How to get rid of Acne

Have you ever had acne (a.ka. pimples, zits) problems before ?

I had some trouble with acne recently. One thing I found out is that acne still bothered my eventhough I'm way past my teens. So I researched the internet for information on how to get rid of acne effectively. Here's an extract article from wikiHow that I felt is really good to help you get rid of those annoying spots.

Steps

1. STOP popping the spots, also known as pimples and zits. This may make the pimple look worse due to inflammation and irritation. Popping a zit can spread infection under the skin and produce even more pimples than before. If you do pop a spot then immediately clean it with soap and water or rubbing alcohol in order to prevent infection. If a pimple erupts in a particularly bothersome place, learn how to target a single pimple. And if you're determined to pop, learn how to pop a pimple safely and properly. If you do pop a pimple and you want to avoid anything resembling Western medicine, one thing to try is put a mixture of honey and ground cinnamon on the spot. Put a band-aid on it also. You may also want to stay away from stress.

2. Remove any make-up you have on. Wearing make-up can clog pores, making them dirty and causing pimples. Also try to wear oil-free makeup (if you have oily skin) or a medicated makeup. Use a mild soap for sensitive skin but it doesn't matter exactly what type of soap you use. It can be designed for acne-prone skin or not, but you will want to treat your skin gently. Harsh antibacterial soap may actually make your acne worse by irritating skin.

3. Remove dead skin cells regularly by exfoliating. Use a gentle scrub with natural defoliants like ground walnut shells, or use an over-the-counter chemical defoliant like salicylic acid or glycolic acid. Adding ground walnut shell to a thick moisturizer like cocoa butter can be effective too. Take caution, because over-exfoliating can actually increase the likelihood of acne by irritating the skin. Pat dry, rather than rubbing, since rubbing can cause irritation to the fresh skin you've just revealed.

4. Use a good toner. Spray onto face or wipe on with a cotton ball and wipe off with a clean, dry cotton ball. This gets rid of excess cleanser and tightens pores. Good, inexpensive choices include plain witch hazel for normal to dry skin, lemon juice, or 3% hydrogen peroxide for oily skin. 70% ethyl rubbing alcohol can also be used for severe oiliness, but it can really dry out your skin and irritate it more. Some toners are medicated, and this stage is the best for using a medicated product if you're only going to use one medication.

Bacteria in pores is one cause of spots. Reduce the amount of bacteria by using toners containing anti-bacterial agents like alcohol, peroxide and benzalkonium chloride, and by using creams that contain benzoyl peroxide (ask your doctor about benzaclin, with moisturizer if you have dry skin, as it works better than just plain benzoyl because benzoyl takes up to 8 weeks before improvement is seen) which kill bacteria as well as cause the skin to regenerate faster.

5. Maintain a routine. Most acne treatments take time to work. It usually takes between two and eight weeks before you see any significant improvement, so you are going to have to be patient. Once you've gotten your acne cleared up, it's important to continue with the treatment that's working so it does not return.

6. If all else fails, contact a doctor. Mild antibiotics that are available only by prescription can help reduce acne. Keep in mind though, that the widespread overuse (taking antibiotics when you really don't need them or for something they don't treat) and misuse (not taking medication for the specified amount of time) of antibiotics has led to the development of multiple antibiotic resistant bacteria. That means that the antibiotics won't work for the things they used to (including your acne).

7. Keep hair off of your face if at all possible. If you want to keep your bangs, then consider taking showers regularly or keeping your forehead clean with oil-dabbing cloths / clean tissues / etc.

8. Get good sleep. Stress increases your skin's oiliness, which, combined with sweat and dirt, can clog pores and cause pimples. (Change your pillowcase frequently.)

9. Acne medications may cause your skin to initially break out worse than before because all FDA-approved acne medications (benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and sulfur) are causing your skin to regenerate faster. This brings existing acne pimples already under your skin (but not visible yet) to the surface, which in turn causes a massive but fortunately temporary break out. Give the medications time to work -- about one to two weeks -- and you will notice a big difference in the quality of your skin.

See a dermatologist if over the counter remedies do not work. They specialize in skin care and can prescribe you medicines that help you improve it.

10. Drink plenty of water. Staying well hydrated can help your condition improve, because the "waste management" control system in your body requires a lot of water to do its job. Without enough water, the body has difficulty removing some waste products efficiently.

11. Look for face washes which contain the active ingredient benzoyl peroxide. This is the key ingredient in some of the best face washes. use a 5-10% benzoyl peroxide of mild to moderate acne and 10% for severe.

Try smashing one tablet of aspirin in a small bowl, then adding lemon juice to the mixture. Aspirin is acetesalicylic acid, chemically related to salicylic acid. Apply to the affected areas overnight. It boosts the healing process while reducing redness.

Try putting toothpaste (paste, NOT gel) on your face, cover it with a bandage, and keep it on all night. When you wash it off in the morning your acne will look better. The astringent and surfactant nature of the toothpaste will help diminish the appearance of pimples. But the toothpaste has been known to burn sensitive skin of the face, so be careful. If your face does burn, stop acne treatments and work on healing your burn.

Try using Bentonite Clay, a natural mineral powder which has been known to absorb impurities and help neutralise the skin's oiliness, and can be found online. Mix 2 tablespoons with a dash of cold water and smooth over the face as a thick paste. Once dried gently wipe off with a flannel or sponge.

Another way to zap pimples is shaving cream. Apply it to your pimple and it will dry it up. It disappears by morning, but wash your face after waking up.

If nothing is working for you, drink four tablespoons of apple cider vinegar diluted with water daily. It works very well for some people and is worth a try. Another good solution is aloe Vera gel fresh from the plant, taken orally.

