Acne Remedies

Gilbert Horton just spied his first zit before shuffling off to his Physical Education class. Just imagine his chagrine as he thought everyone was staring at him. Fortunately for Gilbert there are good remedies available for his acne.

Acne can hit you at the worst time, throwing zits your way without regard to age, race or gender. Most people that {suffer|suffers| from acne, though, are young adults and teens. It is estimated that upwards of eighty percent of people who are in this age group are afflicted with acne and of those about 23% will get prolonged scarring that can be anywhere from very little to noticable at a glance.

Adults, though, are not immune from the effects of acne. The American Dermatologist Association reports that about 20% of all those over the age of 24 have active acne. This translates to just about 60 million Americans, teens and adults have active acne and 20 million of them have acne that is extensive enough to cause scars. Surprisingly, only about 13% of acne sufferers will go for help, but this is due, in part, to the social stigma that acne carries.

There is cause for hope, though, for those affected with acne. Since you will learn here what causes acne, what works and the things that won't help and how to prevent most acne, you can make the necessary changes to get skin that is glowing.

What Causes Acne?

While acne is not contagious, there are several things that do increase your chances of having acne skin lesions. Simply put, acne is caused when the sebaceous glands produce excess oil. Other causes can include:

* An inherited tendency towards acne or genetics * Pollutants in the environment * Poor cleansing of the skin * Physical irritation * Stress and anxiety * Some illnesses * Hormones and hormone imbalances * Over washing the skin

Don’t Waste your Time and Money

While some acne remedies help, many don't. When picking out an over the counter remedy, be careful. Lots of the acne remedies on the shelves today have harsh components that can really dry out your skin, or even make your acne worse. Pick your acne cleasing and treatment products carefully and seek out products that are easy on your skin.

What Really Works

Four things really do work for acne. Together they pack a powerful punch to make acne a former problem.

* Healthy diet * Water * Proper cleansing * Adequate sleep

To treat acne you already have, use natural products such as tea tree oil which has strong antiseptic effects and is quite effective. Witch hazel is an effective skin toner and it can give you a healthy glow. Mint is a good spot treatment, especially for cystic acne. It will cool and sooth the skin while killing germs.

A good cleansing mask that you can make in a couple of minutes is a corn starch and egg white mask. Make a paste with the egg white and corn starch. Apply it to clean skin and allow it to dry. Remove it after it dries with a moist washcloth and rinse well. You will end up with glowing, clear skin.

An Ounce of Prevention…

Prevention will definitely help you avoid acne in the first place. The best way to avoid acne is to take care of your health. A simple, low fat diet that includes a good variety of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains will help keep your skin free of zits. Dark green leafy vegetables, like spinach, are great acne fighters. Be sure to drink lots of water to keep your body hydrated. Adequate sleep is another easy beauty secret. Physicians will tell you to get about seven hours of sleep a night.

Last but not least, proper cleaning of your skin is vital for keeping it clear. Make sure you cleanse your skin every day. If you wear cosmetic makeup, remove it each nightbefore retiring for the night. When you cleanse your skin, use a cleanser that is gentle and be sure that the water is not too hot. Don’t over cleanse because that can increase your acne. Rinse completely and blot dry with a clean towel. When you take the steps to prevent acne, you won’t have to be embarrassed with your complexion.

More health and beauty information can be found at http://www.gorillacats.com/