How the Kidney, Lungs, and Lymphatic System Keep You Acne Free

The kidney

The purpose of the two kidneys is to filter the water in your blood as the blood passes through the kidneys. About 4 gallons of water are filtered every day but only around 3 pints are pulled out as urine.

Alcohol and sugar are the most damaging to the kidney since they kill kidney cells and weaken the kidney function.

Water is the major way the body keeps toxins from accumulating in the body and skin. You need to drink plenty of clean water daily so the kidneys can remove toxins and excess nutrients, vitamins, and minerals from the blood.

When you drink plenty of water, the skin does not have to act as a filter to filter out excess waste from the blood since it is been filter and excreted, as urine, by your kidney.

Water also is needed to keep your skin moist. Water in the skin layers helps to protect the skin from bacteria and toxins that try to pass into your skin.

The more fresh juices you drink and the more fruit or vegetables you eat, the less water you need to drink. All juices contain plenty of distilled water, which contributes to your daily water requirement.

Drinking sodas and other drinks that have sugar cannot be counted as water.

The Lungs

You have two large sacs that are called your lungs. As you breathe in air, the lungs pull oxygen out of the air, which is captured by your blood, routed to your liver, moved into your heart and then moved into all parts of your body.

As you breathe out, waste and carbon dioxide are pushed out through your mouth.

Your cells use oxygen to create energy for you to live by. You need energy for every movement your body does. Oxygen is also used to neutralize toxins, waste and pathogen. The more toxins, acid waste and pathogens you have in your body, the more oxygen is used up to neutralize them. This means you will have less oxygen for cell, organ and other body functions.

If the other elimination channels are weak and overloaded, the lungs will also become overloaded trying to get rid of toxic waste the other channels cannot get rid of.

When your lungs become overloaded with toxins or become weak, more waste stays in the body, making your body more toxic, acidic and susceptible to disease and infections. If you have kidney weakness, liver weakness, lung weakness mostly likely you will have skin disorders like eczema, psoriasis, acne, and many other types of skin disorders.

Lymphatic System

The lymphatic system is part of your immune system. It consists of a series of tubes, large and small, that cover your entire body. Through these tubes flow a whitish liquid called lymph. Since this system does not have a pump, the lymph is pushed through the tubes by your body's movement or exercise.

Lymph liquid surrounds all of your body cells and is responsible for bringing nutrients to your cells from the blood and to move away toxins that come out of the cells.

Toxins and pathogens that are in your lymph liquid are moved into lymph nodes. In the lymph nodes, this toxic matter is neutralized into harmless chemicals and then moved into the blood and are eliminated through the other channels of elimination.

The lymph liquid is composed of electrolyte minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium phosphorus, and chloride. So strong lymph liquid is built when you eat fruits and vegetables.

When the lymph nodes become overwhelmed with toxic waste from the cells and the blood, they become inflamed and cannot keep the body free of toxic matter.

Excess toxic waste accumulates in the lymph liquid when your body does not have enough electrolyte minerals to neutralize this toxic acid waste. Now, your body is a considered acid and will have a difficult time fighting infections wherever they occur, including your face.

When you lymph system becomes weaken, it is unable to detoxify toxins and routes them into the blood where the liver is expected to clean the blood.

Keeping you lymph system strong is important for keeping your skin free of blemishes, skin disorders, eczema and acne.

How the Liver Prevents Acne

The liver is responsible for detoxifying the blood as it comes from the colon, lungs, and lymphatic system. Once detoxified, this blood moves into your entire body to provide your cells with oxygen and digested nutrients.

Because you eat, breathe, and create so many toxins, the liver has a hard time neutralizing these toxins. If you are constipated, this puts an extreme toxic load on your liver, which eventually leads to the excretion of these toxins through your skin and face. Excessive toxins coming out through your skin can lead to acne and other skin disorders.

All cellular wastes, used up hormones, and excess hormones are routed to the liver through your lymphatic system. Once in the liver, the liver starts the detoxifying process. If the liver is overloaded with toxins, it will start to store these toxins in its own cells, in the cells of your organs, in your joints, in your skin, or any other place where the body is weak.

Hormones, such as androgens that are not neutralized by the liver, can get back into the blood and move into the skin cells where they pile up and cause an over production of sebum that will flow into the hair follicle. This over production can cause acne.

Eating good fiber daily can keep your colon clean and free of constipation. Fiber can also trap excess hormones and prevent them from being reabsorbed into your blood through your colon walls.

If you are a typical eater, then most likely you have been surviving on junk food. The quantity of toxic chemical and non-food additives that are in the food that you eat accumulates in your colon, your liver, your blood, and in your face as toxins that needs to be neutralized and eliminated.

All junk food and processed food is detrimental to your health and to your face. Once you stop punishing yourself and forcing your body to process toxic food products, you will have a chance of clearing your colon, liver, blood and the blemished conditions of your face.

One other thing, when the liver is congested and weak, it does not produce enough bile. Bile is needed in your small intestine to help digest fat and to promote good colon health. In your colon, bile helps to activate peristaltic action and thus prevents constipation.

Keep Your Skin Clean and Acne Free by Brushing

The skin is the largest of the elimination channels. Through the skin toxins are eliminated which are brought to the skin surface from the blood. When the regular elimination channels are sluggish or partial plugged up such as your colon being constipated, not all toxins move out through your feces.

Toxins that accumulate in the colon tend to move into the blood, when colon walls have been weaken through constant constipation or abused through eating excessive junk food. Once in the blood they move into the liver for detoxification.

If you are frequently constipated, than your liver will be overworked and unable to detoxify all of the colon toxins. The liver will store a lot of these toxins in its own tissue and else where in your body's tissues, joints, organs, cells and skin. When your pores are not working properly, excessive toxins in the pores can lead to acne.

When you have excessive toxins and your immune system is not able to detoxify them, these toxins will moved to the skin surface through the blood where they are enter the hair pores - follicles - and try to move to the skin surface. When your pores are not working properly, excessive toxins in the pores can lead to acne.

Body odor is also a result of toxins coming out through the skin that should be moving out through the other elimination channels.

If your body skin is clean and its pores are open and unclogged, toxins will move out through the pores without creating acne, pimples or eruptions. The skin normally moves 1-2 pounds of toxins out of your skin daily.

You can tell when your pores are open. You sweat freely during exercise. If you do not sweat much during hot weather or during exercise, then your skin pores are probably plugged.

To keep your skin active and serving as a good channel of elimination you need to brush your skin daily before you shower or during your shower. When you brush your skin, brush in one direction, starting from your feet towards your heart.

In her book, Detox For Life, 2002, Loree Taylor Jordan, C.C.H., I.D. says,

"One of greatest gifts of health that you can give yourself is the gift of skin brushing. Dry skin brushing in one of the finest of all baths. No soap can wash the skin as clean as the new skin you have under the old. You make new skin on the body every 24 hours. The skin will only be as clean as the bloodstream. Dry skin brushing removes the top layer. This helps to eliminate uric acid crystals catarrh, and various other acids in the body. The skin should eliminate 2 pounds of waste acids daily."

Understanding how your skin lives will help you keep it clean. Brush your skin daily and bring toxins to the skin surface where you can get rid of them during your shower.

How to have beautiful Face Skin Free of Acne

To have beautiful, soft, radiant skin you need to eat plenty of the right fresh fruits, vegetables, fiber, and water. Water and fiber are critical because it helps to move out toxins using the regular channels of elimination rather than using the skin as an exit point.

A word of Caution: Sudden face or body eruptions can indicate a potentially serious medical condition. If your blemishes look large and like welts, this could be caused by a serious medical condition and you would need to see your doctor immediately.

You can deal with you acne or skin problems by, also applying known nutritional and herbal remedies that give you better health and give your skin the nutrients it needs.

The beauty of your skin is a reflection of the health of your organs and upon your psychological condition. The way the inside of your body looks like is reflected on your face, physical appearance and your thoughts.

The amount of work you put into clearing your acne will determine how quickly you clear your face. By being consistent in following good health practices, you will be able to get rid of your acne.

If your acne is heredity, it is not true that you cannot do anything about it. If you know that other members of the family have had acne and previous generations also, then you are susceptible to acne. Knowing this, you can now arm yourself with some powerful nutritional and hygiene habits that will prevent acne from taking hold.

Traditional Medical Acne Treatments

I do not recommend using medications for acne, such as,

* Benzoyl peroxide - opens pores to kill bacteria

* Antibiotics - erythromycin, tetracycline - kill bacteria everywhere it goes in your body and skin.

* Retin A - helps to break open plugged pores, prevents new plugged pores, and helps to prevent scarring.

* Topical steroid, cortisone derivative, drug

These drugs and many others have serious side effects that you will want to avoid. If you are dark skinned and are using Benzoyl Peroxide, you can end up spotting your face as a side effect.

