HOW TO GET RID OF ACNE

Acne is a common and chronic skin disease. It is an inflammatory condition of the sebaceous glands and hair follicles. The lesions are usually found on the skin of the face, neck, chest and shoulders.  Acne is characterized by the presence of comedones or blackheads, pimples, small superficial sebaceous cysts and scars. Nearly 6 out of 10 young people between the ages of twelve and twenty-four suffer from some degree of acne.

The Causes of Acne 

Acne or acne vulgaris is caused when tiny holes in the skin, known as hair follicles, become blocked with oil or dead skin cells.
 In fact, many things in our daily life can contribute to it. Stress doesn’t cause acne, but stress can make it worse.

*  Overproduction of oil (sebum) in the skin
Irregular shedding of dead skin cells resulting in blocking of hair follicles of your skin
Build up of Bacteria

*  Hormonal Changes during puberty, pregnancy or use of Oral contraceptives can cause the sebaceous glands to enlarge and make more sebum.

*  Excessive consumption of starch, sugar, dairy products and carbohydrate-rich foods — such as bread, bagels and chips, which increase blood sugar.

*  If you’re taking any kind of prescription medication, check it out and see if acne is listed in the adverse effects column.

*  Touching can inflame the skin, and if you’re touching the same area, you might get an increase in oil production.

*  Using too much or un-suitable cosmetics may irritate skin.

*  Chronic constipation is another cause of acne. If the bowels do not move properly, the waste matter is not eliminated as quickly as it should be and the Bloodstream becomes surcharged with toxic matter. The extra efforts of the skin to eliminate excess waste result in acne and other forms of skin diseases.

*  Excessive use of Tea, coffee, Alcohol or Tobacco and sedentary habits which lead to indigestion and general debility.


Try one of these facial masks, it can help rejuvenate your skin and help clear acne. 

*  Cucumber 
Grated cucumber applied over the face, eyes and  neck for for fifteen to twenty minutes has been found effective for acne. It is also the best tonic for the skin of the face. It’s regular use prevents pimples and blackheads as well.

Cucumber Face Pack
 Grate one whole cucumber, strain the water
 Add 1 tablespoon of sugar, and mix well
 Apply to your face and leave it on for 15-20 minutes then wash with cold water.
Cucumber Face Mask
 Make a paste by blending one small cucumber and 1 cup of oatmeal
 Mix 1 teaspoon of this paste with 1 teaspoon of yogurt
 Apply it to your face. Leave it on for 30 minutes and then rinse.

*  Honey and Cinnamon face mask 
Cinnamon and Honey are frequently used in ayurvedic herbal medicines as they have powerful natural healing effect. Honey has moisturizing as well as antibacterial properties.

Put about 2 tsp. honey in a bowl.
Add 1 to 2 tsp. cinnamon to the honey and mix them together to form a paste.
Apply the mixture to the pimples using your fingers and leave it on your skin overnight.
Wash it off your skin in the morning using lukewarm water and a washcloth.

*  Apple Cider Vinegar And Aspirin
Apple cider vinegar that’s raw, unfiltered and labeled as “with the mother” has strong antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. It is recommended both as a topical solution and an internal detox for clearing up acne. Mixing it with Aspirin makes it even more effective skin toner for Acne treatment. Aspirin is a natural source of salicylic acid, which is known to clear up blemishes.

Mix three ounces of mineral water with a half-ounce of apple cider vinegar and add five plain, uncoated crushed aspirin tablets this gives you a skin toner
Apply this toner to the skin twice a day with a cotton ball. Do this for 5-10 minutes, then let the remaining liquid simply dry.
If your skin starts to get dry because of this, you can apply some aloe vera gel or coconut oil to soothe and moisten it.
For consuming orally, take 1-2 oz of apple cider vinegar and mix it in a cup of water. You can also add a bit of raw honey for taste. You can drink this mixture 1-3 times per day. After drinking the vinegar, do rinse your mouth out with water to wash the acetic acid , which is the natural acid in vinegar, off from your teeth.

