HI LOVIES! Finally! After years of battling severe acne and bad skin, here I am getting compliments and questions about my skin! Long story short, I had Cystic acne 2 years ago (I was18 yrs old). They are these blister looking painful massive zits. Cystic acne is the most severe form of acne. It is not caused by chocolates, nuts, greasy foods nor by poor hygiene. The main factor behind acne is hormonal change. My acne was everywhere, it was all over my face, some on my neck, chest and back. I obviously lost my self confidence. I hated my skin. I hated my face. It was to the point where I don't go out with my friends anymore or even go out of my room. Even my relatives told me I looked horribly ugly (harsh right? as if I wasn't aware of how ugly and gross I looked like) Anyway, I was a woman desperate for a miracle. I did everything, I researched about everything! skin, pores, chemicals that are good or bad for the skin, medicines, machines, healthy diet etc... I bought and tried everything I thought will cure my skin. I never went to a Dermatologist 'cause I was scared. Scared that they won't be able to help me or prescribe me meds that can cause serious side effects. I had those nights where I cry myself to sleep worrying on how I will face tomorrow with a smile. It was only 7 months ago when my cystic acne looked a lot smaller and were lessen (Images below). I remember it was March when I made a regimen for myself, then after 2 months, BAM! no more cystic acne! I only had scars here and there and some whiteheads. I felt like it was a miracle lol. Right before I left for the Philippines, I got the acne free skin I prayed for! Before and After photos without make up Sorry, I couldn't find photos of me 2 years ago :( I was too horrified at my face to take selfies. 7 months ago Now
I still have some acne scars. with BB cream:
What didn't work for my skin (my skin type is Combination to oily):
Gamila Olive Oil Soap
Didn't stop my acne but it lightened my scars. Pharmacy/Farmacia €25
Garnier Pure Active with brush
Broke me out. Esselunga €6
The Regimen Moisturizer
Gave me flaky skin. Acne.org $28.24 Clinique Anti Blemish Solution 3 Steps System
Just didn't work. Limoni/Douglas €30+ Cetaphil
Too gentle. Felt like it wasn't even doing anything to my face lol. Pharmacy/Farmacia €25
Worked for a month. Stopped taking it 'cause I didn't want to be dependent on this drug, then my acne came back. Pharmacy/Farmacia below €10 What worked for my skin: Benzac
Dries acne fast. Make sure you only use 5% or you will burn your skin and get dark scars. Pharmacy/Farmacia €13+ Tea Trea oil, Almond oil, Coconut oil If you wanna go all organic and natural, this one will work well for you. I mix a drop or two of the Tea tree oil with 2 table spoon of Almond oil and Coconut oil. I apply it after washing my face at night. Pharmacy/Farmacia Tea tree oil €8, Almond oil €9, Coonut oil €7
Castor oil and Olive oil Works well on removing whiteheads. Mix half Castor oil and half Olive oil, apply on face. Cover face with a steamed towel. Repeat twice then wash face with your facial cleanser and cold water. I used to do this everyday. Pharmacy/Farmacia Castor oil €8, Olive oil €5
Garnier fruit energy
Loved this! Dries out acne and feels refreshing on the skin. It has salicylic acid in it that's good with fighting acne bacteria. Esselunga €7+ Pond's Acne Clear
I've been a Pond's girl ever since. Stopped using their products 'cause they don't sell it here in Milan. But I recently got back from the Philippines, and I bought 5 tubes of these wonderful facial wash. Never got acne again after I started using this. I'd recommend everyone suffering with acne to try this out. Any supermarket in the Phil 150+ Pesos
The Regimen Treatment (Benzoyl peroxide)
Works well but dries out the whole face on the first month. You will flake out terribly, but this is normal. You're skin will eventually get used to the treatment. You'll be needing a deep moisturizing cream for this. Acne.org $37.38
Still using The Regimen Cleanser
Very light cleanser, I'd say. Good for very sensitive skin. Acne.org $11.08
The Regimen AHA+
I love this. AHA+ or Alpha hydroxy acid + 10% of Glycolic acid. It chemically exfoliates skin and helps bring new skin cells to the surface. This cream is very powerful that if you use more than the advised amount, it will sting and you'll probably burn your face out. I apply this every other night. Acne.org $33.21
still using (strictly use only at night)
Clindamycin or Clindamicina in italian
This and the Biretix gel are my holy grails. They cleared my skin unbelievably fast. 2 months to be exact. This is a gel like Antibiotic that basically kills acne bacteria. I apply it every morning before I apply moisturizer. Pharmacy/Farmacia €16
Still using Highly Recommended Biretix gel
This is kind of like the AHA+ I mentioned above. I apply this every other night, alternate to the AHA+. It basically repairs skin cells and remove acne scars. Pharmacy/Farmacia €25 Still using (strictly use only at night) Highly Recommended
Apple cider vinegar
I know.. it sounds gross. But it works like wonders! It helps with removing scars, tightening pores and balancing ph level (take note! unbalanced ph level causes pimples). Mix half water and half vinegar on a container or wherever you want to put it, shake, apply like a toner (your face will smell like salad). Esselunga €4 still using ( strictly use only at night) Baking soda
Works like the apple cider vinegar. I use this as a face mask twice a week. I mix 2 tablespoon full of Baking soda and a little water to form a paste like consistency. Apply on face for max of 10 mins (it will sting) then wash face with cold water. Esselung less than €5 I think.
PMD or Personal Microderm It's a machine used to exfoliate skin's surface, removing scars and hyper pigmentations. Also removes wrinkles! I do this once a week. Personalmicroderm.com $181
My Regimen: Morning 1. I wash my face with Pond's acne clear (picture above). 2. I apply Erborian Herbal Energy Lotion Korean Medicinal Herbs (€20 in Sephora) or L'oreal Triple Active Fresh Toner with Salicylic acid (€7 Esselunga). 3. I apply Clindamycin gel and wait for it to dry. 4. I apply Garnier Essentials Intensive Hydration (€4 Esselunga it was on sale) or Nivea Anti Spot Moisturizer (€6 in Esselunga) . I wait for it to dry, then I go ahead with my makeup. 5. I use Garnier BB cream for Combination to Oily skin types (€7 in Esselunga). It's Oil free, Dermatologically tested and Non Comedogenic. Very nice matt coverage. 6. Powder to finish. I use Maybelline clear smooth all in one with Spf 25 PA++ (99 pesos)
Foundations I use: Clinique Acne Solution from Sephora €29
Makeup Forever Mat Velvet Oil Free from Sephora €41
Advice on choosing face products: Always check the ingredients. Pick products that are Non-Comedogenic, Oil-free, with Salicylic acid, Paraben free. Night 1. I remove my make up with Byphasse make up remover (€1 in Barcelona) 2. I wash my face with Pond's. 3. I apply Apple Cider Vinegar mixture as a toner. Use this toner only at night. 4. I apply the Treatment from Acne.org. Wait 5-10 mins for it to dry. 5. I apply AHA+ or Biretix gel, wait for it to dry (applied only at night). Done!
I am not sure that this regimen and creams will work for you as well as it did to me, mainly because we all have different skin types. But I hope I have helped you at something. I know how it feels to suffer from acne. "Been there, done that." That's why I blogged about this to help everyone who are still suffering and losing hope on getting clear skin again. If you have more questions, don't hesitate to e-mail me at email@example.com or comment below, I will be glad to help. :)
What Is Cystic Acne On Chin And How Do You Get Rid Of It?
Having cystic acne on chin can cause you significant discomfort as those lesions are usually not just painful but also impacts on your facial appearance. On a good note though, cystic zits can be effectively cured using over the counter and prescription medical treatment interventions. Some people may also clear the cystic breakouts on chin using home remedies that we will discuss below.
What Is Cystic Acne on Chin
Cystic acne is the most severe acne infliction that someone can suffer from. It manifests itself in large, deeply-embedded, red, painful, and often swollen lumps in the skin. In some cases, these lumps (called cysts) are so deeply embedded that they are not visible from the surface of the skin.
Cystic acne on chin can be effectively treated with OTC and prescription products
Compared to other forms of acne, i.e. whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, and papules [read more about these acne lesions in the article on what is acne], cystic acne is less common (affecting only 2 in every 1000 US citizens according to the Center for Disease Control), but it is the most cumbersome to treat.
In some people, cystic acne on chin (and indeed other parts of the body) come and go but in others it sticks around for years. The condition also carries a higher risk of scarring due to the degree of skin damage that it causes and the typically slow healing process.
The condition can also affect a small portion of your skin, for example some people expresses concern about a severe breakout on chin only, or extend to cover larger areas. For example, it may spread outwards from the chin area to cover the area around the mouth, the jawline, the area under the chin, the neck, the cheeks etc.
How Cystic Acne Develops on the Chin
Our area of focus today is cystic acne on chin but I think it would serve us well to first of all take a broader look at acne in general first before we delve into the specifics of shin cysts.
Generally, acne develops when the pores in the skin gets blocked. Each pore contains a hair follicle and a sebaceous gland which secrete a special oily substance called sebum to keep the skin hydrated and healthy.
Sebum may get overproduced due to one of the factors discussed in the next section. When that happens, plugs form inside the hair follicle. These plugs usually constitute of a mixture of sebum and old epidermal cells that have been shed off (exfoliated) as part of natural skin rejuvenation – to facilitate growth of new healthy skin cells.
In most circumstances, “comedones” form. These are usually white (whiteheads) or black (blackheads). Comedones, that is whiteheads and blackheads, are usually not associated with inflammation or bacterial infection and as such the condition may be referred to as non-inflammatory acne breakouts.
The normally harmless anaerobic skin bacteria, Propionibacterium acnes, however occasionally gets involved leading to an infection in the plugged skin pore and inflammation of the surrounding tissues.
Propionibacterium acne bacterial infection usually results to the formation of pustules, papules, nodules and worst of them all, cysts. Cystic acne on chin (or any other part of the body) is therefore indicative of bacterial infection coupled with inflammation of skin tissues.
Some people refer to acne cysts as “pimples” but technically speaking, cysts are not true pimples; pustules are. Other refer to the cysts as spots, zits etc.
The exact type of acne lesion develops when Propionibacterium acnes becomes involved vary depending on the impact it has inside the affected hair follicle and surrounding tissues.
Firstly, the affected hair follicle can get irritated leading to papules. Secondly, the bacteria can inflame the affected hair follicle(s) leading to the formation of pustules (red, swollen, bumps that may contain pus). Lastly, the affected hair follicle can get so much inflamed that it ruptures beneath the surface of the skin. When that happens, the extent of inflammation “broadens” leading to hard, deeply-embedded, painful cysts (or zits if you like).
Although acne lesions (including cysts) tend to appear more on the face, they can as well affect other parts of the body such as upper arms, upper trunk (including the neck, chest, and back).
According to the WebMD website, severe cystic acne tends to affect men more but women can as well suffer from it. When women are affected, the cysts tend to affect the bottom half of their face (that includes the chin, mouth area, jawline, cheeks, and neck area).
Cystic Acne on Chin Pictures
Now that we know what causes cystic acne on chin and other parts of the skin, let us now list several pictures showing patients with cystic chin breakouts:
Pictures of cystic acne on chin
What Causes Cystic Acne on Chin
Now that you know what those cystic plugs are and how they form, we next explore some of the possible causes of cystic acne on chin and other parts of the skin.
Hormonal fluctuation is the underlying cause for most cases of acne breakouts, including cystic acne. This usually begins at puberty when a surge in androgen hormones occurs consequently leading to an increase in sebum production in the sebaceous glands.
Acne breakouts occur when these excess sebum mix with dead skin cells and in case that the skin is not able to push the plug formed, it may rupture beneath the skin leading to formation of cysts.
Hormonal fluctuation is the reason why acne tends to affect teenagers and younger adults in their 20s more. As estimated 80 percent of all people aged between 11 and 30 years will suffer from acne at some point in their lives.
Note however that hormonal fluctuations are not associated with teenage only. Some people who never got breakouts may all of a sudden develop bad breakouts much later in their life. This is referred to as adult acne.
Women in particular can at any time get hormonal cystic acne on the chin (or any other part of the body) or other forms of acne due to the hormonal changes associated with pregnancy, menstruation cycles, menopause, and a condition referred to polycystic ovary Syndrome (often abbreviated as PCOS). PCOS is attributed to hormonal imbalances in women’s ovary.
Some women also develop hormonal acne when they start or stop using birth control pills.
Common Characteristic of Hormonal Acne
If you are not a teenager, you are most likely experiencing hormonal acne if you observe one or more of the following characteristics:
The breakout happens at predictable times e.g. when you are just about to complete the menstruation cycle, say in a week’s time, or during ovulation.
The flare-ups tend to occur below the cheekbone, particularly along the chin and jawline. Such flare-ups are much more likely to be triggered by hormonal fluctuations that those that occur on the forehead and in the nose bridge area.
The breakout is characterized by deep, cystic bumps or “pimples” that are tender and sore to touch (sometimes they feel painful even without touching). This is because cysts are more common with hormonal acne.
The bumps starts or gets worse when you start or stop using birth control pills.
The breakout doesn’t respond to topical treatments.
Acne also has a genetic aspect (a tendency to run in families) and if one of your parents has or at some point suffered from cystic acne, you also at a higher risk of developing the condition.
Other Likely Causes of Cystic Acne
The following factors may as well be the underlying factors for those painful zits on chin:
Use of particularly greasy moisturizers and cosmetics
Side-effect of certain drugs, especially corticosteroids, lithium, phenytoin, and isoniazid which have been found to worsen acne breakouts.
How to Get Rid Of Cystic Acne on Chin
While there is no magic bullet that cures all cases of cystic acne, and any other form of acne for that matter, it can in most cases be successfully managed with the help of various over the counter and prescription medications.
The best treatment for cystic acne will depend on the extent and stubbornness of the condition. For example, if over-the-counter treatments have failed to cure the condition, your dermatologist will then prescribe an appropriate medical treatment option.
Below are some considerations with regards to how to get rid of cystic acne on chin:
This weak organic acid is one of the most popular and effective acne treatments today. It has strong antiseptic properties that help to fight the bacteria responsible for cysts and other severe forms of acne. It also helps to break the comedones built up below the skin thanks to its mild comedolytic properties.
You can easily get your hands on one of the many over-the-counter acne treatment products that features benzoyl peroxide either as the only active ingredient or in combination with other ingredients. Such products range from lotions to cleansing bars, creams and gels and are typically applied once or twice each day.
Benzoyl peroxide comes in water based and alcohol based formulations, the choice of which depends on your specific skin type. Because of the drying effect of alcohol the latter option is best suited for people with oily skin with the former making for a better for people with normal or dry skin.
Benzoyl peroxide is associated with side-effects such as allergies and irritation but these are nevertheless very rare.
Isotretinoin is a popular prescription that is available under different brand names including Accutane that has been discontinued, Claravis, Absorica Sotret, Amnesteem, and Myorisan.