Most of these medications take three to ten weeks to provide results.

All my recommendations are for natural methods to relieve acne.

Different Remedies

In future articles, I will be outlining some of the remedies and steps you need to take to clear your acne. These remedies and natural foods that you use will not only help beatify your skin but will also help you to get rid of acne.

You may have to experiment to determine what works for you. By providing you with many choices, this gives you the best possible chance of you succeeding in gaining better health for your face. Also, not all remedies provide the same benefits to each person.

So this is where your experimental skills come in. You may have to test a few things, but in the process you will be learning about how to take care of your body. This information will stay with you a lifetime.

Acne Program - An Introduction

Acne is the most common skin disorder. Over 10% of Americans age 25 - 44 have acne. Over 85% Americans age 12 - 25 will have acne at one time or the other.

If ignored, acne can become infected, create scars, and pockmarks that become permanent on your face. I don't want this to happen to you, so I have written a series of articles on how to clear your acne.

Acne Is a Disease

Acne is a disease called seborrhea or seborrheic dermatitis. It occurs when the sebaceous glands, under your skin, become contaminated with oily toxic matter, which contains,

* dirt

* dead skin

* excess sebum oil

* acid waste

* bacteria

* toxic matter

Under normal conditions the sebaceous glands release oil that comes up through your pores onto the skin surface. This release keeps your skin moist and lubricated for protection from the environment.

If your pores on your face are not open or plugged, this creates toxic oil that cannot move out onto your skin. This results in a growth or pimple that start to increase in size as more toxic oil tries to reach the surface of your skin.

If the pore walls burst under the skin, white blood cells move in to digest the collagen around the pores. When this happens, you will have scars on your face.

To avoid having scars, you need to start an acne-clearing program before you get acne or just as soon as you see acne coming so that your pimples and back heads don't get to the point where they get severely infected and burst.

Clearing Your Acne

Acne is a complex condition that involves many parts of the body even though it shows up as only eruptions on the face and else where on your skin. It is a signal that you have problems elsewhere deep within your body. Acne can be caused by a toxic colon, poor digestion of food, weak liver and other conditions that cause the blood to carry too much toxicity.

To clear acne it is not always possible to just do one thing and expect acne to go away. But it may be possible to just use a special cream and have your acne diminish or clear.

Acne may go away by just doing one thing but don't expect it to. A facial cream, diet, herbal treatment, and colon cleanse alone may not be able to clear acne. A combination may or may not work.

In future articles, I will be covering how to get rid of acne.

Adult Acne

Acne is a skin disease, which is prevalent in all age groups and sexes. In its severe cases, the simple appearing pimples, cysts or nodes may take the shape of permanent scars, which obviously are not admirable.

It is due to this reason that people have become conscious enough to take the various preventive measures and required treatments. This increase in the awareness in especially observable in adults of age group 30 years and beyond, who were earlier shy enough to report to dermatologists earlier believing that this is a teenager disease.

This is evident from the statistics so available. The ratio of the number of cases reported in 1999 to that are reported now have a great difference. It has been studied that adult acne affects 25% of all adult men and 50% of adult women sometime in their adult life. It may get developed or re-occur in their 30s, 40s and beyond, and may result in lifelong depression or social anxiety in adults in a similar way as it can in teens.

The cause of this is yet to be discovered, but in many cases, it is suspected to have something to deal with hormonal roots. So if you are suffering from such disease, get yourself checked because your negligence or shyness may result in ever lasting physical and psychological ramifications.

As far as the treatment of this skin disorder is concerned, you can check out the various acne products that the market is full of or can give a try to the most popular treatment for adult acne, which is very similar to the treatment for teen acne. This simple and easy go method basically involves the use of benzoyl peroxide to have clear skin regimen. But the most recommended method still remains same; consult the dermatologists to know what is best suitable for you because you may end up worsening the conditions if you keep on testing things on your infected skin.

Acne Medicine

Is acne making your social life hell? Is everybody giving you their valuable advice on how to get rid of acne? Have you tried and tested everything in the market without any success? Its time to do some research and find more about the products available and the effect they have on your skin. Acne is a very personal issue and any medication you undergo should be personalized according to your individual traits. Hence it is important that you find out few things like the type of your skin. If you have oily skin then you should use gel based products where as if your skin is dry then you should use an acne cream. If your skin is sensitive then you should avoid too strong products or your situation may worsen.

The main cause of acne, unlike popular belief is not dirt or dust where as it is either genetic or caused due hormonal changes like puberty. Acne can strike both boys and girls depending upon their genetic make up. Hence washing your face all the time may not be the solution rather washing two to three times a day with a mild cleanser may serve the purpose. You can choose from natural or medicated medicines. Natural medicines are made of extracts of plants and naturally occurring substances. They are generally a blend of ingredients like Vitamin E, grape seed oil, calendula, aloe vera or witch hazel and essential oils. However even natural medication may be strong and it is a fact that should be kept in mind by people of sensitive skin.

Medicated medicines contain chemicals that dry up the pimple while acting as exfoliate. The chemicals used most commonly are benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. The higher the percentage of chemical used, the stronger is the product. Higher concentration may harm your skin hence its important to choose wisely while applying any cream--be it medicated or natural.

Medication may be short term or prolonged depending upon your condition. But no matter what you use it is important to alert oneself in case of any reaction or allergies that a medicine may cause if it does not suit your skin. Using medicines without proper supervision may have adverse effect and may cost you much more time and money if permanent damage occurs. Hence it is best advised to be careful while using any kind of medication.

Acne Treatment

Imagine the day when you have to cancel an important appointment or much awaited social gathering or party, simply because you have developed a lot of pimples, blackheads, etc on your face!!

It is because of this fear that people in USA alone spend over $ 1.4billion every year over acne treatment. Though most of them earn un-satisfactory results, a few of them have to even suffer with the side effects, even worsening their conditions.

Acne can be treated by either taking prescribed medicines or by trying out the non-prescription acne products like acne cleansers, astringents, moisturizers and pimple creams available at the local drug store.

Whatever way you choose to cure your acne, the basic methodology that these medicines and non-prescription products employ remains identical. They either help you to unplug your blackheads and whiteheads or let your affected skin shed so that you get new fresh look, or else they kill the bacteria that infect the pores.

The acne treatment usually takes six to eight weeks to work, while in severe cases it may require months to get treated.

If you choose to go to dermatologist, he will suggest you to take antibiotics, pills or vitamins or all, depending on what he considers as the most apt treatment for you.

Though the tropical antibiotics like Cleocin T and Azelex help in killing the bacteria, they may result in dry, red skin with an increase in sun sensitivity, as compared to oral antibiotics that even more serious side effects like nausea and dizziness in few cases.

Taking in Vitamin A is yet another method of treating acne. The derivatives like Retin-A, Differin and Tarzorac prevent the skin cells from clumping together and shedding, but may cause dryness, redness and irritation too.

Acne

One of the most popular skin disorders, Acne, is the term used for plugged pores (blackheads and whiteheads), pimples and even deeper lumps like cysts or nodules.

Though the affect of the disease is seen mostly on the face, it may spread on your neck, chest, back, shoulders and even on the upper arms.

Acne begins when tiny hair follicles become plugged with oily secretions from the skin's sebaceous glands that initially take the form of blackheads and whiteheads. While blackheads are small, flat spots with dark center, whiteheads are similar excepting for being colorless. When these whiteheads or blackheads get swelled up, they form cysts or nodules. These cysts and nodules are basically the firm swellings below the skin surface that get infected too at times, give birth to acne.

Acne starts from the age group of twelve to seventeen in its mild form. It takes the severe form in mid-teens, severe enough in 40% adolescents to see the physician. Though it occurs in both sexes, teenage boys are more prone to suffer from the severe cases of it. The adults too are unable to escape this skin disorder. 20% population belonging to this age group, especially women, suffer from mild to moderate forms in their thirties and beyond, and are somewhat susceptible to rosacea. It is due to hormonal changes associated with their menstrual cycle and acne caused by cosmetics.

Natural Foods That Induce Acne

There are some natural foods that actually lead to blemishes and acne - regardless of whether you are a teenager or an adult. Acne can be prevalent in adults as well as teenagers and there are ways we can avoid it - although the pharmaceutical and drug companies will tell you otherwise.

The drug companies occupy a billion dollar industry and there's a lot of money to be made. What the public doesn't know is advantageous for these companies because it keeps us coming back for more treatments - that continue to feed this huge industry.

But what many people with acne also don't realize is that what we eat can actually have a huge impact on our skin. What does this mean for us? It means less money spent on medicines and treatments and more time spent on enjoying life.

