Acne

There are quite a few prescription medications used to combat acne, but one of the most frequent choices for women is the use of a birth control pill for acne. This approach can be used with teenagers as well as adult women, but if you’re a guy, you are out of luck. Using the birth control pill for acne on a man is a recipe for disaster. The female hormones would wreak havoc on a man’s system.

For women though, the birth control pill for acne can be a minor miracle. And if your acne is severe enough to require use of the most dangerous acne drug, birth control is an absolute necessity. You will not be able to take the risky drug without also using the birth control pill for acne.

Why does using the birth control pill for acne work?

Teen girls and women often experience outbreaks of acne just before their menstrual periods. This is especially true with teens because their hormones are often surging out of whack and haven’t settled into a more even production yet. The birth control pill for acne works by evening out those hormonal surges. When a woman’s hormones are regulated by using the birth control pill for acne, they often find the breakouts lessen in both frequency and severity.

Is taking birth control pills for acne right for you?

The hormones estrogen, progestin and testosterone can be wildly unstable in the first few years after a girl enters puberty. The fluctuating levels of these hormones can really irritate the acne nearly all teens are prone to suffer. For girls experiencing moderate or worse breakouts, and the embarrassment that comes with them, using birth control pills for acne can be a miracle. Not only do their systems calm down, the breakouts become milder. Adult women often appreciate the clearer skin that comes with the pill, even though they weren’t using birth control pills for acne in the first place.

If you are suffering severe acne problems, your doctor may choose to put you on very effective medication called isotretinoin. This drug, sold under the name Accutane, is very powerful, highly effective and absolutely not to be used during pregnancy. This is where birth control pills for acne are most often prescribed.

Accutane can cause such damage to a fetus that if a doctor prescribes it for you, he is required by law to make sure you have two negative pregnancy tests no more than a week before you start taking the drug. You have to be using birth control, so most doctors prescribe birth control pills for acne as well, and you must have a negative pregnancy test before each month’s refill of Accutane.

These regulations have been in place for some time, but because pregnancies while on isotretinoin are still happening, new federal regulations have been added. If you take the drug, you are required to sign into a national database so doctors, pharmacists and the government can track users of the drug and make sure all the anti-pregnancy precautions are being taken, including birth control pills for acne and a second form of birth control.

What are the side effects to taking birth control pills for acne?

If your doctor prescribes birth control pills for acne and you take the correct dosage, using the medication according to instructions, then the side effects are very minimal.

The standard but generally low risks of birth control pills for acne or other uses include weight gain, nausea, irregular or breakthrough (during the month) bleeding. In very rare cases, this medication can cause problems with blood pressure, blood clots and perhaps even heart attacks or strokes.

One important thing to know about taking birth control pills for acne is that if your doctor also prescribes antibiotics, and you’re using the pill for pregnancy protection as well, you’ll want to add a backup method of birth control. The birth control pill for acne will still help manage your skin, but can fail to protect you from pregnancy while you’re also on antibiotics.

Rodel Garcia was an acne sufferer one time in my life. WebAuthor of these websites and hoping in my own little way help the acne sufferers cure their acne..

Acne SCAR Products and Reviews
Acne Products and Reviews

Let’s face it, you are engaged in an ongoing battle when you are afflicted with acne. While acne treatments for a mild case of acne are usually successful, moderate acne is a greater problem. Even dermatologists cannot cure a severe case of acne but can only provide an acne treatment regimen.

However, you can support your acne treatment efforts with proper acne skin care in order to reduce the recurrence of acne flare-ups and not aggravate existing acne.

Knowing What You’re Doing

One of the first pieces of advice is to make sure that you understand and follow the directions for any acne remedy that you are using. If you are taking a prescription acne medicine, read the patient leaflet that accompanies the medication carefully. Typically for moderate to severe acne a dermatologist may prescribe several acne medicines, each with its own treatment protocol and directions.

In order to achieve the acne free skin that you desire, it is important to use all the acne treatments properly and in the correct order. Consider bringing a tablet of paper, a pen, and a friend or relative with you to your appointment with your dermatologist. Simply jot down some notes about the order and time of day for applying each acne medicine and what its purpose is.

