Foods That Cause Acne

We have all heard the stories or old wife’s tales that you if you eat chocolate, fries or pizza that this can all cause bouts of acne, well I have to say for your information that this is all wrong! Things that have been said like that are just myths. Do not get me wrong there are some foods that can and will make acne worse for some people but in part researchers have found that there are no connections to foods “causing” acne.

The latest research that is in from Australia has seen suggestion that eating a lot of foods that are high in carbohydrate can cause acne to get worse or flair. This is based on the theory of where heavy and constant consumption of high carbohydrate foods in effect stimulates lots of production of insulin. What this does is build up a resistance towards insulin causing more and more to be produced. High insulin can make the ovaries produce more of a hormone called testosterone which can encourage acne, this maybe what is the cause of flaring.

As we should be aware, there is a lot of research going on around acne treatments and how to prevent is, in medical institutions there have been huge clinical studies that have not so far made any association between the foods we eat and acne, but as we have discussed before, there are some foods that can make your acne worse. You can determine what sorts of foods are affecting you by avoiding it for a term of around 2 to 4 weeks. Keep a look at yourself and notice if there are any changes in the severity of your acne. If your acne improves over that period of time then it’s quite possible that you assumed correctly. After you have taken your break you can try eating the food again to test whether your acne gets a boost in severity. As it has been said by many people before me eating a healthy well balanced diet is the best road to take for any health issue, eating foods that are high in fat and generally now so great for you should be eaten in moderation.

So it appears in conclusion that there are no foods that cause acne, only those that make it worse. Of course this will vary from person to person it’s down to you to test your diet to find out. Chocolate lovers you are safe for the moment…you can still enjoy in moderation without worrying about acne breaking out.

This site can show you how to get rid of acne forever. You'll learn simple methods that stop acne fast. There's also a acne blog that's updated weekly.

Managing Acne and Dispelling Myths

By Sarah Rhodes
There are many medicines and cream that are used to fight acne. But so far, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the easiest way to go. It is important to say that by leading a healthy lifestyle, you will not only get healthier skin, but also a healthier body. Changing habits will be hard at first, but in the long run you will have a better general health, and more energy, and clearer, healthier skin.

For most mild to moderate forms of acne, daily use of a good skin cleanser is enough to control the outbreaks. However, there are many forms of the disease that will require a more serious acne treatment for effective results. Acne on the back, sometimes called 'bacne', is often resistant to normal cleansers for instance. Bacne often requires additional cleansers that are too harsh to be used on facial areas, but work well on the back because the skin is much tougher there. Glycolic acid is one such cleanser that can be effective for acne on the back, upper arms, or legs, but is not recommended for the neck or face.

Most cases of mild acne can be improved with "over-the-counter" products, or products that don't require a prescription from your doctor. There is a wide range of treatments available, and there’s a good chance one of them will work for you. If you start treatment before your acne gets severe, you’ll have a better chance of avoiding physical and emotional problems down the road. But if your acne gets worse or lasts more than a couple of weeks, see a dermatologist.

Among popular alpha hydroxyl acids, glycolic acid is one of the most commonly used. It has similar results with a chemical peel. Even when used in strong concentrations, glycolic acid has only few negative side effects. Long-term day to day use may also have a beneficial effect on acne scars. Glycolic acid is also effective in increasing skin resistance to ultraviolet light, improving moisture retention, as well as the general skin condition. However, even though it is quite effective and has only minor side effects, it is better to use as part of a more complex skin care system.

While, benzoyl peroxide can be used for short-term treatment of mild acne in the US, its long-term use has the potential to damage skin. On the whole, safer options that allow natural resolution of acne are recommended. Natural alternatives to benzoyl peroxide are calendula or tea tree oil. Psidium guajava and Juglans regia leaf extracts were found to be beneficial in treating acne. Granulysin peptides were also found to be effective against P.acne and may form an alternative therapy against acne in future.

Oral contraceptives can be effective for some women. For women with acne who also need birth control, some doctors will prescribe an oral contraceptive that contains either mestranol or ethinylestradiol. These drugs interfere with the androgen hormone that causes acne.