The Close Relationship between Food and Acne:

Did you know that mangos, bagels, potatoes, popcorn, papaya, and many other "natural" foods (which I won't tell you about here) actually cause acne? It's true. These foods are inflammation-inducing foods which cause problems such as a rapid rise in blood sugar levels. This leads to a burst of inflammation on a cellular level. Basically, as our insulin rises, this leads to increased inflammation throughout our bodies.

It is essential that we stick to eating anti-inflammatory foods like apples, oatmeal, yogurt, fish and celery (to name a few). There are tons more but you'll only learn that by visiting www.acne-secrets.com. There I'll share with you the secret foods that actually do induce acne. I'll also share with you recipes and natural foods that actually stop acne dead! No more expensive drugs...

You will find the secret is right in your very own kitchen! Really? it's all in what you eat. I'll give you the acne-secrets that will treat your acne. You'll be amazed!

Acne Program - Step 5: Foods to Stop Eating

Even though many dermatologist and doctors don't see the connection between your diet, constipation, a toxic colon, and a toxic liver with the acne that you are suffering from, it does not mean the food you eat is not important in clearing your acne.

If the doctors were right about food and the colon, then they would easily be able to help you clear your acne with their drugs. Drugs can give you temporary relief, it they work at all, but as you use them they can also give you some unpleasant side effects.

In her book, Food And Healing, 1986, Annemarie Colbin, points out,

"In a systems view of the body, input of all kinds relates to output of all kinds. Food, therefore, would have a definite relationship to matter pushed out through the skin. I am continually amazed that dermatologists persist in viewing the skin as merely a protective envelope for the body, ascribing its eruptions to 'viruses' and imprecise malfunctions and supporting the myth that 'diet has nothing to do with acne."

In my experience, diet has everything to do with acne. Not only did I fix my own bad skin through correct eating but I have seen among my students a number of severe cases - the large purplish kind of acne on cheeks and chins - completely cured within three months by a change of diet."

Foods to Stop Eating

If you smoke, drink alcohol or drink coffee, then this program will not work too well for you. When you have these addictions, your body's minerals and vitamins will be out of balance and it will be difficult for you to achieve any state of good health.

So, here are they foods that you need to stop eating. You don't need to stop eating these foods instantly. Not many people can do this. You need to do this gradually. I know it will be hard to stop eating some of these foods that you have enjoyed, over the years, but you have to ask yourself the question,

Which do I want to be ?Acne free or a junk food addict?

The choice is yours and I know you will make the right decision so here is the list,

* White Bread - This is considered junk food since it is void of any vitality for your body. It is hard to digest and causes constipation

* Chocolate - some chocolates are better than others. Those that have saturated fats such milk, butter and sugars are not good for your health and definitely not good for your skin.

* Fried Fatty foods - fried foods, butter, chesses, beef

* Foods in packages - All foods in packages or boxes are junk food. They are considered dead food and provide no life force to your body. They take from you because they use up minerals, vitamins, and digestive enzymes during digestion. They contain no fiber so they cause constipation.

* Foods with artificial flavors and preservatives - These are non-foods that are super toxic. Your body does not know what to do with them so it stores them in your body as toxic waste.

* Milk, ice cream, hard chesses - these foods cause allergies and cause mucus to form. This mucus coats the colon and other internal surfaces and interferes with the function of that area. Bacteria and other pathogens enjoy living in the mucus film. This mucus also tries to escape through the face when you have too much of it in the body. If you cannot digest dairy products, this can cause you to have acne.

* Sodas are the worst drink you can take. They contain plenty of sugar and phosphoric acid.

* Sugar is considered a white poison. It creates so many health problems in the body that the FDA should outlaw it.

* Salt - avoid salt only because it has iodine. Iodine has been shown to cause acne.

* Excess Vitamin B12 - can aggravate or produce acne.

There you have it. It takes a lot of will power and desire to change your diet. It can be done but do it slowly. Start changing your diet and see where you're at in 6 months.

Acne Program- Step 4: Adding Essential Fatty Acids To Your Diet

Getting sufficient essential fatty acids is importance in clearing acne. It's these fatty acids that help control the production of androgens - the hormones that surge during the teen-age times, which causes excess sebum oil to clog your hair follicle and contribute to creating your acne.

The three fatty acids you need daily are omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9. You need more omega 6, olive oil, than omega 3.

When you are deficient in the essential fatty acids, you will have,

* A weaken immune system

* Inflammatory disorders

* Poor skin

* Skin eruptions that won't heal

* Increase sebum production causing acne

* Sebaceous glands size increase

Eating essential oils is necessary to provide the right oils that are used in the sebaceous glands. These oils can come from straight vegetable oils or from oils in specific foods such as nuts and seeds.

Use flax seed oil (omega-3 oil) and olive oil (omega-6 oil) in your salad. These are the best oils to eat and are called polyunsaturated fatty acids. The other oil that is even better for you is called monounsaturated fatty acid, omega-9. This oil is found in avocados.

Most diets people have contain an excess of omega-6 oils, so mostly likely you need to concentrate on getting more omega-3 oils into your diet.

You can get omega-3 oil from,

* avocados

* sesame seeds

* pumpkin seeds

* walnuts

* dark leafy green vegetables (spinach, mustard greens, kale)

* wheat germ oil

* salmon

* sardines

* albacore tuna

Or, you can take one to 4 tablespoon of flax seed oil, omega-3 oil, each day. This will give you the amount of omega-3 oil that your body needs to reduce or eliminate acne blemishes. You can add this oil to your morning cereal, soups, smoothies, salads and other liquid foods. Each tablespoon of flax seed oil contains about 100 calories.

You can get omega-6 oil from,

* Flaxseed oil

* Flaxseeds

* grape seed oil

* pistachio nuts

* olives

* olive oil

* sunflower seeds

* evening primrose oil

* pumpkin seeds

Taking 2-3 tablespoons of omega-6 oil a day will give you the amount of this oil that you body needs. You can add olive oil and other oils into your salad with the flax seed oil.

You can get omega-9 oil from,

* Olive oil

* Avocados

* Cashews

* Almonds

* Olives

* sesame oil

* pecans

* pistachio nuts

Taking around 1 ½ tablespoon of olive oil per day will give you the omega-9 oil that your body needs.

Fish Oils

In addition to supplying your diet with omega-3 and omega-6 oils, you need to supplement your diet with fish oils. Fish oil contains EPA and DHA fatty acids.

Normally, enzymes in your body break down omega-6 into EPA and DHA fatty acids.

* Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA)

* Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)

These two fatty acids eventually change into prostaglandins.

What are prostaglandins?

Prostaglandins are chemical hormones that come from omega-3 and omega-6 oils and that help,

regulate every function in your cells and organs.

Postaglandins also keep androgen hormones in control so that excess sebum is not produce in the hair follicle, which results in acne.

However, eating plenty essential fatty acids may not insure that you produce enough EPA and DHA, which produce the essential prostaglandins.

It is critical for acne and more importantly for your health that you get enough EPA and DHA in your cells and organs so they can produce the required prostaglandins.

To increase the prostaglandins in your cell walls, it is necessary for you to take a fish supplement, which contains both the EPA and DHA.

Of course eating salmon, halibut, and mackerel twice a week will be a plus in providing your body with more EPA and DHA.

Include at least 20% of your diet calories as good fats - omega oils and fish oil. This is essential for controlling the excess activity of your hormones and reducing the inflammation of your acne.

Battle Blemishes

Every individual has different skin needs. But what doesn't differ is that everyone's skin needs to be cleaned to remove excess dirt brought about by the outside environment. Gentle cleansing is the first place to start.

Use a water-soluble cleanser:

Water-soluble cleansers are great because they gently cleanse your skin without stimulating the oil glands. A gentle cleanse does not cause redness or dryness. It also makes the skin feel soft and releases oil and dirt gently without damaging the skin.

Once you leave those dry, irritating pore-clogging bar cleansers and soaps behind, you will notice a distinct difference in the way your skin looks and feels. But you must remember to ONLY stick to water-soluble cleansers which are free of exfoliating agents, oil absorbing ingredients and topical disinfectants. These harsh ingredients do very little for the skin because these active ingredients are quickly washed away - not providing any benefit on the skin at all. These ingredients are best used in the other stages of the cleansing process - like moisturizers, exfoliators or for disinfecting the skin.

But it is important to not only cater to the outside of your body but also you must cater to your body from the inside-out. Make sure you are eating anti-oxidant rich, non-inflammatory foods like hazelnuts, salmon, celery, cucumbers, apples, yogurt and pomegranates.

Many people do not realize this, but there are many natural foods that can actually lead to skin inflammation. We are always told to eat fruits and vegetables because they're better for us than processed foods. However, some of these fruits and vegetables can actually be detrimental to our skin.

Did you know that inflammation actually plays a role in the development of swelling and disease? It also plays a role in acne and aging.

