Acne Causes and Natural Remedies

ACNE

The main reason for all acne is clogged pores, but there are many triggers that can lead to spots, pimples and acne. Triggers include contact with oily substances, hormone fluctuations, vitamin deficiency, bacterial infections, toxins overload, allergies and many others. It is better to treat the triggers in order to prevent acne through a healthy nutritious diet rather than try to clear the spots after they have appeared.

         

Dietary clean-up is the basis of natural therapy for acne. Excess sugar, saturated fat and hydrogenated oils must be eliminated. Certain foods trigger acne in susceptible people. For some, it is sugar or chocolate; for others, dairy products. Still others react to iodine in shellfish or excess iodized salt. Some experience exacerbations with spicy foods.  See the Dangers of Sugar page for more information.

With a little experimentation and self-observation it is possible to discover what foods trigger, exacerbate, relieve and cures acne. See the Natural Remedies for Acne below.

Raw Juice Therapy can successfully treat acne. The best organic natural foods to juice are: grapes, pear, plum, raisins, tomato, cucumber, carrot, potato and spinach.

CAUSES OF ACNE

Pores will swell and cause skin cells and oils to become trapped inside, which may lead to acne. A natural remedy against this trigger will include ingredients that work to eliminate swelling. Alternatively, large pores make it easy for skin cells from the surface of the skin to fall into pores and cause a clog. A natural remedy that reduces pore size may eliminate new breakouts.

There are plenty of ways for pores to become clogged, but clogging is the ultimate trigger for infection and acne. Excess oil production can cause pores to become sticky, trapping skin cells inside.

When this happens, it is best to treat the problem with a natural remedy that will reduce oil production. Oil production may increase as a result of hormone fluctuations, so internal remedies that work to improve the metabolism balance may work best when this happens. This type of acne generally occurs during times of high stress, menstruation, puberty and pregnancy or pre-menopause.

Acne may develop due to an allergic reaction to dairy products. The number one cause of acne is the consumption of milk from cows. Any dairy products, but especially liquid milk, including cheese, butter and ice cream, can promote acne.

Organic goat’s milk is a healthy,  lactose free alternative to try if cow’s milk is the trigger. Also consume plenty of live probiotic products, such as yogurt, to maintain healthy intestinal flora but avoid all other cows’ milk products.

Modern dairy and other animal products often contain hormones and steroids that can upset the body's natural hormonal balance. About 80 percent of milked dairy cows are pregnant, which causes the hormone progesterone to appear in their milk.

Sugar must be avoided because it impairs immune function and feeds the bacteria which have begun to multiply within the sebaceous glands which surround hair follicles. Biopsies of individuals with acne have shown their tissues' glucose tolerance to be seriously flawed. Honey is a useful alternative as it has antibacterial properties.

It has been said that acne is solely caused by bacteria but that's not entirely true. It's often caused by the body trying to get rid of toxins. The skin is an organ that can excrete waste products and acne is one way that the body is actually excreting internal toxins through the skin to get rid of them.

As much as the link between pubescent hormonal changes and acne is true, the skin disorder is not just confined to the teenage years. Many adults suffer from acne, as well. Some adult acne sufferers have elevated levels of male hormones that stimulate sebum production. Genetic factors may be the cause of these elevated androgen levels or, again, it may be due to the consumption of cow's milk.

Posted in: Acne