At one point or another in our lives we have all suffered the embarrassing affects of acne, or what we more commonly refer to during our teenage years as pimples and zits. During those awkward years we searched high-and-low or tried to pick-and-pop our way to a completely acne-free adolescence. Undoubtedly, we failed to achieve our goal and suffered through the breakouts with our peers the best we could.

Fortunately, there are some natural and not so natural acne remedies that seem to be effective. If only we had known about these in our teens.  Well, it’s never to late to learn some valuable lessons, so let’s dive into some natural acne remedies, along with some not so natural ones too!

1. Witch Hazel Astringent

An astringent, Witch Hazel, comes from a plant of the same name, Witch Hazel or better known as Hamamelis virginiana in the botanical world. It grows naturally in a wide spread from Nova Scotia west to Ontario Canada, all the way south to Texas and Florida. Simply steam the twigs of this plant and voila! The extract you get serves as your astringent. What’s best about this remedy is that the base product occurs naturally and even the process it undergoes is natural too. Since the ingredient and process is all natural you can be assured it is less harsh when compared to commercially produced astringents.

2. Commercially Produced Astringents

There’s no doubt that over-the-counter astringents we buy are also effective. These include many variants, some of which include additional ingredients that promote better skin. A major downside of the commercial astringent variety is that they can be a little harsh to the skin, due to the chemicals added to produce these products. One should use commercial astringents with extra care as they can dry the skin.

3. Scout Your Kitchen for Some All-Natural Acne Remedies

We tend to think of the kitchen as just a place to eat some quick chow before or after a long days work or a place to entertain company, not as a place to treat our acne. However, one doesn’t have to look hard to find some natural acne remedies in their kitchen; just look for things like oranges and lemons, fresh garlic and raw potatoes.

• Oranges and lemons, just squeeze the juice on some cotton balls then apply the extract on your acne affected areas. Let set for approximately 15-20 minutes and then wash off with cold water.
• Fresh garlic is another natural acne remedy and one that is also easy to use. Just take a small piece or two, peel and rub it on your face.
• More commonly used for french fries and potato chips, who would think to take and peel a raw potatoes and then rub its flat surface on their face? Well, someone did and found it to be another natural acne remedy.

The natural extracts from these and many other fruits and vegetables can help minimize the redness caused by acne and at the same time help clean the skin. Thankfully some wise ancestor of ours tried these natural acne remedies and passed them down to us, while keeping the failures to themselves.

4. Oral Antibiotics

Unfortunately severe cases of acne often require prescription antibiotics to control the breakouts. These medications are taken orally to reduce the amount of bacteria inside and around skin follicles. They also tend to decrease exasperating chemicals that the white blood cells produce. Antibiotics diminish the concentration of the free fatty acids found in sebum, that when combined with bacteria and a clogged pore create an anti-inflammatory action and cause acne.

Tetracycline is the most commonly prescribed antibiotic for acne treatment. This antibiotic should be taken on an empty stomach and shouldn’t be used by pregnant women or children under the age of nine. Usually, the starting dose is around 500 milligrams, twice daily, and is continuously taken until a considerable dropping off of lesions is visible.

Erythromycin is another common antibiotic used for treating acne, since it can be prescribed to pregnant women. However, a nasty side effect of this drug is that it can cause nausea and upset stomach. Compared to tetracycline, which only kills bacteria, Erythromycin has both anti-inflammatory and bacteria-killing properties. This antibiotic needs to be taken with food.

As with all medications, consult your doctor or a dermatologist for the right antibiotic and dosage required for your specific acne condition and don’t take medications that are not specifically prescribed for you by a qualified physician.

5. Topical Treatments

Externally applied creams have also been proven effective for acne treatment. However, they often result in drying and flaking of the skin, but seem to be the most effective treatment for severe acne. Benzoyl peroxide is one very common and effective topical acne treatment, as are Azelaic acid and Topical retinoids.

Acne does not need to be embarrassing.  Learn how to enjoy a happier, acne-free, life through the use of natural acne remedies, and some not so natural but effect acne treatments today!

Acne control starts when an individual strives to find the best possible skin care regiment, as well as, the best skin care products. There are several ways in which an individual can find a way to control their acne successfully, including natural acne treatments and laser treatments. Lets take a simple look at a couple of those treatments.

Natural Acne Treatments

The first and best way to treat acne is to use natural acne treatments. These will include a wide range of vitamins and minerals for your skin. You’ll want to look for and find a good assortment of natural skin care products; products that do not contain a lot of toxic chemicals that are harmful to your body. You’ll also want to supplement any of these natural products with a good, well balanced diet and exercise. Because acne is an infection of the skin, giving your body the essential nutrients that it needs to fight infection is an essential part of the healing process.

Control Acne With A Good Skin Regiment

One of the most beneficial things that you can do when it comes to acne skin care is to use a good, solid cleansing regiment for your skin, especially the face since it is most prone to acne attacks. This will include anti-bacterial products and exfoliating that work to improve your face and body’s look. These products help kill off the bacteria that are causing your acne, as well as, helping to get rid of the dead skin cells that the bacteria are feeding off of.

Something you may want to consider is Proactiv® a simple skin care system for clean, beautiful skin. However, finding the acne control system that’s right for your needs is not easy. You may find that the best thing to do is to seek out alternative treatments such as laser treatments and chemical peels. Or you may want to visit a dermatologist, one who may have a different approach or may prescribe acne medication, if necessary.

Top Things To Do To Heal Acne

Acne can be extremely persistent, especially during your teenage years. Sometimes you’ll try a new cleaning method or result to trying an drug to control your acne, it seems to get better, and then a week later you’re back to the same old breakouts and zits. When all else fails a dermatologist can diagnose your skin condition and offer targeted approaches to fighting your acne.

If you’re thrown for a loop with acne, and you’ve tried everything under the sun, don’t be afraid to ask for a little help. Don’t let those embarrassing pimples and zits get the best of you, there are plenty of things to do to heal your acne.