*  Orange Peel Paste Mask 
Oranges are rejuvenating and refreshing not only for our taste buds but also for our skin as well. Acne that is caused by bacteria and extra oil/dead skin cells clogging up pores may improve with the use of an orange peel face mask – thanks to the vitamin C, citric acid, and it’s astringent properties. The vitamin C is particularly helpful because it promotes the growth of new healthy cells, keeping your skin in better condition overall.

Rinse your face with clean water and pat dry.
 Grind/pound up 2-3 Orange peels (you could use a blender, mortar and pestle, whatever gets the job done) and add a little fresh water to create a paste. Add a little water at a time, as too much will make it too thin and runny.
Once you have the right consistency, apply it to your face and/or problem areas.
Wait for 20-25 minutes. Ideally the mask should be firm, but it can still work if it isn’t.
Rinse off completely with water, pat your face dry, and apply a good moisturizer.
This is one of the more popular home remedies for acne and in fact for all sort of skin problems. As this is a completely natural remedy, you can repeat this mask as often as you desire.

*  Baking Soda For Acne 
Baking soda helps eliminate acne breakouts, reduces inflammation and reduce any old scars or acne marks. It is also a effective exfoliator and helps remove dead skin cells before they can clog pores. It is known to lower the acidity of the epidermis. It makes the skin smoother and softer, reducing the appearance of large, open pores.

To use it, just take a few teaspoons of baking soda and mix it with warm water until it forms a paste.
Apply the paste to your skin in circular motions. You can leave it on anywhere from 10 minutes to 15 minutes and then wash it off. Baking soda mask is very powerful so for the first few times you may want to wash it off after 10 minutes. You can gradually increase the time up to an hour.
For persistent acne problem, leave it on overnight. After one use you can see a noticeable difference in your skin.

*  Coconut Oil For Acne
Coconut oil helps fight the bacteria and reduce redness. It is both antibacterial and anti-fungal and is also extremely moisturizing for the skin. For best results, use coconut oil that is unrefined and organic.

 Apply the coconut oil to your skin and massage it in gently.
 You can reapply a couple times per day.
With coconut oil, there is no need to ever use a moisturizer again, it’s very effective and doesn’t clog your pores.

*  Tea tree oil For Acne
Tea tree oil has been proven to work just as well against acne as Benzoyl Peroxide, an ingredient commonly found in conventional acne creams. This essential oil is antibacterial in nature and hence is a powerful natural remedy for acne.  Tea Tree Oil is one of the most popular home remedies for Acne.

To apply it, mix a small amount of tea tree oil with an equal amount of water. For sensitive skin, increase the proportion of water.
Dip a cotton ball into the mixture and apply it to your skin. Apply sparingly to blemishes and avoid the area around the eyes.
You can reapply throughout the day or leave it on under your make up.
Never take tea tree oil internally and always use dilute tree tea oil with water before applying. Undiluted tea tree oil may cause skin irritation, redness,  over-drying and itching when applied directly to the skin.

*  Lemon 
Lemons are natural disinfectant, de-deodorizer and astringent and skin lightener. Lemon juice is an effective remedy to treat pimples and acne because it contains alpha hydroxy acids, an ingredient that is in many expensive skin care products.

First wash your face with a gentle face cleanser.
Pour 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice into a bowl. If you have sensitive skin, add 1 tsp. water into the bowl as well and mix it with the lemon juice.
Use a cotton ball to absorb the liquid, and gently apply the mixture to your pimples.
Leave the lemon juice on your skin overnight. Wash it off in the morning.

*   Egg
Egg whites help to heal the pimples, reduce inflammation and lighten the facial marks. Egg whites reduce the oil and minimize your pores in addition to drawing out impurities and gives a natural glow to skin.

Pour 2 to 3 egg whites into a bowl.
Use a cotton ball to apply the egg whites to the affected areas.
After a few minutes you’ll start to feel it tighten, you can leave it on anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour and then wash it off.
For best result, leave the mask overnight and then wash them off in the morning using warm water.

*   Garlic
External use of garlic helps to clear the skin of spots, Acne and boils. Pimples disappear without scars when rubbed with raw garlic several times a day. Even extremely persistent forms of acne gets healed by this herb. This is one of the best home remedies for Acne.

