Acne Skin Problems

Acne is one of the most common skin problems afflicting the human race and it affects people irrespective of age, caste, colour or gender. Acne is a tremendously embarrassing and troublesome problem, because it is so obvious and off-putting. Acne can be defined as red eruptions on the skin, sometimes containing a white substance, causing discomfort and irritation. The most common form of acne is called acne vulgaris or puberty spots.

Acne vulgaris can be defined thus: … an inflammatory disease of the skin, caused by changes in the pilosebaceous units (skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland) . Acne lesions are commonly referred to as pimples, spots or zits – [source: Wikipedia]. It is a heart-breaking problem that we do not appear to have complete control over. However, there are various ways to cure acne: you can go in for medication from a skin specialist or you can go in for home or natural treatments.

Natural treatments are less time consuming, less costly and have no side effects. However, they do take a little more patience, because the routines have to be followed diligently in order to get rid of the problem once and for all. A home remedy for acne is just as effective as medication. Here are a few natural remedies to eradicate your acne. To start with, your daily consumption of water should be at minimum of eight to ten glasses. This helps you to detoxify your system and destroy the harmful bacteria that cause acne.

Too much oily food also leads to acne, so fried and spicy food should be strictly avoided. Complete abstinence of fried and fatty food will have a marked, beneficial effect on an outbreak of acne. Furthermore, including chromium and zinc in your diet also helps to cure acne. There should be a combination of the right nutritional balance and proper, hygenic skin care.

A mixture of nutmeg powder with unboiled milk regularly applied on the affected area also helps to cure acne. Cinnamon powder mixed with honey is equally effective in curing acne. Boiled Neem tree leaves applied to acne acts as a disinfectant. ['Neem': A tall, usually evergreen East Indian tree (Azadirachta indica) widely cultivated in tropical Asia for its timber, resin, bitter bark, and aromatic seed oil, which is used medicinally and as an insecticide (source = 'Free Online Dictionary')].

The infected area should be washed with anti-acne soap at least three or four times a day. Make-up should be strictly avoided when one is suffering from acne. Make-up makes an acne condition worse. Acne should never be squeezed as it may cause infection or / and become worse. Squeezing your acne could also lead to permanent marks on your skin, which leaves your skin looking unsightly. Don’t let your hair fall onto the acne-affected area too.

Your hair ought to be kept pulled back to avoid contact with the acne. Pillow covers should be washed on a daily basis to avoid the bacteria spreading. The regular washing of your skin should be observed to keep it free from bacteria. Besides this, a healthy lifestyle should be followed with a balanced diet, exercise and sleep. Remember, if you take good care of yourself, illnesses will have less chance of affecting you, especially such a small thing as acne!