How to Treat Acne?

What is acne?

Acne is a skin condition that occurs when the oil-secreting glands in the skin are clogged and become inflamed or infected. Acne is caused by inflammation or infection of the oil glands in the skin and at the base of hairs. In the teenage years, hormones stimulate the growth of body hair, and the oil glands secrete more oil. The skin pores become clogged and bacteria grow in the clogged pores. When the body works to kill the bacteria, whiteheads, blackheads, and pustules form in these areas. Ninety percent of teenagers get acne. Stress and too little rest can make acne worse.

The symptoms of acne are:

• Whiteheads, which are closed plugged oil glands


• Blackheads, which are open plugged oil glands (the oil turns black when it's exposed to the air)


• Pustules, which are red, inflamed, infected plugged oil glands, sometimes filled with pus.

Some pimples may be painful. In severe cases, cysts (large fluid-filled bumps) may develop under the skin.

How is acne diagnosed?

Your health care provider will check your skin to see what type of problem you are having (such as blackheads or cysts). Your provider will look to see where you are having problems, for example, your face or back. Your provider will want to know how long you have had the problem and how you have been caring for your skin.

How is it treated?

Drink water to treat acne

Drinking sufficient water is of vital importance to our skin. By drinking sufficient water, it will help us to shed dead skin cells and facilitate the growth of new skin. Water has been considered to be one of the best natural remedy to treat acne scars. This is because 80% of our blood swims in water. When the blood flows within our body, the water that the blood soaks in, helps to fight off the matters that promote the growth of acne. Moreover, water helps to carry oxygen and nutrient to our internal body, keeping our organs (skin is the body's largest organ) healthy and able to fight acne. The benefits of water in acne prevention and treatments are numerous, but it's important to take note that everything must be consumed in moderation and this include water as well. The general rule of thumb is to drink at least 8 glasses of plain water everyday

Cucumber & tomato juice to treat acne scar

One popular remedy for acne scar removal which many people find effective is to apply a mixture of cucumber and tomato juice to your face. Tomatoes are known for their antioxidant qualities, and can help prevent the skin being damaged at the cellular levels. It also helps strengthen the immune system and improve the skin tone. Cucumber and tomato are also both very good at tightening up the pores of your skin.

Acupuncture acne treatment

Acupuncture may be helpful in the treatment of acne. Several preliminary studies have reported that a series of acupuncture treatments (8 to 15) is markedly effective or curative in 90 to 98% of patients. Besides traditional Chinese acupuncture using needles alone, a technique called "cupping" is frequently used in the treatment of acne. Cupping refers to the use of cup-shaped instruments to apply suction to the area being needled. Two preliminary trials of cupping treatment for acne reported marked improvement in 91 to 96% of the study participants

Zinc helps treat acne

Zinc is important nutrient in the management of skin conditions and may assist in healthy tissue regeneration. It has been shown that acne sufferers tend to have lower zinc levels than non-suffers, so it may be wise to introduce zinc mineral supplement to the diet. Oysters contain more zinc per serving than any other food, but red meat and poultry provide the majority of zinc in the American diet. Other good food sources include beans, nuts, certain seafood, whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, and dairy products.

Aloe vera treats acne and scar

Aloe vera is effective in the treatment of acne and scar. It is used to treat burns, wounds and infections to regenerate skin and provide the building blocks needed to rebuild scarred or damaged skin areas. In addition it aids in treating acne by acting as an anti-inflammatory agent and an immune booster. For acne scars, using aloe vera juice morning and night for as long as necessary (perhaps six months or longer) will help reduce the scars and improve skin complexion and colour.

Iodine-rich foods cause acne

Iodine-rich foods, such as liver, cheese, iodized salt, kelp products, clams, crabs and other shellfish have been associated with acne and they should be avoided. Iodine is also often used in commercial breads and in processing milk. Thus acne sufferer should consider switching to alternate products. If you use a lot of iodized salt, you should switch to balanced sea salt which you can find at gourmet or health food stores.

Essential oils can help to treat or minimise acne scar. The recipe is 8 drops frankincense oil, 5 drops Lavender oil and 25ml Rosehip oil. Mix well and gently massage into affected areas twice daily, not while acne is active.

How long will the effects last?

New whiteheads usually stop appearing after 4 to 6 weeks of treatment, but you will probably need to continue the treatment for several months. If you are taking antibiotics, at some point your health care provider will ask you to stop taking them to see if they are still needed. Sometimes acne treatment must be continued for several years.
Many factors may worsen acne temporarily. For example, women may notice that their acne gets worse before each menstrual period. So even with proper treatment, results may vary over time. Try to discover and change, when possible, the factors in your environment or lifestyle that make the acne worse.

How can I take care of myself?

Follow the full treatment prescribed by your health care provider. In addition you can:
Wash your face 2 times a day with a gentle soap. Dermatologists often recommend Dove or Lever 2000. Change your washcloth every day (bacteria can grow on damp cloth). Wash as soon as possible after you exercise.

Wash your hands often and keep your hands away from your face as much as possible. Don't squeeze, pick, scratch, or rub your skin. Scars may form if you squeeze pimples. Don't rest your face on your hands while you read, study, or watch TV.

Shampoo your hair at least twice a week. Pull your hair away from your face when you sleep. Style it away from your face during the day.

Although researchers have not been able to show that any foods cause acne, some people have found that certain foods seem to worsen their acne . Keep a record of the foods you eat and try to see if any foods appear to make your acne worse. Try avoiding those foods.

Avoid working in hot kitchens where greasy foods are cooked.

Avoid extreme stress if possible. Practice stress reduction strategies such as exercise, meditation, and counseling if stress is extreme.

Get physical exercise regularly.

Keep your follow-up appointments with your health care provider. Keep a record of the treatments you have tried and how they have worked. Let your provider know if your medicine isn't working. There are many alternatives for you and your provider to try, so don't give up!