Although usually very effective for severe acne (like that cystic acne on chin that got you here, sorryJ), Isotretinoin is not preferred for mild to moderate cases of acne (which should be treated with antibiotics first). 1mg is usually prescribed a day for every 1kg of body weight over a treatment period extending 16-20 weeks.
Your dermatologist may however prescribe higher or lower dosage as s/he deems appropriate e.g. due to intolerance.
Antibiotics to Treat Cystic Acne on Chin
Antibiotics may also help with cystic acne on chin. They are usually prescribed to fight the bacteria responsible for inflammation. Antibiotics should however be used for short-term treatment of acne breakouts. Your dermatologist will advise you accordingly.
Oral antibiotics are usually used alongside other topical treatments. Sulfa-based antibiotics the likes of Bactrim are increasingly popular because of Propionibacterium acne bacteria resistance to other antibiotics such as Tetracycline.
For some people, treatment with antibiotics loses its effectiveness after years of using them.
Hormonal acne on chin may also be managed using steroid shots at a dermatologist’s office or facility. This involves injecting corticosteroids directly into the cysts to lessen inflammation. This would not only help to clear the zits on chin but also reduce the risk of scarring. The dermatologist may also drain larger cysts as part of the treatment.
Birth Control Pills
Hormonal acne on chin (in women) often respond well to treatment with birth control pills, under the supervision of a dermatologist. This is a long-term treatment option (usually over a period of at least 6 months) aimed at regulating the production of sebum in the sebaceous glands.
The contraceptive pills may also be prescribed alongside spironolactone which helps to inhibit the production of androgens.
More Ways to Get Rid Of Cystic Acne on Chin
Avoid touching and picking at the zits. This may make the infection go even deeper into the skin or spread to other parts of the skin.
Manage stress using relaxation techniques such as yoga. This is because stress has been linked to worsening of acne breakouts as a result of increased hormonal secretion.
Observe your diet. Go slow on dairy products e.g. ice cream, cheese, etc. as well as high glycemic index foods such as spaghetti which may worsen the symptoms of acne.
Wash your face with gentle, water-soluble cleanser and warm water twice daily. According to Paula Begoun, the Author of “Don’t go to the Cosmetics Counter without Me”, bar cleansers are a definite no-no as the ingredients that help to keep the soap in its bar form may plug the skin pores.
Exfoliate your skin 1-2 times each day with an exfoliants that contains salicylic acid as the active ingredient. This helps to not only kill the offensive bacteria but also increase the rate of skin turnover, consequently unclogging the skin pores.
Home Remedies for Cystic Acne on Chin
Before you go for an over the counter treatment or seek the attention of your dermatologist, you may want to try using one of the following home and herbal remedies for cystic acne. Just keep an open mind as results are never typical and what works for one person may not be effective on another person.
Coconut Oil Home Remedy for Cystic Acne
Coconut oil is a great natural way to get rid of the pesky bumps and spots that are typical of cystic acne on chin. The healing power of coconut oil comes from the lauric acid and capric acid which are found in the oil. They have antibacterial and antimicrobial action which is beneficial to acne.
And the best part, coconut oil is easily available at a very reasonable cost compared to other acne treatments.
Aloe vera has powerful anti-inflammatory properties that can help to curb the swelling associated with cystic acne and reduce the reddish appearance. Here is how to use aloe vera to clear chin cystic breakouts:
Start by washing your face with a gentle cleanser
Get a fresh aloe vera leaf and cut it into two halve by cutting it along the length
Apply the gel oozing out from the leaf onto the zits
Allow it to stay on the skin for 5-10 minutes and then wash it off with water
Pat your skin dry with a clean towel
Tea Tree Oil Cystic Acne Remedy
Tea tree oil is also one of those amazing home remedies for acne. It may help get rid of that cystic on chin thanks to its strong antibacterial properties that helps to fight the bacteria responsible for this painful condition.
How to use tea tree oil for cystic acne on chin
To 1/4cup of yoghurt, add 10 drops or so of tea tree oil. Mix the ingredients properly and then apply the mixture to your face as a face mask. Wash it off with warm after 30 minutes. Repeat the procedure once daily until you achieve the desire results.
Alternatively, you mix add 3-5 drops of tea tree oil to aloe vera gel and slather it on as a face mask for 20 minutes before washing it off with water.
Evening Primrose Oil
Evening primrose oil, or EPO, also reign supreme among home remedies for cystic acne. It is loaded with Gamma-linoleic essential fatty acids which when consumed orally, helps to regulate the production of hormones in the body and reduce inflammation of the skin. [Read more aboutevening primrose acne treatment].
Hydrogen Peroxide Home Treatment for Acne Cysts
Other people have reported great success with hydrogen peroxide in as far as getting rid of acne naturally is concerned. The potency of hydrogen peroxide in this perspective comes from its antibacterial properties. Just keep in mind that hydrogen peroxide acne treatment is a short term measure, especially given the drying and faster-ageing effects of the peroxide.
As we have already mentioned, dead skin cells build up in skin pores is partly to blame for cyst breakout on the chin. A sugar scrub can help get rid of this problem by encouraging exfoliation which then helps to clear the skin pores.
How to use sugar scrub to fight cystic acne on chin:
1½ cups white sugar
1½ cups brown sugar
½ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons sea salt
10 tablespoons vanilla extract
Combine all the ingredients to make a scrub to make a consistent paste
Slather the paste all over your face to make a mask
Stay with it on for 20 minutes and then wash it off with water.
You can store the remaining amount for the next treatment the following day
How to Prevent Cystic Acne on Chin
Once you have had things under control you will then want to take appropriate care to ensure that the condition doesn’t keep coming back. Preventing cystic chin breakouts ultimately rolls down to addressing the underlying factors.
To start with, you will want to adopt a proper skin care regimen that focuses on minimizing the accumulation of dirt and oils in the skin and encourage skin turn-around (exfoliation). In that regards, you will want to:
Move away from heavy or greasy moisturizers as they can clog the skin pores. Instead, use light-weight, preferably water-based lubricants in the form of gels or lotions.
Use gentle cleansers (not hose harsh soaps or bar soap) to wash your face twice daily.
Use products containing ingredients such as salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and enzymes to encourage exfoliation of dead skin cells from the pores.
That is all that we will discuss about what is cystic acne on chin for now. Please share your thoughts in the comments.
Sudocrem Acne Treatment for Spots, Scars, Cystic Acne, Baby Acne, Before and After Pictures
Are you wondering, “Does sudocrem get rid of spots really?” Then you are in the right place. In this article I take a closer look at sudocrem acne treatment, exploring its efficacy in treating acne pimples, cystic acne, and acne scars. I have also explored the effectiveness of sudocrem in treatment of baby acne and because pictures offer great visual representation of potential results, I have as well included several before and after pictures.
Is Sudocrem Good For Spots?
Does sudocrem help acne spots? Yes it does. Most of us know sudocrem antiseptic healing cream as the product we use - or our mothers use or used - to get rid of nappy rash but it is actually good for spots too.
This is one of those acne spot treatments that actually really do work and it doesn’t have a load of different products and a load of different things that you need to do to your face.
All you have is to apply it on your face once a day and the acne pimples and spots will go in no time.
The only problem with sudocrem antiseptic healing cream is a rather sticky and greasy product. This is an especially significant limitation if you want to apply it under makeup. If you use it as a base, the makeup will slip and slide and within no time get messed up.
It is for this reason that many skin care experts recommend overnight application of sudocrem for acne treatment.
Understanding Sudocrem Acne Treatment
Manufactured by Forest Laboratories Europe, Sudocrem antiseptic cream has been around for decades, debuting in 1931 under the name Smith’s Cream. The name was after its developer Thomas Smith. It was only later that the product was renamed to Sudocrem.
Widely praised for its skin soothing and healing potency, sudocrem is majorly marketed and is most popular for the prevention and treatment of nappy rash in children. It may however help to treat and soothe cuts, grazes, minor burns, bed sores, and scrapes. It is also recommended for treatment of eczema (in children and adults alike), dermatitis, and pressure sores.
The most unexpected and interesting discovery I made recently, thanks to a magazine article, is that you can as well use sudocrem for acne treatment.
According to the manufacturer, sudocrem acne treatment hinges upon its ability to heal and soothe the area affected by acne spots and blemishes while preventing further infection thanks to its antiseptic properties. It has four main ingredients as follows:
Zinc oxide: To reduce tissue fluid loss and hence keep the skin moisturized
Benzyl benzoate and benzyl cinnamate: Extracted from Peru Balsam plant in the form of resin, these ingredients have been shown to have strong healing properties.
Anhydrous hypoallergenic lanolin: This helps to not only soothe the skin but also soften it.
Benzyl alcohol: This gives sudocrem its antiseptic properties. It also acts as a local anesthesia, reducing pain and discomfort associated with nappy rash, eczema, severe forms of acne, and other conditions.
Although sudocrem is mostly used to get rid of acne spots on the face and the redness associated with them, it can as well help to clear back acne. As for how long sudocrem skincare cream takes to get rid of acne, don’t expect to get rid of acne spots overnight. You may notice an improvement in redness in as short as one day of us, but it may be a few weeks before acne pimples, blackheads, etc.
With all said, sudocrem does work on acne but as we have mentioned previously, you will have to put up with a greasy sticky, disgusting residue that it leaves on the skin. It also messes up the bedding big time when used overnight. On a good note though, you can easily wash it off in the morning with a facial wash.
How to Use Sudocrem for Acne Spots
Sudocrem is not only effective in treating acne but is also very cost-effective. It is also safe and suitable for use by any one of any age, but as with any acne treatment, its effectiveness hinges upon correct usage.
Most skin care experts recommend wearing a sudocrem mask overnight for the best results but for mild breakouts, you can just do with a sot treatment as follows:
Spot Treatment with Sudocrem
Spot treatment option is a good choice for mild acne cases characterized by a few spaced out acne blackheads, cysts, etc. Simply follow the following steps:
Cleanse your face (or any other affected area) gently
Dab a small amount of sudocrem onto the pimples and leave it on (don’t rub it in) overnight
Wash the cream off with a warm water and soap or face cleanser the next morning
Applying Sudocrem Acne Mask
The second option is to apply your cream as a face mask overnight.
Start by washing your face gently with water and soap or mild facial cleanser.
Scoop small amount of sudocrem antiseptic healing cream onto the tip of your finger
Apply a thin film on the affected area in gentle, circular motions avoiding contact with the eyes. When done, you should see a thin translucent film as opposed to a white substance.
Repeat until your whole face is covered in a mask
Spend the night with the face mask on and wash it off the next morning with warm water and soap or a facial cleanser
Sudocrem and Cystic Acne
Cystic acne is the most severe type of acne as MedicalNewsToday website puts it. It is usually difficult to treat and is characterized by more painful lesions and higher scarring risk compared to other milder forms of acne.
Cystic acne is characterized by raised, boil-like (pus-filled), red bumps (cysts) that extend deep beneath the surface of the skin. The cysts can usually be felt below the skin long before they appear. Cystic acne causes intense irritation and inflammation of the skin cells surrounding the affected hair follicles. This causes remarkable redness, swelling, and soreness.
Cystic acne tend to affect the face most but it can as well affect the back and other parts of the body.
Now that we know what cystic acne is, the question in your mind is probably is Sudocrem good or does it work for cystic acne.
Well, sudocrem can help to clear and reduce the appearance of cystic acne (be it facial cystic acne or back cystic acne) by soothing the skin around the affected areas, thus reducing the formation of the red blotches. This makes the condition less visible. It also helps to reduce bacterial activity in the pores around the acne-afflicted area thanks to its anti-bacterial activity.
As Hanna reports, sudocrem made a huge difference to her cysts within just one week. She also says that the redness on her face was almost cleared by the morning of the first night she used the cream.
Also, going through sudocrem reviews in as far as healing cystic acne goes, I came across many raving reviews. There is one particular review that stood out to me on makeupalley.com where the reviewer said that “Diaper rash cream” [sudocrem] was to become the ultimate treatment for her monthly cystic acne.
Even as you use sudocrem to treat cystic acne, it is also advisable to observe proper care measures and lifestyle changes. You will in particular want to go lighter on makeups and stop picking and squeezing the lesions as these only helps to worsen the condition.
Sudocrem for Acne Scars
We have so far covered sudocrem acne treatment in as far as spots and blemishes are concerned. But we just simply cannot leave out scars. Why?
Acne can cause damage to the skin that culminate in scarring. This is common to severe cases of acne. Cystic acne in particular is very likely to cause scars. Acne scars vary from shallow to deeps pits and depressions in the skin to ice-pick scars (small but very deep pits in the skin) and hypertrophic scars (usually raised and reddened in appearance).
I sought to find out the answer to the question, “Does sudocrem help acne scars?” and from what I read online, sudocrem may actually help fade scars, but you would have to use it over a longer time compared to acne blotches and pimples. The good thing though is that as acne blemishes fade, acne scars also become relatively less apparent.
I also noted that people often mistake acne scars with cystic acne lumps. The latter form after acne breakout has cleared but the former is a hard-lump that occur when a cystic acne is active.
Cystic acne lumps may clear within a week of use but scars will in most cases take more than a few weeks to show any improvement.
Baby Acne Sudocrem Treatment
Another question I see quite often is” Can sudocrem treat baby acne?”
Also referred to as neonatal acne, baby acne is believed to be caused by exposure of the baby to mother’s hormones during the last phase of the pregnancy.
These hormones do more than just mature your little one’s lungs; it also stimulated the oil glands. Extra skin oil (sebum) production culminates in acne.
Baby acne is associated with pink (and sometimes white) pimples and bumps and reddened skin in the affected areas. These usually occur on the cheeks but may as well appear on the forehead, chin, and back.
They can appears worse when your little one is hot and fussy, gets exposed to rough fabric or harsh laundry detergent, or spits up milk (milk spots).
Baby acne pimples may be present at birth but tends to appear more commonly 3-4 weeks from birth. Baby acne doesn’t cause scars and no treatment is required for baby acne; it typically come and go until the baby hits 4-6 months of age. On a good note though, it typically doesn’t cause discomfort to the baby.
Baby acne that lasts more than 6 months may require treatment with milk medicine; your pediatrician will advise accordingly.
Washing your baby’s face (or any other affected area) with warm water and mild baby soap is all the treatment you need for baby acne. Although oily and greasy products are generally not recommended, some parent will swear to the effectiveness of sudocrem for baby acne treatment.
If you want to try it, apply a thin film of the cream and monitor closely the effects it has on your baby’s skin. If it seems to make the acne worse, stop using it.
Sudocrem Acne Before and After
Judging from the reviews and skin care expert opinions available online, sudocrem is good for acne, but maybe you are still not sure if you want to give it a try. If that is the case, maybe a few pictures from real users will give you an insight and help you make your decision. In that regards, here are a few sudocrem acne before and after pictures:
Have you tried sudocrem acne treatment? We will be delighted to hear your story. Share it with us in the comments section.
