meditation, relaxing baths and going with the flow of life can help. Whatever reduces stress for you should be done regularly.
6. Get plenty of sleep as sleep tends to help regulate your hormone cycles.
7. Stay away from refined, processed junk and fast foods. Try to eat a diet plentiful in fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds. Eat organic and/or raw when possible.
8. Surging insulin levels tend to increase testosterone levels so try to keep insulin levels under control by avoiding simple carbs and white and refined sugars and flours.
9. Foods to include in the diet: Carrots, Mango, Spinich, Wheat Germ Oil, Chile Peppers, Pine Nuts, Pumpkin Seeds, Tomatos, Pecans, Peanuts, Almonds, Hazelnuts, Broccoli, Sesame Seeds, Cashews and Seaweed.
10. Vitamin Supplements can help to boost your nutritional intake where your diet is lacking. Vitamins A, C, E and the B complex have all been proven helpful along with Zinc, Calcium, Phosphorus, Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), Essential Fatty Acids, Lecithin, Probiotics, Silica and Colloidal Silver. Colloidal silver and Vitamin E can also be used topically to reduce bacteria and prevent scaring respectively.
11. Herbs and food to include in your diet via teas or as an addition to meals: Kelp Granules, Burdock root (Arctium lappa), Chickweed (Stellaria media), Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), Echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia), Garlic (Allium sativum), Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis), Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha), Red Clover (Trifolium pretense), Sarsaparilla Root (Smilax spp), Stillingia (queen’s delight), Walnut (Juglans nigra), Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) and Yellow Dock.
12. Spirulina, in particular, used morning and night over the course of two to three months has been shown to clear the skin. You can find many testimonials online of people who have used spirulina successfully.
13. Expose the skin to fresh air and sunlight but take care not to let your skin burn. Use a natural sunscreen or cover up once your skin turns a light shade of pink to ensure adequate Vitamin D production but prevent sunburn.
14. Cleanse the skin at least once daily but optimally twice with a mild, natural cleanser. Commercial acne washes can alter the skin’s delicate ph balance.
15. Make sure to wash your sheets regularly as oils, sweat and dead skin cells can accumulate on them and clog your pores as you sleep.
16. Use a Dry Skin Brush or other method of exfoliation daily to remove dead cells from the skin’s surface.
17. Essential Oils: Lavender, Tea Tree, Myrrh, German Chamomile, Bergamot, Rosewood, and clove. Always apply essential oils using carrier oils like Olive, Kukui Nut, Grapeseed, Jojoba or Coconut.
18. Aloe Vera Gel can help to speed healing and lessen the damage caused by acne but has not been proven to “cure” acne on its own. Soap containing aloe vera can be used to cleanse the skin and aloe gel can be applied topically.
19. Using the Biobeam 660 once or twice daily for six minutes can help to quickly clear acne. It is a phytotherapy device that emits a low level narrow band of red light but produces no heat so there is no risk of burning delicate tissues.
Acne is something that almost everyone suffers from at some point in their life but taking the above steps towards making yourself healthier can help to reduce or even eliminate breakouts along with all the other health benefits of taking better care of your body, mind and soul.
- For Educational Purposes Only
- Not meant to diagnose or treat any medical condition
-These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA
- These statements are my opinions and conclusion from the knowledge I have thus far
References:
1. ACHS NAT 307 Module 4 Clinical Correlate: Acne
Accessed: 11/10/09
2. Brenda Watson, Leonard Smith, The Detox Strategy, First Edition, 2008, pgs. 138, 141-142, 171-172
3. http://www.naturalnews.com/011296_acne_dermatology_phototherapy.html
Accessed: 11/11/09
4. http://www.herbalremedies.com/acne.html
Accessed: 11/11/09
5. http://www.organiconline.com.sg/Acnetreat.htm
Accessed: 11/11/09
6. http://www.beautyfeast.com/Essential-Oils/Essential-Oils-Acne.htm
Accessed: 11/11/09
7. http://www.naturalnews.com/008487.html
Accessed: 11/11/09
8. http://www.healingfoodreference.com/acne.html
Accessed: 11/11/09
9. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/12/04/acne-solutions.aspx
Accessed: 11/11/09
10. http://www.botanical.com/products/learn/oilprofile/kukui.html
Accessed: 11/11/09
Thanks for posting this list. Up to point 9 strikes me as good advice. Point 10 I am not so sure about.
After that I think you have picked up some ideas that aren’t very well established at all so far as I know. I notice that the good suggestions all have references while the ones that I am questioning don’t.
It’s your blog of course, but do you think it might be more useful for your readers if you distinguished between what is well established fact and what is maybe needs to be treated with a bit more caution?
Acne is a horrible condition and it doesn’t help anyone suffering from it to have their hopes raised.
Colin,
Thank you for your feedback. If you personally have doubts about nutrition, vitamins and supplements as a means to promote health of your body and skin then you do not need to follow any of those types of recommendations but this blog is about health through natural means of healing and I post ideas from many natural health resources and professionals. What a person chooses to believe and follow is up to them. No one is an exact fit to any one particular remedy and the list that I provide here gives people many options to pursue and tailor to their own lifestyle and body’s needs. If something doesn’t work for you, that does not mean that it wont work for someone else but I encourage you to have an open mind and you may just find remedy where you never thought you would. Thanks again for visiting my blog.