The author, Sarah Rhodes, suffered from acne for many years before finally discovering a cure that works. You can read about her and learn the secret home acne treatment that is guaranteed to work without doctors, prescriptions, or over-the-counter products. Please visit Sarah's website: acnehomesolution.com

Adult Acne: A Bumpy Ride Towards Aging

by: Charlene J. Nuble
Picture this; the snow-white clear skin that you have been proud of since your teen years has suddenly poofed into a wicked witch's warty face upon reaching the age of 30! "Acne, at my age?" This is often the distressed statement of pockmarked men and women in their 30's to 40's afflicted with adult acne.

This problem is surely not the work of a vengeful sorcerer. Acne vulgaris is what this most common skin disorder in the United States is scientifically called. Statistics has it that 15 million people in US alone are afflicted with acne. It is an embarrassing problem among teenagers. But this condition is not only limited to those awkward years. Adult acne is also prevalent, especially among people in the age group of 25 to 40.

Acne is a disease that resulted from the accumulation of sebum, a highbrow term for oil, underneath the skin. When this happens and the desquamation (human's way of molting) process goes wrong, the pores become clogged. Aggravation will continue and soon infection sets in. A bad bug called Propionibacterium acnes causes this infection. Overproduction of oil and mismanagement of the process of shedding cells equals bunged pores. Clogged pores plus P. acnes, the scoundrel, equals breakout. Those pesky zits are produced just as easy as that.

One of the pushing forces that may cause the occurrence of acne includes the elevation of levels of testosterone among adolescents. No, it's not Toblerone misspelled. No matter how many anecdotes you've heard about chocolate addiction causing zits to dominate your face, there's really no enough scientific basis to prove this. Testosterone is a chemical produced by the body that increase sebum production and change the keratin of the hair follicles. Testosterone is an androgen. Androgen is a hormone produced in high levels among males. This is the reason behind the worse cases of acne among teenage boys more than girls.

Adult acne is called acne rosacea. It is characterized by the following: unsightly thick, red skin on the nose and cheeks, pus-filled blisters, small red bumps, and small red blood vessels seen on the skin surface. It is more commonly linked to increased levels of stress. Isn't it interesting how the body reacts to this stimulus? NOT. When exhausted, like Gizmo getting wet, our skin could actually give birth to little monsters! Though they are not as troublesome as gremlins, they could be just as annoying as well. Seriously, pimples can be difficult to deal with, and can cause depression and anxiety in an adult the same way it can in a teen. Pressure from work and family responsibilities is thought to possibly affect the normal balance of our hormones. And hormones messed up means having to put up with bumpy complexion caused by adult acne.

Aside from stress-triggered hormonal imbalance, hot foods alcohol consumption, and smoking are also considered to exacerbate adult acne. This may help you reconsider your food preferences and habits.

Acne lesions are commonly found on the face, but they can also pop out anytime on the neck, chest, back, shoulders, scalp, and upper arms and legs. Adult acne is more persistent than teen acne. It is because adults are consistently exposed to the many factors that cause breakouts. Another hitch of adult acne is permanent scarring. It is an evidence of the inevitable reality that with the coming of age, the skin loses its erstwhile ability to repair itself. As if there's a need to be reminded of that when your face starts to wrinkle already. Now here's more to shriek in terror for, especially those in their mid-20's: adult acne causes PREMATURE AGING. Isn't that just nerve-wracking?

Enough of the endless yada's regarding how adult acne could further destroy us. As how master Yoda puts is, educated we must be with the crusade towards clearer AND younger skin. Or at least skin that is just our age we must maintain.

At the first sight of those wicked pimples together with gray hair and wrinkles (talk about aging signs overkill), just like with teenagers, impulse dictates squeezing. But you very well know that squeezing is a big no-no. How old are you? You surely don't need any more marks of time's passage.

In severe cases, consulting a dermatologist would best help in dealing with adult acne. The dermatologist may prescribe an antibiotic, vitamin A derivative like Isotretinoin or other acne drug available. More women may be afflicted with adult acne than men. Pregnancy is another story if you are prescribed anti-acnes, especially Isotretinoin.

Proper skin care may not guarantee a flawless complexion. But a good skin care regimen may aid in warding off bacteria that worsen adult acne. If you love scrubbing for its squeaky-clean feel, think twice. It can render more damage to your already-blemished skin.