Coconut Oil for Acne Scars and Cystic Acne Treatment, How to Use it
Does coconut oil help acne? Yes, it does. Although the idea of using coconut oil for acne scars and breakouts treatment sounds scary given the fact that experts advise against applying greasy products on the face if you have acne-prone skin, coconut oil is an excellent natural remedy for even the most severe acne (cystic acne). So, what is the best coconut oil for acne scars and spots? You will find out in just a moment.
Why Use Coconut Oil for Acne Scars?
The next question is “how does coconut oil help acne scars and breakouts? Well, for a long time, coconut oil was viewed negatively for its high levels of saturated fats, but this has changed considerably in the recent past.
Numerous scientific studies have found it to have positive benefits to a number of health conditions and concerns ranging from acne to arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease (delays the appearance of the symptoms) and weight loss.
To better understand the principles underlying the use of coconut oil for acne scars, cysts, and pimples, it is important first of all understand what acne is and how it develops.
How Acne Scars and Lesions Develop
Acne starts when excess sebum – the oily substance produced by sebaceous glands to keep the skin hydrated – mixes with dead skin cells and clog the hair follicles. This sebum-dead skin cells mixture then mixes with bacteria and trigger an infection. This culminates in the symptoms associated with acne such as inflammation, redness, and pain, and ultimately scars. Scars form as the body tries to heal itself and close the skin.
Acne is most commonly a problem of teenage years which are characterized by a lot of hormonal changes in the body which then triggers an increase in the production of sebum. This gives the face and skin an oily appearance. It may however carry on to adulthood.
There are many options available to get rid of acne ranging from over-the-counter topical treatments to prescription medications and topical preparations, but if you are a fan of - or are open to the idea of - natural remedies, then using coconut oil for acne scars treatment is as well an option worth trying.
How Coconut Oil Works For Acne Scars, Pimples, and Spots
Coconut oil is increasingly popular among skin care experts. There are numerous studies available to support the use of coconut oil for acne scars and cysts treatment. Below are some of the ways in which coconut can help acne scars and spots as shown in some of these studies.
Coconut oil helps in wound healing: Coconut oil has a long history of use as a treatment for minor cuts and injuries. Recent studies have also shown that virgin coconut oil enhances wound healing rate when applied topically to rats’ skin. In the same way, it may be beneficial to acne lesions resulting from severe acne (including cystic acne).
Coconut oil is rich in vitamin E: Vitamin E is essential for optimum skin integrity. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that coconut oil is one of the best vegetable oil and fat sources of vitamin E.
Vitamin E not only restores proper functioning of sebaceous glands, but also aids in exfoliation and unclogging of the pores. It also helps in the healing of acne scars. This is, in my opinion, the most important principle underpinning the use of coconut oil for acne scars treatment specifically.
Coconut oil has anti-inflammatory properties: Coconut oil has traditionally been used to soothe skin inflammation. Its use in this perspective involved massaging inflamed areas of the body with the oil. The hair follicle inflammation associated with acne breakouts may also benefit from the anti-inflammatory properties of coconut oil. This in turn reduces the swelling, soreness, and redness in the area of the skin affected by acne and also makes scars less noticeable.
The fact that the oil is absorbed by the skin pretty fast – not to mention that it is highly penetrating - makes it an especially great natural remedy for acne inflammation.
Coconut oil has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties: Coconut oil is rich in fatty acids. Lauric acid, a medium chain fatty acid, is the main component in the oil. Lauric acid has both antibacterial and antiviral properties which helps to fight off the bacteria in skin pores – the culprits for acne breakouts.
A study published in the International Food Research Journal found that lauric acid is the main fatty acid in virgin coconut oil, constituting as high as 48.42%.
Another study of 30 straight-chain fatty acids conducted in 1972 and published in the Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy Journal found that lauric acid has the highest anti-microbial activity among saturated fatty acids.
Virgin coconut oil also contains capric acid. On metabolism, capric acid is broken down into Monocaprin which has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral activity.
Now where does the antibacterial properties of lauric and capric acids come in to your rescue with regards to the use of coconut oil for acne scars, you ask? Well, by promoting faster healing of acne pimples and cysts, coconut oil reduces the risk of, and the degree of scarring.
Coconut oil boosts liver function: Taking coconut oil helps to boost your liver’s potential to flush out toxins and deactivate the androgenic hormones that trigger increased sebum production in sebaceous glands. This makes your skin less susceptible to acne breakouts and thus the formation of new scars.
Other Benefits and Uses of Coconut Oil for Skin Improvement
The list above constitutes the main benefits of coconut oil for acne scars and breakouts, but that is not all that this gift from Mother Nature has to offer. Even people without acne breakouts or scars can reap the following skin benefits from using coconut oil.
It is a fabulous natural moisturizer: Because acne “pimples”, and ultimately the scars, are caused by excessive oil in the pores, maintaining dryness definitely sounds like the best remedial measure. In reality, though, acne coupled with dry skin make an even worse combination since dry skin may trigger even more sebum production. You therefore still need to keep the skin moisturized and coconut oil is a great choice, even for those with acne prone skin.
It is rich in antioxidants: Antioxidants help to get rid of free radicals in the skin. This leaves your skin with increased capacity to produce new cells and repair worn-out cells while getting rid of the dead ones. This helps your skin to recover from acne and also improves wrinkles and fine lines. Some skin care experts believe that the antioxidants play a significant role when you use coconut oil for acne scars healing.
With all the above benefits of coconut oil for acne and the skin in general, it is hardly surprising that even some Hollywood, fashion, and TV sensational figures reportedly use coconut oil for their skin care and improvement. Here we are talking about the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow (who follows her Epsom salt baths with a dab of coconut oil and also consumes the oil orally), Miranda Kerr, Emma Stone, Kourtney Kardashian, and Gisele Bundchen.
The use of coconut oil for skin care dates back to as far back as ancient times during which it was reportedly used by emperors for skin moisturizing, but the use of coconut oil for acne scars and pimples treatment is just catching up with people reporting great results for pimples and scars healing in reviews sections of websites and in forums.
Coconut oil is safe enough to be used to get rid of hormonal acne that usually occurs during pregnancy.
Coconut Oil Cystic Acne Treatment
Also referred to as “nodulocystic” acne, cystic acne is the most severe form of acne, usually characterized by large, painful cysts and nodules. It forms the same way as other forms of acne (whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples), that is, when sebum, dead skin cells, and bacteria cause clogging of pores coupled with inflammation, redness, and infection.
Cystic acne however causes more severe symptoms compared to the other forms of acne. Cysts are also deeper and are more likely to cause scarring.
The question then is, will coconut oil help cystic acne?
Although research studies have shown that lauric acid (the main fatty acid in virgin coconut oil) is effective action against the Propionibacterium acnes bacteria, there is still no study to support the effectiveness of coconut oil for cystic acne.
There is nevertheless extensive anecdotal evidence to support coconut oil cystic acne treatment. Rather than use coconut oil alone, it is perhaps a better idea to use in one of the combination treatments outlined in the next section. Tea tree oil and Aloe Vera are especially good remedies to use alongside coconut oil.
How to Use Coconut Oil for Acne Scars Treatment
You can use coconut oil for acne treatment in two main ways; internally and topically. In other words, you can either consume it orally (by using it in your cooking) or apply it to the skin. Some skin care experts recommend using the oil both topically and orally for the best results.
Eating Coconut Oil for Acne
In his book The Coconut Oil Miracle, Bruce Fife recommends taking 3 tablespoons of coconut daily, but you can take as much as 5 tablespoons each day if you like. You can either add the oil to food, or take it raw without cooking, of course assuming you can stand the oily taste that is nauseating to some people.
Dailysuperfoodlove.com on the other hand suggests starting with about 1 tablespoon daily, broken into small amounts at breakfast, lunch and dinner until you get used to it (about a week or so). After that, you may then work your way up to 2 tablespoons and ultimately 3 tablespoons a day.
Virgin coconut oil is especially wonderful. You will discover why in the best coconut oil for acne section below.
As previously explained, coconut oil is rich in medium chain fatty acid such as lauric acid and capric acid, the two components mainly responsible for antibacterial activity of coconut oil when taken internally.
They as such help to address the underlying factors for acne pimples, scars and spots, key among these being autoimmunity, overgrowth of candida in your gut, and skin pore inflammation.
According to FussyBody.com, the greatest benefits of coconut oil acne treatment are achieved from taking it internally which gives the body the chance to fight the acne problem from inside out.
How to Apply Coconut Oil for Acne Scars Treatment
Topical coconut oil for acne treatment??? Well, I get you…I know that sounds confusing and questionable. You are probably thinking that this will only cause more acne breakout and thus scars. That is what every good book about acne say about greasy products. But coconut oil is an exception.
It is not only a great skin moisturizer, even for those people with acne breakouts and scars, but also helps to fight the bacteria and other microorganisms in the skin. And since coconut oil is mainly comprised of medium chain fatty acids, it is easily absorbed through the skin and won’t make your skin get clogged or feel as greasy.
How to Treat Face Acne with Coconut Oil
Wash your face with warm water and gentle cleanser
Next, apply a hot compress on your face to open up the pores. Simply take a clean towel or washcloth, dip it in hot water, squeeze out excess water and place in on your face.
Pour about a teaspoon of coconut oil into the palm of your left hand and then use your right hand to apply it on your face in gentle, circular motions, just like you do with your normal moisturizer.
Allow the oil time to absorb into your skin, occasionally massaging your face gently in circular motion in order to aid the absorption of the oil, and finish off by patting your face gently with a washcloth. If you feel very oily, you can rinse your face with warm water to get rid of excess oil.
Repeat this process once or twice daily, preferably before in the morning and before bedtime.
In addition to using coconut oil as a moisturizer, the onegreenplanet.org website also suggests using coconut oil to remove make up from your face.
Coconut Oil Face Wash for Acne
The concept of Oil Pulling (or Oil Cleansing) is increasingly making rounds on the internet. The idea is to use oils such as coconut oil to unclog the pores and “pull” the impurities and dirt trapped in them. Here is an acne face wash that uses coconut oil, courtesy ofcoconutsandkettlebells.com:
Pour 1 teaspoon of coconut oil into the palm of your hands and spread it out by moving your palms around gently in circular motions.
Massage the oil onto your face gently in circular motions.
Now place a washcloth that is damp with warm water (wring out the excess water first) onto your face. This will help to unclog the pores and open them up for effective coconut oil healing action.
Finally, wipe the oil from your face after a minute or so.
Reapply the oil and this time leave it on (don’t wash or wipe it off).
Repeat 2 times daily and you could soon be thanking coconut oil for acne scars and pimples well cleared.
Coconut Oil and Tea Tree Oil for Acne
Tea tree oil can also add to the benefits of coconut oil for acne scars and pimples. Extracted from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia which is native to Australia, the oil has been shown to be effective in treatment of acne.
One research study conducted by the Department of Dermatology at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Australia, for example, showed that tea tree oil is just as effective as benzoyl peroxide in acne treatment. Although it took longer for tea tree oil healing action to start, it caused fewer of the side-effects associated with benzoyl peroxide including itching, dryness, and burning sensation.
Here is how to use tea tree oil and coconut oil for acne scars and lesions treatment:
To 1½ Tablespoons of coconut oil, add ½ teaspoon of tea tree oil and mix well until well blended.
Now soak a clean washcloth in warm water and wring out the excess water before placing it on your face. The steam will help to open up the pores and boost the acne scar and pimples healing action of the oil mixture.
Apply the mixture to your face in gentle, circular motions, paying close attention to the areas of the skin most affected by acne lesions and scars. Don’t wash the oil mixture out.
Repeat the treatment 2 times daily. The oil mixture is especially powerful when left on overnight.
Turmeric and Coconut Oil for Acne Scars and Marks
Turmeric has long history in treatment of skin ailments in India. It is rich in Curcumin, a natural antibiotic that has been demonstrated to be particularly effective in fighting the Propionibacterium spp. bacteria that is often to blame for inflammatory acne.
In a study conducted at Chang Gung University, Taiwan, lauric acid was found to be the most effective lipid carrier for Curcumin when treating acne through Propionibacterium acnes inhibition. Lauric was found to enter the skin very effectively and accumulate there, and with it, the curcumin.
Now coconut oil is rich in lauric acid (just as is breast milk), meaning that turmeric and coconut oil make for a great acne treatment combination.
To prepare a simple turmeric and coconut oil face mask for acne treatment, mix some turmeric powder with virgin coconut oil and then apply it to the skin. Apply the mixture to your face and then leave it on for 30 minutes before washing it off with warm water. Finish off by splashing some cold water to your face.
This turmeric-coconut oil acne face mask may leave a tinge of yellow afterwards, but that will go away in a couple days.
Caution: Turmeric is notorious for staining clothes, bedding, etc. so exercise caution while using it. Alternatively, look for non-edible turmeric called “kasturi” which has less staining action, so to speak, but is just as effective.
Coconut Oil and Aloe Vera for Acne Marks and Pimples Treatment
Aloe Vera is also known to have powerful anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that help in clearing acne pimples and whiteheads. Aloe Vera can be used together with coconut oil to make an acne face mask as outlined below:
To 2 tablespoons of fresh Aloe Vera juice, add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. If you like, you could add in 2 teaspoons of raw organic honey.
Stir the ingredients well until well blended, then apply them as a face mask all over your face.
Wash the mask off with warm water after 20 minutes.
Repeat the process 2-3 times a week.
Baking Soda and Coconut Oil for Acne Scars
Baking soda granules are also known to have gentle, yet very effective exfoliating action. Together with coconut oil, they make an especially great natural remedy for acne scars:
To 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, add 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
Blend the ingredients thoroughly and then apply the mixture to the acne scars affected area. Scrub gently in circular motions.
Finally, rinse the paste off after 15-20 minutes using cold water.
Repeat 2- times each week and those acne scars, pimples and spots will soon be cleared.
Sugar and Coconut Oil Scrub for Acne Scars
The healing power of coconut oil can be combined with the exfoliating action of brown sugar to create an effective acne scars treatment. Here is a recipe you may want to try:
To 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, add ½ teaspoon of brown sugar. Mix the two ingredients thoroughly to form a fine paste.
Wet your finger and then scoop some paste before applying it to your face in gentle circular motions.
Rinse the skin with cold water after 20 minutes.
Use this acne scrub two times each week.
If Coconut Oil Makes Acne Worse
So far we have focused on using coconut oil for acne scars, pimples and marks treatment, but there are some people on the other side of the divide who claim that coconut oil actually makes their acne breakouts worse. Why is it so?
According to Fussybody.com, this happens as coconut oil aids in flushing out of toxins from the skin. The liver is the main detoxification organ in the body (kidneys, lungs, and skin also play a role).
