Treating Acne - A Natural Approach

One of the most common health problems affecting teenagers is acne. Acne is a skin lesion which is prevalent around the ages of puberty (8-12 in females, and 10-14 in males). Almost every one at one point or the other must have had contact with acne.


There are different kind of solutions for treating acne in the market. They could be in the form of creams, lotions, gels, or even pills. Most of them are chemicals which are intended to alter the normal physiology of our skin. Have you ever considered using natural methods to treat your acne instead of just dumping chemicals in your body?

No one really likes to have these annoying bumps on their face. But since acne or pimples come at a particular period of one's life, there is really nothing we can do about its occurrence. We can however control its appearance and reduce the symptoms. A much better way to do this is to put an end to it naturally without torturing your skin with synthetic products. Some of the methods you can use to tackle acne are discussed below.

Diet and Exercise
Apart from doing anything external to the face, there is a way our diet affects our skin, especially in severe cases of acne (cystic acne). In situations such as this, one would need to follow a regulated diet in order to prevent further eruptions. Generally, it is best to avoid oily foods, especially fried foods. Also avoid ingestion of tobacco, caffeine, and carbonated drinks. What do you take instead? Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. As some people say, "one apple a day keeps the doctor away." Drink plenty of water, particularly with honey and lemon.

Apart from diet, exercise is also important in controlling acne. Exercise has been found to help your skin breathe. It also aids in removing oil, dirt and toxins away from your skin. This therefore provides a natural way of cleansing and purifying the skin. Another benefit of exercise is that it reduces stress, a major cause of acne eruptions.

Skin Care
Apart from diet and exercise, specific routines on how to work on your skin in order to treat and prevent acne is as follows:

1. Touch not: Avoid touching your face too many times. This is because repeated touching and picking of pimples would only lead to more scarring, which you would not want. If you would not touch, then wash your face as many times as possible. Try and limit the use of synthetic agents, such as cosmetics (make up).

2. Honey: Research as shown the usefulness of honey in the management of many medical conditions, acne inclusive. Honey serves as an emollient and also as a natural moisturizer. It also has antibacterial properties. Just apply it for a few minutes to your face, then wash it away. This can be done just before a shower.

3. Increase the intake of essential vitamins such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E daily. You can also supplement your diet with zinc and chromium.

4. Apply Aloe-Vera paste to your face, especially directly on the pimples and the scars. This is one of the fastest and best ways to treat pimple scars naturally.