Another hint especially for women: use NON-COMEDOGENIC products. Non-comedogenic basically means anything that does not clog skin pores or cause acne. Do your homework and look for as many non-comedogenic versions of the skin care products you use. It's worth it, you'll see.

If stress is linked with adult acne, then, disengaging yourself from stressful activities might work wonders, right? A day away from work or catching up on one of your hobbies won't hurt.

There's this bold Jean Kerr reacting on a classical quotation.

"I'm tired of all this nonsense about beauty being only skin-deep. That's deep enough. What do you want, an adorable pancreas?"

It doesn't mean the depreciation of a pleasing personality. Such reaction only imparts a message of giving value to what boosts your self-esteem. If it's a clear complexion along with your aging gracefully, so be it. No adult acne should put a shame on your face and get in your way of becoming more confident.


About the Author: Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information about acne, please go to: http://acne.besthealthlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/

Why Don't Acne Cures Work?

by: GSET Publishing
Quite a bit of money can be spent searching for acne cures that work. There are so many products available, that it is hard to know which one’s to try. You try one product, only to be disappointed, and then spend a lot of money on another system that claims it will cure your acne, only to be disappointed again. It seems to be a never ending cycle of looking for a cure, thinking you’ve found an acne cure, then being disappointed all over again.

The biggest problem is that people don’t give the acne cures enough time to actually work, switching from one product to the next on a weekly basis. It can take up to three months for an acne treatment to cure your acne, and you may even notice that your acne appears to be getting worse before it starts to get better. Failure to follow the product directions is another common problem. Using too much of the acne medication can be just as much of a problem as not using it enough, causing your skin to become irritated.

The problem may not be the acne cures. Too often, people depend solely on the acne medication to cure acne, when in fact other lifestyle changes are needed. In many cases, medicinal acne treatments are not even required if you find that something else in your life is causing the acne. Most people don’t think in terms of what is causing the acne in the first place, concentrating solely on curing the existing acne. But, in order to cure it for good, you must first determine what is causing it. Then, you will have your acne cure.

Science has shown us that acne is caused by excessive sebum production. With that proven, it is up to you, and possibly your health care provider, to determine exactly what is causing your body to produce excess sebum.

Other than the medication, you have to look at how you care for your skin. You must wash your face well at least twice each day, stop wearing makeup - which only serves to clog your pores even more, drink plenty of water, eat fresh fruits and vegetables, and exercise at least three times a week. Many people don’t realize it, but exercise relieves stress and helps remove toxins from the body through sweat. Both stress and toxins contribute to acne, which is why exercising regularly can actually be an acne cure for you.

Furthermore, you must keep your hair and your hands off your face. Hair and hands contain oils that contribute to acne. Squeezing or popping acne pimples is another problem, because it spreads the bacteria, and often causes scarring as well.

You may have a food allergy that is causing your acne. If this is the case, a visit to an allergy specialist, determining what foods you are allergic to, and eliminating those foods from your diet will cure your acne in most cases. Many people don’t realize that they have food allergies, although most of us actually do, and in many cases, the only symptom that there is an allergy is, in fact, an acne breakout!

Making simple lifestyle changes may be the best acne cure available to you, and you may be pleasantly surprised at the results - especially considering how small the changes are. You should also increase your intake of vitamins A and E, as both of the vitamins promote healthy skin. You can take supplements, or eat foods that are rich in one or both of these vitamins. This small change can also help to cure or prevent acne.

However, if making these small lifestyle changes, and using over the counter acne treatments does not provide an acne cure for you, it may be necessary for you to visit a dermatologist to determine what will work. There are many different treatments available that have proven to be effective acne cures. While most of the acne cures your dermatologist will recommend can be expensive, they are usually well worth the cost. Again, make sure that you give the treatment time to work, and follow the directions of your dermatologist for use of the medication.


About the Author

Acneteam.com strives to provide you with the latest information with regard to acne, the best acne treatments, the "old wives' tales" and acne cures(http://www.acneteam.com/acne-cures.html). Don't blame the blemishes, we love to help! See for yourself at: AcneTeam.com(http://www.acneteam.com/)