If your diet is laden with toxic substances, e.g. a refined foods or meat-laden diet, the liver may get overwhelmed and fail to eliminate all the toxins. The skin then takes over, helping to purge the remaining toxins. However, not all cells beneath the skin are effective in purging the toxic substances which means that some of them gets trapped beneath the skin. Having more fat beneath the skin can make this worse as it can hold fat-soluble toxins.
When coconut oil is applied topically and enters the skin, it helps the skin to flush out the toxins from beneath the skin, leading to worse acne breakout – usually whiteheads and pimples- at the beginning. Also, when the fatty acids in coconut oil kill bacteria (mainly lauric acid), they [bacteria] release exotoxins – the toxin they use to attack skin cell – and endotoxins which add to the amount of toxin that has to be purged from your skin.
Coconut oil is more likely to make acne worse at the beginning if applied topically than when taken internally. This is because eating coconut oil causes also helps to detox the body, but this time the toxins are flushed out through bowel movement as opposed to skin purging.
Coconut oil toxin purging during acne treatment is an example of a scenario referred to as Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction where the condition being treated (acne in this case) gets worse before healing. Not all people though suffer from this effect when they use coconut oil for acne treatment. It all depends on the amount of toxins built up in your skin.
Coconut Oil for Baby Acne
Many newborns suffer from baby acne which is characterized by small red-colored pimples and rash on the cheeks, nose, and forehead. They sometimes also appear on the back. Baby acne is normal and not a cause for concern. It clear away on its own without treatment and doesn’t leave behind any scars.
All in all, some moms are just so averse to the idea of seeing ugly red blotches and bumps on their Angel’s skin while waiting for them to go at their own pace and would do anything to help them go away fast.
Coconut oil is one safe option that you can use to treat baby acne. Using coconut oil for baby acne is rather straightforward. Simply slather on a small amount of unrefined coconut oil onto your baby’s face and skin and massage it into her skin gently in circular motions.
Coconut Oil for Back Acne
Acne tends to occur more commonly on the face but it can also occur on any other part of the skin where there is an abundance of sebaceous glands. The chest, back, and shoulder are other common trouble spots.
Then comes the question, is coconut oil good for back acne scars and marks? Well, the answer to that is an emphatic yes. Back acne can benefit from coconut oil acne treatment. All you have to is slather some coconut oil onto the affected area after shower and that back acne will soon be cleared. Eating coconut oil can also help to heal back acne.
For acne scars on the back, you may want to use a combination treatment that encompasses either baking soda or brown sugar. The gritty texture of these ingredients will help to fade the scars away while coconut oil works its magic on the active breakout.
Coconut Oil for Acne Scars Reviews
Reviews offer great insights into typical results that people get from using a certain treatment of home remedy. In the spirit of that, I went ahead to look for reviews about using coconut oil for acne treatment. Here are some parts of the most striking reviews that I came across on the internet:
“I've had scars from teenager years n [and] my occasional hormonal breakouts. I use [sic] pure coconut oil for a week now n [and] my scars have vanished tremendously n [and] I get very few breakouts now.”
This user left a negative review for coconut oil acne treatment. She however says that eating coconut oil is pretty okay for her as opposed to topical application that gave her the bad results:
Here is another positive review from a user who initially stopped using coconut oil for acne marks and scars for a while when she started breaking out even more and later on resumed the treatment to an outstanding success despite the initial worsening of her cystic acne (probably due to skin purging):
Coconut Oil Acne Treatment Before and After Pictures
Before and after pictures also speak volumes with regards to the effectiveness of acne remedies. To demonstrate the kind of result that you may be able to achieve with coconut oil acne treatment, here are a couple before and after pictures. Each shows the results achieved by the subject after using coconut oil for acne scars and/or pimples:
The Best Coconut Oil for Acne Scars and Spots Treatment
As for the best choice of coconut oil for acne treatment - whether for spots or scars - you should always go for high quality products. Virgin coconut oil make for an especially great choice and an organic variety is even better.
Virgin coconut oil (often abbreviated as VCO) is one whose extraction procedure is deliberately structured to ensure that the resulting oil is not altered or transformed. That is to mean that the oil’s natural structure is retained 100%. That way the natural antioxidants and vitamins that are beneficial to pimples and cysts breakouts, and scars are retained.
Virgin coconut oil also doesn’t oxidize easily and is as such non-comedogenic, a term used to describe products that don’t clog the pores. When oxidized, comedogenic oils become sticky and may hold even more dead skin cells inside the pore, adding to the ones that have already triggered acne.
Virgin coconut oil is obtained from coconut milk (the white liquid obtained from squeezing grated coconut kernel) using one of various methods that include:
Fermentation: A mixture of coconut milk and distilled water is fermented and coconut oil decanted progressively as it separates with water.
Chilling and thawing: Coconut milk is centrifuged and the top cream is then collected, chilled, and finally thawed gradually in water bath to obtain the oil).
Enzymatic extraction: An enzyme such as papain is added to coconut milk and centrifuged after a certain amount of time to obtain coconut oil.
Dry method: Coconut kernel is heated under controlled conditions to dry the moisture in it, after which the oil is squeezed out mechanically and then filtered to remove impurities.
Whatever brand you choose for coconut oil acne treatment, make sure it is 100% pure virgin coconut oil (unrefined) since the refined version is not as effective. The refining process wears away some of the anti-microbial, anti-oxidative, and skin penetration power of coconut oil, not to mention that the refined oil may have some trans-fatty acids.
Here are some of the best organic virgin coconut oil products:
Have you tried using coconut oil for acne scars, breakouts, and marks treatment? Did you achieve any improvement in the scars? Share your experience, thoughts, and any tips you may have by leaving a comment below. And if you have not tried it, would you consider trying it?
Treating Cystic/Hormonal Acne with Herbs from your Backyard
Severe Acne is Curable!
You might be surprised to learn that cystic acne is a condition that can be controlled rather easily without the assistance of dangerously strong medication. I have learned from firsthand experience and want to share with you here how to treat yourself at home using readily available herbs. It is a difficult journey and I want to share how I overcame my issue so that others might do the same. Don't be disheartened!
I believe the reason our society can't handle this condition is because our medical system is focused on treating symptoms and not the cause of the problem within the body.
About.com lists the following as causes of severe acne:
overactive oil glands
excess dead skin cells within the hair follicle (pore), and
Therefore doctors treat only these issues and most patients never see relief from their condition without intense medication. That is because these symptoms are a result of internal imbalances in the body. Most doctors treat the things on the surface not the originof the problem.
The truth is, some people are just genetically predisposed to acne. There are many toxins in the food we eat and the environment around us that our bodies must deal with on a daily basis. Some people's systems just can't handle these as well as others and as a result, one exhibits symptoms that seem to have no root cause.
What I Learned in the Struggle
I have battled with cystic acne myself and it has been painful, embarrassing, and overall an emotional roller coaster. I've tried a multitude of products, home remedies, alternative treatments, diets, and medications as most other people probably have as well. All of the searching was expensive, time consuming, and frequently caused other negative side effects.
However, after my search I finally found a solution to my acne utilizing local herbs and could not be more pleased and surprised with the results! I want to share this with others so they might find a way out of a seemingly hopeless situation as well. I initially got the idea from an apprentice of Susan weed on this message board. However a lot of the herbs she used were hard for me find. I was convinced I could do this on my own but with plants that were easier to locate.
In order to better understand how this herbal approach works, I first want to explain the imbalances in the body that lead to my cystic acne in particular. Upon studying herbalism online, I observed that my body is imbalanced because it has excess heat, mild dryness, and weakness in the lower GI or reproductive regions. My symptoms were severe acne that flared during PMS and the presence of excess energy that resulted in frequent anger.
Herbalism teaches that in order to restore balance to the body, treatment must be opposite of the body's constitution. Since I run a bit hot and dry, I needed to use herbs that were cooling and moist in nature. Using proper herbs and some topical treatments I have managed to control my acne to a reasonable level now. I feel much more confident and relieved. Here's a bit of a timeline in snapshots:
This is the beginning. You can see my face was pretty rough here. These were average days, it flared up worse sometimes. All of this made me really self conscious and I constantly felt embarrassed.
At this point I was drinking chickweed tea on a daily basis and supplementing with red clover every now and then.
At this point I had started taking plantain tincture on a regular basis three times a day. This was much easier than making a huge jug of tea to last only a couple of days. And it seemed to work better because compliance was simpler.
This is currently. You can see a huge reduction in the amount of acne on my chin which is where it predominantly resided. I still have the occasional bump, but I don't get more than one or two a week and they are easily managed. The scars are taking a while to recede, but I feel like they are going away pretty well with the help of MSM cream.
How to Start Working With Backyard Herbs
I have experimented with many local wild herbs and found that several of these taken internally helped relieve my symptoms. The herbs I list below are VERY EASY TO FIND! Many of them probably grown in your own yard or an abandoned nearby field. In addition they worked great for me and were also free! What an awesome bonus! Here is a list of useful herbs to treat cystic acne starting with the best first:
Taken internally as a tea, red clover provided immediate reduction of swelling in my acne. When nothing else worked for my face, red clover took care of the problem. Look for this plant in open sunny fields. Tolerates drought pretty well. Easy to spot when in bloom. Stores well dry. Do not use if stored plant has molded. Dose: steep 10 flowers in warm water until the color has leached from them. drink twice daily. Plant Profile: Very drying may aggravate those whose body lacks moisture. Other notes: Tincture is ineffective on my acne. It seems the dry or fresh tea is required.
Taken internally as a tincture, plantain is my go to for acne prevention. I love the tincture because I don't need to drink a large glass of tea for the effects. However, plantain is even more potent as a tea if you are looking for something strong. Be aware that it is also a nervine, so the tea tends to make me sleepy :) Look for this plant in very sunny and moist areas. I use black seeded plantain, but I assume all types of plantain will have a similar effect. Dose: three or four leaves as a tea x2 a day or one Tbsp tincture x3 a day Plant Profile: Cooling, neither dry nor moist, mild relaxing nervine Other notes: Holding your nose makes the tincture go down much easier. The plant is quite bitter.
I am very fond of chickweed as it is the first herb I learned to identify and use medicinally. Look for this herb in cool areas such as under bushes. Chickweed doesn't like the heat. Plant Profile: Cooling, neutral, has high water content Dose: drink a strong tea throughout the day. I usually use about 1/2 cup of loosely packed fresh plant per liter of water. I have no experience with the tincture. Other notes: Chickweed has a very mild taste and is fabulous when brewed with some lime juice and thyme!
I love the taste of violet, primarily because it really doesn't have one (Some herbs taste pretty rough :p). I use it frequently in salads too. Look for this herb in shady moist areas. Again I don't use this herb much because it makes me a bit drowsy. This plant will work best for those that have a dry constitution. It make not work for those that are damp.Everyone is different so don't be discouraged if one solution doesn't work for you. Plant Profile: Cooling, Moist, slight relaxing nervine Dose: Strong tea throughout the day. Use the same amount as chickweed.
*keep in mind all of these dosages are relative. This is just what works for me. You might need a larger or more frequent dose if you are heavier or if your condition is more serious. Take what you feel you need as all plants are safe for consumption.
Other potentially useful (and available) plants I have yet to experiment thoroughly with include: Dandelion - bitter and neutral all around
Chicory - similar to dandelion
Other Useful Tools For Getting Started
I assume that not all cystic acne has the same root cause as mine. It is important to identify your constitution type in order to get good results! Take a tongue test here to find out your bodily deficiencies (hot or cold, dry or damp): http://eagleherbs.com/self-tests/tongue-diagnosis-38
I hope this post has been helpful and informative for those looking for answers! Keep in mind that there are other factors that can affect your breakouts such as diet, stress, and allergies. Sometimes handling these can alleviate your symptoms, but odds are if the condition is severe, this not enough to fix the problem.
If you are struggling with severe acne, I wish you the best in recovery and would be happy to answer any questions that you might have! Good luck in your search!
Acne Attack: How to get rid of cystic acne fast
I hate cystic acne! You know those type that are are embedded way deep in the skin, swell up in three dimensions, throb painfully as if some alien is growing inside and take forever to go away? Yes, I hate those with a passion and I think pretty much everyone hates them too.
I'm generally blessed with decent skin with minimal problems *touch wood* but when I get zits every now and then, they're almost always in the form of monstrous cystic acne the size of a 10 cent coin in the most prominent three dimensions. The worst thing is, whenever it happens, they come one after another and popcorned their way on my T zone.
Recently, I had the misfortune of having two enormous cystic acnes that had proven to be the most stubborn to date. Both in prominent spots no less, one between my eyebrows (I call those the "bindi zits" for obvious reason) and the other on my chin. As if the throbbing pain and the facial marring weren't bad enough, they had to happen while I was in Japan. Yes, Japan. That country where most women have flawless smooth skin and acne suffering women probably get shipped off to some remote island. So it was intensive "Operation rid the acne" daily while I was there and it seems like after more than a decade of dealing with these "zits of a bitch", I seem to have figured out a way to make them go away faster.
Many friends told me their cystic acnes normally stay with them for about two to three weeks minimum and some lasting for months! Many had to go to a dermatologist to get cortisone shots for relief and one girl friend even had to have hers removed progressively over two months by drawing out all the gunk with micro-needle. I was close to going for the cortisone shot when they finally went down thank god. Thus far, with my anti-cystic acne "programme" I've devised through years of trial and error, I seem to have managed to reduce the healing time to about 10 days without a visit to a dermatologist.
But before I give you a low-down on how to attack those cystic acnes, I must make a disclaimer that it probably works well only on people who don't scar with pock marks when they squeeze their zits. People who tend to scar badly with depressions or holes on the skin are better off going to the dermatologist for a jab of cortisone to bring it down. So try this at your own risk.
Here's a list of ammunition and tools you'll need:
pimple/blackhead needle and squeezer
a pair of tweezers
good strong pimple cream with salicylic acid (I really like the Shiseido Pimplit acne cream but it's only available in Japan unfortunately)
tea tree oil
3M pimple patch
Now here's my step-by-step guide, in two phases no less:
When a brand new one pops out, apply a drop or two of tea tree oil after cleansing your face at night and massage the zit with firm pressure. Yes it hurts, but it'll pay off, for me at least. Then, apply a thick layer of Nixoderm cream, massaging further with firm pressure. It will tingle quite a bit and that's normal. Leave it on overnight. Repeat this for another two days.
Normally, by day three, there'll be some tiny bit of pus forming. Now it sounds gross but accumulate the pus and resist draining them until there's more cos extracting it when it's more "mature" makes extracting the oil plug off the blocked pore easier. Once there's some or substantial pus, drain them by carefully and lightly puncturing the affected pore with the pimple needle disinfected with rubbing alcohol. Lightly squeeze to see if the blocked oil plug comes out but with cystic acne, they mostly don't really "pus up" too much cos it's way too deep.
If your acne has matured and risen up, then make sure you clean out the pore by draining out all the blood and pus and try to remove the oil plug. The key to cleaning out the pore is to make sure the oil plug is removed cos if it's not, it'll just be there. If you can only manage to drain a wee bit or not at all, don't force it by brute force or you'll risk pushing it further down (according to a dermatologist).