You can also try taking a zinc tablet everyday.

Mix some lemon juice and rose water in a small bowl and apply it on your pimples, ONLY YOUR PIMPLES, over night. It will burn a little. When you wake up in the morning, your pimples will reduce.

Photo therapy or blue-light therapy is an increasingly common form of treating facial or body acne. It uses light that interact with peripheries in skin bacteria to reduce bacteria production and rectify acne. Many dermatologists use this form of treatment in a clinic setting, but it can be costly and time consuming. Health Canada recently approved a new product that has the same therapeutic effect, but it can be administered by the individual.

Get plenty of sleep! They don't call it "beauty-sleep" for nothing!

Dab garlic juice on emerging and mature pimples

Treat acne with benzoyl peroxide that are available in your local stores

Disguise a pimple with eye-redness relieve eye drops by applying to a Q-tip and hold on pimple for about 10-15 seconds.
Mix a packet of fast acting yeast with enough tea tree oil to make a paste. Spread over emerging pimple and cover with bandage & leave on overnight because yeast will cause the pimples to rise out of the skin while the tea tree oil attacks it.
Go to the store and get Cortizone 10.It will help stop acne.

Soak a cotton ball in warm salt water. Press on top of blemish for 3 minutes to dissolve the top. Then, dab a bit of honey on the affected area to deep clean the pore and draw out bacteria. Let it sit for 10 minutes.

One thing you should do is change your pillow case(s) every day. That way you won't get any oil or dirt on your face again.

"Proactiv®" has also proven to be useful in some circumstances, though for some people it doesn't work.

If you ever pop a whitehead and you have "Proactiv®", put a dab of Revitalizing Toner on the popped zit. This should help clear it.

12. Apply some sudocrem to your spots, This helps them.

13. Use shampoo! suave professionals biobasics for damaged hair is a good example. its cheap and you have a lot of it, and at the same time it gets rid of all the oil and grease, helping zits fade. however, many shampoos contain lauryl sulfates which can damage your skin.

14. Change your pillow case every week. You sleep on it! Most of your germs and bacteria are passed onto your pillow case and back onto your skin.... making acne worse.

15. Take Minocycline. Minocycline is an antibiotic which kills bacteria. Minocycline should be taken with caution, however, as it has been show to damage the thyroid gland, liver, and hair. It makes skin sensitive and lowers the body's resistance to pathogens. If you do choose to take minocyline, make sure to get bloodwork every six months at the doctor's office to monitor your health.

16. Get good nutrition. These top five nutrients have been shown to have a very positive effect on your skin and in treating acne. These nutrients, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin E, selenium and chromium, can pack a powerful punch in your acne war.

Zinc - Zinc is the Acne stopper. It works in several ways to both treat acne and prevent it. It helps the body regulate certain hormones which prevents acne, but it also helps with wound healing, tissue regeneration and boosting the body's immune system.Most people in the United States actually have a marginal zinc deficiency, but you can get zinc from many of your favorite foods, such as seeds, nuts, legumes and whole grains.

Vitamin A - Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin that helps you have beautiful, healthy hair and skin. You can find vitamin A from fruits and vegetables. Dark green vegetables and deep yellow vegetables as fruits give you a good dose of vitamin A by providing carotenes. Oatmeal is a good source of vitamin A, as well as cantaloupe, honeydew melon, broccoli, spinach and sweet potato. Liver contains a megadosis: watch out, vitamin A is stored in the body and you can actually get vitamin A poisoning.

Vitamin E - Vitamin E helps to normalize decreased levels of antioxidant enzymes. This is often prevalent in male acne patients, but vitamin E has proven beneficial to both male and female acne sufferers. Almonds, sunflower seeds, peanut butter, spinach, broccoli and mango are all great sources of vitamin E.Even a snack as simple as ¼ to ½ cups of raw nuts and seeds can help your skin become clearer and healthier.

Selenium - Selenium works much like vitamin E in that it also helps to normalize decreased levels of antioxidant enzymes. Selenium can be found in foods such as vegetables, meats and bread. Some nuts, such as Brazil nuts and walnuts are also rich in selenium.You can also supplement your diet with selenium, taking 100 to 200 micrograms per day. However, 3 ½ ounces of beef has 35 micrograms of selenium and 3 ounces of tuna has 63. Brazil nuts, though, are the winner with 544 micrograms of selenium per ounce.

Chromium - Chromium, found in brewer's yeast, has been shown in research studies to heal acne. You can add brewer's yeast to many different foods.Sprinkle a tablespoon over cold cereal or hot oatmeal, mix it into soups and stews or add it into your breakfast smoothie. Be careful, though, if you are not accustomed to brewer's yeast, a large serving of it can cause nausea and diarrhea. Start small, just a teaspoon or tablespoon at a time. This is a great acne buster.

17. AVOID TOUCHING YOUR FACE. Your hands and fingers have a lot of oil on them that can clog your pores. If you touch your face, some of that oil is transferred to your face.

18. Apply sour cream to your face. While yogurt is good, it can slip off easily. Buy fresh sour cream and refrigerate. Tie back your hair and make sure not to soil anything. Smear your face, especially pimples, with sour cream using your palms and wash it off after 15 minutes. If you are really busy, then simply apply the sour cream to your pimples and work until fifteen minutes are over, then wash off the pimples with warm water.

19. Try going out in the sun. The UV rays dry out your spots and stimulate the vitamin D production in the body.

20. Stop eating cheese and dairy products. They have been proven to cause pimples. Plus, who wants to eat/drink scabs, pus, and blood that has been found in milk and such dairy anyways?