In youthful-disease free skin, when looking at the skin under a microscope, no inflammation is visible. However it is present in older skin. This is also the same for acne-prone skin.

Basically, the foods we eat are just as important as the foods we should avoid - like flour, bread, bananas, cream cheese, granola and honey. You thought these were good you're your skin? Nope, think again! These foods are inflammation inducing foods which can actually leave our skin looking tired, puffy and prone to break-outs.

How To Alleviate Your Acne Problem

Acne brings huge problems to teenagers. Teenagers who have acne feel isolated, ugly, and insecure. Who wouldn't when everywhere you look, only clear skinned people are put on the pedestal.

You tried every acne product out in the market but nothing seems to work. At this point, you feel that your social life is doomed but fret not because acne won't stay forever if you take the proper actions early.

First step to take is to understand what acne really is and from there you can take the necessary actions in curing or at least reducing your acne problem.

Acne is the term for plugged pores (whiteheads and blackheads), pimples, and deeper lumps (nodules) that happens in the face, neck, chest, back and upper arms. Acne is caused by build up of excess oil and dead skin in a pore. The causes of this are natural hormones, clogged skin and bacteria.

The onset of acne happens between the ages of twelve to seventeen. Almost all teenagers had acne. Many of them used non-prescription treatments to alleviate acne but more than 40% of teenagers in their mid-teens have severe acne cases. Normally, it goes away in the early twenties. Then again, there are many cases wherein acne starts or continues into adulthood.

It is interesting to note though that young men who are more likely to have severe acne, don't consult dermatologists as much as young women do. But then again, young women are more likely to have irregular acne due to hormonal changes during menstrual cycle or due to the cosmetic products they use. This kind of acne may afflict women even into adulthood.

The ultimate question now is how do you reduce acne?

Knowing the facts that debunk the myths and misconceptions about acne may help you alleviate your acne problem.

Myth 1: Acne is caused by poor hygiene.

This may be true if you don't wash your face at all. But if you resort to frequent and vigorous washing, it will definitely cause scarring which will worsen acne. The best approach is to gently wash face twice a day with mild soap and use appropriate acne treatment after.

Myth 2: Acne is caused by diet.

Scientific studies debunked this having found that there is no connection between food and acne.

Myth 3: Acne is caused by stress.

Stressors are not important factors in acne. Only severe stress that needs medication can cause acne as side effects.

Myth 4: Acne is just a cosmetic disease.

Acne does affect how people look but there's no serious threat to physical health. However, acne can result to serious scarring which can affect how these people live their lives.

Myth 5: You just have to let acne run its course.

The truth is, acne can be cleared up using acne products available in the market today. If they don't work for you, then try seeing a dermatologist.

According to Thiboutot (2000), cure of acne lies in knowing three things:

* That resolution to cure acne takes time;

* That what works for one may not work for another;

* and that a dermatologist's help may be needed if all actions you take to cure your acne fail.

Remember that acne responds well to early treatment. So to prevent scarring have your acne treated as soon as acne starts showing up on your face.

How To Alleviate Your Acne Problem

Acne brings huge problems to teenagers. Teenagers who have acne feel isolated, ugly, and insecure. Who wouldn't when everywhere you look, only clear skinned people are put on the pedestal.

You tried every acne product out in the market but nothing seems to work. At this point, you feel that your social life is doomed but fret not because acne won't stay forever if you take the proper actions early.

First step to take is to understand what acne really is and from there you can take the necessary actions in curing or at least reducing your acne problem.

Acne is the term for plugged pores (whiteheads and blackheads), pimples, and deeper lumps (nodules) that happens in the face, neck, chest, back and upper arms. Acne is caused by build up of excess oil and dead skin in a pore. The causes of this are natural hormones, clogged skin and bacteria.

The onset of acne happens between the ages of twelve to seventeen. Almost all teenagers had acne. Many of them used non-prescription treatments to alleviate acne but more than 40% of teenagers in their mid-teens have severe acne cases. Normally, it goes away in the early twenties. Then again, there are many cases wherein acne starts or continues into adulthood.

It is interesting to note though that young men who are more likely to have severe acne, don't consult dermatologists as much as young women do. But then again, young women are more likely to have irregular acne due to hormonal changes during menstrual cycle or due to the cosmetic products they use. This kind of acne may afflict women even into adulthood.

The ultimate question now is how do you reduce acne?

Knowing the facts that debunk the myths and misconceptions about acne may help you alleviate your acne problem.

Myth 1: Acne is caused by poor hygiene.

This may be true if you don't wash your face at all. But if you resort to frequent and vigorous washing, it will definitely cause scarring which will worsen acne. The best approach is to gently wash face twice a day with mild soap and use appropriate acne treatment after.

Myth 2: Acne is caused by diet.

Scientific studies debunked this having found that there is no connection between food and acne.

Myth 3: Acne is caused by stress.

Stressors are not important factors in acne. Only severe stress that needs medication can cause acne as side effects.

Myth 4: Acne is just a cosmetic disease.

Acne does affect how people look but there's no serious threat to physical health. However, acne can result to serious scarring which can affect how these people live their lives.

Myth 5: You just have to let acne run its course.

The truth is, acne can be cleared up using acne products available in the market today. If they don't work for you, then try seeing a dermatologist.

According to Thiboutot (2000), cure of acne lies in knowing three things:

* That resolution to cure acne takes time;

* That what works for one may not work for another;

* and that a dermatologist's help may be needed if all actions you take to cure your acne fail.

Remember that acne responds well to early treatment. So to prevent scarring have your acne treated as soon as acne starts showing up on your face.

Eczema and Acne Herbs For a Powerful Footbath

In 1979, Maurice Messe'gue', the famous French herbalist, who practiced herbal footbaths for all kinds of ailments, wrote a book called "Health Secrets of Plants and Herbs." In this book he outlined his footbath treatment for Eczema.

I have listed his herbal recommendations and have added a few more that are effective in reducing eczema symptoms. I have listed 11 herbs that you can buy in small quantities, ½ oz, to mix together, produce a tea, and use in a footbath.

As mentioned in my other article on footbaths, create a tea, with herbs and let them sit for 20-30 minutes. Then strain and add them to a footbath. Use the footbath in the morning and evening for 10 - 14 minutes.

Use at least 9 of the herbs listed here.

Artichoke leaves - You can use artichoke leaves dried whole or cut down and as an extract. Artichoke leaves have been used for indigestion and irritable bowel syndrome. They help increase bile and help the liver to regenerate. The liver needs to be in good condition to help eczema conditions when excess toxins are contributing to eczema. The liver helps to detoxify colon toxins and other toxins that may reach eczema locations and cause inflammation.

What I do is just buy some artichokes and cut them into small pieces - about a small hand full - boil water and put them into the boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Then I take the boiling water off the stove and put my herbs.

Elecampane leaves - This herb is used to expel intestinal parasites, helps to pull toxins out of the body, stimulate digestion and the immune system. A tea of leaves and roots help clean the skin by removing toxins and allowing your immune system to heal your skin. Cabbage leaves - these leaves are known to reduce your susceptibility to cancer. It is thought that cabbage leaves have anti-inflammatory action. Cabbage has a healing action on open wounds. You can use fresh cabbage cut into small pieces and add them to the boiling water at the same time you add the artichokes. Nettles - Nettle tea is good for wounds, stings, and burns. It is also used to eliminate worms and for colon disorders. Many times skin disorders can be the result of a toxic colon. That is why cleansing and detoxifying the colon will help with any type of skin problem. Sage - is a strong astringent, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory. It increases blood circulation, and helps digestive problems.

Lavender -It is used for inflammation from insect bites. Lavender helps to calms nerves. Many of the skin disorders stem from anxiety and nervous conditions which lower the immune system. This allows toxins or heredity conditions to surface and re-establish themselves as skin diseases.

Marigold - is used for pain and skin swelling. It is good for wounds, sprains, and inflamed and sore eyes.

Arnica - stimulates blood circulation and increases blood pressure. It is used for eczema and acne. It has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It can reduce swelling and pain and helps heal wounds.

Burdock root - Has an excellent history of helping bruises, swelling, and joint pain. It can help to eliminate ringworm on the surface of the skin.

Black Walnut - hull and leaves are used to rid you of various kinds of worms throughout the body. It is useful in constipation, parasitic and fungal infection. It also helps eczema, acne, herpes, skin parasites, and psoriasis.

Yarrow Flowers - helps to improve liver function. It has antiseptic and viral properties. It firms and tones tissue outside and inside the body. It helps to boost your immunity and kills many types of pathogens. Its oils absorb toxins and help the body dispose of them without out creating side effects.

There you have it. Don't be afraid of buying separate herbs and creating an herbal mixture that you can use in a footbath for eczema, acne and other skin conditions. One last thing, when you use the footbath, you will stir up toxins that may increase skin breakouts but this will pass as the footbaths help to clean out your body.