After you're done squeezing, apply pimple cream with salicylic acid. If you manage to remove everything and extract the oil plug, congratulations, you zit is now healing and it probably isn't that bad a cystic acne to begin with. However, 90% of the time, these bloody cystic acne doesn't "mature" and I can normally get out just a tiny amount of pus without the chance of extracting the oil plug. So here's phase two.
So you've squeezed out a wee bit of pus and blood and there's still more brewing underneath with the oil plug still blocking the pore. Now, once you're done with your first attempt to drain the acne, apply a thin layer of acne cream with salicylic acid. Then, wait for the wound to dry up a bit. Once it's dried up, stick on a 3M acne sticker and leave it over night. I've tried sticking on the 3M acne sticker on newly formed cystic acne before any attempt to drain out the pus but it doesn't do anything since all the secretion and oil are embedded way too deep for the sticker to be effective. Thus, I only use it after I'm done some bit of draining.
The next day, the 3M sticker should have drawn out quite a bit of oil and secretion (the sticker turns white) and normally, my acne would have gone down by a bit. For the day, just apply the pimple cream. At night, after cleansing, check if there's any newly formed pus and drain out if necessary and again, apply a thin layer of salicylic acid, let it dry up before sticking on the 3M acne sticker.
Repeat this every night and your acne should deflate over a couple of days. Now one very important point to note; you need to exfoliate and remove any dead skin on the zit and around it once the pus stops forming. The key is to get rid of any dry flakes of skin covering the zit and you'll need to make sure the surrounding area is rid of dry skin to make sure the pores don't get blocked.
When there's no pus, never attempt to squeeze the zit cos it would do nothing but cause trauma. Instead, when the acne deflating progress is stagnant, exfoliate the zit area a little with a gentle scrub. Next, remove all the dry flaking skin using a pair of tweezers and lightly lifting off those skin layers. Please don't rip your skin off by force cos it'll bleed. Never overdo this and remove only those that can be easily lifted off without any pain. Once you're done, stick on the 3M acne sticker overnight. The objective here is to make sure that the sticker is in contact with the fresh layer of skin that has just surfaced and not dead skin because it won't draw out secretion when you put it on dried up skin.
Do this for a few nights and by the time it's close to being completely deflated, switch to using just the pimple cream only, making sure you remove any dried up dead skin every night.
Usually by now, some of the deeply embedded oil plug would have surfaced and you can easily prick the skin open lightly and remove them. If not, you just have to be patient and keep applying salicylic acid and it would go away but at least you can now cover it effectively with some concealer in the day and that it is no longer three dimensional.
Again, I need to stress that this works for me and a few of my friends whose skin doesn't scar too badly or leave a depression when they extract zits. So don't try this if your skin has a tendency to scar badly since this trial-and-error "programme" of mine involves squeeze the zit. Hope this helps and I'm gonna say this one more time, I fucking hate cystic acne. Die you cystic acnes, die!
What is Acne – Causes, Symptoms, Purging, and Cysts Explained (With Images)
While not dangerous, acne is usually a beauty concern. Let us answer some commonly asked questions about acne including what is Acne vulgaris? What symptoms are associated with it? What is acne made of? What is good for this skin condition? We have as well included several acne images.
It is pesky, can make you self-conscious, steal your self-esteem, and degrade your quality of life which brings us to the question, “What is acne?”
Acne develops when any underlying factor causes the sebaceous glands to produce excess sebum. This combines with dead skin cells to form a plug that blocks the hair follicle. The image below provides a good pictorial presentation of how acne forms:
Medically referred to as Acne vulgaris, acne is an inflammation of the skin that involves the hair follicles. It occurs when hair follicles - small pores in the skin from which a shaft of hair grows - get plugged.
The skin has tiny glands called sebaceous glands. These are found close to the surface of the skin and serve to keep the skin lubricated. To do that, the sebaceous glands secrete an oily substance called sebum.
Because sebaceous glands and hair follicles are connected, sebum naturally flows into the hair follicles and then along the long the hair strand, ultimately keeping the pore - and indeed the entire skin - lubricated.
In addition to the hormonal changes that occur at puberty, menopause etc., other causes of acne have been identified including poor diet, stress and certain medications.
Although acne is not dangerous and is thus not a serious health concern, it is often a beauty concern and can leave you with glaring scars.It typically develop in areas with an abundance of sebaceous glands. Common trouble spots include face, neck, chest, shoulders, upper back, and upper arms.
NB: The sweat pores are not involved in acne. Only the pores associated with hair follicles are usually affected.
Different Types of Acne Spots – Kinds of Acne
Moving on from what is acne, what are the different variations of this common skin condition? Well, acne may manifest itself as whiteheads or blackheads, depending on exactly what happens inside the hair follicles.
Whiteheads: Whiteheads are formed when the plug in the hair follicle makes its walls to bulge without causing a significant opening at the skin surface, if any. This results in a white spot as the name suggests.
Blackheads: Blackheads on the other hand form when the plug in the hair follicle makes the pore surface to open. When exposed to the air, the bacteria and sebum constituting the plug get oxidized and turn to the characteristic brownish-black color associated with blackheads.
What Is Acne Cyst – Difference between Acne Cysts and Pimples
According to WebMD, both whiteheads and blackheads (the two most common acne blemishes) can form cysts. Acne cysts are associated with more severe breakouts and form when skin pores get filled with sebum, bacteria, and dead skin cells as the American Academy of Dermatology says.
Cyst lumps are usually firm, painful, and extend deep into the skin. They are often pus-filled and are more likely to cause scarring after acne has cleared.
Pimples are on the other hand small, raised red spots with a white center that develop when the afflicted hair follicles get infected or inflamed as the Mayo Clinic says. Pimples are also referred to as pustules.
Tender spots that are pink in color but have no pus at the center are medically referred to aspapules. Some people may also get nodules. These are large, painful solid lumps that - just like acne cysts - begin from deep within the skin. Nodules are also likely to leave a scar after healing.
“While we commonly associate acne to pimples, acne can cause various types of blemishes including blackheads, whiteheads, papules, pustules (true pimples), cysts, and nodules”
What is Acne Inflammation?
Excess sebum (skin oil) not only play a role in clogging the pores but also creates a suitable environment for P. acnes bacteria to thrive.
This bacteria lives on human skin and is naturally harmless, but with the presence of excess oil-dead skin cell mixture, it can multiply rapidly leading to inflammation of the affected pores. This then causes red, swollen spots that are commonly seen among acne patients.
In some severe cases, the inflammation extend far into the skin, resulting in acne cysts. Cysts may be painful and are often associated with scarring after the breakout has cleared.
As the National Institute of Arthritis And Musculoskeletal And Skin Diseases says, acne ranks first in prevalence among skin diseases. Acne can affect anyone regardless of his/her race or age.
Teenagers and young adults are more susceptible to acne, usually a result of hormonal changes that are taking place during these years. About 80 percent of the people aged between 11 and 30 have suffered acne flare-ups at some point in their lives.
Boys also tend to be affected more than girls as the UK Patient website says. Young males also tend to suffer from acne for longer than their female age mates. This is thought to be due to presence of higher quantities of testosterone – the acne worsening hormone - in men.
While most cases of acne are mild, the site reports that 3 out of 10 teenagers suffer from serious breakouts that necessitate treatment to prevent scarring.
Despite the high prevalence of acne breakouts among teenagers and young adults, it is not uncommon to see older people (including those in their forties and fifties) develop acne due to factors such as use of certain medications, menopause, smoking etc.
Hereditary Aspect of Acne
Acne has a hereditary aspect which means that you are at higher risk of breakouts if your parents are also prone to them or had acne at some point in their lives.
As the National Health Service says, you are at higher risk of developing severe acne at an early age if your parents – the two of them - also had acne. The cited study also found that if one or both of your parents have suffered adult acne, you are at higher risk of developing it too.
Acne in Women
According to the UK National Health Service website, over 80% of acne cases occur in women. Sebum production usually surges when there is hormone level changes. This explains why some women get breakouts in the days preceding their periods.
Women also tend to get acne during pregnancy especially during the first trimester (3 months) of their pregnancy.
Menopause is also often accompanied by acne flare-ups. This is triggered by the hormonal changes that occur in the years leading up to menopause. You should thus not be surprised if you come across a woman in her 40s or even 50s suffering from acne.
Acne symptoms - Symptoms of acne
Acne vulgaris breakouts vary from mild to severe. Acne symptoms vary accordingly. Mild acne is often associated with nothing more than whiteheads and blackheads and an oily look of the skin.
In some cases, the pores get an infection leading to the formation of a pimple. This may be accompanied by other symptoms such as pain and the skin feeling hot to the touch.
Severe acne may on the other hand lead to the formation of dozens of hundreds of pimples and may involve a particular large area of the skin. Other severe acne symptoms such as cystic lesions and scars may also develop. Cystic lesions are usually painful.
Dark spots are a common symptom of both mild and severe acne. They appear after the acne has healed and may linger on for as low as a few months or as high as several years.
Secondary symptoms of acne may include low self-esteem, depression etc.
To sum up our learning, we have included several acne images below. After all, a photo is worth a thousand words as it is commonly said. Take a close look at these pictures to see how acne typically looks like and probably compare them with your condition.
While all these acne images show facial acne, acne occurring on other parts of the body such as shoulders, chest, etc. are not that different.
Squeezing and picking at those spots can make the condition worse.
Pressure from helmets (on the face), backpacks (on the shoulders, back and chest), and tight collars (on the neck) can make acne worse.
Pollution has been shown to worsen breakouts.
Some cosmetic products can trigger or worsen acne breakouts. It is a good idea to ensure that cosmetic products are ascertained to be and labelled noncomedogenic.
Scrubbing at the affected skin (more tempting if you have blackheads) won’t improve it. It will in fact worsen it. Instead wash your skin gently with a mild cleanser two times at most each day.
Stress can worsen your flare-ups.
What Is Acne Purging?
I have been seeing more and more people talk about acne purging in online forums and blogs in the last few years.
This is a rather controversial topic but is essence what people refer to as acne urging is the initial worsening of an acne breakout after someone has started using an acne treatments products such as cleansers, chemical peels, and other treatments containing Beta-Hydroxyl Acids (i.e. glycolic acid, salicylic acid, or benzoyl peroxide), Retinoids, etc.
The explanation usually given is that such products open up clogged pores, control sebum production, and get rid of dead skin cells while at the same time killing any harmful bacteria accumulated in your pores. The resulting “gunk” result in even more whiteheads and inflamed red pimples.
Some experts however think that acne purging is just irritation of the skin before it gets used to the products involved.
The time it takes to go over the acne purging phase varies from one person to another depending on the severity of the original acne flare-up but a period of 4-6 weeks is reasonable.
Sticking to non-comedogenic products and proper acne care regime also helps to reduce the duration it takes for acne purging to clear. Your dermatologist may also administer some oral antibiotics over the first few weeks to combat this problem.
A word of caution: Acne purging is not to be confused with allergic reaction which is notable for symptoms such as itching, rashes, and bumps. If allergic reaction is suspected, discontinue using the product and schedule an appointment with your dermatologist.
If what is thought to be “acne purging” also seems to take longer than a few weeks, you should also seek medical attention to rule out irritation the likelihood that you are experiencing skin irritation from the use of the product.
What is good for Acne
Now that we know what acne is and how it forms, it may delight you to know what is good for, orwhat helps acne in other words. Most cases can be controlled by using one of the many over the counter acne skin care products.
These are widely available without prescription but may not be effective for more severe acne. Should that be the case, a visit to a dermatologist (skin specialist) is advised. Even severe cases can be controlled with appropriate treatment.
Before then, you will want to look for over-the-counter acne products with one or more of the following ingredients:
We will cover how to treat acne in more details in another article.
Over to You
I hope I have answered the question, “what is acne?” well enough for you. We have also covered some more related points including types, acne purging, symptoms and good care and treatment measures.
Manuka Oil for Acne Scars and Cystic Acne Treatment
Does Manuka Oil Clear Acne? That is the question that we seek to delve into today. We will not only explain why it works for acne spots but also explain how to use manuka oil for acne spots and scars treatment. Finally we will review the reviews (pun intended) available online to give you an idea of the typical results achievable.
Manuka Oil For Acne Scars Treatment – How It Works
Try using manuka oil for acne scars and spots
Manuka honey has long been used to treat acne and manuka oil is also fast becoming a treatment of choice. Manuka essential oil is extracted from the manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) tree which is native to New Zealand, through steam distillation of its leaves.
The Maori people who are indigenous to the Aotearoa region of New Zealand - having migrated there 900 years ago from the pacific islands - have been using manuka seed capsules, leaves, and bark in various ways ranging from chewing to poultices and infusions to heal conditions such as rheumatism, fever, colds, urinary problems, and skin disorders for centuries.
The use of manuka oil for acne scars and spots treatment is just catching up thanks to its antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. To better understand the relationship between manuka oil and acne, it is important to first of all consider how acne lesions develop in the first place.
Adult acne develops in people - both men and women - who are particularly sensitive to androgen hormones even at their normal levels. As a result, their sebaceous glands produce sebum (skin oil) in excess amounts. At the same time, the dead skin cells in the skin pores are not shed off properly, leading to clogging of the hair follicles. This then causes a build-up of oils which culminate in either a whitehead or a blackhead.
The naturally occurring Propionibacterium acnes bacteria on the skin often find the oil build-up suitable environment for its multiplication. When that happens, the skin gets inflamed and red or pus-filled bumps form on the skin.
The use of manuka oil for acne treatment majorly revolves around addressing these underlying phenomena, that is, skin pore clogging, inflammation and bacterial action.
Scientific studies have shown that manuka oil has significant antimicrobial activity thanks to its abundance of triketones, key among them being Leptospermone, Flavesone, and Isoleptospermone. Manuka oil also has strong anti-inflammatory properties which are beneficial to acne breakouts. The above two characteristics constitute the backbone of manuka oil acne treatment.
A recent scientific study conducted by The Cawthron Institute showed that manuka essential oil produced in the Te Araroa region of the East Cape was 20-30 times more effective than Australian tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) against gram positive bacteria. The oil is also effective against MRSA - standing for Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus - bacteria (or Staph A), which is resistant to most common antibiotics.
Further research has revealed that manuka oil is potent against bacteria that cause acne. One study done at for example showed that manuka oil completely inhibited the activity of the bacteria species associated with Acne vulgaris at a concentration of 0.07% v/v.
The acne healing benefits of manuka oil are attributed to the presence of high levels of cyclic triketones (especially Leptospermone, Isoleptospermone and Flavesone), with a concentration of between 20 and 30 percent.
How to Use Manuka Oil for Acne Spots
Now that you know that you can safely use manuka oil for acne treatment even if you have oily skin, how do you use it to treat those nasty acne spots and pimples?
