Acne Relief

Posts Tagged ‘daily’

I don’t know about you, but I am a huge fan of coffee. Not that gourmet stuff you get at places like Starbucks or some other joints that require you to take out a signature loan for a cafe latte or mocha whatever. No, just give me a simple cup of Joe, keep them coming throughout the day and I am good to go. No sugar, no creams, just a strong black beverage that has some kick to it that will get me up and keep me going. I know I picked up the habit from my dad and cherish our memories and moments we had over a morning cup of coffee.

Unfortunately, my predisposition to acne also seems to benefit from the black nectar. While I avoid other caffeinated beverages like sodas and energy drinks (I just don’t like them, too sweet, syrupy and expensive) I have no intention of giving up my coffee. So what’s a person to do?

Well, the way I see it, if caffeine is going to play havoc with your acne, you have three choices. You can resign yourself to the fact that pimples are going to be a part of your daily life and wear those bad boys with pride and determination. You can cut out the coffee (caffeine) and feel sluggish and deprived. Or you can find a remedy that will offset the negative effects and allow you to enjoy this simple pleasure in life. The choice is yours. What’s it going to be? Do you hear the Jeopardy theme song in the back ground? Can’t you see Bob Barker telling you to pick a door?

Well, when I was younger I though there were only two choices. Cut out the coffee or enjoy and live with the acne. Like I said, my dad hooked me up with my taste for coffee (I don’t know why he didn’t pass on his flawless complexion gene) and I would be dammed if I was going to miss out on those precious moments that I shared with him over a cup. It wasn’t going to happen, no way no how. Acne was just going to have to be the price I paid.

Well, one day our morning ritual changed. After we finished our cup of coffee, my father got up from the table, grabbed a lemon from the refrigerator and ran it under some hot water. He then proceeded to roll it on the counter with the palm of his hand, applying slight pressure. He got two glasses of ice and water. Then cut the lemon in half and squeezed the juice from each half in their respective glass. At the time he said something about having an upset stomach and the lemon cutting the acidity of the coffee. But looking back, I realize that it was his way of noticing the effect the caffeine was having on my acne and his attempt to help. His upset stomach was a cockamamie story.

I don’t know where he learned that lemon juice can get rid of caffeine acne. But from that day forward, my acne improved and every other day or so, our morning cup of coffee was followed by a half of a lemon squeezed over a glass of ice water. God, I miss that man.

Your journey of getting rid of acne should begin with that old saying we’ve all heard our entire lives; “you are what you eat!”

What you put into your body not only provides the sustenance you need to live but it is also a reflection of your existence both literally and figuratively. It comes through in the shine of your hair and the glow of your skin. What you put into your mouth not only says something about who you are, but it affects the way you look and how you will look and feel tomorrow. In your fight to get rid of your acne this is probably the one area where you have total control yet it’s probably the least advanced. Let’s change that right now.

Starting immediately, commit yourself in your fight to getting rid of acne by declaring that you will drink lots of water and introduce a varied assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables into your daily diet.

Water cleanses and refreshes your body. It flushes toxins from your system and is essential for your overall health. Not enough water and the toxins build up which can result in breakouts. If you don’t get enough water you can actually poison yourself in your own metabolic waste. Eight to ten glasses a day should be enough to promote clear skin.

An intelligent, balanced diet goes a long way in helping you get rid of acne, but did you know that there are certain foods that produce a powerful punch of acne ridding vitamins and mineral

Vitamin A is essential for healthy skin and found in abundance in dairy products and liver. It’s also found in carrots and cantaloupe as well as oatmeal, sweet potato and pumpkin .

Vitamin B is necessary to maintain an optimal metabolism. Several excellent sources are avocados, eggs and green leafy vegetables.

Vitamin C is necessary for you to maintain healthy collagen levels. Collagen is a structural protein in the skin. Without this protein your skin would simply fall apart. Excellent sources in your fight to get rid of acne are strawberries, citrus fruits, green peas and tomatoes.

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps slow the aging process and slow the oxidative damages to your body. Excellent sources are nuts, seeds, vegetables and liver oil.

Finally Zinc. Use Zinc to boost your immune system and promote optimal health. It is necessary for the function of over 300 enzymes responsible for biological processes too numerous to mention and talk about here. Excellent sources for you fight in getting rid of acne are: turkey, port, seafood (especially oysters) as well as whole grain breads and cereals.

Pay attention to the foods you put into your body and you will be rewarded in your efforts to get rid of your acne with clear skin.

Ever since I’ve been contemplating about acne laser skin treatment, I’ve been noticing more about other people’s skin.  I’ve always looked at other people’s faces with envy without any acne scarring but now I’m beginning to think I can be scar free too with Fraxel laser treatment.  I’m holding out for the hope at least.  All the Fraxel laser literature says great things about it.  However, this is my face we’re talking about here so I must do my research.

The way Fraxel laser is supposed to work is by sending thousands of microscopic beams of light in specific areas of treatment to destroy damaged skin cells while promoting the growth of new ones.  And because the Fraxel laser only targets 5 to 50 percent of the skin’s surface, it leaves the rest of the skin free to help with the healing.  I am not well versed in cosmetic dermatology so it all sounds good to me.  Also, they claim that Fraxel’s recovery time is much shorter than other acne laser scar removal procedures precisely because of this localized healing and the precise nature of the laser.

Okay, so maybe that’s all marketing hype but the Fraxel treatment has been FDA cleared to treat acne scars and skin resurfacing.  One can only hope that they are not in the pockets of the cosmetic companies and they have our best interests at heart.

