Acne can have many causes. Stress, food sensitivities, yeast overgrowth, allergies and medication may all be contributing factors. Acne is very likely to happen when sebum, a waxy substance that lubricates the skin, and keratin, a skin protein, block the sebaceous glands. It’s necessary to keep all channels of elimination open, like the colon, lungs, liver and kidneys. When they do their job of purifying the body, pimples won’t wind up in your skin. Our organs of elimination, especially the liver, also help break down excess hormones which could also cause the skin to erupt. When acne happens in adolescence it’s called acne vulgaris.
Treatments
Acne is best treated with diet, herbs and exercise – and here are some very useful hints to take into account:
It may be embarrassing when one’s health issues are so publicly declared on one’s face. Herbs that help acne include burdock root, raw dandelion root, Oregon grape root, sarsaparilla root and yellow dock root. Drink a lot of fluids and teas made from these herbs. The foods which are most beneficial to consume for curing acne include artichokes, barley, beets, cooked carrots, green leafy vegetables and winter months. Foods to minimize or prevent include oranges and grapefruit, hot spicy foods, peanut butter, wheat, nuts, high-fat dairy products, fried foods and hydrogenated oils. The hormones which are added to commercial dairy products and meats may overstress the liver. Some people with acne are sensitive to the iodine in shellfish. Vitamin A helps to decrease sebum and is a natural anti inflammatory.
Other essential nutrients
Zinc, which prevents sebaceous glands from becoming enlarged, and flaxseed oil, which enables the body to better metabolize fats. Facial masks to use when dealing with acne can be made of cooked oatmeal, grated raw potato or tomato. Apply witch hazel or aloe vera as a toner after cleansing. Where you feel a pimple going to erupt, rather than squeeze it, consider using spirits of camphor, essential oil of lavender or tea tree oil or five times each day to help dry it up and possibly prevent eruption. Should you get an eruption and are prone to scarring, then use a salve including vitamin E, calendula and comfrey. Avoid excessive exfoliation, which may stimulate oil glands which are already overactive. If the skin is bumpy, especially on the arms, dry-brush skin massaging and daily doses of flaxseed oil should help.
Emotional Implications
It’s always beneficial to think about any emotional implications like low self-esteem or feeling “picked on” throughout youth. Process these feelings if they’re legitimate in a safe, positive and beneficial manner, under the guidance of a therapist.
