subject: Is A Natural Approach The Best Option? [print this page] There are many products, home remedies for acne and prescription medications, all vying to be the best acne treatment, and they all have their merits. This leads to the questions of who do you believe and which treatment should you use, and the answers largely depend on your individual circumstances.
Acne is associated with adolescence for a good reason: because most of us will develop some form of acne during this time. It is the hormonal changes that occur in teenagers that is responsible for outbreaks of acne experienced by this age group. The sebaceous glands start to produce extra sebum, leaving the skin oily and allowing bacteria to flourish. These bacteria irritate the skin causing it to become inflamed, whilst the pores get clogged up with the oil and dead skin cells, all resulting in acne.
For the average teen there is no need to seek any medical examination, except for the more severe of acne cases. For many, simply washing twice daily with an over the counter product will be the safest and best acne treatment. Achieving a good balance of cleanliness and not allowing the skin to become too dried out with over washing is important for acne control.
Anyone that has continued to suffer with acne beyond their adolescent years knows that for them, this routine is simply not enough. Teens suffering with severe acne will also find these treatments insufficient, and medical advice can be sought by both. A doctor will try to administer the best acne treatment available to them, depending on your particular case. Common treatments are antibiotics, retinoid creams and other topical preparations, as well as oral contraceptives for females.
There is no universal cure for acne, and the medical treatments available will no doubt work for some, but for others they make no difference (and in some cases actually make it worse). Natural home remedies for acne are also widely reported to be beneficial by some but not by others, giving them the same hit and miss chances of working as medical treatments. There are lots of home-made remedies that people claim will work against acne, many of which use a variety of ingredients like honey, lime juice, orange peel, yogurt, fenugreek and cinnamon.
For persistent and severe acne, it is often a sign that something is wrong inside and simply applying topical solutions, natural or medical, don't help. Addressing the problem on the inside will involve making changes to your diet, and by providing your body with the nutrients needed to fight the causes of acne. The junk food and processed products we consume these days contain way too many chemical additives, and putting these directly into the body can cause all sorts of reactions, including acne.
While often overlooked by professionals, diet has proved itself the best acne treatment when all others have failed. Of course, you should combine it with other measures to be able to clear up your acne and stop it returning. Acne effected skin should be washed no more than twice a day, and drinking plenty of water will help too. Water is often not considered important in nutrition, but it is vital for the body to function properly and fight the causes of conditions like acne.