Remember, just because the acne clears with the use of your acne medicines doesn’t necessarily mean that you have succeeded in curing acne. Most people with moderate to severe acne must continue to use their acne medicine long-term to prevent any recurrence of their acne problem. Using the acne treatments properly should translate to clear skin and freedom from acne scars.

What About Over-the-Counter Remedies?

Besides using medications prescribed by a doctor, there are a large number of products on the market labeled as skin cleansers, facial cleansers, pore cleansers, and facial pore cleaners that can be used in curing acne.

When cleansing skin that is afflicted with acne, an important point to remember is not to scrub the skin; never scrub your face with a washcloth. It is a misconception that acne is caused by dirt clogging the pores of the skin. You don’t scrub away the offending dirt; you can’t scrub away the offensive acne and achieve acne free skin.

Over-washing or scrubbing skin afflicted with acne only serves to aggravate the condition. Rather use only a gentle skin cleanser, lukewarm water, and a gentle motion with your fingertips as your primary acne skin care regime. When you wash your face with your hands, be sure to first thoroughly wash your hands.

Do Natural Treatments Really Work?

Look for gentle cleansers that are sold as acne solutions. When you’re evaluating skin cleansers for acne, include natural acne treatments in your search as well. For example, a soap made from Echinacea and other herbal ingredients is an effective antibiotic facial cleanser that helps fight acne and restore clear skin. Tea tree oil also has known antibiotic properties and serves as a mild anesthetic that will soothe the irritated skin.

Oily skin is implicated as a one of the causes of acne. It doesn’t necessarily make sense to use a moisturizer on oily skin as a means of achieving clear skin. But many of the acne treatments, whether they are prescribed or available as over-the-counter products, have a tendency to irritate the skin while curing acne.

A moisturizer is a boost to irritated skin and keeps skin from becoming overly dry due to the acne treatments that have been applied. Look for a moisturizer with the following properties:

- oil-free
- won’t clog pores (non-comodogenic)
- containing a sun-screen

Besides a great desire to just scrub away the acne, many people try to remove the acne pimples by hand as a way to get clear skin. People who are afflicted with acne should avoid touching their face except to gently wash it with mild cleanser as already discussed.

By trying to remove pimples by hand you run the risk of creating acne scars that will last for a lifetime. Instead, have patience and rely on your prescription or over-the-counter acne treatment to work. Acne remedies usually take 6 to 8 weeks before curing acne.

For male acne sufferers, the daily ritual of shaving can be a problem. One acne sufferer has recommended the Gillette Sensor Excel as a gentle and effective razor to use. Other males prefer to try an electric razor. The advice is to shave delicately to avoid nicking the skin and to shave only as often as necessary. Finding a moisturizing shave gel may be one way to enhance your acne skin care program.

Female acne sufferers have their unique problems too, in finding the right cosmetic products to use. Females who are accustomed to using a foundation product may find that the foundation is difficult to apply smoothly if the facial skin becomes irritated due to the acne treatments being applied.

You may have to abandon the use of some cosmetics during the acne treatment period. Be sure to select only oil-free cosmetics and ones that are labeled as non-comodogenic (won’t clog pores) to use on your road to clear skin.

Proper acne skin care is a necessary addition to your arsenal for fighting your battle with acne and achieving clear skin once again.

About the Author:

John Lenaghan offers information and advice about acne control, natural acne treatment and other acne-related topics at the Acne Squad website. Visit AcneSquad.com for more information about dealing with acne.

Adolescent acne is referred to by many names, teen acne, acne adoloscent, and hormonal acne to name just a few. Whatever you want to call it, it can be frustrating, painful, and embarrassing to a teen.

Living with acne over a prolonged period during your teen years can be emotionally devastating, after all this is the age where your appearance is most important. Teen acne is very hard on the ego, often resulting in teasing and razzing from peers. Some teens suffer from not only acne but sever depression.

During the adolescent years almost every teen will have at least an occasional whitehead, blackhead, or pimple. Adolescent acne usually occurs between the ages of 12 and 20, and is usually the result of fluctuating hormone levels. Once the hormones stabilize out the acne will normally disappear.

So what’s the bet way to deal with adolescent acne? The simplest and most important thing a teen can do, is to learn to take good care of their skin, keeping it clean and as oil free as possible. This is not a cure but can help keep acne breakouts to a minimum.

