5 hidden causes of acne, revealed!

Acne is a skin condition that occurs when the openings of oil glands become clogged with oil and dead skin cells. Acne usually appears on the face, neck, chest, back and shoulders. The pimples and bumps heal slowly, and when one begins to disappear, others seem to crop up. Depending on its severity, acne can cause emotional distress and can also scar the skin. But what causes the recurrence of breakouts?

These are attributed to certain hidden causes, which are:

1. Your drug prescriptions

Steroids found in prescription drugs are a key offender, whether taken internally or topically. If taken internally, the offending ingredient will be listed as prednisone, which is the tablet form of steroid. Prednisone is used to treat inflammatory diseases like poison ivy, allergies and arthritis. If medications are taken topically, it could aggravate acne or cause steroid acne. Oral contraceptives are also a common cause of acne.

2. Your beauty routine

Acne caused by topical lotions, creams and makeup are known as acne cosmetica, commonly appearing on face, neck, hairline and scalp. Applying a product regularly to an acne-prone area can do more harm than good. Some people go to bed with ointments or oils in their hair that can get on the pillowcase and then rub on your face. It's best to put a clean towel over your pillowcase every night to prevent buildup.

3. Your cell phone

Cell phones gather all kinds of dirt and bacteria and are a big cause of acne on the chin and around the mouth. Wiping down the screen of your smartphones every day with alcohol or cleaning wipes will keep your phone and your face clean.

4. Using toothpaste to treat a zit

Certain toothpaste can actually cause you to develop acne or an acne-like eruption on the lower parts of your face, including your chin. Fluoride and other whitening and anti-cavity ingredients are quite abrasive and could potentially burn your skin, cause irritation and initiate breakouts.

5. Your workout gear

It's not the act of exercising that is causing breakouts but other issues. If you are using a communal yoga mat, you may be on the side that someone else's feet or perspiration had touched before, with the physical contact causing breakouts. It's best to put a clean towel over it before working out, even if it is your personal mat.

Also, workout gear that constantly rubs in a certain area can cause frictional acne. Constant rubbing ends up making you sweat, causing skin irritation and eventually developing into tiny red bumps. Though it looks like a heat rash, it is actually acne.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: Do You Know that Dandruff Causes ACNE?

5 Hidden Causes of Acne, Revealed!

Did you know that milk can cause acne?

Including cheese, milk, and ice-cream etc into your daily meals maybe the reason behind the painful acne on your face. Processed milk and other dairy products negatively affect your skin and trigger the formation of whiteheads, blackheads and pimples. 

Here s how milk causes acne and what you can do to get clearer skin.

How does milk cause acne?

1. Milk contains a growth hormone IGF-1 (responsible for the growth and strength of calves) in large amounts. This has an adverse effect on your skin, and is responsible for its inflammation, which results in acne. In fact, this hormone can even increase the size of the acne.
2. Consumption of milk and other dairy products also result in a sharp rise in the amount of insulin present in your body, which initiates more IGF-1 production by the liver, thereby increasing acne.
3. Excessive sebum (oil) is secreted by your skin due to the consumption of milk, which results in more number of clogged pores, causing an acne breakout. Additionally, an increase in sebum helps the acne bacteria to grow and breed, which further causes skin inflammation.
4. Consumption of milk can render your skin unable to get rid of dead skin cells, causing more acne due to clogged pores. This happens as milk sticks dead cells together inside your pores, interfering with their natural process of falling off.

What can you do to get acne-free skin?

The best way to get acne-free skin is by trying to limit your consumption of milk and dairy products. You can do so in two ways:

1. Discontinue Milk Intake: Stop consuming milk and its products completely for at least 30 days and observe the changes. If your skin improves after 30 days, you can add small amounts of high-quality dairy, like organic yoghurt, to your diet. If eliminating milk does not show any positive effects, try observing other triggers of acne and look for appropriate methods of removing them. 

2. Switch to Organic Milk Products Only - If you find it difficult to totally cut off milk from your diet, try reducing the amount of milk intake and totally avoid processed milk products. Switching to raw, grass-fed dairy products will also be beneficial.

