Acne Don’ts: The 7 Things You Should Never Do To Your skin When You Have Acne (And Even If You Don’t)
By Mike Walden
You skin is the largest organ in your body. Besides helping the body in the process of toxic elimination (One of the main acne contributing factors), it also protects your body against temperature changes, and from harmful invaders.
By working with your skin and not against it you pave the way to an enhanced healing of the skin. Your skin will look and feel better; it will become more even toned and vibrant.
On the other hand, by constantly doing the following, you are weakening the natural protecting capabilities of your skin, you are slowing the healing process of your skin, and are making your skin look bad and making your acne worse:
1.Smoking
Besides lung cancer, heart disease and early aging of your skin (e.g. wrinkles), smoking causes the contraction of the small capillaries and blood vessels of the skin, thus depriving your skin from the essential oxygen I needs for the creation and maintenance of healthy cells.
2. Using Topical Steroids
Over the counter or prescription cortisone based creams, especially the potent types, can eventually thin your skin and worsen your acne condition in the long run in addition to the irritation, redness and other side effects steroid creams can cause. Moreover, topicals by definition address the symptoms of acne (inflammation, itching, puss), they do not treat the root cause of the disease. Nevertheless, taking care of your skin externally is highly recommended but should be performed gently using pure natural ingredients such as diluted tea tree oil.
3. Taking Antibiotics
Antibiotic treatments like tetracycline aggravate your acne in the long run and also severely damage your internal system in the process. Antibiotics destroy all the bacteria in your system including the good, probiotic bacteria like acidophilus that have many essential qualities that promote clear skin. One of these qualities is the ability to protect your digestive tract from parasites and fungus (that constantly stress and damage your liver, one of the most important organs responsible for the healing process of your skin).
4. Shaving with Four-In-One Razor blades
Never use these four-in-one razor blades when shaving especially if you have large bumps and painful cysts. The reason is that blades that guarantee the “closest shave” will cause severe irritation and will damage your skin. Always use a single blade when having “live” acne.
5. Picking Your Skin (popping and squeezing included)
Never, never and ever touch, pick or squeeze your blemishes, regardless of how temping and “safe” it may seem. By doing this unprofessionally, you make your acne worse by aggravating your existing inflammation and pushing the puss deeper and wider into the skin. There are in fact very effective and safe ways of dealing with small whiteheads or blackheads but I would strongly recommend leaving that to the professionals if you care for your skin and wish to prevent further scarring.
6. Taking excessive amounts of Vitamin A
Vitamin A from natural sources (green leafy vegetables and beta carotene fruit and veggies) and in small quantities can significantly enhance the healing process of your skin but when taken excessively it can seriously damage your liver and cause severe health problems and side effects.
7.Use over the counters for your Rosacea
That one is a no-brainer. Taking over the counters that by definition make your skin red and irritating is definitely not something you want to do when surfeiting from rosacea. If you suffer from rosacea, always consult your dermatologist prior to applying over the counters on your already inflamed and highly sensitive skin.
Mike Walden is a certified nutritionist, independent medical researcher, natural health consultant and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, "Acne No More- Open The Door To An Acne Free Life." Mike has written dozens of holistic health articles and has been featured in ezines and print magazines, as well as on hundreds of websites worldwide. For information on Mike's Holistic Clear Skin program, visit:
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External Acne Care: The Pros and Cons of Washing Your Face
Acne is basically an internal condition triggered by several underlying factors. However, there are additional external acne symptoms that may enhance the formation of acne or interfere with the healing process of your existing acne on the external level (e.g. the external acne environment). Without handling these external triggers, it will be very difficult for anyone to overcome their acne challenge, especially when the holistic treatment is performed while the individual still suffers from “live” and “evolving” acne.
Clogged or very large pores, oily or very dry complexion and bad skin hygiene do not cause acne but they interfere with the healing process of the skin and make your external acne environment more prone or “susceptible” to acne.
Taking care of your skin on a daily basis by incorporating simple and easy to follow protocols may not only enhance the healing process of your existing acne it will also balance your skin ph levels, making it smooth, even toned, radiant and healthy looking.
Although there are many types of cleansers available for different purposes (exfoliation, clean, medicate), washing your face twice a day using a gentle antiseptic and anti-bacterial 100% natural soap like tea tree oil soap, or Cetaphil soap can help reduce inflammation, swelling and redness and significantly improve the overall appearance of your skin without the irritation, allergy reactions and over-dryness that over the counters like Benzoyl Peroxide can cause.
Washing your face should always come after a good 5 minutes steaming routine. After the steaming, follow these 3 easy steps:
1. Use lukewarm water to get the soap wet.
2. Apply the soap to your face using your fingertips in a circular motion.
3. Wash your face gently and pat your skin dry using a cotton towel.
If your sebaceous glands are producing too much oil (due to hormonal imbalance that should be fixed internally), then you probable have excessively oily skin and large pores. To tackle that problem externally, do not use alcohol and water astrigent, instead use soap like Neutrogena clear pore oil Controlling astrigent or even better apply an all natural mask made of bentonitre or egg whites.
An extremely dry skin can also be treated internally through balancing oil secretion protocols and dietary changes and supplementation, including the regular intake of 10 glasses of pure water on a daily basis. As for the external care, applying lots of good quality moisturizer such as 99% Aloe Vera gel while avoiding harsh and un-natural external care products; can significantly reduce your dryness.
Warning: Excessive washing of the face can cause mild to moderate irritations and increase redness and inflammation, defeating its own purpose.
If you have sensitive skin, the best practice is to test each product prior to using it, using dollar size amount on your chin, regardless of its quality or the nature of its ingredients.
Mike Walden is a certified nutritionist, independent medical researcher, natural health consultant and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, "Acne No More- Open The Door To An Acne Free Life." Mike has written dozens of holistic health articles and has been featured in ezines and print magazines, as well as on hundreds of websites worldwide. For information on Mike's Holistic Clear Skin program, visit: http://www.AcneWar.net/Acne-No-More.htm