Eating healthy and drinking plenty of water will also help by keeping the skin hydrated and the body flushed. Girls should use oil free cosmetics. Lightly exfoliating once a week will help open pours, and remove dead skin debris.

Milder cases of acne can be controlled by using conventional over the counter medicines that are applied directly to the skin. These medications usually include benzoyl peroxide or retinoic acid as an active ingredient.

Some natural products that can be used to treat acne are tea tree oil or Echinacea. Wash your face twice a day with a mixture of these herbs to reduce the number of break outs. Both have anti-inflammatory and anti-septic qualities.

In more severe adolescent acne a Doctor may try various oral medications such as antibiotics, oral contraceptives or Accutane.

As teens get older and hormones stabilize, fewer outbreaks should be seen, however some people do continue to have outbreaks well into adult hood. If the teen acne condition worsens or becomes emotionally debilitating it is important to seek medical help from a dermatologist.

You do not want an adolescent to grow up with skin and emotional scars as a result of acne, so treat not only their physical scars but their emotional scars.

M.D. Stacener from The Acne Cure has been serving customers for over 20 years, providing valuable information to keep you beautiful and healthy. Please visit us at The Acne Cure

In the United States alone, there are over 40 Million people who struggle with acne. Many of these people treat acne using chemicals such as antibiotics, prescription drugs, benzoyl peroxide, and salicylic acid.

However, there is a growing number of people who choose herbal acne treatments over traditional medications. Usually, herbal medications have far fewer side effects, and are not as dangerous as some of the prescription drugs.

The problem however, is that the United States does very little to regulate the herbal supplement industry. Unlike traditional chemical medications, herbal medications are not required to be clinically proven to work, or even to be safe. An example of this lack of regulation recently came to light with ephedra related deaths, and ephedras subsequent ban.

This lack of regulation results in many different acne products on the market. All of which claim to heal, prevent, or even cure acne with few, if any, side effects.

The truth is, there are very few herbal acne treatments that are scientifically proven to work. Traditional chemical treatments are still the most effective in stopping acne.

There are only 2 herbal treatments that have been clinically proven to help stop acne, tea tree oil and green tea cream.

Tea tree oil is a natural oil, derived from the Melaleuca alternifolia, a particular type of tea tree found exclusively in Australia. While it has been used from hundreds of years by the native aboriginals as a treatment for just about anything, it has only recently been accepted by modern medicine as being a viable anti-bacterial agent.

Even though tea tree oil has been suspected as an anti-bacterial agent for some time, A groundbreakings study was conducted in 1990 by I.B. Bassett, which compared tea tree oil to benzoyl peroxide in the treatment of acne. It was found that tea tree oil is as effective as a 5% benzoyl peroxide solution. It takes longer (6 weeks) for the tea tree oil to be as effective, but participants in the study reported none of the side effects associated with benzoyl peroxide, such as redness, skin irritation, or dry skin.

This study has helped tea tree oil become a recognized and legitimate herbal acne treatment. However, there is no need to purchase an expensive cream that contains tea tree oil. Just applying several drops of the oil directly on the acne has shown to be the most effective way to apply tea tree oil.

This was the only herbal acne treatment that had been proven to work until recently, when Dr. Jennifer Gan-Wong conducted a study that shows green tea can also effectively fight acne.

Dr. Gan-Wong compared a green tea cream with 3% green tea, to a 4% benzoyl peroxide solution, and found that the results in treating acne where the same for both the tea and the peroxide. These results were recently presented at the 2003 annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

These findings are relatively recent, and are not yet corroborated by additional independent studies. However, this evidence does demonstrate that the natural anti-bacterial properties of green tea can be effective to treat acne.

For those of you who are confused by the plethora of herbal acne treatments available, there really are only 2 that have been proven to be effective in fighting acne. Green tea cream, and tea tree oil. While many other herbal acne treatments may be good to moisturize the skin, or reduce oils, these are the only two that should be considered truly effective acne treatments.

Greg Podsakoff is a former acne sufferer, and editor of http://www.acne-treatments-guide.com

There are literally hundreds of various treatments available to reduce acne. There is everything from all natural herbal remedies, to powerful chemical pharmaceuticals such as Accutane.