What are the alternatives to milk which can be consumed without harming your skin?

You can also replace milk with the following products in your diet chart to prevent the occurrence of acne.

1. Organic almond milk without added sugar
2. Organic coconut milk containing no artificial sweeteners
3. Natural coconut cream

Warning: Do not consume soy milk as a milk substitute as it contains omega-6 fats, which cause skin inflammation and swelling of acne.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

Did you know that milk can cause acne?

How To Get Rid Of Pimples Using Home Remedies

Pimples are very annoying, especially when they are on your cheeks because then they do twice the damage - hurt your skin and at the same time they also steal away the charm of your looks. Although there are many lotions and creams in the markets that guarantee the removal of this skin inflammation, they are chemicals that eventually start showing its side-effects on your skin. For this reason, a few home remedies with some simple pimple-combating tools work the best and here are some of them:

Use ice cubes and crushed ice to reduce the redness and the heat in the inflammation. Applying ice over the pimples eventually makes them reduce in size and disappear altogether.

Soak a little piece of cotton or rag in fresh lemon juice and apply it over a pimple. Lemon helps a pimple dry up faster.

Soak a rag of cotton in tea tree oil and put it over a pimple. It has anti-bacterial properties which help fight against acne pimples. For even better results, you can also try mixing tea tree oil in aloe vera gel. You can put this mixture on your acne pimples and rinse it after 20 minutes for effective healing.

White toothpaste can work wonderfully with a pimple and reduce it to nothing in a very little time.

Steaming is another foolproof way to get rid of the pimples in the most natural manner. If you expose the pimples to steam, the steam works its way through the pimples and cleans out all the bacteria. It thus helps your skin to breathe and get in contact with oxygen. This ultimately makes a pimple ripen quickly and thus leads to its deterioration.

Use garlic to get rid of pimples. How? Garlic is an antiviral, antifungal, antiseptic and antioxidant agent which is why it is a very good remedy for pimples. Cut a small piece of garlic and rub it over your pimples. After several minutes wash your face with lukewarm water.

Honey is another natural antibiotic that can accelerate the removal of pimples by effective healing. The catch here is to apply honey directly over the affected area. Keep it for several minutes and then wash it off with lukewarm water. Mixing honey and cinnamon and applying its paste on the affected area is also a very dead-sure manner of getting rid of pimples.

Grind a cucumber to make a face mask and allow it to dry. Then wash your face after several minutes. This cleans up the dirt and bacteria in the pimples.

Next time you get those unwanted pimples, you know what to do!

Natural Home Remedies to Get Rid of Pimples Overnight Fast!

6 Best Home Remedies To Get Rid of Acne

Acne causes skin damage and leaves marks that ruin appearance. Although these scars cannot be completely removed, they can be reduced to an extent that they become invisible.

Give your skin these tested remedies to get rid of pimple scars-

1) Cleansing of Lemons: Lemons, as you know are rich in vitamin C, which helps in the synthesis of collagen (the connecting tissues of skin) in the body. Therefore, regular use of lemons helps in keeping your skin free from blemishes or scars. Treating with lemon includes consuming lemons as well as application of lemon juice on the scars and washing it off.

2) Smoothening of Aloe Vera: Aloe Vera gel application is extremely beneficial for skin, it not only reduces the scars but also soothes the skin. It also smoothens out the skin as well as lightens the complexion.

3) Soothing of Sandalwood: Sandalwood or chandan is antiseptic and anti inflammatory in nature. It is therefore highly effective at cleansing of scars as well as soothing facial skin. Regular application of sandal wood powder mixed with rose water gives a glow to your skin that nothing else can.

4) Healing of Fenugreek: Fenugreek or Methi seeds are anti-inflammatory and are also a smoothening agent. It heals skin conditions and greatly reduces acne scars. Its extract can be applied externall for the reduction in the intensity of the scars  appearance.

5) Protection of Neem Leaves: Neem leaves are effective against a lot of skin problems, from acne and eczema to ringworm. Its alkaloids content gives Neem its antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. Neem also helps in removal of toxins from the body. It can be crushed and externally applied in the form of a pack or its bitter juice can be comsumed.