Manuka Oil Spot Treatment for Acne
The Astrologyzine website suggests using the essential oil for spot treatment.
Because essential oils are usually very concentrated you should however dilute the oil before applying it to the skin.
Below is an easy manuka oil spot treatment you can use.
This topical treatment will help to kill bacteria and soothe the inflammation and redness.
And since manuka oil absorbs very well into the skin, you won’t feel as such greasy.
Wash your face with water and manuka soap (Any gentle cleanser will do just fine).
Dilute a few drops of manuka oil with 1 to 2 ounces of water, witch hazel, or almond oil. a small amount of manuka oil into the palm of your hands and then dilute
Apply it to the spots-inflicted areas of your face or skin with the help of a cotton bud.
Repeat the process two times daily, in the morning and evening. You will especially want to leave the oil on overnight.
Manuka Oil Face Acne Mask
In addition to spot treatment you can as well capture the acne healing benefits of manuka oil by applying it as a face mask. All you have to do is apply dilute essential oil (dilute as explained in the previous section) all over your face. For best results, leave the mask on overnight.
A word of caution: Perform a patch test on a hidden part of the skin before applying manuka oil to your whole face just to rule out the possibility of irritation.
Manuka Oil in Moisturizers
Another way to use manuka oil for acne scars and spots is to add the essential oil into your favorite face wash or moisturizing lotion. Pour about ten drops of the moisturizer into the palms of your hand followed by 2-3 drops of manuka oil. Mix the two ingredient thoroughly and then massage the mixture gently onto your skin. Repeat the process 2 times daily and those acne blackheads, whiteheads, and pimples will soon be cleared.
Combination Manuka Oil Spot Treatment
If you want to take the natural healing action a little bit further, why not use manuka oil and tamanu oil together in combination. Just mix a few drops of either oil into the palms of your hand and then apply the resulting mixture to the acne-affected areas of your skin.
Manuka Oil and Neem Mask For Acne
Native to India, neem has antibacterial properties that can help to kill the bacterial associated with acne breakouts. It can also help to control the oiliness associated with the condition. It is thus a great natural remedy for those with oil, acne prone skin. It can be used in a combination acne face mask alongside manuka oil as explained below:
Get a tablespoon of neem powder
Add enough water to make a fine paste
Add about 5-10 drops of manuka oil and stir thoroughly until the mixture is well blended.
Apply the mixture to your face as a mask and leave it on for 30 minutes before washing it off with warm water
NB: You may experience a worsening of the breakout immediately after you start using manuka oil for acne treatment as result of skin purging. This is a fancy word for elimination of toxins from the skin.
Skin purging has to do with the toxins accumulated in the skin before you apply the manuka oil than with the oil itself. The skin will adjust itself shortly with continued use; wait for at least 2 weeks before discontinuing your manuka oil acne treatment regime.
Manuka Oil for Acne Scars Treatment
Scars form when a wound stays around for too long. When that happens, the body deposits a mass of dense connective tissue - composed of cells called fibroblasts - in the site of the wound to close the wound.
Acne pimples often cause scars ranging from hypertrophic to pitted scars. Severe acne breakouts such as cystic acne and nodules naturally carry higher risk of scar formation. Although acne scars heal and fade away with time, there are natural home remedies that could help to heal the scars quickly. The question then follows: is manuka oil good for acne scars?
Well, the existing anecdotal evidence is affirmative to the effectiveness of manuka oil for acne scars. First of all, manuka oil’s antibacterial and anti-inflammatory action will help to heal active acne breakouts quickly which then reduces the chances of scarring. Secondly, manuka oil promotes the growth of new cells to replace those damaged by acne inflammation. This promotes quick healing of acne lesions and recovery from scarring.
Keep in mind however that manuka oil won’t give you overnight results. Regular and consistent use is key to effective treatment of scars and pimples.
Manuka Oil for Cystic Acne
Another question is bound to follow closely, “Does manuka oil work for acne cysts?”
According to Chris Kilham of Fox News, the antibacterial and healing properties of manuka oil are effective against acne cysts.
As Kilham says, “If you put it [manuka oil] on cystic acne regularly, it’s going to take it way down or get rid of it completely.”
According to one user on acne.org, the best way to use manuka oil for cystic acne treatment is to use it alongside emu oil. This capitalizes on the carrier properties of emu oil to make the natural treatment regimen more effective:
Dab some manuka oil to the acne cyst.
Next, apply a small amount emu oil (or jojoba oil) a few minutes down the line. This will help to take the manuka oil further deeper into the skin for more effective bacteria killing action.
Repeat the process 2-3 times daily for best results. Most acne cysts will clear within one week of using this natural remedy.
For a cyst that has burst or seems on the brink of bursting open, slather on a generous amount of manuka honey (instead of manuka oil) and then dress the cyst neatly with a bandage. Change the dressing every few hours until the cyst has healed. This manuka oil acne home treatment may be somewhat tricky to put to work for cystic acne on the jawline but it is worth every effort.
In addition to this, try to get foods that are rich in zinc. Oral zinc supplements and topical preparations that contain zinc are touted to help heal acne faster.
Best Manuka Oil for Acne Treatment - Where to Buy Manuka Oil
As for where to buy manuka essential oil, your local health food store is a nice place to start your search. If you are not successful following that route, you can always order a bottle of the essential oil online on amazon.
Look for a pure manuka oil product that has been produced in the East Cape region of New Zealand.
The study by Cawthron institute concluded that manuka oil from trees growing in the East Cape area of New Zealand had more antimicrobial action than samples collected from other regions. This is because the oil from this region has more of Triketones (Leptospermone, Isoleptospermone, and Flavesone), the main active ingredients.
Organic manuka oil products are also great as they are free of chemicals. Among the best manuka oil for acne treatment are:
Reviews offer a great window with which to “see” the kind of results that a treatment or skin care product can give. They give meaningful anecdotal evidence to support scientific studies or to make up for the lack of it. Here are some reviews I found online with regards to using manuka oil for acne scars and spots treatment:
“I am a 24 year old girl, I have been suffering from acne... I bought East Cape manuka oil, and YES, it worked for me. Initially I thought I was getting much more acne, due to this oil, but eventually within a Month, they cleared out”.
Another user (a mother) had this to say in her review:
My teenage daughter was plagued by constant acne. The Manuka Oil (twice daily) has cleared her up entirely.”
Despite her enthusiastic reviews, this customer was hesitant to give the manuka oil product a 5-star rating simply because she found the intense smell somewhat offensive.
Hydrogen Peroxide Acne Treatment (with Before and After Pictures)
Acne treatment is a complex undertaking because of the fact that it is a multi-factorial skin condition, with many underlying factors. This means that there are many potential acne cures but at the same time, no single acne cure can work for everyone. This guide investigates hydrogen peroxide acne treatment (for scars, cystic acne, and spots) based on the information and research available and finish off by listing several before and after pictures.
Hydrogen Peroxide Acne Treatment – How it Works
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a strong oxidizing agent with many uses in its aqueous state ranging from bleaching agent to antiseptic and ripening agent among others.
What you perhaps didn’t know is that you can as well use hydrogen peroxide for acne treatment. Yes, HP is a cheaper, readily available home remedy for acne and an awesome alternative to costly treatments.
Hydrogen Peroxide and Acne Healing – The Connection
HP is composed of water and an extra oxygen atom. When exposed to heat or light, HP readily loses the extra oxygen atom and disintegrates. This explains why it is normally stored in brown bottles.
Hydrogen peroxide has been shown to have broad spectrum efficacy against bacteria, viruses, and fungi. It works by destroying some essential components of the cells of these micro-organisms. It is for this reason that it has a long history of use as a wound disinfectant and in sterilization of surfaces and tools e.g. surgical tools.
Bacterial activity forms part of the Acne vulgaris equation with dead skin cells and sebum (skin oil) comprising the other part. When these three factors come into play, culminating in clogging of hair follicles, acne lesions (whiteheads, blackheads, papules, cysts etc.) develop. Inflammation of the surrounding cells also causes red spots (blemishes in the affected area).
Hydrogen peroxide acne treatment hinges upon its ability to curb bacterial infection. It is believed that it kills the bacteria by oxidizing the affected area (releasing its oxygen atom when applied to tissues), consequently creating an unfavorable environment for bacterial activity; being anaerobic bacteria, P. acnes bacteria cannot survive in such an environment.
This in turn helps to clear the acne breakout. It is also believe that HP dries the area, removing the excess sebum which also contributes to the development of acne lesions.
Hydrogen peroxide can be used for facial acne as well as other forms of acne such as chest and back acne. Just make sure to us it the right way as detailed in the next section.
Important Facts about Using Hydrogen Peroxide for Acne Spots
As a strong oxidizing agent, HP oxidizes not just papers, clothes and hair but also body cells and organs it come into contact with. In the body it also causes damage to mitochondria in the cells, consequently leading to faster ageing. For that reason, you should consider the following points before embarking on your hydrogen peroxide acne treatment regime:
Avoid taking HP orally or by injection. Instead apply it topically to the affected area of the skin.
Avoid large concentrations of HP to be on the safe side: Anything above 3% is too much for the skin; this comes with the risk of skin burn and scarring and the skin may temporarily turn white due to a phenomenon called embolism. Even food grade hydrogen peroxide that is not 3% or below is not suitable for this purpose unless it is diluted accordingly.
Use HP sparingly to avoid excessive drying out of the skin and premature ageing. When HP is applied directly to the skin (as opposed to the Crystacide® cream discussed below), once daily is enough for most cases of acne breakout.
A study published in the International Journal of Dermatology has linked increased hydrogen peroxide production in the body to acne inflammation. Using it too frequently or in too high concentrations may thus be counterproductive.
Even though it helps heal mild to moderate acne breakouts, hydrogen peroxide may not be an effective long-term cure for acne, especially severe cases. Acne is a multi-factorial skin condition with many factors involved. A treatment approach that only addresses one underlying cause may therefore not be effective in the long-term.
How to Use Hydrogen Peroxide for Acne Spots on Face, Chest, or Back.
Hydrogen peroxide acne treatment of spots and blemishes is rather straightforward. Here are the steps you will need to follow for effective treatment.
Start by cleaning your face with mild soap and water or a gentle facial cleanser to get rid of dirt and makeup and then pat your face dry with a clean towel.
Soak a cotton ball (or a Q-tip) with hydrogen peroxide and dab it on the acne-affected areas of your skin. While some people suggest using applying HP all over the face, I would advise against it because of its drying effect.
Allow the solution time to work on your skin and once it stops bubbling (usually in a couple minutes or so), rinse it off with water.
Finish by applying a light, oil-free skin moisturizer to curb the drying effect of hydrogen peroxide.
Repeat the process once each day for a few days. For severe acne, you may repeat the process twice a day, in the morning and evening.
Hydrogen Peroxide for Acne Scars
An equally important question that cannot be overlooked is, “Will hydrogen peroxide help lighten or eliminate acne scars?”
Well, first of all, let us start by reiterating that when used incorrectly (that is in high concentrations and too frequently) to treat acne breakouts, hydrogen peroxide may actually cause scarring.
Used correctly however, it can promote healing of acne lesions and reduce the appearance of acne scars. In addition to hydrogen peroxide, you may as well consider using aloe vera gel to control inflammation which tends to culminate in scarring. Retinoid creams can also help to reduce scarring.
As for those with scars that formed after the acne breakout cleared, hydrogen peroxide acne treatment won’t be of much help as its effectiveness majorly revolves around its antibacterial action. It sure will help an acne breakout but not post-acne scars.
For such scars, you may want to consider other options such as microdermabrasion, exfoliating scrubs, etc.
Hydrogen Peroxide Cream for Acne
HP is unstable and, in the form of aqueous solutions, breaks down over time. This challenge can be addressed by adding acetanilide or any other similar organic material to stabilize it.
This is the principle behind Crystacide® which is arguably the most popular hydrogen peroxide cream for acne. The active ingredient in Crystacide® is 1% hydrogen peroxide which has been stabilized in a cream comprising of numerous ingredients.
One study showed that Crystacide is as effective as Benzoyl peroxide in as far as treating acne is concerned.
As the manufacturer reports, in-vitro studies of Crystacide® cream have shown bactericidal efficacy equivalent to that of 1% hydrogen peroxide solution but longer duration of action for the cream compared to hydrogen peroxide solution. So, is this the ultimate hydrogen peroxide acne treatment? Maybe, maybe not, time will tell.
How to Use Crystacide® Cream for Acne
Cleanse the face (or any other affected area of the skin) with mild soap and water.
Dab a small amount of the cream on the spots or pimples. Avoid contact with the eyes.
Repeat 2-3 times every day for 3 weeks. You shouldn’t use Crystacide® for longer than 3 weeks.
Hydrogen Peroxide for Cystic Acne
Cystic acne is more severe form of acne and just like other forms of acne (whiteheads, blackheads, nodules, and papules) cystic acne involves bacterial activity in the hair follicles. In that regards, hydrogen peroxide is potentially an effective cystic acne treatment options thanks to its antibacterial action.
Keep in mind however that because of the deep setting of cystic acne lesions, it is usually harder to treat them compared to other types of acne lesions. You may thus not see any change until after a few days of use. It is also possible that HP doesn’t help your cystic pimples at all, so keep an open mind.
To improvement the effectiveness of HP, you may consider using it in its cream form (Crystacide®) alongside aloe vera gel and a retinoid cream.
Hydrogen Peroxide Acne Treatment Before and After Pictures
And as always, let us finish off by listing some before and after pictures thanks to nice internet citizens who were generous enough to share their results in as far as using hydrogen peroxide for acne is concerned.
Hydrogen peroxide acne treatment before and after pictures
What is your experience with hydrogen peroxide acne treatment? Share with the community in the comments.
Have you guys heard of cystic acne? *sorry for the gross pic but this is real*
I have a friend that is just awesome, she’s smart, caring, responsible but deeply unhappy.
Reason?-cystic acne. We all know what blemishes, pimples, acne are and we’ve had to battle it at some point. For me, its when its that time of the month.
Anyways, the truth is acne has levels and cystic acne is the worst of them all. These breakouts are extremely painful, fluid-filled (usually pus), deep,hard, inflamed and large. Cysts usually cover the entire area, sometimes the entire face and it’s an absolutely horrific experience for the sufferer.
Cystic acne can be hereditary but is majorly s caused by excess sebum, overactive oil glands, excess dead skin cells within the pore and a large number of acne-causing bacteria. It looks sort of like huge and small boils and my heart goes out to anyone who has/or is going through this terrible condition.
I like to focus on solutions though, so am going to jump to how you can fight and win against cystic acne;
1. Don’t pick at the acne or try to pop it.dont!, our hands have loads of invisible bacteria that could create more acne, infect the surrounding pores and make the end worse than the beginning.
2. Keep your face clean. Cystic acne is NOT caused by hygiene issues but it always helps to cleanse the pores really well, twice a day.