However, the most commonly used acne treatments in the United States are over the counter acne medications. They are generally inexpensive when compared to prescription medications, and some work very well.

Benzoyl peroxide is the most commonly used over the counter acne medication, and for good reason; Benzoyl peroxide is one of the most effective acne treatments available.

A 5% solution is usually all that is needed to treat acne, and it has almost no side effects for most people who use it. Unlike antibiotics and other prescription medications, Benzoyl peroxide can be used for months, even years at a time, and there are really no long term side effects (including a tolerance) that can be associated with it.

Furthermore, benzoyl peroxide has been compared to some of the prescription medications for acne, and it is nearly as effective as many acne antibiotics. Over all, benzoyl peroxide is the most successful over the counter acne medication.

However, there are others that can be very beneficial as well, including salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid, and it works as an astringent to remove dead skin cells. By removing the dead cells, this helps eliminate clogged pores, as well as help the skin renew itself faster.

Since acne is caused by p.bacteria that builds up in sebum in the pores of the skin, it is very important for the sebum to have a way of draining out of the pores before it becomes infected. Once salicylic acid is used to eliminate the dead skin cells, then the sebum is much less likely to become trapped under the skin and infected.

Salicylic acid is often sold as a makeup remover, but it is most commonly used in acne treatment via stridex pads or oxy pads.

Sulfur is also used in some over the counter acne medications. Sulfur is one of the oldest acne treatments, and reacts with the skin in such a way that it makes it dry, and peel. This works on acne by drying out the Sebum, and therefore, stopping the bacterial growth.

Many soaps and facial cleansers have sulfur in them. Sulfur is effective in getting rid of whiteheads and blackheads. It doesn’t work well against the more inflamed cystic acne. One of the drawbacks is that it can increase skin cell adhesion to the skin, and therefore help cause more pimples in the future. It is best to use a gentle exfoliator when using sulfur to treat acne.

Sulfur also has a strong odor, and some people have skin that reacts harshly to sulfur, causing excessive redness and peeling.

Resorcinol is another over-the-counter chemical that is used to treat a variety of skin conditions, including acne. It works by breaking down hard skin. For acne, this means less clogged pores, and faster skin growth. Resorcinol is commonly used with sulfur to treat acne. It is also good for eczema and dandruff.

Because it is a strong chemical, don’t use resorcinol with other astringents or cleansers unless advised by a dermatologist to do so.

These are the most commonly used over the counter acne treatments. For anyone who is suffering from acne, these 4 over-the-counter treatments have a good chance of helping to reduce or eliminate acne.

Greg Podsakoff is a former acne sufferer, and editor of http://www.acne-treatments-guide.com

There are a plethora of acne medications currently on the market. Some of these are prescription medications, such as accutane. Others are over the counter chemical compounds, such as benzoyl peroxide. There are even herbal based acne medications, such as tea tree oil. However, many of them are not as effective as advertised.

Part of the problem with finding the right acne medication is that there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to acne. Different people respond differently to the various medications and treatments. However, there are several acne medications that have been clinically proven to be effective in treating acne, and these are the medications that will stop acne for most people.

Prescription Acne Treatments

Of the prescription medications, Accutane is one of the best. It is a chemical derivative of vitamin A, and is often referred to as the “miracle drug” for acne. Accutane is most effective in the treatment of severe cystic acne, and not to be taken lightly. For some people, the many side effects can be worse than the acne itself. However, this is one treatment that works.

Retin A and Renova are also prescription medications. These are topical derivatives of vitamin A, and are also good at clearing up fine lines, wrinkles, and slight skin discolorations. One of the biggest downsides is sunlight and other topical acne treatments must be avoided while using either of them. However, they are proven to reduce acne.

Birth control pills and antibiotics round out the acne medications most commonly prescribed. Birth control pills are used exclusively by women to help regulate hormones, and therefore lessen the hormonally related acne that many women experience. Antibiotics work by attacking the acne causing p.bateria as it grows deep in skin pores.

Over the Counter Acne Treatments

There are some over the counter acne treatments that work well. The two best are benzoyl peroxide, and salicylic acid.

Benzoyl peroxide works by penetrating the skin pores, and eliminating the acne causing bacteria that grows deep in the skin. Benzoyl peroxide is the most commonly used acne treatment because it is affordable, easily available, and nearly as effective as most prescription medication.