Essential Fatty Acids for Eczema and Other Skin Disorders

Many people suffer from eczema and various skin disorders that they don't understand. The names for these skin disorders are numerous - eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, hives, allergies, scales, and so on. Most standard medical treatments fail to cure or give lasting relief to some of these disorders. This makes it so frustrating for those with these diseases since even dermatologist and doctors find it difficult to find a cure for them.

Finding a treatment for these skin disorders is difficult since every person requires a different treatment. The treatment required depends on the person's nutritional deficiencies and emotional makeup. Some people will respond to a specific treatment and using this same treatment on another person can have no effect.

Here is a natural remedy that has a 50% chance of working for you. In a clinical study where this nutritional program was used, 50% of the people involved show skin improvement. So if you are suffering from some sort of skin disease that seems to hang on, consider trying this remedy that requires using a combination of 3 groups of nutrients

Eczema remedy nutrient one

Take 1- 4 tablespoons of flaxseed oil. This oil contains the essential oil omega-3, which the body converts to EPA and DHA oils. These oils are then convert to specific prostaglandin through the direction of the omega-3 oil.

The actual amount of flaxseed oil to use is something you need to experiment with. First start out with a small amount, ½ tablespoon or more, if its some thing you don't normally use. Then after a week increases it to 1-2 tablespoons, then a week later go to 2-3 tablespoons. You need to find the trigger point where it starts to give you results in decreasing your skin inflammation.

The secret to what I am telling you here is that you need to be consistent in using flaxseed oil every day. And another thing, you may have to use for 2-3 months to see some results. For some people it can take longer, maybe up to a year. Yet, for other people results can be seen within a week.

Eczema remedy nutrient two

Here's how you can make flaxseed oil more effective. Taking B vitamins boost the effects of flaxseed oil in your body by helping to create prostaglandins. Remember prostaglandins help to reduce inflammation. Start with a daily supplement of the 50 B-vitamins and later move up to the 100 B-vitamins. Always look to see which dose helps your condition to determine the dose you need.

Eczema remedy nutrients three

One additional set of nutrients is needed in the use of flaxseed oil for eczema and other skin disorders. You must take antioxidant supplements, which include vitamin A, C, E, and selenium to protect the flaxseed oil from deteriorating and becoming rancid in the body. The body automatically used the stores of antioxidants that you have, to protect the flaxseed oil, so it will depleted these antioxidants unless your restore them by supplementation.

Here are additional items to know:

* One tablespoon of flaxseed oil contains 100 calories

* If you start to see side effects or allergies using flaxseed oil, stop using it.

* Use flaxseed oil in divided doses. Use it in salad, soups, and orange juice

* Never cook or heat flaxseed oil

* Always keep flaxseed oil in the refrigerator when it is not in use.

In addition to taking the above three eczema remedy supplements, you can use flaxseed oil on your affected skin area. In some people it has helped their condition. Start by applying the oil to a small area to make sure there is no adverse reaction.

Remember the secret to getting results is to be consistent in your used of these supplements and to test to see what quantity of these supplements gives you results.

Acne Medications - Natural Adult Acne Treatments

Adult acne - why must we suffer aging skin AND acne??

As a young woman who suffered through agonizing periods of merciless acne breakouts in the already angst-filled years of my young adulthood, I thought that once I became an "adult", I would no longer have to suffer the unbearable cycles of noticeable, painful cystic acne. I remember feeling like every zit on my face was the focal point in every conversation I had with people, and I swore that everyone had clearer skin than I did. Even a day with clear skin was like a rare treat to me, to be savored cautiously, as I knew it would never last, and a breakout was just waiting for it's next opportunity to strike.

Little did I know, that when I hit adulthood, my battles with acne were far from over. Even as I had my twenty-fifth birthday, I still had to battle that neverending cycle of clear skin, followed by periods of days or even weeks where my skin would inexplicably erupt into a maze of strategically placed blemishes, mostly on the chin area, forehead, and around the nose. I still found myself searching for the latest acne products and treatments at drugstores, all of which didn't work at all. They merely dried my skin and made it look worse by adding redness and chafing to my growing list of skin problems.

There are many other adults that are finding they still have to fight the battle with acne - now coined "adult acne". Why is it, that even beyond our adolescent years of hormonal turmoil, we are finding that we must battle a new enemy, the formidable adult acne that we thought we might be fortunate enough to escape since we paid our dues in our teenage years. It is estimated that more than fifty percent of adult women between the ages of twenty-five and fifty-eight have some type of adult acne, and those numbers are only getting larger.

So what do the experts have to say about the cause of adult acne? Hormonal fluctuations are the most common cause of adult acne, followed by stress, which in itself actually triggers hormonal imbalances, especially in women. So basically, any way you cut it, adult acne is primarily caused by hormonal shifts and fluctuations, many times caused by stress, but also caused by diet, lifestyle changes, birth control pills, medications, and so many other circumstances.

Some good lifestyle rules to stick to for clear skin are pretty much common sense, but nonetheless are worth repeating. Eating a balanced diet, with adequate protein, little or no refined sugar products (which cause hormones to spike up and down rapidly), and plenty of skin-nourishing fruits and vegetables is an absolute must for clear, healthy skin. I notice that after even one day of a refined sugar binge, I may wake up to a puffy, red and sometimes slightly broken out face. This is proof that you are what you eat - especially when it comes to your skin.

Second, try to diminish stress levels by taking walks, getting cardiovascular exercise of some sort, or practicing relaxation techniques in the form of yoga, meditation, or tai-chi. It sound trivial, but stress levels and how you allow yourself to be affected by daily stress, really reflects in your skin's appearance.

Third, you really should consider giving a natural acne treatment a try. When all else failed, and it was clear that nothing else would work to permanently clear my skin, or at least get the ball rolling to even my hormone levels out and purify my skin from the inside of my body, I tried a natural acne remedy that I am forever grateful for. I still have clear skin today, and get compliments on how good it looks, at age 30. After years of taking prescription acne medications like tetracycline, Retin-A and erythromycin, I was finally able to clear my skin permanently -and at a fraction of the cost of constant dermatologist consultations and repeated prescription refills.

These new, advanced acne treatments really offer you what no prescription antibiotic can in that they are completely safe, contain all natural botanicals that purify the skin from the inside out, and in many cases, can clear your skin permanently with very little follow up treatment if you take them as prescribed and for a long enough period to have lasting effects.

You owe it to yourself to try a natural acne remedy. There are just too many great acne products out there that will get the job done better than anything a dermatologist can prescribe!

What You Should Know About Acne

There are many different types of acne and with that come many theories, myths, and treatments. The exact cause of acne remains a mystery. Why some pores are affected by acne and others aren't, is not known. Each case of acne is as complex as the individual battling it and a treatment that works on one person's acne may not work on yours.

Acne obviously has physical effects but it can also have psychological effects, especially in teens. Most teenagers already feel awkward and different, add acne to the equation and they are identifiably different. Most teenagers with acne tend to have lower self esteem, than their peers with clear skin, and are not involved in as many activities.

Adult acne is on the rise and can also be very difficult to deal with. Due to the changes that our skin goes through as we mature, scarring is often worse in adults with acne than in teens with acne. Adults with acne are also less likely than teens to seek treatment for their acne, leaving them to suffer alone.

Whether you are an adult with acne or a teenager with acne, your acne probably falls into one of a two main categories, inflammatory acne or non-inflammatory acne. If you have blackheads or whiteheads, or both, then you have non-inflammatory acne. Inflammatory acne can be a little harder to identify. Inflammatory acne is characterized by papules, pustules, and in more serious cases, nodules or cysts.

Once you have determined which category your acne falls into, you can explore the treatment options for your acne. Keep in mind that even if you have tried several different acne treatments to no avail, there is always something else to try for your acne. There are new acne treatments coming up left and right and the next new acne treatment might be the one that goes directly to work attacking your acne and leaving you with the clear skin you've longed for.

Home Remedies for Acne

Acne is a disorder of the skin. This disorder causes to skin to have blackheads or whiteheads, pimples or zits, cysts, and lesions. This is a disorder seen mostly in teens and young adults. This shows up in the face, neck, back and chest of the teens and young adults.

People go for home made acne treatment depending upon the extent of damage the acne causes in an individual. The need for home made acne treatment arises to reduce or eliminate the outbreak of acne and to prevent scarring in the skin due to severe acne. Using benzoyl peroxide lotions in home made acne treatment helps in effective cure and prevention of new outbreaks of acne. Most of the people in USA and around the world have been affected by acne at some point in their life. For severe acne oral medicines are also prescribed. Use of oral medicines help in home made acne treatment, for easy and quick cure of acne.

