Herbal Health Secrets

At one point all of us have been trying to find ways on how to be completely acne-free. Here are some natural and not so natural acne treatments that are proven to be effective.

1. Witch Hazel Astringent

This astringent comes from the plant with the same name. It is widely spread from Nova Scotia in Canada down to Texas and Florida. Simply steam the twigs of this plant and voila! The extract you get from it serves as your astringent. Remember to cool it though. What’s good about this is that it occurs naturally and even the process it has undergone is all natural. You can be assured it is less harsh compared with commercially-produced astringents.

2. Commercially Produced Astringents

There is no doubt that astringents we can buy over-the-counter are also effective. There are lots of variants to choose from with additional ingredients that promote better skin. The only downside is it can be a little harsh because of the chemicals added to produce this formula. Use them with extra care as they can dry the skin.

3. All-Natural Treatments

Kitchen and acne are two enemies we may not be aware of. Scout your kitchen for stuff like oranges and lemons, fresh garlic and raw potatoes.

- Oranges and lemons just need to be squeezed on cotton balls. Apply the extract on      affected areas and wash it after about 20 minutes.

- Fresh garlic is used much easier. Just remove its peeling and rub it on your face.

- As for raw potatoes, peel them and rub its flat surface on your face.

The natural extracts from these fruits and vegetables can help minimize the redness at the same time can clean the skin.

4. Oral Antibiotics

For severe cases, antibiotics are prescribed. These medications are orally taken to reduce the amount of bacteria inside and around skin follicles. They also decrease the exasperating chemicals that the white blood cells produce. Lastly, antibiotics diminish the concentration of the free fatty acids found in sebum, also creating an anti-inflammatory action. Consult your dermatologist for the right antibiotic and dosage.

Tetracycline is still the most commonly prescribed antibiotic for acne treatment. Most of this antibiotic should be taken on an empty stomach. Also, this shouldn’t be used by pregnant women and children under 9. Usually, the starting dose is initially 500 milligrams twice daily and is continuously taken until prescribed, or until a considerable dropping off of lesions is visible.

Erythromycin comes close second and can be prescribed to pregnant women. However, it can cause nausea and even upset stomach. Compared to tetracycline, which can only kill bacteria, Erythromycin has both anti-inflammatory and bacteria-killing properties. Also, this antibiotic needs to be taken in a food-filled tummy. You may discuss other possible antibiotics with your doctors regarding the effects and side-effects of each.

5. Topical Treatments
Externally applied creams are also proven effective for acne treatment. However, it results to drying and flaking but it is said to be the most effective treatment for severe acne. Benzoyl peroxide is one very common and effective topical acne treatment.

There are several ways on how to cure back acne. Bacne – a short term for back acne is just like any ordinary forms of acne. It can appear as pimples, blackheads, pustules or in severe cases it would look like an acne cyst. This commonly appears during puberty when the sebaceous gland starts to function aggressively. Male, female, teenagers or adult, back acne does not have a particular range of age nor gender and practically can affect anybody. Below are some ways to treat bacne.

1.     Wear cool clothes and put some powder at your back to prevent perspiration. This is a vital way on how to cure back acne. Change clothes if you have perspired too much on it to prevent further back acne build up.

2.     After doing a vigorous activity, you would probably give off too much sweat. Take a shower immediately or if not possible, wipe your perspiration using towels with soft fabric such as cotton.

3.     Pat dry you skin after taking a shower. Do not rub the towel. It might irritate your skin and cause inflammation on your back acne.

4.     If your back acne is not yet severe, you may still use anti-bacterial cleansers that are designed for facial acne. Nowadays, there are also anti-acne soaps that can be used not just for the face but for body as well. Avoid using regular soap. These soaps may not meet the demands that your sensitive skin needs.

5.     Avoid carrying back packs until your back acne clears up. This would prevent your back from heating up which results to more perspiration and breeding ground for bacteria that causes back acne.

6.     One of the best ways on how to cure back acne properly is to use gels or creams containing at least 10 percent benzoyl peroxide. They can be bought at drugstores even without any prescriptions from a dermatologist (skin doctor).

7.     Studies show that benzoyl peroxide works better when used with products having alpha-hydroxy. This will heal and dry up back acne two times faster.

8.     Some people also have natural techniques on how to cure back acne. One home remedy for treating back acne is to use homemade Sodium Hydrixide (Lye) soap while adding some tea tree oil in it. This does not dry and heal acne faster but would definitely give you a softer skin.

9.     Exfoliate once a week. If you don’t want to spend money on buying expensive body scrubs, you may use sugar instead to take off all those dead skin cells. Do it on the affected area such as back and buttocks.

10.     You may seek professional help in case of very severe back acne. Theirs is nothing to be ashamed about. Dermatologists are willing to help people suffering this kind of skin problem. They would probably recommend medicines that needs prescription, antibiotics that should be taken orally, topical treatments, retinol or even oral contraceptives (for female only).

So there you go. These are only ten of the most effective ways on how to cure back acne.