In any case, maybe I’m cynical but I really, really want to believe in Fraxel for my acne scarring and so I’ve been doing lots of research.  Reading Fraxel reviews, only slightly more than 50% said they would recommend it.  Why so low if the cosmetic industry says it’s the greatest acne scar removal treatment there is?  Are the only reviewers on these forums just negative people?  We all know that people are more likely to give negative comments than give positive comments.  That’s just the way life is.   People just don’t give compliments or say thank you in their daily lives so you can’t expect them to log into a forum.  At least that’s the way I’m justifying it.

However, other things that concern me are the down times advertised.  The Fraxel laser treatment brochures I’ve been given say that the downtime is short (actually, they don’t say specific numbers at all).  The Fraxel side effects I’d expect are redness and swelling much like a sunburn.  And then I can expect some itching and flaking and then a bronzed skin appearance.  Okay, that doesn’t sound bad at all and frankly, I’ve had worse from acne medication that caused the flakiness and drying.  I can live with this.  However, from the reviews I’ve read, the side effects are much more severe and longer lasting.  We’re talking about a week of down time here.  For some people, they might be able to get away with make up but I would probably want to take a week off.  First of all, I don’t want my coworkers to know that I’m getting a cosmetic procedure done and next, I would want to stay away from the sun for as long as possible so I don’t get burned.  I think the treatment makes you more light sensitive.  Finally, I don’t want to wear make up as that might aggravate the acne into coming back.  I’ve already read from people that after Fraxel treatments, it made their acne come back so you better be prepared for that as well and have some medication either oral or topical to combat it.

Maybe the people who are reviewing the Fraxel laser treatment haven’t had the full course yet.  You’re supposed to get a series of four treatments spaced 1 to 3 months apart.  Perhaps they stopped at only one when they didn’t see any results or the results weren’t to their expectations.   Apparently with the Fraxel laser, you see immediate results and then the progressive results that happen later on.  With the immediate results, your face gets fuller I guess because of the swelling so it elevates the pitted acne scars.  But then later on, when the collagen starts to produce you see the more permanent results.  Again, this is what has been advertised by the cosmetics industry.  Is it just because they want you to come back for return visits so it pays them more?  I don’t know.  I think the best scenario is to have realistic expectations before having the laser treatment.  That is what I’m going to ask my dermatologist.  How much can I expect my acne scars to improve after Fraxel?   If it doesn’t work then either she is a bad doctor or she lied.  In either case, I’m not going to go for a second, third and fourth treatment after that.  It would be a waste of money and I’m putting my face in danger by a doctor I cannot trust.

There are many Fraxel acne resources so I suggest that you read up when having this procedure done.  I know I am.

Teens and adults alike are forever in search of the best acne blemish treatment. Surprisingly, it may not be the benzoyl peroxide or salicyclic acid found in OTC pimple medications. Rather, research shows that antioxidants may be the ultimate solution…here’s why:

Antioxidants are plentiful in natural foods, such as blueberries, grapes and pomegranates, and are available in man-made specialty supplements as well.

Antioxidants include some vitamins and minerals, including vitamin E, C, A and the minerals zinc and selenium. Even more powerful versions can be found in herbal extracts. Antioxidants serve as a barrier on the skin, preventing oxygen molecules, known as free radicals, from entering the dermal layer and causing skin blemishes. As we get older antioxidants in the skin decrease. Eating foods ripe in antioxidants or taking antioxidant supplements can therefore be the best acne blemish treatment.

Antioxidants can help protect against the invasion of free radicals, minimize skin blemishes and keep the skin healthy and vibrant. The pulp of fruits and vegetables can be used on the skin, or oils with Vitamin E, such as olive oil, coconut oil or sesame oil can be used in a daily application that may be the best acne blemish treatment you have found.

Products containing antioxidants are available, such as niacinamide. It is a form of Vitamin B and is considered safe and fast-acting. A four per cent niacinamide cream is water soluble, does not last in the body for long and therefore does not build up in the system.

Vitamin A with carotenoids strengthens the skin and helps prevent skin blemishes by reducing the production of sebum. It is a powerful antioxidant and a Vitamin A deficiency can actually lead to acne.

Vitamin B complex helps maintain healthy skin tone. The Vitamin B group consists of B1 (thiamine,) B2 (riboflavin,) B3 (niacine,) B6 (pantothenic acid, pyridoxine,) and B12 (cyanocobalamin.) Each Vitamin B element plays a role in creating healthy skin and preventing skin blemishes.

Vitamin C and bioflavonoids are antioxidants required for tissue growth and repair. Chromium treats skin blemishes by reducing skin infection rates. Zinc helps heal tissues and prevent scarring. Vitamin E is another antioxidant that promotes skin healing.

One of the most promising new applications, considered by some to be best acne blemish treatment is a special formula called Acuzine which contains many of the most powerful antioxidants in one comprehensive supplement. As such, it is able to work inside and out to prevent future breakouts and minimize skin blemishes.

Taking a good multivitamin with chromium provides a supplement to meet daily requirements and promote healthy skin. Taking too many vitamin and mineral supplements can be dangerous, so it is important to follow the daily-recommended dosage. Many people suffering from acne will find that with the proper amounts, multivitamins will help clear up their acne.

So when you’re searching for the best acne blemish treatment, don’t overlook the antioxidants that improve your skin naturally. They can not only help reduce skin blemishes and pimples, but also improve overal health by fighting off disease and illness.