Home remedies are best remedies to cure acne. Some of the home remedies to cure acne are orange, garlic, and cucumber. Peel of orange paste applied on the affected area helps to cure pimple. Paste of fenugreek helps to cure pimples. Eating lots of fruits and vegetables and drinking at least 1 liter of water daily is also one of the home remedies to cure acne. Home remedies to cure acne have no side affects if your not having any allergic to certain fruits and vegetables.

Natural treatment and allopathic treatment are both available for acne treatment. The allopathic treatment for acne includes across-the-counter products which are prescribed to be used for 4 to 6 weeks. Turmeric is one of the home remedies to cure acne, which is an anti bacterial herb. In olden days, turmeric was used by every one, because it has lots of medicinal value. Japanese scientist found that rooibos tea helps to cure acne, which is also one of the home remedies to cure acne.

Taking Isotretinoin for Acne?

Produced under the brand name Accutane, isotretinoin is a medication taken orally for 15-20 weeks. Accutane, or isotretinoin, is a Vitamin A derivative that is prescribed to people suffering from severe acne vulgaris, or nodular acne. Results of Accutane treatments have shown total clear-up of severe acne conditions and, in many cases, an extended remission period of the occurrence of acne.

Accutane works by reducing the amount of oil that the skin's oil glands produce.

While Accutane achieves desired effects in many acne sufferers, it is a powerful drug and one that should be used with caution and consideration. Before deciding to take Accutane, talk with your dermatologist about the uses for this medicine, the precautions one should take while using it, and the health risks and side effects associated with it.

Accutane should be taken exactly as directed. If there is any part of the directions for taking Accutane that you do not understand, talk with your doctor about the questions you have.

You may not notice any improvement in the condition of your acne until you have been taking Accutane for 4-6 weeks. In fact, you acne may actually be aggravated during the first few weeks of Accutane treatment. Your acne should improve drastically, however, within 15-20 weeks of treatment.

There are many common side effects associated with Accutane. If you are experiencing these side effects for a prolonged period of time, tell your dermatologist. You should also talk with your dermatologist if you feel that the side effects are not easing up or if they are particularly severe.

The common side effects associated with Accutane include:

? cracked, red, sore lips
? dry, itchy, red, inflamed eyes
? dry and irritated mouth and nose
? dry and irritated skin
? thinning hair
? fatigue and low energy

There are other less common and more dangerous side effects associated with Accutane treatment. You should contact your doctor immediately if you experience any of these symptoms:

? pain in the bones or joints
? pain in the chest
? headache
? stomach pain
? stomachache
? vomiting
? dizziness
? problems with vision
? difficulty breathing
? difficulty swallowing
? difficulty hearing
? ringing in the ears
? difficulty walking
? bleeding from the rectum
? bruising
? red patches on the skin
? peeling skin
? infections in the skin
? severe diarrhea
? aching muscles
? feelings of depression
? suicidal thoughts
? dementia or hallucination

When taking Accutane, you should also exercise extreme caution when operating a vehicle, because the medication can affect night vision. Do not donate blood while taking Accutane.

Women who are pregnant or who might become pregnant should not take Accutane. Accutane is associated with a high risk of deformity in infants developing during the pregnancy of women taking Accutane.

Because Accutane can cause severe sensitivity to sunlight, you should avoid direct sunlight while taking Accutane. If you must be in the sun, cover your skin with clothing and sunscreen. You should also protect your eyes with sunglasses.

Accutane also increases the amount of fats in your blood. While taking Accutane you should avoid eating fatty foods. You should also curb your alcohol consumption while undergoing Accutane treatment.

Cystic Acne and Some Natural Treatments

More severe cases of acne tend to be characterized not just by the presence of pimples and blemishes, but also by the formation of nodules or cysts. Acne that involves the development of cysts is called cystic acne.

A cystic acne lesion is much larger than a regular pimple, sometimes 5mm or more in diameter. These lesions can be hard and painful. Cystic acne lesions are filled with pus but should not be squeezed. Squeezing a cystic lesion can lead to a worse infection and inflammation. The lesions are prone to scarring and should be taken care of by a dermatologist, who often uses procedures to reduce swelling and to lessen the likelihood of scar formation.

In severe cases of cystic acne, it may be a good idea to consult a dermatologist about treatment. But there are many holistic remedies and preventative measures one can take against cystic acne. An alternative medicine practitioner should be consulted about some of these holistic remedies, while other more common procedures can easily be performed at home with no medical supervision.

Many dermatologists and alternative medicine practitioners believe that cystic acne can be controlled to some degree through diet. Cystic acne is often the result of an unknown allergic reaction to particular foods.

The first step in controlling cystic acne through diet is to experiment with the systematic elimination of certain foods. It is also helpful to add certain foods to your diet that are known to help in the recovery of severely acne prone skin.

Sugary foods and foods that contain milk or dairy products are commonly the trigger for cystic acne. As you experiment with eliminating these food types, be sure to read package labels closely so that you are not ingesting sugar and dairy products unknowingly. Be aware that it may be several weeks before you notice a change.

Foods containing trans-fatty acids are also a common irritant to skin prone to cystic acne. Foods like margarine, shortening, fried foods, salty snacks, soda, and meat contain trans-fatty acids and should be avoided.

Many people who suffer from cystic acne find that the addition of fruits and vegetables high in Vitamin A carotene can help to ease their condition. These foods include dark leafy vegetables, and yellow-orange vegetables and fruits such as carrots, yams, and squash.

It is also helpful to drink up to four quarts of purified water a day to eliminate toxins and to help the transportation of essential nutrients to the skin.

Cystic acne can also be aggravated by stress. Alternative medicine practitioners often suggest making yoga, breathing exercises, and meditation part of your daily activities. These activities can help to reduce stress levels, thereby decreasing the skin's tendency to produce cystic acne lesions. Getting enough sleep is also essential in holistic therapy treatments.

Sufficient and appropriate cleansing is also an important part of holistically taking care of skin prone to cystic acne.

To clean your skin effectively, wash it gently twice a day using warm water. Do not scrub or use harsh cleansing agents that are abrasive or high in Ph, which can aggravate the condition. Mild soaps are more effective. To dry your skin, pat it gently with a soft towel.

If you are considering treating cystic acne holistically, these tips are a good place to start. You may wish to consult an alternative medicine practitioner about further herbal and holistic therapies.

Colon Cleaning May Help Acne Sufferers

Many doctors and alternative medicine practitioners believe that one essential component of achieving overall bodily health is having a colon that is clean and free of the toxins that can build up over time. Many of these same doctors and alternative medicine practitioners believe that one of the benefits of colon cleansing is the improvement of acne conditions.

One process of colon cleansing is called colon hydrotherapy. This cleansing process involves the gentle bathing of the large intestine, or colon. The purified warm water that is used during colon hydrotherapy helps to remove the poisons, toxic materials, and build-up of waste from the body.

Unlike an enema, which only cleans the first two feet of the large intestine with only a relatively small amount of water, a colon hydrotherapy treatment cleans the colon with between fifteen and twenty-five gallons of water. This water cleans the entire colon and reaches difficult areas and areas where fecal matter tends to gather and build up.

Colon hydrotherapists often recommend that hydrotherapy treatments be received in conjunction with appropriate herbal remedies.

Effective colon hydrotherapy treatments remove not only fecal material, but also excess mucus, bacteria, and parasites. Therapy treatments help to restore the colon to its original shape, which can get distorted over years of accommodating the build up of waste.

The restoration of the colon to its original shape helps it to move out waste materials more effectively. Hydrotherapy treatments can also help the body to have regular bowel movements without the disturbance of constipation and diarrhea.

Those who practice colon hydrotherapy truly believe that this practice rejuvenates the body as a whole. The removal of toxins and poisons helps the body to alleviate many health problems like fatigue, frequent headaches or stomachaches, weight problems, allergies, and various skin conditions such as psoriasis and acne.

Colon hydrotherapy treatments also help the colon to be able to do its job better in the future, excreting wastes more efficiently and keeping polluting toxins out of the body. A colon that is working more efficiently is one that is helping to maintain overall body and skin health.

We don't often think about it, but the skin is actually the body's largest excretory organ. When the colon is clogged with fecal matter, bacteria, and other toxins and waste material, the skin begins to act as an excretory substitute.

Because problematic skin is so often an indication of unhealthy colon in need of cleansing, antibiotics, skin medications, and topical creams may not work well to correct the problem.

Vitamin A is of vital importance to overall skin health, and to maintaining skin that is free of acne and other conditions. Dietary Vitamin A enters the body largely through absorption through the walls of the large intestine, or colon. The colon, in a state of ill health, has a difficult time absorbing adequate amounts of Vitamin A. A healthy colon that has received cleansing hydrotherapy will more effectively absorb Vitamin A, helping the skin to maintain clarity and good health.