3. Try a detox. The truth is our diet contains loads of acidic foods and these toxifies the body especially foods that are tough to digest like red meat and processed food. The regular Puff-puff widely eaten in Nigeria triggers acne for some, so lets go natural with our diet, this war can only be won by fighting the internal causes of cysts. I like to go on a fruit fast for about 3 days and its amazing. You could start slowly by replacing breakfast with fruits, then lunch etc. Dont overlook detoxs, please. Its a must!
4. Airborne Grapefruit Tablets- Have you guys heard of the amazing airborne grapefruit tablets?, its actually a supplement packed with loads of vitamins especially A, which is great help with cystic acne. Always follow the recommended dosage.
5. Braggs ACV-The awesome apple cider vinegar has always been great for the skin and really flattens cystic acne. Make sure its organic with the "mother", this variant is far more effective.
6. Eliminate dairy-Just by cutting out milk, cheese, ice cream, basically all things milk, you could reduce your chances of getting cystic acne. I went on an an ice cream binge last weekend and lets just say I am paying for my sins now. This is important, really. Start now.
7.Exercise and up your Water intake- I realize I say this a lot but its KEY to good health=great skin=no acne. Workout at least 3 times a week and take 8 glasses of water daily. Your skin will reward you :)
8.Oil of Oregano-This oil is a highly potent purifier which knocks cystic acne out with constant use. Its not the same as the oregano spice used for cooking, so pick carefully. Asides from acne, this awesome oil is known to strengthen the immune system. Totally worth having.
9. Pantothenic acid-Just heard of this from a friend. Apparently, it contains mega Vitamin B5 which works from within to fight the causes of cystic acne and it does a marvellous job.
10. Turmeric- A true skin saver, anyday. Apply consistently and you would see results!
These products / items really do work. Definitely try the Oil of Oregano, Pantothenic acid and cut out dairy, pastries and sugars; I am certain you would see great results in weeks.
Let's imagine this scenario. Your cystic acne causes you more trouble. You need to eliminate it as soon as possible. You’ve done a lot of treatments in trying to eliminate it. No results.
Now, what should you do? Of course, you need to apply some treatments for your cystic acne.
Cystic acne is probably the most common depressing condition that is commonly experienced by teenagers and adults today. It can easily make them embarrassed and ashamed in front of other people, especially when the case is severe.
Perhaps you are trying to treat your cystic acne in a harsh way, such as applying too much cleansers, moisturizers, or scrubs. It is why you don’t see any satisfying result. It can be understood. Many people will tend to panic and develop extreme anxiety (or stress) when they experience this frightening condition.
However, treating cystic acne should be done softly and gently. Harsh treatments will only aggravate your condition, and it is no better for your skin as well. Although you may perceive your acne condition to be severe and difficult to cure, there will always be a solution for it.
Here are 7 steps to treat your cystic acne:
1. Your Make Up and Cosmetics
First, look at the makeup you are using. What kind of makeup do you wear all day? When you have big pimples, you should choose water-based makeup. Water-based makeup will not clog your pores. Therefore, it will be safe for your skin.
If you are using oil-based makeup, you should know this. Oil-based makeup will only make your acne worse, and it will often clog your pores and promotes the growth of new acne. However, you should not take excessive makeup in order to cover your acne. It will not help you much. Instead, you will harm your skin even more.
2. Your Stress Level
Eliminate your stress by doing something fun and relaxing. Never allow your mind to be too drained with stressful situations. Change the way you perceive your experience. Usually, stress will appear when you place too much weight in your problem. So, take some steps to search for solution to your problem instead of focusing on the problem.
Stress is a serious thing to notice when you are dealing with acne. If you have more stress, you make your acne persist and bigger. So, laugh more often, smile more often, and have fun with your life. This is a simple treatment of your cystic acne.
3. Your Alcohol Intake
Regular intake of alcohol will aggravate acne. If you drink alcohol regularly, know that alcohol can trigger more breakouts in your skin. It will exacerbate your cystic acne in very short time. Try to reduce the intake of alcohol. If you can, try to completely stop drinking alcohol for the sake of your skin health.
Detoxify your body from toxic accumulation regularly because every day, you bring toxins and waste to your body through what you eat, pollution, and free radicals. These toxic accumulations may result in unhealthy and dry skin and trigger more breakouts. Too many toxins are harmful for your skin condition and can promote endless acne cycles if you are not eliminating it regularly.
So, you should detoxify your body to eliminate all the toxins that reside in your body. Do a detoxification once every month to stay healthy. This is an important procedure to treat your cystic acne.
5. The Old Method - Toothpaste
Toothpaste can be a useful quick remedy for big pimples. How to take advantage of toothpaste? Before going to bed in the night, rub toothpaste in your cystic acne and leave it on your face until morning. In the morning, wash your face with lukewarm water, and you’re done.
Use only raw honey. After take a bath, rub your swelling and inflammation area with honey. Wait for 20 minutes and wash your face. You can do this in the morning and before going to bed. Remember to apply the honey gently and not to be too harsh with your skin.
7. Dietary Change
Dietary change is important for the well-being of your skin. Choose to eat only healthy foods and avoid as much junk foods as possible. Always accompany your meal with fruits and vegetables to balance your body system and eliminate all toxins that reside in your body. Do this diet every day and you will start seeing amazing results in a few weeks.
If you like these tips, maybe you will be interested about healing your pimple or acne permanently for just 2 months without any drug, by using natural healing method. This method is proven and you can do it from now. You can go to Share Acne Thoughts for more information.
We're brought up to believe that acne is just a teenage problem expecting to go away as we grow up. But the truth is for some it never goes away. Mine never did in fact it actually got worse and turned into cystic acne. Now I'm just hoping to get rid of my acne before I start getting wrinkles! My Cystic Acne Story I had acne as a teenager and used topical treatments, as an adult out of the blue I developed cystic acne. I was given cortisol shots to treat the cysts, and topical cylindamilicin. Later I was given dioxicyclin which I had a SEVERE side effect. I could not eat or drink without pain. I had blood test and an ultra sound but they didn’t know what was wrong. I asked if it was my new medication (that I’d been on for less than a month) and I was told it was not by both my doctor and pharmacist. I stopped taking it anyway to rule out the drug as a possibility. I was fine after words. I remained convinced it was the medication. My friend later on took the same medication and had the same effect (it was an ulcer caused by the pill being lodged in her throat). Needless to say I had not truly given antibiotics a shot at this point. Despite this my Dr aggressively tried to get me on accutane. I was appalled at the fact that he would attempt to put me on a clearly dangerous drug without giving less risky options a try. I went to a new dermatologist who gave me a serious antibiotic that quickly calmed my”angry” acne face and long with it gave me a yeast infection. I was put on a lower dose of antibiotics (ery tab), birth control,and retinol-a and my acne seemed to disappear. I stopped taking birth control because I was nervous about being on it and didn’t know if it was needed along with a lowered dose of antibiotics, my face was still fine.
I decided to stop taking antibiotics for several reasons one I thought I had a fungal infection (the test ended up showing negative), and had been on antibiotics for 1 and half years. I also had an aunt who lost her colon due to a bacterial infection from antibiotic resistant bacteria after being on antibiotics, well that was enough for me to stop taking my antibiotics. I stopped taking antibiotics 6 months ago. My cystic acne came back a few months after I stopped taking it, and it does not look good. I do not want to go back to antibiotics so I have been trying to see what diet and lifestyle changes I can make that.
About a year ago I started having weird symptoms which lead me to believe I had an hormonal imbalance and lead to much researching on hormones, I started wondering if that was why I developed cystic acne out of the blue as an adult. Was I just treating the symptom of an underlying problem? Turns out I was, I have PCOS a common hormonal disorder in women that causes you to have too high of androgens (male hormones). A hormonal imbalance along with many other factors is often the underlying cause of acne in adults according to a few books I've recently read.
What Causes Acne In Adults Acne can be caused by temporary lifestyle factors such as a bad reaction to makeup or skin care products, sweat, oil from hair, etc. I want to make clear this is not the type of acne I'm talking about here. The acne I'm talking about is not occasional, but rather the constant you never have a clear face kind. The following list of possible causes of acne are based on the books "The Clear Skin Diet," by Alan Logan and Valori Treloar and "The Clear Skin Prescription," by Dr Nicholas Perricone.
Inflammation Dr Perricone believes acne to be rooted in inflammation not that inflammation is a by product of a clogged pore. My take on this is that it certainly can't hurt to try to lower inflammation anyways since nearly all chronic diseases are linked to inflammation. He suggest eating an anti-inflammatory diet and using supplements that reduce inflammation and antioxidants both orally and topically.
Stress Researchers from the Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University in Japan have published a paper in the journal Dermatology (2003), that reported an abundance of nerves that release substance P surround and innervate the sebaceous glands of acne patients. When released, substance P causes growth of the sebaceous gland and subsequent oil production to help fuel the acne growth and congestion in the follicle, and it also promotes inflammation (Logan page 135). Interestingly zinc is needed for the enzymes used in clearing this up and zinc is often found to be in low levels in acne patients.
• Stress does this by causing increased inflammation and oxidative stress, raising cortisol, and depleting zinc, magnesium, and selenium, which help control acne. • Stress causes poor dietary choices.
Hormonal Imbalances Sensitivities to androgens (male hormones) and high levels of androgens can cause acne in both male and females. According to Livestrong, "When androgens, which include the hormone testosterone, overstimulate the skin's sebaceous glands, those glands can produce too much of the oil known as sebum. Extra sebum can clog your hair follicles and pores, allowing bacteria to take up residence." In females PCOS (a female disorder where ovaries produce too much androgens) is often the cause, but males can have imbalances in their androgens as well. According to WebMD an imbalance in both male and female hormones (estrogen) can also cause breakouts. For women, this can happen during pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause. Not sure if you have a hormonal imbalance? Find a doctor who understands hormones and ask your doctor for a hormone test to find out.
Poor Diet It has long been established that diet does not effect acne in the medical community based on a few studies, one being the chocolate bar study. But Nicholas Perricone MD, Alan Logan ND, and Valori Treloar MD disagree with these studies on the basis that they were poorly designed and far from the quality of evidence that would warrant throwing diet having any effect on acne out the window. I agree with them. Here is an interesting read from Clinics in Dermatology 2011 Chocolate and Acne How Valid was the Original Study? (pdf) for more specifics on this study. Does this mean there is a diet acne connection? No, but I think that it means we should not prematurely dismiss it entirely. Especially when the diet being advocated is merely what most good doctors would recommend as a good diet. I mean really what's the risk? Good overall health?
Dr Perricone says one should follow an anti-inflammatory diet to decrease acne, which is characterized by low glycemic foods, high in fruits and vegetables, low in animal proteins except for fish, and high in good fats (nuts, olive oil, flax, avocado, chia, fish) and low in bad fats (vegetable oils, sunflower, safflower, peanut, trans fats, etc).
Logan and Treloar argue in "The Clear Skin Diet" that we should follow the traditional Japanese diet which is low in fat, sugar, flour, and dairy and high in fish, vegetables, sea vegetables, rice, green tea, fruit, and soy foods. They sound pretty similar to me and they both sound too me like a good diet to have anyways. Too Little or Too Much Exercise I know what your thinking, too much exercise? Yes exercising too much can cause acne if you are exercising to a point where you are creating too much stress on your body or in other words over training, also some forms of exercise can cause an increase in adrogens (male hormones). On the other hand too little exercise can be a real big problem too. The solution is to make sure to be very active every day, do activities you like and make sure to not have too long of workout sessions allow for proper rest and recovery in between work outs. Having proper rest and recovery between work outs will also ensure you get the most benefit from your workouts with the less effort anyways.
While mainstream medicine does not recognize a gut acne connection, many doctors such as Chris Kresser, Dr Josh Axe, and Mark Harman M.D, do believe there is a connection between gut health and skin conditions such as acne. A leaky gut, or intestinal permeability, is a condition in which the walls of the small intestine become inflamed, damaged, and porous, allowing undigested foods, bacteria, yeast, and other pathogens into the bloodstream. Once these pathogens escape the confines of the intestines and hit the bloodstream, they trigger inflammation in the body and brain. This can be caused from medications (NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and aspirin, corticosteroids, chemotherapy, and antibiotics), food allergies (such as gluten), radiation therapy, and stress. If you are not sure if you have a leaky gut or not you can be tested for this by your doctor. I have not taken this test myself.
Delayed food allergies are among the most common causes of acne. Foods like gluten, dairy, yeast, and eggs can be problems if you have a leaky gut.
Taking probiotics (such as lactobacillus) can improve acne.
Good bacteria from probiotics also take up residence on the skin, helping with acne.
Avoiding medications that affect gut health (NASIDs, antibiotics, and corticosteroids).
Whatever the cause of acne, know that it is a symptom of a problem. It is your bodies way of telling you something is off (assuming your not experiencing the normal teen acne which is due to temporary hormonal changes). I urge you to try and explore what might be the reason for your adult acne, since finding it will not only help reduce your acne, but also improve your overall health. For example, finding out I have PCOS has helped me to realize potential health risk I might have, and to help avoid them. I also think it's possible I might have a leaky gut, due to long term use of Ibuprofen (to deal with menstrual cramps from PCOS) and antibiotics (ironically to treat acne). I base this on the fact that I have psoriasis, and have had long term use of antibiotics and ibuprofen. Many in the alternative health field believe that psoriasis, an autoimmune disease, is caused by leaky gut. Mainstream medicine does not recognize any cause yet of psoriasis.
Due to my findings of having PCOS, and possibly leaky gut, I have been able to adjust my lifestyle in ways that could possibly help my overall health. I have stopped taking antibiotics and NAIDs for several years now. I eat a low GI diet, and I am using biomimetic progesterone as prescribed by my doctor to treat my PCOS. I also use 25 mg of zinc daily only when I start to break out until it clears up (zinc can build up in your system so you don't want to take to much). My acne has gotten better but I still do have it. I feel like my overall health has improved a lot.
Disclamer I am not a doctor, dietitian nor nutritionist. I have ZERO medical training and NO formal nutritional training. The information provided on this site, such as text, graphics, images, is for informational purposes only. It is not to be construed as medical care or medical advice and is not a replacement for medical care given by physicians or trained medical personnel. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider(s) when experiencing symptoms or health problems, or before starting any new treatment.
Solving acne: The Easy Way
I've never been shy about my experience with acne. Whiteheads, blackheads, the dreaded cystic. I've had it all and even as an adult, continue to have to deal with these f*ckers.
All my weapons against zits have been topical and over the counter. I've been to a dermatologist, but for my eczema, not for acne, so I haven't gone through the hardcore prescription stuff like Accutane or Cortisol shots, but I have had major struggles. Especially with Cystic Acne and especially when I was a teenager. I have always been willing to try anything to help.
