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Healthy Diet Plans >>  Health Issues and Diet >>  Acne

Acne Treatment


Acne and acne scars can occur at any age, although they are more common among teenagers. Some women may suffer from acne during pregnancy, menstrual cycles, and while on birth control pills due to hormonal changes. It is best to consult your doctor if you want to follow an acne treatment during pregnancy. Topical medication may seep through the skin into your blood stream, so you want to be cautious of the chemicals in your acne medication. Some chemicals in acne medication may even cause certain birth defects, so check with your doctor if you want to treat acne with oral medicine or topical creams. 
While acne is a huge concern for most individuals, people with sensitive skin have to face acne and acne scarring without being able to resort traditional methods of clearing acne.
Acne treatment for sensitive skin may require some organic solutions since chemical treatments merely inflame or bruise overly sensitive skin. Talk to your doctor about natural skin care products. Certain lotions or gels may work for sensitive skin and will be labeled ‘hypoallergenic’ or ‘noncomedogenic’ to denote the absence of any harsh chemicals. Acne treatment for dry skin may also include the use of such natural or organic products which do not strip the skin of essential moisture. 

Many skincare lines focus on women’s health and beauty, ignoring men’s acne problems. Men may suffer from acne on their face as well as neck, shoulders, chest, and back region. Some men may suffer from acne due to stress and lifestyle related issues. While shaving does not cause men’s acne, using a blunt shaving blade or harsh shaving cream with strong chemicals may cause breakouts. Cuts and bruises during shaving may also cause acne or pimples. Excess sweat or improper hygiene routines may also cause men’s acne. Acne treatment for men does not really differ from acne treatment for women. A healthy diet, regular exercise, hygiene routine and stress free lifestyle are preventive measures one can take to avoid acne.
Acne breakouts may be hormonal, however, following an acne diet treatment may help avoid breakouts, reduce the risk of scarring, and gradually clear your skin. You can also employ a diet for pimple treatment. Plenty of water and fresh fruits and vegetables should definitely be part of anti-acne routine. Fruits such as blueberries contain antioxidants that speed up the healing process. Antioxidant foods also fight acne-causing bacteria. Studies also show that foods containing omega-3 fatty acids, such as seafood and nuts, help reduce inflammation and boost the immune system.

Acne Home Remedies


When dealing with acne treatment, preventive home remedies offer a chemical-free solution that will not harm your skin.
  • If you have acne prone skin, washing your face with a gentle cleanser can help to get rid of daily grime and unclog skin pores. Make sure you do not scrub your skin as any irritation may cause further breakouts or use harsh face washes that strip away all moisture.
  • Natural skin peels or facials made with honey, cucumber, turmeric, chickpea flour, and so on can help slough dead skin cells. Honey acts as a soothing balm, while turmeric, cucumber and lime are natural astringents. Chickpea flour mixed in plain yogurt acts as a natural skin scrub.
  • Do not touch your face or the affected area as you may transfer acne-causing bacteria to other parts of your face or body.
  • Avoid greasy foods, excess starches, sugars, and hot, spicy foods as these may increase the occurrence of acne.
  • Consult your doctor before you use any over-the-counter acne drugs or natural remedies to treat acne and scarring.

Acne Causes


Acne causes maybe contributed by these factors:
  • Excess oil secretion by the sebaceous glands due to hormonal imbalance.
  • Clogging of skin pores by dead cells due to irregular shedding of dead skin.

Acne Causing Bacteria:

While acne causes in adolescents may be a result of hormonal imbalance, acne causes in adults include poor hygiene and stress. Individuals suffering from depression due to hormonal changes may also suffer from acne. At the same time, the occurrence of acne causes depression among teenagers and adults alike. Teenagers may suffer from low self-esteem due to acne breakout or scarring. The use of bad cosmetics or shared cosmetic brushes may result in acne among women.  Hormonal imbalance because of menstruation, pregnancy or menopause may also cause acne. Women may also suffer from acne after taking or stopping birth control pills.

Once your acne causes are determined, it is time to take some preventive measure to avoid future breakouts. You can start by maintaining a skin care regime, which includes using gentle cleansers to wash your face. Excess scrubbing may cause irritation resulting in acne, so avoid using harsh chemicals or make up on acne-prone skin. Avoid heavy oil based make up and remove it before bedtime. Acne causes due to sweat can be prevented by wearing loose fitting clothes. Tight clothes retain heat and moisture, which may cause acne. Consult your skin care specialist about an everyday application to treat new breakouts.

Acne Causes and Treatment


Acne causes and treatment may require a change in dietary habits. Foods causing acne include starchy foods, refined flour products, sugar and sugar-rich foods such as cakes, pastries and donuts. There may be no certain link between greasy foods, chocolate, and acne, but it is best to avoid highly processed foods. A healthy diet can help maintain radiant, acne free skin.

Acne Medication

Acne medication helps to reduce excess oil production, fight infections, soothes irritation or inflammation, and increases renewed skin cell production. However, it is important to consult your doctor about prescription medication or over the counter acne medicines. Acne medication side effects may include dryness of skin, itching, inflammation, swelling of affected area or redness. In case of certain strong acne medication, side effects may include stinging skin, peeling, and severe allergic reaction such as rash or hives, light-headedness, burning or itching skin, and difficulty in breathing. Dermatologists recommend exercising caution while taking acne medication during pregnancy. Allergic reactions to certain acne medication may affect the unborn child. Although studies continue, harsh acne medication or an overdose of medication may cause certain birth defects. Talk to your doctor about acne medication that works to reduce further breakouts and to treat acne scars. Preventive measures such as proper hygiene practices, a healthy diet, and regular workouts will help maintain clear and healthy skin.

Submitted on January 16, 2014