This is a vital point to understand regarding these and any other natural techniques you may come across that address or claim to address how to heal acne.
No “skin” based treatment routine is really going to prevent future outbreaks and although I am sure your attention right now is on healing the acne you have, you need to at least get some attention on how it got there in the first place.
Acne is a symptom of an underlying problem or set of problems in the body, in other words, it is not the cause of itself and certainly not a natural state!
In light of this, the mindset of setting out to “heal acne” is understandable but in the long run a little misguided in that it will not lead to an understanding of why your are getting it and how to stop it.
You can do nearly everything listed here at home with little effort to at least relieve or treat an existing outbreak to clear it up as quickly as possible but as with any home remedy for treating any condition there will be a wide variation in the results you achieve.
They will be more or less efficient in depending on the severity your current outbreak.
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Over the Counter Preparations
There is a confusing range of over-the-counter lotions, creams and preparations you can use for healing, many of which are quite effective. Try to look for products that contain ingredients that will help soothe the inflammation and discomfort as well as antibacterial qualities as to prevent infection spreading.
You can take a look on this page for some of the better quality acne skin care products.
Natural Exfoliants
Another method for healing that is used quite often is to apply a very mild acid solution to the affected area. The purpose of this is to very gently exfoliate and remove dead cells from the surface of the skin without harsh rubbing.
The most common things used are white vinegar or lemon juice. Simply apply the liquid to the face or affected area for about ten minutes then rinse off gently with plenty of cool water.
Be warned though. A small number of people may find that the acidity creates further irritation to the existing inflammation and if this happens to you, stop using it immediately.
Vitamins and Minerals
There are a number of vitamins that are known to be effective in and many of the best treatment programs include vitamins as part of their natural treatment routines.
- Vitamin A helps to balance the natural functions of the skin. This lowers the production of sebum which in turn, reduces the chances of further clogged pores.
- Vitamin B6 helps your body process hormones.
- Vitamin E is a powerful anti-oxidant assisting the body generally to maintain balanced skin function.
- Chromium is needed to assist the body in breaking down glucose.
- Zinc can help in reducing inflammation and also contribute to faster healing of damaged skin.
Medical or Prescription Treatment
There is a range of approaches taken in traditional medicine beginning with the use of topical treatments for mild cases and as the situation is judged to be more severe, it moves towards oral medications.
Commonly hormones and antibiotics are used, but for specific advice regarding your condition you should consult with a qualified medical professional. Be sure to ask about side effects and possible adverse reactions as these are common with the more powerful drugs and medicines.
From a personal perspective my disagreement with the overall approach to the problem by the medical profession is that they are fixated on treating symptoms rather than getting to the root of the problem.
Even when they do acknowledge that there is a link between hormones and acne they prescribe hormones to balance the body’s system. I would think that isolating the reason for the hormonal imbalance would be far more valuable.
It is my experience that by pursuing a course of action designed to heal acne naturally your chances of finding a real solution are far better.
Herbal Medicines
There is a wide variety of herbal medicines and remedies available for healing, covering anything from black currant seed oil, evening primrose oil supplements, herbal teas such as calendula, echinacea, goldenseal to tea tree oil as a mild antiseptic.
Chinese herbalists have prescribed a number of natural remedies for healing acne for hundreds of years and is an area well worth exploring.
In addition these a visit to your local naturopath or even health food store will provide you with a wealth of information and alternatives for effective relief.
While all of these suggestions may be good in an immediate sense, they are very limited in their ability to treat or cure acne on a permanent basis.
Effective acne treatment can only truly be achieved by isolating the real triggers of the acne in the first place which could come from any number of places in your case.
Because of that a program I would thoroughly recommend is the Acne No More system because of it’s holistic (whole) approach to finding the real reasons for YOUR acne.