Acne Home Remedies That Work

While most will go the route of a dermatologist and take things such as retin-a (tretinion) or tetracycline and see some positive results there are some common sense acne home treatments that anyone can use to reduce or eliminate acne outbreaks.  In this hub, I intend to show some acne home remedies that have worked in the past.

Why causes acne outbreaks?

According to reports, acne affects 80% of Americans between the ages of 12 and 44.  And while acne itself is really more of a cosmetic condition, it can affect self-esteem.  And the reality is if you have acne, chances are that acne is more of a response to an improper diet, skin care routine or body chemistry.  Because of this we want to examine what types of home remedies will be need to correct this problem.

The most likely culprit to acne outbreaks is diet. As Americans, we put in far more toxins in our body than we used to 40 years ago. Things such as refined and processed foods can be a huge source of the problem. Here are some helpful tips to reduce or eliminate acne outbreaks...

1. Eat a diet high in fiber- Fiber aids in the digestive process and will help speed along eliminating toxins out of your body.
2. Raw foods high in oxalic acid such as nuts and swiss chard are great for the skin and will help reduce the intensity of outbreaks.
3. Make sure you are eating foods high in healthy skin related vitamins such as A,C,E. Vitamin A is important in fighting acne but too much isn't a good thing. Vitamin E will help regulate vitamin A levels. Vitamin E also helps reduce scarring.
4. Eliminate Dairy Products unless you can get it in its raw form- Modern day dairy products are loaded with hormones and steroids which can upset hormonal balance in your body.
5. Drink lots of clean, unfiltered water- Water will help with eliminating and flushing the body of excess toxins.
6. Do not use Iodized salt-Iodine is a known source that causes acne. Instead opt for himalayan salt.
7. Avoid all forms of sugars as much as possible- Sugar not only creates tooth decay, it also naturally suppresses the immune system. Biopsies of people with acne have showne that their tissues' glucose intolerence to flawed. One researcher calls this "skin diabetes".
   

Because eliminating toxins that leave the body via the skin and purifying the blood is so important to controlling acne, there are some herbal home treatments that can be used for acne.

• Burdock Root and red clover are good for cleansing the blood.
• Milk Thistle will help the liver in cleansing the blood (a liver that is not performing right will worsen acne because it can't break down excess hormones from the body)
• Dandelion leaves contain inulin which will improve the quality of the skin by removing bacteria that causes acne.
• Tea Tree Oil is a natural antibiotic that is used to treat a variety of conditions.  Dab the oil on blemishes 3 times a day until the outbreak is gone.
• Chaste Tree berry extract is good for premenstrual breakouts.