Salicylic acid works by removing the top layers of dead skin cells. This helps the skin renew itself faster, and decreases the chance for pore blockage and a subsequent acne breakout.

Herbal Acne Treatments

The vast majority of acne treatments fall under the heading of “herbal” acne treatments. The reason is because of the lack or regulation for herbal products. This can be very frustrating to the general consumer, because it is impossible to tell which herbal treatment will work to stop acne, and which ones will do very little at all.

Of every herbal treatment available, there are only 2 that are currently proven to stop acne. Tea tree oil will help get rid of acne, and so will green tea cream.

Tea tree oil is an oil derived from one tea tree plant that is unique to Australia. For several hundred years it was touted as a cure all, until penicillin was introduced to fight bacteria. However, tea tree oil has seen a recent revival due in part to study conducted in 1990 that proved it is as effective in treating acne as 5% benzoyl peroxide. Furthermore, it had none of the side effects that benzoyl peroxide does.

Green tea cream has been validated more recently, at the 2003 American Academy of Dermatology conference. It was proven that green tea is as effective in treating acne as a 4% benzoyl peroxide solution. Though the study has not been corroborated yet, it demonstrated that there is another herbal treatment besides tea tree oil.

These are some of the acne medications proven to work. For those who are experiencing acne, any of the aforementioned treatments would be well worth trying.

Greg Podsakoff is a former acne sufferer, and the editor of http://www.acne-treatments-guide.com

Million of people suffer from acne breakouts young and old. If your doctor has you on topical or oral treatment and it is not working try other ways to cure the breakouts.

For example: Topical retinoids (Retin-A, Differin and Tazorac, for example)are helpful for mild to severe acne especially when they are used early on combining with hormonal antibiotics,or benzoyl peroxide treatments. When you discontinue the antibiotics you can maintain clear skin with retinoids. Another way to treat your acne is with laser light. The doctor applies a chemical called aminole-v-vulinic acid and then exposed to a sunlump called Clearlight. You need two to four treatments to kill bacteria and keep skin clear for 5 months or up to 2 years.

Over the counter products aren’t strong enough to treat severe acne. Try using a product with 10% benzoyl peroxide plus another product with 2% percent salicylic acid. Keep a daily routine faithfully and if your skin doesn’t improve see your dermatologist.

Mina Dimakis-Levhttp://www.BeautyImagebyMina.com

Puberty brought bouts of acne. In your 20s, finding Mr. or Mrs. Right was of chief consequence. When the 30s hit, you worked to raise little Johnnie or Suzie to be a model kid. Now that your hitting the fabulous 40s, you should be coasting through life, right. Well, why are you suddenly dealing with the cosmetic double whammy of acne and wrinkles? Even your insurance company figures that you should have gotten rid of acne by the age of 25.

The number people over 30 needing acne treatments has climbed to the extent that a report published in Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology recommends raising the age for insurance coverage of the acne drug tretinoin to at least 40. The authors of the report, Drs. Steven Feldman and Alan Fleischer, add that many insurance companies refuse to pay for tretinoin prescriptions for patients older than 25.

Cosmetic Catch 22 Even if your insurance company leaves you to fend for yourself, you still have options for freeing yourself from acne and wrinkles. At first, coping with acne and wrinkles may seem like a cosmetic catch 22. Do you dry your skin with acne cleansers containing benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, and worsen your wrinkles? Or, do you smear on the moisturizer to smooth the wrinkles, but cope with the zits brought on by the extra oil or sensitivity to a new product?

There’s a smarter way to handle acne and wrinkles.

1. Interpret the acne

2. Allow your skin to improve as you use self-awareness to remove zits.

Interpret the acne

While dealing with acne and wrinkles, target the acne first because acne is an autoimmune disease. Having an autoimmune disease means that your thoughts, emotions, and/or environment are affecting you in an adverse way and require immediate attention. Thus, acne may reveal that you need to relax more, change your eating habits, reframe your interpersonal dialogue, stop dating that jerk from the office and/or make another beneficial alteration to your lifestyle.

Zits arrive on your face to report on some unpleasant activities within your body and life. Once you get feedback from these zits, you can take action to send the zits away while augmenting your health in the process.

