Acne Don’ts: The 7 Things You Should Never Do To Your skin When You Have Acne (And Even If You Don’t)

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:

www.pro-acne.com

Acne Cures: Is there a Natural Acne Cure that Works?

Are there natural acne cures that work or is it a new age myth? Is there a permanent cure for acne or are all acne sufferers sentenced to the Sisyphean battle of tackling the ‘on the surface’ symptoms? Is there an honest, natural and safer alternative to the endless use of over the counters and to the nasty side effects inflicted by conventional drugs, creams and topical acne treatments? 

Most dermatologists and other western medicine followers have already answered that controversial question by claiming that acne, among other diseases simply cannot be cured. 

There are 2 reasons for that: 

1. Most dermatologists don't even know what the real cause of acne is. It's amazing but true. They are highly familiar with the symptoms of acne and they specialize in tackling the 'on the surface' symptoms, but unfortunately they cannot tell you what the internal conditions are that cause your acne to form in the first place. If you don't believe me just ask your dermatologist. 

2. Most doctors work in conjunction with the pharmaceutical and drug companies and the latter is not motivated, so to speak, at discovering a cure for Acne or Aids or Cancer - simply because hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on finding treatments for the symptoms of diseases. Why? simply because their global aim is to make more profit by creating consumer dependency. By applying medications and creams that deal merely with the symptoms while ignoring the source or the internal cause of the disease, acne will never be cured. The average acne sufferer will become more and more reliant on drugs that temporarily calm the symptoms and that means steady income for the drug and pharmaceutical companies. 

There's a lovely metaphor describing acne among other chronic diseases and the way modern medicine deals with these afflictions: If you manage to kill all the mosquitoes around a stale pond using chemicals, for a little while there will be no mosquitoes.

But since the source of the problem (what causes the mosquitoes to appear) is still there – the stale, disgusting pond where mosquitoes can find food and fertile ground for laying their eggs – mosquitoes will always come back! 

The same thing happens with your acne! 

Without eliminating the source of your acne condition, you will never get rid of your acne. Without fixing the internal problem that is causing your acne, you may find temporary relief, but your acne will always come back until you do something fundamental to eradicate the cause from within...until you make the pond (your body or internal system) a place where ‘mosquitoes’ cannot exist. 

Ultimately, every disease results from a breakdown within your body. All major diseases and chronic conditions are warning signs of something very fundamentally wrong inside. Deepak Chopra refers to this as "The violation of simple laws of nature that make our body function." 

The very surprising truth is that you are lucky for having acne. Let me explain...Acne, like constant headaches, irritable bowel syndrome or dandruffs is only a small message from your body that something is wrong internally and should be addressed and corrected. 

Now, there are two choices you can make - you can: 

1.Ignore that message - big mistake! The internal imbalance that caused your acne will, in most cases, turn into a chronic condition. Now instead of just having acne you'll start having other hormonal imbalance or toxic overload related symptoms in addition to acne. Because the internal problem is not fixed, the disease symptoms get more and more intense. 

2.Listen to your body and start fixing the internal problem that causes your acne to appear in the first place; you will not only get rid of your acne you will also achieve beautiful, healthy, even toned clear skin complexion, re-balance your body and prevent future hormonal or toxic overload related conditions. 

The simple truth is...you are out of balance. We now live a 'far-from-natural' lifestyle. There are over 300 synthetic industrial chemicals present in our bodies that did not exist 50 years ago. We are filled with toxins from the food, and medication we ingest and use. 

By fixing the internal condition that causes your acne in addition to adopting a healthy lifestyle (healthy diet & mindset, cleanse & detoxify, hormonal balancing etc.) you will put your body back into balance – holistically - your acne will cease to exist and you feel as healthy and attractive as ever! 

It doesn't matter what type of acne you have. Whether you suffer from: acne vulgaris, acne Conglobata, acne Rosacea, Acne Fulminans, Blackheads, Whiteheads, Papules, Pustules, Nodules or Cysts: The principles required to cure your acne are basically the same. The "holistic" ways of treating people have been around for thousands of years, and they absolutely work whether you have teen or adult acne; whether you suffer from acne on your back, shoulders or chest or if you suffer from female related acne such as menopause acne or acne due to monthly cycles. 

