Acne skin care is an important issue for many people. A trip through any drug store will reveal that there are dozens of preparations, ointments, and liquid treatments for acne. Some of these over-the-counter preparations are more effective than others, but all of them promise to help ease the symptoms associated with this particular dermal condition.
The issue that bothers many people who are seeking effective treatment options is the ingredients that are used in many, if not most, of these preparations. The vast majority of store-bought treatments contain any number of harsh chemicals. Some of the more common ingredients found in acne skin care treatments are just as liable to cause irritation as they are to heal the problem. This can be an important point to consider for those people who have sensitive skin. Even mildly sensitive skin can have adverse reactions to some of these chemicals.
But there are other options available. Natural acne skin care treatments are often just as effective as the chemically based preparations, and they work in a much more gentle fashion.
Here are some suggestions that may help you overcome this problem without having to resort to harsh, irritating chemicals.
You should begin each day with a facial wash using sulfur-based acne soap. Repeat this wash before bed. It is a common misconception that "scrubbing" your face is the best way to clean it. This is not true. The best method for facial washing is to use warm water, a soft cloth, and be gentle.
It is also a misconception that washing the face many times will speed up the healing process. Washing your face more often than twice or three times a day may actually increase the symptoms as this may cause the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum than they would otherwise. Sebum is a leading cause for clogged pores and outbreaks of blemishes.
Many people have had good results when using a honey mask once or twice a week. You can find online recipes for this type of mask, but even the simplest ones can be effective. Honey is an antibacterial and can help a great deal in disinfecting blemishes.
You may be surprised to learn that taking a good quality multivitamin can do more than just keep your insides healthy, they can also help with reducing acne symptoms. When your body is low on vitamins and minerals it begins to produce more sebum than is necessary. This leads to outbreaks of blemishes. Keeping your vitamin and mineral levels balanced will help reduce the production of sebum.
In this same area, you may wish to include more chromium in your diet. Taking a chromium supplement once a day can help your body heal your blemishes quickly and can even help to prevent future breakouts.
Two other important components that you should consider balancing out are Vitamin A and Zinc. Vitamin A (also known as palmitate) strengthens skin tissue. A deficiency in Vitamin A can actually cause acne. Please note: Women who are pregnant must not take too much Vitamin A. Large doses can be toxic to the mother as well as to the fetus.
Zinc is an antibacterial agent and a necessary component for the oil-producing glands of the skin. A diet that is too low in zinc can actually cause acne breakouts.
One of the most important things you can do is to drink 8 glasses of water a day. Drinking enough water, each and every day, is essential for clear skin and your overall health. Water carries waste materials out of the body as well as hydrates the cells.
A very good natural product that you can use for acne skin care is tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is an essential oil that is produced by steam distillation of the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia plant. You can find pure tea tree oil in most health food stores as well as online. You can also find many products that contain this important essential oil. You should keep in mind that using pure, undiluted tea tree oil may cause skin irritation, blistering, redness, dryness, and itching when applied directly to the skin.
You can make your own tea tree oil preparation if you wish. You should look for a 5% concentration. A 5% tea tree oil solution can be made by mixing 5 parts tea tree oil to 95 parts water. For example: 5cc of tea tree oil to 95cc of water.
Studies have shown that tea tree oil acne skin care treatments can be less irritating than those treatments that contain benzoyl peroxide, which is a common ingredient in many commercial products. Users of tea tree oil should keep in mind that this treatment option may take a little longer to work, but the side effects will be far fewer.