Having A Sweet Tooth May Not Help Your Acne

Many dermatologists and acne sufferers believe that excessive sugar consumption aggravates acne conditions. Many other dermatologists, however, do not believe that there is enough evidence to link sugar consumption and acne.

Many people who suffer from acne can detect a pattern having to do with their diet and their acne breakouts. These people have noticed over time that particular foods will instigate the appearance of pimples and blemishes. For many people, chocolate and other sugary snacks are obvious irritants to a pre-existing acne condition.

Other acne sufferers, however, do not detect any relationship between sugary foods and their acne condition. And of course there are all those people who seem to be able to eat all the sugar they want without having to worry about ever developing a pimple or a blemish.

The truth is that sugar reacts differently in different bodies. While the consumption of sugar has no ill effects on one person, it can cause all sorts of trouble for another person. The way sugar reacts within a person's body has to do with that person's hormonal make up.

When a person consumes sugary foods, the person's blood sugar rises sharply and rapidly. This spike in blood sugar is directly related to how much sugar is ingested. In response to this spike in the level of blood sugar, the body excretes hormones such as insulin and other hormones. The sugar is then allowed to enter the cells of the liver and the cells that comprise muscular tissue. Any sugar that is left over when this process is complete is stored as fat.

The consumption of sugar triggers a process in which hormones must surge and fat is created quickly. The body then contains an excess of androgenic hormones. It is the job of the liver to rid the body of excess hormones - but the liver's capacity to do this changes from liver to liver. Some people have very strong livers that can process and deactivate large amounts of excess hormones, while other people have livers that become easily overwhelmed. When the liver is unable to process and deactivate excess hormones, these hormones cause the sebum glands to produce too much oil in the skin. This skin oil, combined with the fat in the blood, can cause aggravation of acne.

It is difficult for some people to envision a diet that does not include sugar. But if you believe that your acne condition is worsened when you ingest large amounts of sugar, then it may be time to start taking measures to correct this problem.

If you do not believe that your acne condition is aggravated by sugar consumption, you may be right. But it may not hurt to experiment with some changes in diet to see if there might be foods that are particular irritants to your acne. If you can detect which foods make your acne worse through trial and error experimentation, then you can avoid those foods in the future.

If you choose to experiment with a diet that is low in sugar, you should avoid candy, chocolate, and any other foods that contain processed sugars. You should also avoid fruit juices except those that are low in sugar. High sugar fruits should be eaten sparingly. Natural sugars such as honey, maple syrup, and molasses, can be used in small quantities.

Herbal Therapy for Acne Treatment

Because prevention is the best way to protect your skin from the scarring associated with severe acne, many dermatologists recommend that controlling problematic acne through diet, regular cleansing procedures, and herbal remedies, is the most effective way to combat the tendencies of skin that is prone to acne and acne-related scarring.

Treatments that accentuate the regulation of daily habits having to do with diet, physical exercise, mood control, and other activities, are known as holistic treatments. Holistic treatments often include herbal therapies.

Herbalists recommend the following herbal remedies for acne and scarring:

? Black currant seed oil taken in 500-milligram capsules three times a day for three months or until acne is diminished.

? Evening primrose oil taken in 500-milligram capsules three times a day for three months or until acne is diminished.

? Teas made from a combination of echinacea, tea tree oil, goldenseal, nettles, or calendula.

? Teas made from lavender or chamomile, to help reduce acne-causing stress.

? Chinese herbs such as cnidium seed and honeysuckle flower.

? Teas made from cumin, coriander, and fennel, steeped for 10 minutes in hot water and consumed three times a day after meals.

Some alternative medicine practitioners recommend using diet as a way to combat acne and acne-related scarring. These practitioners believe that diets high in beta-carotene help to reduce the factors that contribute to severe acne. Orange and yellow foods such as carrots, pumpkin, and cantaloupe are loaded with beta-carotene and should be a regular part of the diet of anyone suffering from acne and scarring.

Another dietary recommendation for acne-sufferers is to consume many bland foods such as oatmeal, rice, brown grains, and applesauce. These foods should be eaten instead of spicy foods and fried foods, which are believed by some practitioners to stimulate the hormones and glands that aggravate acne conditions.

A daily practice of yoga is commonly recommended as a way to increase the flow of blood to the face. This helps to flush acne-causing toxins and to provide your facial skin with natural nutrients that help to decrease the formation of acne and to heal scar tissue.

People who suffer from acne should also take care to perform some simple daily rituals that can help to reduce the occurrence of acne and scarring.

Dermatologists and alternative medicine practitioners suggest that acne-sufferers should wash the area twice daily with mild soap. Washing should be gentle. Scrubbing or grating the skin will only aggravate the condition and lead to scarring.

Hair should be washed thoroughly and regularly and should be kept away from the face and shoulders.

Acne sufferers should also avoid shaving as much as possible. When shaving, take care not to run the blade over blemishes. Always use a new blade so as not to spread infection.

Avoid wearing make-up and facial cosmetics. If you must, take care to use make-up that is hypoallergenic.

In order to prevent scarring, do not pop or squeeze pimples. Popping and squeezing pimples is tempting, but can easily cause infection and the development of unwanted scar tissue.

While many of these holistic therapies can be easily performed at home, it is a good idea to speak with your dermatologist or alternative medicine practitioner about the best holistic measures to take as a way to help with acne and acne-related scarring.

Lasers - A Modern Cosmetic Treatment For Acne Blemishes

The best way to protect your skin from acne-related scarring is to take preventative measures early on. But it is often true that people who suffer from acne are unable to prevent future scarring sufficiently. In fact, it is estimated that more than 10 million Americans end up with scarring caused by acne.

There are many degrees of acne-related scarring. In some cases, the scarring is very minimal and hard to notice. But in other cases, scarring is severe and can cause long-term emotional damage. Many teenagers who have severe scarring caused by acne suffer from depression and a loss of self-confidence. They may become emotionally withdrawn and isolated, unhappy with their appearance.

There are many different factors that contribute to the level of severity of acne-related scarring. Dermatological studies indicate that genetics may play a large role in determining how mild or severe an individual's scarring may be. It is also evident that adolescents who suffer from particularly problematic acne may be more likely to have severe scarring in adulthood.

Luckily, many therapies and medical procedures have been developed to help ease acne-related scarring. The earlier someone begins appropriate treatment, the better the chance that scarring will be diminished.

Those who are considering undergoing therapy or medical procedures to combat acne-related scarring should discuss the possibilities with their dermatologists.

Laser treatment is one approach to help with acne-related scarring. There are two major kinds of lasers that are used in acne scar laser therapy. They are ablative lasers and non-ablative lasers.

Ablative lasers work by removing the outermost layers of the skin. These lasers burn scar tissue and cause a tightening in the dermal collagen. This reduces the visibility of the scarring. The yellow light laser, a sort of ablative laser, can help to treat keloidal scars by reducing redness and flattening the surface. Yellow light lasers also reduce itching of raised scars.

Laser treatments performed with ablative lasers actually injure the skin and leave it exposed without its outermost protective layers. Those who receive this sort of laser therapy must take extreme care to help wounds heal and prevent possible infection from occurring. The skin may appear reddened for a several months or even a year after the laser treatment. Non-ablative laser treatments affect the dermis directly and do not injure the outermost layers of skin, or the epidermis. Smoothbeam is a non-ablative laser recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Smoothbeam works by heating the sebum-producing sebaceous gland, which helps to reduce acne formation. Smoothbeam also heats the collagen, which causes a tightening in the dermis, making scarring less apparent,

Before non-ablative laser treatment is performed, a topical cream is applied to the skin. In order to prevent epidermal damage, the skin is cooled. The patient receiving this treatment will experience some stinging and some sensations of heat during the procedure, but the topical cream helps ease these sensations. The procedure lasts for about an hour. Three sessions are usually recommended to achieve noticeable improvement in acne-related scarring.

Because ablative and non-ablative laser treatments for acne-related scarring differ so much in their effects and side effects, those considering laser therapy should discuss the details of these procedures with their dermatologists.

Cow Juice and Acne

There is growing evidence that suggests that the consumption of cow's milk can actually cause acne breakouts. There are many hormones, bioactive molecules, and other substances found in milk that have a direct relationship to the development of acne in humans.

One such substance is iodine. For people who have acne-prone skin, iodine can be a problem because it can stimulate pores into producing acne-causing oil. Dermatological studies have shown that 1,000 micrograms (or 1 milligram) of iodine a day can have acne-producing effects.

11% of milk samples gathered from over 150 dairy herds in the state of Wisconsin were found to contain over 1,000 micrograms of iodine per liter of milk. Iodine enters cow's milk through milking equipment and through some medications given to milk-producing cows.

The hormone 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is one hormone that is known to be a direct cause of acne flare-ups. DHT causes stimulation of the oil-making cells of human skin, which can cause acne.

