What causes ‘ACNE’?
Skin is full of pores which are tiny holes and become blocked by oil, dead skin cells, bacteria, and dirt. When it becomes blocked then there develops a pimple and if your skin is affected by such condition repeatedly then you might face acne.
It is the most common skin issue and can become the reason for emotional stress. It can be found anywhere on your body. The pore of skin is basically the opening of the follicle and it is covered with hair and a sebaceous gland.
This gland releases oil or sebum which goes into the hair out of the pore and appears on the skin surface. The oil keeps your skin lubricated and soft and this lubrication causes acne.
That’s why, it is required to clean the skin thrice a day with any cleansing face wash so that the skin becomes unable to produce much oil that causes black, whiteheads which are the symptoms of sticky acne.
There are many risk factors that cause acne but some people believe that French fries, chocolates and other oily food items are some of the main reasons to trigger acne.
However, acne can be caused by hormonal changes during puberty or pregnancy. Refined sugars or carbohydrates such as bread and chips can also cause acne and heredity factors when parents had acne is also a major cause behind acne.
As acne is a cause of stress, it affects your appearance so people want to get rid of it quickly but it is difficult to prevent it soon. You can adopt several remedies at home and can consult your skin specialist to learn more tactics to manage acne.
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Few tactics to get rid of acne:
Take Zinc Supplement:
Studies show that people with lower levels of zinc in blood mostly face higher levels of acne.
It is an essential nutrient that is quite significant for cell growth, hormonal production, immune proper function, and metabolism. Taking zinc as a supplement helps in the reduction of acne.It is recommended that 40 mg per day is safe to take and it is probably good not to exceed such amount. Taking excess may cause adverse effects, which may include abdominal pain and gut irritation.
Zinc should not be applied to the skin directly because it might cause serious issues and it is not easily absorbed by the skin.
2.Magic Mask:
Sources of antioxidants serve excellent for the skin in reducing acne than any benzoyl peroxide and retinoids.
The two ingredients are rich in such nutrients and you are well aware of them i.e. “Honey and cinnamon”These are well-known acne medicines that contain antibacterial properties. Honey and cinnamon have the ability to fight against bacteria and works well to reduce inflammation.
Mix 2 tablespoons of honey and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, make a paste. Cleanse your face then apply this mask for 15 minutes. After that, rinse it off.
3.Essential oils:
Essential oils are a great source to get rid of acne especially the Tea Tree oil which is extracted from leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia. It fights against bacteria and reduces inflammation. It is recommended to apply only 5% to your skin to reduce acne. It has a tendency to reduce acne within three months of use.
Tea tree oil must be diluted before applying to the skin. Mix 1 teaspoons of tea tree oil with 9 teaspoons of water, dip a cotton ball into such mixture then apply it to the affected area. After doing such a process apply a moisturizer if desired. Repeat this twice a day.
4.Apple Cider Vinegar:
Apple cider vinegar is so good to treat bacteria and viruses. It contains organic acids like succinic acid which is good to suppress inflammation caused by acne and thus, prevent scars.
The lactic acid present in apple cider vinegar is good to improve the appearance of acne scars, it helps to dry the excess oil which causes acne.
Mix 1 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar with 3 teaspoons of water. Apply the mixture to the skin using a cotton pad and repeat the process twice daily for desired results. It is recommended to use it in a small and diluted form.
5.Exercising:
If your body doesn’t respond the way it should then your blood circulation is not good, to make your blood to circulate perfectly then exercise regularly. It triggers healthy blood circulation which results in flawless and nourished skin cells that heal acne.
It regulates the hormones and decreases stress and anxiety which mostly are the main reason behind dull and acne skin.Stress also causes acne, if you are stressed for any reason it automatically affects your skin. You might get dark circles, acne and dull skin. To reduce stress level, get enough sleep, yoga and take deep breathes.
6.Less dairy:
You will be shocked to see that drinking milk and taking dairy products to cause hormonal imbalance which leads to acne. A higher level of milk intake also causes acne. So, it is recommended to reduce the intake of dairy products in your diet to get rid of acne.
Studies show that insulin and glycemic index may be related to acne. Glycemic triggers blood sugar which leads to sebum production. It includes bread, sugary drinks, cake, doughnuts, pastries, cake, and breakfast cereals. If you want to get free from acne, skip these items from your food.
7.Exfoliation:
Usually, it is considered to be bad to scrub your face when you are having acne. However, it is the process of removing the dead skin layer, by using brush or exfoliation with any type of scrub.
It is believed that exfoliation may reduce acne by removing the upper dead skin layer and open up and clean the blocked pores. It allows the skin to penetrate deeper.
8.Fish oil:
Fish oils contain omega-3 fatty acid which is incredibly healthy fats offer a variety of health benefits. It reduces oil production, maintain the water level and prevent acne. It decreases inflammation
There is no amount recommended to take this but adults should consume 250-500 mg of EPA, DHA daily. Omega=3 fatty acids are available in walnuts, chia seeds, and ground flaxseeds.
9.Aloe Vera:
You are well aware of the plant that is Aloe Vera whose leaves give gel.
It is used for rashes, burns, and abrasions. It fights against inflammation when applied to the skin because it contains salicylic acid and sulfur which are highly good to treat acne. Both are effective importantly in reducing acne.
What you have to do is get the fresh gel out of Aloe Vera plant or buy gel from the market, apply that gel on the skin after face wash as a moisturizer. Repeat the procedure twice a day
10.Witch Hazel:
Hamamelis virginiana known as witch hazel shrub, it is rich in tannins, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It is very effective in treating any skin condition including eczema, varicose veins, burns, bruises, dandruff, insect bites, and acne. It is good in fighting bacteria, inflammation and helps in healing.
Take a saucepan, add 1 cup of water, and 1 tablespoon witch hazel bark. Soak witch hazel for 30 minutes and then bring it to boil and cover for 10 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from heat and let it remain for more than 10 minutes. Combine 1 tablespoon witch hazel bark and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Strain the mixture and store it in a sealed airtight container. Apply the mixture to the skin with a cotton ball twice a day for the desired result.
11. Green tea:
Green tea is rich in antioxidants, it has a lot of benefits by drinking it when it comes to acne treatment. It contains flavonoids and tannins which fight bacteria and reduce inflammation which are the main causes of acne. It highly reduces sebum production, and inflammation and inhibits the growth of acne. It is recommended to apply green tea to the skin to help reduce sebum and pimples. It is easy to make green tea at home.
Set water to boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Steep green tea till it releases its extract fully then allow the tea to cool. Using a cotton pad, apply the tea to the skin and you can add this into a spray bottle to spray on your face repeatedly. You can make a mask out of it by adding honey to the remaining tea leaves.
Conclusion:
There are different types of acne and most people expect that their acne is cleaned up within no time by applying those remedies. However, those remedies are helpful but it takes time to recover. Isotretinoin is a positive treatment for long-term results. It is difficult to prevent this acne but here are a few other tricks to overcome this problem. This includes:
- Wash your face thrice daily.
- Use any acne-cream
- Avoid too much makeup
- After exercise take a shower
- Avoid fitted clothes
- Eat healthily and sleep well
- Try to enjoy your life and don’t forget to thank Allah for every blessing in your life, this helps in reducing your stress level. Thus, decreasing acne.