If you've been lucky enough to never have had a cystic acne experience, I envy you, but I'll explain what they feel like. They are hard, start deep under the skin, seem to take weeks to come to a head, they throb and are so painful! There's no head to extract or try to pop or lance; you wish you had a needle because if you could just get that stuff out of there the pressure would ease and give you relief! But just because there's no visible head, doesn't mean they are invisible! Ohhh no! The skin is swollen and raised for what seems like months. Then, if you are able to get it to come to a head and manage to pop it? IT GETS WORSE! The wound takes forever to heal! You try and get all the "ick" out, if you can get the sack you consider yourself lucky; however I've had cluster cystic acne before and let me tell you, no matter how hard you try, you just aren't going to get all the sacks the first time so the infection gets worse and it's just heinous. Blech!
Topical/over the counter spot treatments can help, but they dry out the top layers of your skin which causes redness and flaky skin, making the acne more pronounced and sometimes more painful.
I don't get the cystic acne as much as I used to, but I do still get them (and other spots). And now I have a new weapon in my arsenal.
Cut up piece of bandage!
What are those???
Hydrocolloid Bandages are blister band-aids! You know, those ones you use on your foot if your shoes are too tight/too loose and you wind up with a blister across the back of your heel? Yeah! Those!
I was watching one of my favorite YouTubers Rachel Whitehurst(she's awesome, but she cusses, be warned) and what she said blew my mind! Apparently she had been alerted to these helpful little beauties via Tumblr.
I immediately went to Ebates.com and placed an order for the Target Brand bandages, went and picked them up at my local Target (YAY site to store pickup!) and gave them a try.
Now, I didn't have a cystic zit at the time, I DID have a whitehead zit that had just surfaced and naturally I didn't take a picture of it. Because I had the dumb that day.
BUT I did what Rachel had suggested, I cut the bandage to fit (I actually made sure that the fattest part of the bandage was on the zit part) and stuck that sucker on there. I left it overnight and let me tell you that white part was completely gone the next morning!
I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT!All that was left of that zit was a bit of redness that was easily covered up by my tinted moisturizer! IT'S A MIRACLE!
Ok, peeling off the well worn sticker wasn't painless, it is VERY sticky so it pulls at any teeny hair, but it's easier if you wash your face a bit first, then peel it off, then wash your face like you normally would.
How did that work???
The bandage was made to draw out moisture and any infection from a blister while cushioning the skin and not leaving it dried out. So yeah, it's pretty much the perfect product for acne that is too stubborn to rise to a head but too deep to apply anything topical to kill the infection! Now, the trick is to leave the bandage on as long as possible, that way it draws it all up into the bandage material; but walking around with a weird piece of flesh colored bandage may not be possible. So leave the piece on as long as you can, then peel it off to see if the blemish can be dealt with (extracted or treated topically). If yes, then do your thing, but if you don't want to risk scarring, leave the hydrocolloid on until you get the result you want. I didn't experience any itchiness or anything, and frankly, you know how everyone tells you "KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF YOUR ZIT" and you still touch it? Yeah, I felt confident that I could touch the bandage and NOT make my zit worse! A FIRST!
There are other options of hydrocolloid bandages available too!
If you don't want to cut the pieces yourself, you can go to Amazon.com and try theNexcare or Hydra-Band versions of a hydrocolloid bandage; these are pre-cut into varying sized circles so it's a "peel and stick" option. I haven't tried those, and frankly the Target brand bandage that I have to cut is so much cheaper I don't mind cutting them to fit the size I need.
So there! Something new to try that is inexpensive and fairly easy to obtain that won't cause the damage and scarring the old ways of dealing with your acne have been! Let me know if you try it and what your experiences are!
Manuka Honey Acne Treatment and Scar Removal – Before and After Pictures
Today Acne Tips and Reviews seeks to answer the common question, “Is manuka honey good for acne treatment?” We’ll look at manuka honey acne treatment from various angles including how to use it for acne removal and why it works for acne spots and scars. I have as well included some before and after pictures.
Understanding Manuka Honey Acne Treatment
The use of honey for medical healing purposes dates from as far back as the 19th century when it was discovered that it contains natural antibacterial action.
In addition to its antibacterial action, honey stimulates the production of special cells that help to repair the tissues damaged by an infection. It also contains anti-inflammatory properties that lessen inflammation and pain associated with infections. Manuka honey acne treatment (and indeed that of the ordinary honey) hinges upon these beneficial properties.
Keep in mind that acne breakouts start when excess sebum in your hair follicles mix with dead skin cells and bacteria and plug the skin pores, leading to the formation of a comedone that ultimately manifest itself as whiteheads or blackheads.
As bacteria thrive in the mixture, the surrounding skin tissues get inflamed leading to the redness associated with acne. Continued bacterial activity and inflammation culminate in more severe types of acne such as nodules and cystic acne. The presence of pus in acne pimples also signifies bacterial infection.
Honey not only targets and kills the acne causing bacteria but also reduces the inflammation of the skin tissues surrounding the pores while keeping the skin moisturized. Thus, honey addresses the root cause of acne instead of just treating the symptoms.
Why Manuka Honey Is Best for Acne Treatment
Manuka honey acne treatment is fast gaining popularity and success stories and rave reviews are all over the internet.
Manuka honey comes from New Zealand where it is produced by honey bees that feed only on the flowers of and pollinate the manuka tree.
Manuka tree is native to New Zealand.
As with any other type of honey, manuka honey has antibacterial, healing, and anti-inflammatory properties. It is however known to have far stronger antibacterial properties than other types of honey. Scientific studies have shown that manuka honey inhibits more than 80 bacteria species.
This is because in addition to the hydrogen peroxide responsible for the natural antibacterial properties of honey, manuka honey also contains significantly higher levels of methylglyoxal (MG) – another antibacterial component that is insignificantly present in other types of honey.
The methylglyoxal in manuka honey is derived from another compound referred to as dihydroxyacetone. Manuka flower nectar – that the manuka honey producing bees feed on – contains high levels of dihydroxyacetone.
It is thought that there are additional compounds responsible for the strong antibacterial properties of manuka honey which in effect makes manuka honey acne treatment far more superior to that of other types of honey.
Other Manuka Honey Skin Care Benefits
In addition to acne treatment, you can as well benefit from using manuka honey for skin care. Among its best skin care benefits are:
Skin moisturizing: Manuka honey - and indeed all types of honey - helps to keep your skin hydrated.
It’s rich in antioxidants which makes it a good remedy for elimination of fine lines and blemishes in the skin.
It has skin pH balancing, softening, and brightening effects that work together to give your skin a nice glow. What a perfect way to treat your face before that date or night out!)
Manuka Honey for “Rosacea acne”
Rosacea is a common long-term, relapsing (meaning that it improves, then worsens, and so on) dermal condition that first manifests itself in momentary flushing (reddening) of the skin.
As the condition progresses, other symptoms such as permanent redness in the skin, burning sensation, visible blood vessels in the skin, and papules and pustules develop.
Rosacea papules (raised, red bumps on the skin) and pustules (pus-filled swellings on the skin) are easily confused with those of acne. It is no wonder rosacea used to be referred to as rosacea acne even though the two conditions are different.
Unlike acne, rosacea is not characterized by blackheads [more information is available in a previous article on What is Acne] and oily skin; on the contrary, rosacea affected skin is typically dry and peeling. Rosacea also doesn’t cause scarring.
The anti-inflammatory properties of manuka honey has been shown to be beneficial to rosacea acne. It is in fact touted to be one of the best home remedies for rosacea.
In addition to reducing the inflammation and redness, manuka honey also moisturizes the skin. Usage of manuka honey for rosacea treatment is usually topical, but some people have reported success using it internally as well.
Choosing the Best Manuka Honey for Acne Treatment
As the WebMD says, manuka honey producers have developed a numerical rating for the potency of their honey referred to as Unique Manuka Factor (UMF).
The UMF rating corresponds with the concentration of the beneficial antibacterial compounds and thus the strength of the honey in as far as bacterial killing action is concerned. The higher the UMF rating, the better the manuka honey acne treatment.
The WebMD recommends using manuka honey with a UMF rating of at least 10. In general, the higher the UMF value of manuka honey the better it is for acne removal.
Look for wordings such as “Active Manuka Honey” and “UMF Manuka Honey” on the label of the bottle. These are used to market manuka honey with UMF 10 and above.
If you have sensitivity to honey, though, you are best staying away from manuka honey with a UMF rating of 20 or more.
We have already mentioned it but it is so important that it deserves another mention that you need to and should use active manuka honey for acne treatment. This will allow you to reap the maximum benefits of manuka honey.
While any raw manuka honey with bio active 12+ and higher is fine, the general consensus for acne treatment among skin care experts seems to be bio active 16+. This reflects the anti-bacterial strength of the honey.
It simply tells you that the honey has been cold compressed as opposed to fine filtering which in effect ensures that it is very close to its natural state and has much of its antibacterial activity intact.
With that said, here is how to use manuka honey for acne:
The first manuka acne treatment option is to apply the honey topically (on the skin) it as a face mask.
Below is a breakdown of the different ways in which you can use manuka honey topically to improve the appearance of acne spots and scars:
1. Manuka honey face mask
The first topical manuka honey acne treatment option is to apply it as a facial mask. To do that, follow the following steps:
Wash your face with warm water and mild soap or cleanser.
While the face is still wet, apply 1 tablespoon of manuka honey and spread it all over the face.
Allow the face mask to sit in on the face for 15 to 20 minutes and then wash it off with warm water before patting your skin dry. Because honey is a natural moisturizer, you will be good to go without further moisturizing, unless of course you feel you need to.
Repeat this process once or twice a week and you will see significant improvement of acne spots and scars.
The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory action of manuka honey face masks make them a superb way to improve and eliminate acne spots and scars and should form part of your regular skin care if you have acne-prone skin.
2. Manuka Honey Facial Cleanser
Using manuka honey as a facial cleanser is yet another great remedy for acne and is especially helpful if you dislike the stickiness associated with honey facial masks. It is also a good option if your skin is sensitive and gets irritated when you use face masks.
Here is how to use manuka honey as a facial cleanser:
Scoop a tablespoon of manuka honey and massage it onto dry face (or any other part of the skin) with your fingers. If you have makeup on, remove it first using a washcloth.
Allow it to stay on the face for 30 seconds and then flush it off with warm water
Finally pat your skin dry and apply a moisturizer
3. Overnight treatment of acne with manuka honey
For an even more effective manuka honey acne treatment, assuming you don’t have sensitivity, you may consider treating your face overnight as follows:
Cleanse your face with warm water and gentle cleanser or soap
Apply a thin layer of manuka honey all over the face and then massage it gently
Leave it on the skin overnight and wash it off with warm water the next morning. Since honey is messy, you will want to use an old pillow case or a towel to keep it off your pillow.
4. Spot treatment with Manuka honey
This topical manuka honey acne treatment option is particularly good for staggered acne pimples and cysts. It helps you avoid unnecessary wastage of your precious product – considering the fact that manuka honey is more expensive than ordinary honey.
Cleanse your face and then dab a small amount of honey on the area affected such that it completely covers the target pimple, cyst, or whitehead.
Apply a Band-Aid over the area to keep the honey intact and leave it on overnight.
Remove the Band-Aid in the morning and rinse the honey off with warm water
Oral Intake of Manuka Honey for Acne Treatment
You may as well consider eating manuka honey for acne improvement and removal, but topical application remains the most potent way to reduce the appearance of acne pimples and blemishes.
Taken internally, manuka honey can help to boost your immunity and empower your body to combat infections, including acne, more effectively. For best results, take the honey internally while at the same time applying it to the skin.
Some people use the honey as a tea sweetener, others apply it to biscuits and toasts at breakfast, and yet others take a tablespoon of the honey straight a few times a day. You should not use manuka honey in recipes that involve cooking since heating erodes some of its medicinal potency.
Manuka Honey for Acne Scars
Acne scars form when the body conglomerates massive amounts of collagen – the supportive component of the skin - around the affected area of the skin. They may form when acne spots and pimples take too long to heal and are commonly associated with more severe cases of acne.
Manuka honey helps acne scars in two ways: First, it speeds up the healing of acne spots, thus minimizing the chances of formation of scars. Secondly the hydrogen peroxide in the honey helps to lighten and fade the scars which then makes them less noticeable.
The topical remedies explained in the above section work great for acne scars as well, but overnight treatment is particularly best suited to acne scar treatment.
As for the manuka honey face mask method, consider applying the honey to a gauze before applying it to the skin as outlined. This ensure that it maintains constant contact with the skin resulting in more effective acne scar treatment.
That is all there is to say about the relationship between manuka honey and scar removal, so go ahead now and try it.
Manuka Honey for Acne before and After Pictures
I thought it was befitting to close this article with some “manuka honey for acne before and after” photos to give you a picture of typical results. So I went ahead to scout the internet for manuka honey reviews that showcased before and after pictures and below are some of the photos that I found:
Have you tried manuka honey acne treatment? Share your experience and thought in the comments section below.
How To Get Rid Of Cystic Acne
Trying to learn to get rid of bystic acne is definitely something that everyone wants to learn more about but it seems like people still have no idea where to start. This is a terrible skin type that is made of swollen lumps that are underneath the skin. These cysts are typically filled with fluid or pus and it can also have some hardened mass.
Cystic acne also will be around longer than regular acne and so people definitely want to find a way to get of it. It is often brownish or a reddish color and it can actually be quite painful. If you happen to have it, then here are a few things that you can consider doing.
Wash Your Face
It is crucial that you learn how to take care of your face. Make it a habit to wash your face about twice a day with a cleanser that is oil-free.
You will need to pat dry your face and buy an oil-free toner that you can apply to your face with a ball of cotton. You will then massage the moisturizer to your face with your fingers and make sure that you do this on a daily basis.
You can actually use toothpaste to help you eliminate of the cystic acne. Dab the toothpaste on the acne spots before you fall asleep. When you wake up, you will realize that the acne will be smaller than usual. This is a very unknown treatment but it truly does work for cystic acne.
If you want to get make the cystic acne disappear during the day, you can actually crush an aspirin pill and then mix it in with water to create a paste. You will then put the aspirin paste on the spots and then let it dry. The next step is to rinse the aspirin paste off with warm water and this can help reduce the swelling for a few hours.
If the home remedies just do not work for your cystic acne, then you should consider buying benzoyl-peroxide. This is a very effective gel that will definitely help with your cystic acne.
If the cystic acne just keeps getting worse or you need to finally eliminate acne in a hurry, then you can consider working with a dermatologist. They will give you a corticosteroid injection and this will be injected straight into the cystic acne. This will help you eliminate the acne quickly and finally avoid all the pain. Though it can seem like a hassle to find a good dermatologist, it is definitely worth it.
If you are serious about trying to learn how to get rid of cystic acne, then you should consider trying this method out first. These are very effective home remedies that you can use and will definitely help make the pain go away. However, there are other home remedies out there and these are just a few that you can consider trying. The process of getting rid of acne is definitely not impossible and you need to just be patient with it.