Acne Articles

Acne control doesn't have to be a hugely complex affair. You don't have to sort through all of the available commercial acne control products either. There are several natural ways to alleviate acne and control the situation to stop future acne breakouts.

First of all, cleansing is really the only completely necessary part of an effective acne control regimen. Cleansing is important because most acne is caused by bacteria that flourish underneath the surface layers of skin. When this bacterial growth gets out of hand, the body responds by enclosing the infected pore. This is how a pimple is formed.

So, acne control starts with an effective cleanser. Now, 'effective' doesn't mean harsh, and it doesn't have to be a specially formulated acne cleansing solution either. In fact, the simpler the cleanser, the better the results will be.

Commercially prepared skin cleansers are nearly always filled with all kinds of extra ingredients that will only dry out skin and exacerbate the situation. People suffering from acne breakouts can tolerate these ingredients even less, though these products take a toll on even healthy skin.

So let's keep things simple. Nature has already provided all of the necessary components to keeping skin healthy and acne free. In fact, the body is completely capable of cleansing and healing itself if given only the most basic support. These support factors include drinking enough water, getting adequate rest, basic cleansing and eating clean foods.

Begin by cleaning the skin with a very simple and gentle cleanser, such as borax or all-natural body wash that is unscented. The simpler the cleanser used the better. After all, all we're trying to accomplish here is breaking up the oil deposits in order to rid the skin of bacteria that causes acne.

It is also a good idea to incorporate some type of exfoliation in order to get at the oil trapped below the dead surface skin cells. By combining exfoliation with cleansing, you'll be able to really impact the underlying causes of acne breakouts.

For improved acne control, in addition to a simple cleansing and exfoliation regimen, try applying undiluted lavender essential oil. Lavender essential oil is safe to apply undiluted to even the most broken or irritated skin. It has powerful antibacterial properties, as well as pain relieving capabilities. At first, lavender applied to broken skin may cause stinging, but this is mild to moderate and is quickly replaced with a pleasant numbness.

Another critical component to acne control is drinking adequate amounts of water. The body needs water in order to perform its own natural cleansing processes. On a cellular level, wastes can only be carried away if the body and blood are properly hydrated.

Without adequate hydration, the body simply isn't able to carry away the various toxins and wastes that the cells dutifully remove from the interior of the cells. The only way to improve this is to drink more water. So how much water is enough? For men, shoot for three to four liters (or quarts) a day. Women should drink between two and three liters (or quarts) each day to maintain optimal hydration levels.