To use it, take a clove of garlic and thinly slice it. Rub the slices on your skin, particularly any problem areas, making sure the juice of the garlic is applied. Leave on for 15 minutes to 30 minutes.
The process is further helped by eating 3 pods of raw garlic once daily for a month. Eating Garlic helps to purify the blood stream and secures a long term clearance of the skin.

*  Aloe Vera Gel 
Aloe vera is the soothing gel of succulent plant. Aloe Vera Gel eases swelling, redness and inflammation and helps heal existing blemishes.

 To use it, apply the gel to your skin with your fingers
 You can apply it several times a day.
Aloe is very soothing and reduces inflammation and redness. If you have an aloe plant, it would be even better as you get the aloe fresh, without any synthetic or chemical additives.

*  Coriander and Mint Juice 
A teaspoon of Coriander juice mixed with a pinch of turmeric powder, is another effective home remedy for acne, pimples and blackheads. The mixture should be applied to the face after thoroughly washing it every night before retiring. Mint juice can be used in a similar manner as coriander juice.

*  Fenugreek 
Fenugreek is another useful remedy for acne. A paste made of the leaves of this vegetable, applied over the face every night before going to bed and washed with warm water in the morning – prevents pimples and blackheads.

*  Using Heat As A Home Remedy For Acne
Hot fomentation (or poultice) should be applied locally to open up the pores and bring out the waste matter. The affected parts should then be rinsed with cold water. Taking some steam can also help loosen the sebum that builds up inside pores. Once that sebum gets extracted out, pores become clear.

*  Aromatherapy 
A hot Epsom salts bath twice a week is beneficial in all cases of acne. This bath is prepared by adding 1.5Kg of Epsom salts to 60 liters of warm water having a temperature of about 37.8°C. The person should remain in the bath tub for 25-35 minutes till he sweats freely. After the bath, the patient should cool off gradually.

*  Vitamin Therapy 
Niacin (Vitamin B3) and Vitamin A have been used successfully to treat acne. Vitamin Therapy comprise intake of 35mg Niacin, 10,000 IU of Vitamin A and 100mg of Vitamin E daily. This therapy should be continued for a month. Also, supplement your food with almonds, hazelnuts, spinach, broccoli, peanuts, red meat, poultry, fish, carrots, kale, dried apricots which are natural sources of these vitamins. If you are pregnant or have any ailment please check with your doctor before taking the vitamins.

*  Zinc Mineral Therapy 
Zinc is a natural mineral helps in healing wounds and reducing inflammation and can also help to subside acne flare-ups  more quickly. This treatment suggests taking 40mg dose of Zinc daily up-to one month or till there is noticeable improvement and then reducing the dose to 20mg. Take zinc supplements with a high-fiber meal to aid absorption. Seafood, spinach, Cashews, chicken, Beans, Mushrooms are rich sources of zinc and should also be consumed. If you are pregnant or taking medication for any ailment please check with your doctor first.

*  Turmeric Facial Mask
Turmeric Facial Mask is effective in reducing acne and treating acne scars. Ingredients for this acne remedy are available at spice markets and Indian grocery stores.

Mix together 1/2 cup of chickpea flour (Besan) and 2 teaspoons each turmeric powder (Haldi), sandalwood powder, and clarified butter (Ghee) or almond oil, and then combine them with enough water to make a paste.
Apply this paste and leave on for 10 to 15 minutes.
Rinse well with water. Rub with pressure with both palms and fingers to remove all the paste.
This Homemade facial mask can rejuvenate your skin and help clear acne.

*  Jojoba Oil 
Jojoba (pronounced ho-HO-ba) oil is extracted from the seeds of the jojoba tree (Simmondsia chinensis). It is kind of liquid wax with a golden color and very mild smell. Jojoba oil has cleansing, moisturizing and medicinal properties and it works best for mild to medium acne outbreaks & eczema.

First clean your skin as normal, using a mild cleanser or face wash
Gently pat the skin dry
Take approximately one teaspoon jojoba oil and gently massage it into the skin.
Pay special attention to the areas that have more breakouts. Apply more pressure in those areas because this will help the oil penetrate and unclog the pores.
Acne can be particularly frustrating problem but you can beat it by dietary changes, lifestyle changes and using some of the above Home Remedies for Acne.