Whatever your acne condition is, when you finally decide to stop making the same acne treatment mistakes that have been holding you back and begin applying the holistic approach to curing acne, you can literally choose to become clear and stay clear. You will have the power to make it happen. 

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:

www.pro-acne.com

Accutane Side Effects Exposed: Side Effects of the Miracle Drug and the Alternative to Accutane

If you suffer from severe case of acne that has failed to respond to conventional treatments such as antibiotics, then your dermatologist may recommend the use of the popular Accutane or Isotretinoin. Accutane is a potent oral drug from Hoffman-LaRoche that has been proven highly effective for reducing acne symptoms dramatically after only one course of 15-20 weeks. 

With its undoubting success at battling even the toughest cases of acne and ever-growing popularity among teens as a miracle drug, why is Accutane still considered the most controversial pharmaceutical on the market? The answer: a documented list of severe and sometimes permanent side effects. 

Although some of the side effects associated with the use of Isotretinoin are mild and tolerable (dry lips, dry eyes, nosebleeds, extremely dry skin, increased sensitivity to the sun and thinning hair) there is in fact a long list of serious side effects that have been reported due to the use of Accuttane which persisted even after the drug therapy was stopped. Among those are: Severe aches and pains in the lower back and large joints, severe allergy reactions that include moderate rashes and difficulty to breath, vision problems, hearing loss, permanent liver damage, persistent migraines and headaches and skeletal hyperostosis which is an excessive bone growth that occurs along the sides of the spine. 

But perhaps, the two most bothersome of all Accutane side effects are its potential to cause severe birth defects if taken by pregnant women or women that became pregnant while taking the drug and the suggested link between the intake of Accutane and the changes in mood, severe depression and suicidal thoughts. 

Since, Isotretinoin can be harmful to the fetus, it should not be used during pregnancy and women should avoid pregnancy for at least a month after the use of Accutane. Additionally, because of its severe side effects, nursing mothers must avoid the drug completely. 

Although researchers still argue whether Isotretinoin causes depression or not, Roche the manufacturer of Accutane, openly shares information claiming that Accutane and its generic, isotretinoin, can alter mood: "Synthetic derivatives of vitamin A, can negatively impact brain chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin." 

The FDA website warns: "All patients treated with isotretinoin should be observed closely for symptoms of depression or suicidal thoughts, such as sad mood, irritability, acting on dangerous impulses, anger, loss of pleasure ... mood disturbance, psychosis, or aggression." 

Moreover, statistics show that between 1989 and 2003, there were 216 reported drug-linked suicides among U.S. teens younger than 18. Of these, 72 suicides were linked to Accutane (isotretinoin). The next highest number of suicides in that time period -- 55 -- involved Prozac (fluoxetine). 

Accutane works by reducing the size and output of the sebaceous glands and thus stops excess oil production. The problem is that Accutane damages your skins sebum glands and liver function in the process. By the time you stop taking the drug, your skin oil glands will return to function but your liver will not be able to properly balance your hormones and prevent the over production of sebum. 

Isotrteinoin also normalizes your keratinization (the shedding of dead skin cells), improves fat metabolism and reduces inflammation. But all of these benefits can be easily achieved using all natural dietary, supplementation and skin care alternatives and without the side effects. For example: Foods that are rich in Vitamin A and Beta Carotene can help reduce the secretion of oil by the sebaceous glands. Simple home made peels made of Papaya can easily replace the peeling action of Isotrerinoin and sleep optimization, and regular exercising including vitamin, C, E, Zinc and Colostrum can boost the immune abilities of the body and thus reduce inflammation. 

Accutane is not the solution to acne. Not only does it treat the symptoms of the disease and not the internal cause, stopping your skin's natural oil production, can in most cases, result in extra dryness combined with the acceleration of the skin's aging process (yes! your skin will look older). Moreover, Accutane severely damages your liver function among other side effects, which in turn destroys your delicate inner balance and your natural healing abilities. Hence, it is doing the opposite of curing. 

A long-term acne solution should address the internal cause of acne by tackling all acne contributing factors and neutralizing the acne environment - the only, safe, natural and effective way you could ever achieve lasting acne freedom. 