Acne is usually an indication various hidden or overlooked health problems. Here’s a sample of the questions you should ask yourself when dealing with acne so that you can unravel the mystery behind your zits. Are you:

Regular?

About 70% of your immune system is located in your intestines. If this area is blocked with waste, your immuno-defenses are down. So, instead of waste leaving your body via the rectum, it chooses to leave through the skin. Waste leaving the skin can cause an infection that presents itself as acne.

Tense?

Tension likewise reduces the vigor of the immune system. Take a few deep breaths throughout the day to calm your body. Take a long walk in the fresh air to wind down.

Eating nutritionally?

Cases of acne have been improved with consuming foods containing zinc, essential fatty acids, vitamin A and a host of other nutrients. All of these vital nutrients are available in leafy green vegetables, fruits and olive oil.

Worried about unresolved issues?

Not resolving personal issues creates conflict and tension in the body. Again, these issues most be addressed to avoid undue stress within the body.

Exercising daily?

Exercise reduces stress and gives you an opportunity to subconsciously contemplate challenges that you may be facing. Physical activity also keeps your muscles and intestines toned, which keeps encourages regularity.

Changing pillowcase frequently?

Using a dirty pillowcase aggravates an acne condition. Your face naturally secretes oils during the night. These oils are sticky. So if you pillowcase if dirty, you are allowing your face to collect extra waste during the night, which could further clog your pores.

Moving or changing your job/career?

New demands or feelings of lose can sometimes accompany change. Transfer these emotions into something constructive by writing in a journal or envisioning how these changes are going to benefit you. Find comfort in these changes and opportunities for new beginnings.

Experiencing excessive facial hair growth and erratic periods?

Conditions such as acne, excessive facial hair, and erratic periods could indicate an androgen disorder or other underlying hormonal imbalances. Your doctor can provide you with a series of endocrine tests to ascertain your hormone levels and what corrective actions you should take. Ricardo Azziz, M.D, who serves as Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Director of the Center for Androgen-Related Disorders at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, estimates that 80 percent of women with excessive androgen levels suffer from an endocrine disorder called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Dr. Azziz adds that women with PCOS often have insulin resistance and are at increased risk for developing Type II diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.

Once the acne is under control you can move on to the wrinkles. Another reason for treating the zits first is because if you alter your lifestyle in such as way as to free yourself from acne, and you doing this in a healthy and patient fashion, you will actually lessen the number of wrinkles you have.

Health is wholeness and beauty is a reflection of robust health. You’ll never buy robust health in a jar. It is a mind, body, spirit and environmental support system that garners full-bodied health. Lets look at want you actually need from a “beauty cream”.

Face Cream EducationThere are five basic ingredients in any given anti-aging or anti-wrinkling cream.

1. The oil or moisturizer

2. The preservatives to keep the cream from spoiling.

3. A scent or flavor

4. A color

5. The active ingredient.

Only one of these components is essential, the oil. The preservative is only needed to keep the cream useful. Your face does not need preservation because the skin is alive. Since some people have allergies to scents and colors in cosmetics, the body says that these two ingredients are not necessary. The active ingredient is usually the latest cosmetic drug or multivitamin that is supposed to lift or dramatically reverse your age by 5-20 years.

Researchers S. Jay Olshansky, Leonard Hayflick and Bruce A. Carnes bluntly comment on the antics of cosmetic companies in their report No Truth to the Fountain of Youth, published in the June 2002 edition of Scientific American. The authors warn everyone aiming to reverse the signs of times on their face that, “? anyone purporting to offer an anti-aging product today is either mistaken or lying”.

I bet you are thinking, “Won’t that oil make acne worse?” The answer is not if you are using the right oil. Some essential oils such as bergamont, lavender, lemon, neroli, sandalwood, tea tree and ylang ylang have cleansing and antibacterial properties which help combat acne infections. Other essential oil like geranium, clary sage and orange regulate the production of oil on the face. When mixed with a carrier oil such as jojoba or camellia, these essential oils are ideal moisturizers.

Nothing that you put on your face will truly change your appearance. Creams are useful, but they are only one instrument in an orchestra of anti-aging concerts. Health starts on the inside. If you want to improve your beauty start with how you treat yourself and feed yourself. I mean not only what foods you eat but what thoughts you eat.

