Natural Treatments for Acne

Millions of people with acne spend years cycling through the different types of store-bought acne treatments and medications, usually with varying degrees of success. Many of these treatments work fine in the short term but do not constitute permanent solutions. At best they may treat some of the symptoms, but they do not address the underlying causes of acne, which are rooted deep beneath the skin and often have little to do with weather the surface of the skin is clean. Plus, many mainstream acne products can actually irritate the skin and clog the pores and hence worsen the condition. Smart habitsrnThe first thing to keep in mind when it comes to treating acne naturally is that there are everyday habits that can greatly improve the condition. For one thing, if you keep hands, hair, and other objects away from the skin of the face, there will be less dirt and less irritation to make acne worse. It can be especially difficult to change this habit if you tend to absentmindedly put your hands on or around your face, as many people do, but changing the habit can have tremendously positive effects. Meanwhile, there is the astonishing fact that acne exists mainly in the industrialized world. Sure, it is not an unheard-of condition in less developed parts of the world, but it is not so widespread. There are many reasons that people in the industrialized world might be more prone to the condition, but it is likely that it ultimately comes down to diet. There is little scientific basis to say that processed foods and sugary foods contribute to acne, but there is much anecdotal evidence for this, so avoiding these foods and sticking with healthy, mostly fresh and organic foods is best. Treatments to tryrnAs with most types of natural remedies, acne treatments have highly inconsistent results, and the effects can vary greatly from person to person. Meanwhile, unlike mainstream products, which can work fast but have quickly diminishing results, natural treatments generally need more time to do their work. So if you want to know whether a natural treatment is working for you, the best approach is to use it as directed for at least a month before giving up and trying the next thing. It takes patience, but your patience will be rewarded when you find that treatment that really works in the long run. One treatment that has become popular in recent years is tea tree oil. Extracted from the leaves of an Australian tree, the oil has been shown to work in a similar manner to conventional acne medication benzoyl peroxide, except it has fewer side effects and continues to work in the long term. Some people are allergic to tea tree oil, however, so try it in small doses at first. Zinc supplements are another thing to try. Zinc is a powerful mineral when it comes to helping wounds heal and reducing inflammation in the skin. This leads to faster recovery from existing acne breakouts, and the inflammation reduces the severity of acne. When combined with other good habits, this can have a powerfully positive effect on the skin. Finally, another treatment that has been getting a lot of buzz lately is brewer’s yeast, particularly a variety known as CBS 5926, which is thought to help fight the bacteria that lives beneath the skin and is the root cause of most types of acne.