While cow's milk does not contain DHT, it contains many other hormones that are broken down into DHT. In fact, the volume of these hormones is particularly high in the milk of pregnant cows, which comprises 75% to 90% of the milk and dairy products found in supermarket coolers.

Many of the hormones found in the milk produced by pregnant cows also may break down to create androgen, a hormone that causes an increase in the production of sebum, the waxy material that is secreted by the sebaceous glands. Sebum is known to clog pores and to lead to acne breakouts.

In addition to the hormones found in cow's milk, the fat, sugar, and animal proteins found in milk may also aggravate acne.

Research has shown that many of the foods commonly thought to be associated with acne, such as greasy french fries, oily pizza, or sugary chocolate, are not actually related to acne at all. Instead, it is milk and dairy products that are more likely to cause an increase in persistent acne breakouts.

Whole milk, reduced fat milk, and skim milk, are all equal in their potential to cause acne when consumed. Those who suffer from acne should also watch out for milk-based dairy products such as cottage cheese and cream cheese. Dairy products also often contain high levels of butterfat and milk sugars, both of which should be avoided by those who suffer from frequent acne breakouts.

Many dermatologists advise their patients to omit all milk and dairy products from their diets in an effort to minimize the appearance of acne. Patients who choose to adopt this method of acne-control, however, should be conscious that their milk and dairy-free diets have appropriate amounts of calcium. These people might consider taking a daily calcium supplement, and should talk with their doctors about how else they might compensate for the omission of milk and dairy products from their diets.

A clinical dermatological study conducted over 10 years concluded that milk contributed significantly to acne problems of a large percentage of the 1,088 teenagers who took part in the study. The study also showed marked improvements in the teens' acne as they curbed their consumption of all milk and dairy products.

Adult Acne Treatment - Simple Solutions

Are you one of the millions of adults who have acne? Many adults are dealing with acne, the first signs of wrinkles and grey hair all at the same time - talk about physical and emotional tolls. Life just seems too unfair at times. Fortunately, there are some simple solutions for treating acne. Really. You don't have to live with it.

To properly treat acne, one must first understand what causes it. When hair follicles and sebaceous glands become inflamed acne follows soon after. Sebum is an oily substance made by the sebaceous glands. Bacterial growth and inflammation result when too much sebum is produced. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the four basic mechanisms contributing to acne are hormones, increased sebum production, changes inside hair follicles, and bacteria.

These simple solutions require persistence and consistency.

First things first, talk to a Dermatologist. A Dermatologist can provide you with the best solutions for you based on your medical history, age, skin type etc. Depending on the severity of your acne and your individual circumstances, your Dermatologist may want to prescribe an antibiotic, a vitamin A derivative like Isotretinoin, or one of the other acne drugs now available.

Use non-comedogenic products. Non-comedogenic basically means - not likely to block the pores of the skin, or cause blackheads or acne. There are many non-comedogenic products available today, including, makeup, foundation, moisturizers, sunscreen, lip stick, etc. If it's something that you apply to your skin you should be able to find a non-comedogenic version. In fact, you can also find non-comedogenic and medicated makeup with acne fighting ingredients like, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and sulfur. These products shouldn't clog your pores and should help treat acne.

Proper skin care is also very important. Gently washing with a facial cleanser that contains benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, or sulfur will also kill the bacteria that causes acne. Proactiv Solution is one such product that is used my millions of people - with great results. Whatever product you decide to use, do not scrub your face as this can irritate your skin and make your acne worse.

Even though there is no cure for acne, there are several effective methods available today to treat it. By discussing your acne with a Dermatologist you can determine the best course of action for you. In the mean time, keep your chin up - there are treatments available that will help you with your acne situation. Imagine waking up one morning and noticing how clear your face is becoming. It really is a great feeling!

Save Money On Acne Cleansers

My first education on how to buy acne skin care products came from Johnson & Johnson and Noxema. They had their models wash their clear complexions with the perfect acne cleanser and then, once the suds vanished, the models were dancing around so happy not having to worry about zits.

Alas, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid and most other acne washes do not wash away zits.

One trap to fall into with cleansers is over cleansing, which can aggravate acne. The next trap, which is common, is to expect too much from one product.

For example, benzoyl peroxide works by destroying excess acne provoking bacteria. Salicylic acid exfoliates the skin and clears the pores, which reduces the chances for waste buildup in the pores and producing a zit.

If you have severe acne like I did, over the counter acne washes cannot provide the amount of bacteria control and exfoliation you need to keep acne at bay.

It's like trying to empty a bathtub with a teaspoon instead of just unplugging the water clog. Severe acne requires regulating the skin on an internal and external level. You can regulate the growth of excess bacteria on the face and body in a number of ways.

1. Decrease or control your stress response.

Stress sets off a series of hormonal reactions that can ultimately produce excess oil on the face and provide an ideal environment for excess acne-causing bacteria growth on the face.

2. Moderate sugar consumption.

Excess sugar, like stress, moves the hormones to excrete more oil on the face. It's not the chocolate the causes the acne, just the collective hormonal response of a sugar overload.

3. Take a multi-vitamin.

It may sound silly, or trivial, but taking a multivitamin can provide vital nutrients that boosts the immune system and help you manage stress better. Collectively, strong immunity and stress control help reduce acne breakouts.

I learned these three points the hard way. Trial and error and buying a lot of acne skin care products. If your at a loss about choosing an acne product, I can only say this, high price does not guarantee high quality. When I used Oxy 10 for instance, I found it worked just as well as products that costs 5 times as much. One drawback is that these drying products are not ideal for maturing skin. If you are battling acne and wrinkles, I suggest using essential oils to combat acne flair-ups such as tea tree or eucalyptus oil.

On a final note, if you've been using an acne cleanser for months with no noticeable improvement in your skin, I suggest trying to regulate you skin's condition from the inside, with sound nutrition and relaxation.

Deep Peels for Acne: What it feels like to get burned

There I was. I had paid just under $400 dollars to get a bright, clear, zit and scar-free face. My appointment for a deep herbal skin peel had arrived. As my cognizant and trusted Russian aesthetician, Dana, glided me onto the spa bed, she warned, "This his going to hurt a lot, you must be strong."

Seconds later I am courageously, though mentally moaning to myself, ""Jesus! Uhhh! Iiiiiiiiiii! Help! It feels like she''s rubbing glass into my face.""

"You''re doing fine? Just a few more minutes and we'll be done. Yes, it is tough to be beautiful", coached Dana.

"I am out of my body, I am out of my body. I am free. I feel easy, light? Crap! This is not working, it still hurts like hell", I whimpered to myself.

A satanic eternity later, Dana was done. And all the Heavens rejoiced in my cosmetic liberation. To all appearances, Dana took my face from scarred and acneic to blistered and tamale red in a matter of 7 minutes.

"Here, take these home and use them as I have instructed. You must do as I say or you will damage your skin and it will not look like baby new skin when you return in four days. Be extremely careful with your skin, it is very fragile now, be gentle with it. Do not scrub or wash your skin for the next three days. Use only the materials that I have given you."

Dana''s words were all I could think about in the coming hours. As I rushed home from the spa looking like a red version of the Blue Men, I congratulated myself for following through on a decision that took over a year to make.

For the next three days I avoided the sun like a bat and hid away from society. If I did have to face the sun, even just for a few seconds, I slathered my skin with a physical sun block that contained titanium oxide that Dana gave me.

Day One After the Deep Peel:

My face is no longer red. It became extremely dry. My face is like a fish out of water, scaly. I use the thick cream Dana gave me as she foretold, "Your skin will become very dry and then begin to peel off in chunks. And then you will have nice, new and beautiful skin like a baby."

Day Two After the Deep Peel:

"It has begun! It has begun!" I scream like a mad scientist. The moment I was waiting for- my skin began peeling off in chunks. I could just lightly rub my face and dry scales of skin would come off. It was amazing all day long this was happening. Scales of dry skin coming off my face. It did not hurt. It was just amazing to witness first hand.

Day Three After the Deep Peel:

More of day-two type activity. My skin is peeling like crazy. I'm a happy because I can already tell that most of my scars are gone.

Day Four After the Deep Peel:

I return to see Dana. She gives me a facial to remove the excess dead skin cells from my face. Afterwards, Dana and I are both amazed at the results. She bemoans, "I wished I had taken a before and after picture, you look completely different now. Your skin is beautiful!"

I agreed with her 150%. I had new clear skin that was as soft and firm as a newborn baby's face.

This deep peel turned out to be a hasty move on my part, because just a few months later, my skin was just as scarred with zits as it was before I started the deep peel. I realized that I needed to have my acne under control before proceeding with serious, and not to mention expensive, skin treatments. I advise the same to all. Make sure your zit break outs are few and far between before you spend your money on scar removal.