You may eat thoughts of the sort, “I can’t?”, “I had a stressful day”, “I’m tired of?”, “I can’t wait until?”, “I’m getting old”, “My body isn’t as healthy as it used to be”. The menu is endless. If you want to look young and healthy, you have to think young and healthy thoughts. Here’s steps to jumpstart your quest:

Start by changing your thinking. Develop your own youth model, i.e. with steps you’ll take to maintain your vitality and stick to it.

Enjoy nutritious foods. A study in the Journal of American College of Nutrition found that eating a variety of fruits and vegetables and using olive oil every day could help keep wrinkles away. The researchers found that people who ate a diet rich in green leafy vegetables, beans, olive oil, nuts and multigrain breads, while avoiding butter, red meat and sugary goodies, were less predisposed to wrinkling. Researchers believe that antioxidant vitamins, such as A, C and E, which are found in fruits and vegetables, may help protect the skin from environmental damage.

Use a gentle cleanser each day.

Steam your face everyday for 5-15 minutes, especially if your have acne. The steam removes waxy build-up on the skin while it stimulates circulation. This combo of benefits cleans to pores to reduce the possibility of acne while firming up the skin and facial muscles.

Exfoliate your skin daily.

Moisturize your face in the morning and evening with natural oils. In addition to the acne fighting oils listed above, you can mix essential oils such as frankinsense, myrrh, neroli and rose to help encourage the growth of new skin cells. You can create a moisturizer by diluting 1-3 of your favorite essential oils in a carrier oil such as jojoba or camellia oil in a ration of 1 part essential oil to 3 parts carrier oil.

Massage your face daily when you apply your facial oil.

Lie down on an incline bench for 5-20 minutes each day to let the blood flow to your head.

Wear a sunhat in the sun.

Give yourself a light skin peel once a month.

Finally, forty can still be fabulous and your beauty-plan a lot less enigmatic. Just remember the basics, interpret the messages of your zits, and educate yourself about wrinkle creams- you don’t need them.

Naweko San-Joyz is creator of the Acne Messages program, the only acne program to combine the latest scientific research and ancient wisdom to deliver an acne cure as unique as the acne sufferer. As there are millions of people with acne, there are a millions cures, find your unique cure with Acne Messages. ISBN: 0974912204 available at Amazon and Noixia.com, Home of Six Billion Natural Cures for Acne

Most acne medications only mask the symptoms of acne and does nothing to stop the real cause of acne. This is why people buy acne products month after month (year after year). And every time they stop using the product acne would come back again and again.

What you need to do is find out what the real cause of acne is and stop it.

So what’s the real cause of acne?

Acne occurs when your body contains more toxics than your kidneys and bowels can remove. (Your kidneys and bowels are the two primary channels of elimination that your body expel toxics and waste products through.)

These toxics can be the accumulation of fat stored chemicals the liver can not wash out or there may be a problem with fat digestion, fat accumulation, food allergy, or even the accumulation of hormones that your body produces.

Once these toxics build up, your kidneys and bowels can get overloaded and clogged up, causing it to not function properly. When that happens some of the load will be dumped onto your liver. One of your liver’s main roles is to metabolize pile up fat into usable energy for your body.

This means, your liver will be doing some of your kidney’s work. So now, your liver gets overloaded and it too will not work at full capacity.

What happens when your bowels, kidneys, and liver gets overloaded?

When that happen your body will expel toxins through your lungs and skin (your secondary channels of elimination). And this is when acne occurs. This is when your skin starts to breakout.

But whatever the toxic source is that’s causing this problem, acne is a sign that your bowels and kidneys are overloaded with toxins, waste products, or hormones.

It is a sign that your liver is growing weaker in its detoxification abilities (and it will continue to grow weaker if you do not do what it takes to get rid of the toxics in your body).

So if you think that acne is your only problem, think again, your liver, kidneys, and bowels are getting weaker every time you breakout.

Houa Yang is the author of “The Definite Guide To Acne Free Skin.” It reveals the same method he personally used himself to get rid of acne in 3 days and stop it from ever coming back for the past 4 years…without any prescription drugs or acne medications! For more info visit: http://www.howtogetridofacne.com