Acne

Acne is a disorder of the skin which gives rise to infected pores which show as blackheads or whiteheads, pimples or zits, cysts, and lesions. This is a disorder seen mostly in teens and young adults. This shows up in the face, neck, back and chest of the teens and young adults. The root causes are partly hormonal and partly dietary, but the immediate cause is bacterial infection of skin pores.

People who suffer from acne often buy over-the-counter acne treatment products, but most of these products are ineffective because they only address symptoms rather than causes. You are probably on this page because you have discovered this for yourself.

The fact is that it is possible to deal with acne more effectively using ‘cheap and cheerful’ ingredients you can find at home or get from your local health shop. There is no one answer for acne in everyone, but it won’t take you long to find out what works for you. Try some or all of the suggestions below.

Some natural remedies for acne

1 - Kill the bugs

The first step is to minimise the number or harmful bacteria in and on your skin. Get hold of some alcohol-based after shave and some pure tea tree oil. Add around 5ml of the tea tree oil to 100ml of after shave, and use this lotion on cotton wool to clean the areas affected two or three times a day. The alcohol will remove surplus oils and the tea tree oil will actually penetrate the skin and kill bacteria. You can use the concentrated oil directly on spots, too, but make sure this does not cause irritation before using it wholesale.

You can also try vinegar (any kind) or lemon juice used in the same way. The acids in these are mildly antiseptic, remove oils and also encourage shedding of dead skin cells.

2 - Help your skin mend

Try pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) in superdose quantities. This works by helping your body to metabolise fats which would otherwise be later turned into sebum (oil) and excreted through the skin. Small amounts of B5 won't help though, and it has to be taken several times a day. For acne control you need to take about 2.5 grams of pantothenic acid  4 times per day - a total of 10 grams per day. You can get 500mg capsules but the powder form is cheaper and easier to take. Apply Aloe vera gel (sold for sunburn relief and burn treatment) to affected areas after anti-bacterial treatment. It accelerates healing and reduces scarring.

3 - Take supplements to fight causes of acne

Diet is important and it is crucial to eat fruit and vegetables to get the micronutients you need and strengthen your immune system. The supplements you need to add include essential fatty acids (especially omega 3), chromium and zinc, vitamin C and a good multivitamin tablet.

Of these, the fatty acids are probably most important, so you should take fish oil supplements every day. Fish oils contain the fatty acids EPA and DHA plus omega-3 and omega-6 oils, which are involved in the production of prostaglandins in the human body. Prostaglandins are  hormones which help control levels of androgen, another hormone which which in turn causes the production of excessive oil in the skin. The bottom line is that taking fish oils will reduce secretion of skin oil, one of the main contributing factors to acne. There are a number of other benefits, too.