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:

www.pro-acne.com 

Diet Is Only One of The Factors That Cause Acne

Dairy products and sugar are not the only acne aggravating foods. The two above cannot sum up the list of western made acne triggering foods. There are several other foods you should clearly stay away from if you ever wish to clear your acne. The good new is that there are tons of other foods such as essential fatty acids that are not only excellent for your skin, they can actually help you clear your acne, by re-balancing your body and promoting to an acne-free environment. 

The right nutrition plays an important part in the complex process of acne formation. When doctors claim there is no link between diet and acne because certain individuals can eat specific foods and get acne while others eat the same foods and don't, these doctors have failed to realize that there are several factors involved in the formation and aggravation of acne and diet is only ONE of them. 

Acne Diet and Dairy Products: Got Milk? Got Acne

If you thought sugar can aggravate your acne, here's another major nutritional player in the formation of acne: behold the miracles of milk. Milk (all dairy products included) is the most harmful, mucus forming, allergenic and acne aggravating food you can find. Surprised? I thought so. After years of constant brainwashing by the media, who can blame us for thinking milk is good for strong bones and healthy teeth? The truth is: every sip of milk contains 59 different raging hormones, (which trigger the hyper-production of sebum oil resulting in more acne), saturated animal fat, steroid hormones, dead white blood cells, and cow pus in abundance! 

Did you know that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows 750 million pus cells in every liter of milk (about two pounds) produced in America? Think about it, the next time you pop a pimple. 

Scientific studies already point the finger at milk as one of the worst acne aggravating foods: "As pointed out by Dr. Jerome Fisher, 'About 80 percent of cows that are giving milk are pregnant and are throwing off hormones continuously.' Progesterone breaks down into androgens, which have been implicated as a factor in the development of acne...Dr. Fisher observed that his teenage acne patients improved as soon as the milk drinking stopped." 

If there's one element you should remove from your diet in the quest for clear skin make it this one. Not only will you see an immediate improvement over your acne, you'll feel a huge weight has been lifted from your body. If you worry about calcium intake, don’t! Milk being acidic forming food creates a leeching effect where calcium is taken from your bones to balance the acidity. Milk actually deprives your body from its calcium resources. Green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds are not only excellent sources of calcium they also have the powers to help you fight your acne symptoms. 

Acne Diet Link Exposed: Is There an Acne Cure Diet that Works?

Acne Diet and The Money Factor: You Can't Sell a Healthy Diet 

Ask any medical doctor if there is a connection between diet and acne and almost all of them will claim there is none. Quoting from the Journal of the American Medical Association: "Diet plays no role in acne treatment in most patients…even large amounts of certain foods have not clinically exacerbated acne". 

With years of medical education and clinical experience behind these claims, how can we the simple folks who suffer from acne challenge these statements and think otherwise? The answer is: doubt. Doubt, if its stays in the borders of reason, can open many doors otherwise will stay forever shut. Believe it or not, doubt can change reality. Doubt can cure your acne and doubt can even save your life. 

Fact is, countless of acne sufferers have reported that their acne seemed to get worse when they consumed certain foods and saw dramatic positive change over their acne condition when they eliminated the same foods from their diet and when certain foods with specific nutritional value were incorporated into their diet. 

So why do dermatologists so stubbornly insist that diet does not cause acne? The answer: you can't make a profit promoting a healthy diet. At least not as much money as you could make by selling drugs and over the counters. There is a huge pressure upon doctors coming from the drug and pharmaceutical companies to prescribe expensive medications and lotions that create dependency. The truth is, that your doctor is in a way, a hostage by the trillion dollar drug companies. Did you know that the drug companies, who have no interest in producing something that they cannot control financially, sponsor most medical schools? 

The right diet, although not a solution by itself, can, in many cases, dramatically reduce inflammation and even completely clear one's acne (if you're one of the lucky ones who's acne is triggered by allergic response to food). Promoting a clear skin diet simply means less profits for the drug and pharmaceutical companies. 

The truth is that conventional medications will never cure your acne, simply because they are pre-designed NOT to fix the internal cause of acne. They are pre-designed to deal with the external symptoms of a disease as they create more and more dependency and more dependency means making more money all at our expense and ignorance.