Be Your Most Beautiful Self
Don’t you just hate it when people stare at you and you know it’s because there is something on your face, and you wish it was toothpaste or even a booger. Acne has a way of affecting our self-confidence.
Despite the fact that nearly three-quarters of the young adult population have it, it is not comforting, having something that will stay with you forever! Okay definitely not, because despite your previous experience, acne can be controlled or completely eliminated.
That’s right, there is a way to treat acne inside and out, and don’t worry, it doesn’t involve painful surgeries, acid baths or magic formulas. But first, we have to know what we are dealing with.
Swollen, red, itchy-looking blotches on the skin – that’s what many people define as acne. But really, acne is chronic inflammation of the skin which results in pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, cysts and/or nodules.
Acne is another ‘gift’ from the glorious maturation exercise called puberty. Funny how no one mentioned that with bigger stuff came big spots on your face, arms and chest. Even worse, acne can strike at any time up until your forties, and in some cases even later.
Acne occurs when hair follicles get clogged with oil, which can be caused by hormonal imbalance, cosmetics, stress factors and a host of other physiological problems.
Due to the different possible causes, it is important to treat acne inside and out. Most treatments fail because they are usually just topical, only dealing with the symptoms and not the root cause.
You are about to learn how to take care of your skin from the inside out and your skin will love you for it.
Acne causes inflammation. What stops inflammation? Surprise, surprise, it is Omega 3. It seems like you can’t go two seconds without hearing of yet another reason why you should increase your intake of Omega 3.
Well, this fatty acid does the opposite of Omega 6, which causes inflammation (which comes in handy in different ways). A lot of the foods we eat are rich in Omega 6, such as dairy, meat, nuts and seeds, so if these aren’t equalise, the spots come out!
If you’re tired of spots, lay off processed foods and step up your Omega 3s. Just in case you need a reminder, Omega 3-rich foods you should indulge in include: salmon, cod liver oil, sardines, ghee and pastured egg yolks. See, healthy foods don’t always sound boring.
There are some causes of acne that are obvious to each person. You might know for example, that when you eat some nuts you get pimples, but some other naughty-foods are not as obvious.
High sugar intake can also cause inflammation. I know right, it’s like the same things we keep hearing. In this case, sugar highs cause an increase in insulin, which in turn causes chronic inflammation.
As we reduce our consumption of poor foods such as those listed above and processed foods, we need to replace it with good food, like carrots. Raw carrots help the body get rid of excess estrogen.
One of the major causes of acne is androgen, which in women, is converted to estrogen. When estrogen levels increase, oil glands beneath the skin increase as well. This in turn causes an increase in sebum, which is an oily liquid from the glands that carries dead skins and sometimes, bacteria. These bacteria can cause pimples and other skin inflammations.
Therefore, the more estrogen, the more acne. In order to treat acne inside and out, you have to tackle things that cause estrogen levels to increase, be they internal or external.
Internal causes include excessive consumption of soy products and sesame seeds, while external causes include commonplace skin care products, cosmetics and plastics that seep chemicals into our food.
As much as excess oil can cause acne, our body still needs a minimum amount of it to remain healthy. Some scrubs not only remove all the oils from our face, they also take parts of our skin. Yup, it is as gross as it sounds.
Use a cleanser and toner with active ingredients – the more natural the better – that will remove impurities, but not go overboard with the exfoliation. If your cleanser leaves your face squeaky clean, it might be a little too clean.
As you do what you can to balance sebum levels internally, you can also find a good, chemical-free topical that targets sebum. There are many products on the market that claim to get the job done, so make sure you check the ingredients.
Some homemade recipes are also available, which utilize honey and pearl powder. It is important you contact a dermatologist before you begin any self-treatments. Washing your face at night to remove makeup and dead skin cells is another way to do it. Oh, and don’t forget to repeat the process in the morning.
Lastly, when pimples appear, use a topical with anti-inflammatory properties. Purchase anti-bacterial essential oils that rely on natural ingredients. Finding the right treatment may require some experimentation, as different products affect people differently.
If after you have tried it for a few days you don’t notice any results, try something else. Be careful not to end up jumping from one product to another, as it could worsen the situation. If you can’t seem to find the right one, contact your dermatologist.
Could it really be that simple to treat acne inside and out? Well, yeah! In order for it to be effective, we must watch what we eat for longer than a couple of days. Exercise and hydration (water, not fizzy drinks) are also important things to incorporate.
It might take you a few days to begin seeing a difference, especially if the main cause of your acne is hormonal, but if you stick with these simple tips, you’ll see your skin looking as spotless as it did when you were in diapers…..unless you’re still wearing them.
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