6) Care of Apple cider vinegar: Vinegar promotes peeling off skin, which is helpful when you have scars. It is also antiseptic in nature.  It can be applied on the scalp using cotton, with a little dilution. The vinegar is particularly helpful in dandruff.

Have any further questions on how Ayurveda can help you get beautiful skin? Click on consult privately to ask me.

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6 Best Home Remedies To Get Rid of Acne

Among one of the most common skin conditions that affect many people all over the world is Acne. It is not a harmful or a dangerous condition, but is usually a cosmetic problem and may also sometimes be a symptom of underlying conditions.

What is acne and what are its causes?

Human skin has follicles or pores in them through which hair comes out. The accumulation of a substance known as sebum within the pores of the human skin can sometimes clog these pores. When this accumulates, dead skin cells also get stuck in it and results in a swelling, which takes the form of a pimple like a crest due to bacterial infections. This condition is most prevalent among adolescents due to rapid hormonal changes in the body, although many adults and pre-adolescents have also reported this problem. Here are some common issues and lifestyle factors which make you prone to acne.

1. Hormonal imbalances - This is probably the most common reason cited for acne as adolescents tend to be afflicted by this problem. In many cases, acne goes away on its own after sometimes although in other cases it does stay. In adults, especially women it has been noticed that certain hormonal changes in the body may act as acne triggers. Some of the examples of hormonal imbalances may be:

- PMS or period related triggers in adults and adolescent women
- High testosterone levels in women
- Excessive androgen in men and women
- Hormonal problems due to polycystic ovary syndrome and others
- Taking medicines or steroids that may cause hormonal changes

2. External factors such as using too much makeup - Excessive use of cosmetic products can cause issues within the skin by blocking the pores within the skin may induce acne, even if you  do not have sebum related problems.

3. Diet - Research has proved that excessive oil consumption as well as having foods rich in fat can cause acne problems. Moreover, if you consume iodine in large quantities or for a long time, it results in irritation of the skin pores giving rise to acne.

4. Certain medications and drugs - Consumption of specific over the counter medicines like the ones containing bromide and use of recreational drugs like marijuana and cocaine can lead to the occurrence of acne as side effects.

5. Genetics - Certain genetic factors may also be responsible for someone being more prone to acne than others.

I sincerely hope that you found this information and the underlying advice from me useful. If you did, do share it with your loved ones and others. You can also consult privately with me if you believe I can help you with your Acne or other skin related conditions.

Wishing you loads of good health and happiness.

What Makes Your Skin Prone To Acne? Top 5 Reasons Revealed!

Acne is a condition that affects many people including teenagers and women during their menstruation period. It is characterized by red eruptions that are usually filled with oil, secreted by overactive oil glands in the hair follicles. So what else should you know about acne? 

Here are six things you probably did not know about this condition:

1. Clogged Pores - Acne signifies clogged or blocked pores that are filled with oil and dead skin cells that have not been cleaned out completely. This mixture of oil and dead skin cells blocks the pores, and ends up creating an eruption of red sores called acne and pimples. There is a chance that bacteria may have joined these two substances as well.

2. Over Treating the Skin - The worst thing that you can do is to touch, pick or even apply too many harsh chemicals to your skin during an acne breakout. These things can actually make the problem worse, and even create scars in the long run. The constant use of cleansers and moisturizers can also have a harsh effect on the skin, due to perfume and chemicals present in such products. 

3. Exfoliation - Using a salicylic acid wash or cleanser first thing in the morning will help in exfoliation, which is a good way to clear those dead skin cells from your skin. This will speed up the process of acne treatment as well, by clearing the pores. Also at night, the use of a medicated cream that contains benzoyl peroxide will help in killing the bacteria, so that there is no infection.

4. Two Weeks Notice - Trying new products to treat acne is a great idea. But give every new product at least two weeks before you write it off. Usually, any good product will take at least that much time to affect the acne, and clear the pores in an effective way. So before you start changing cleansers and creams every other day, remember to use the two week thumb rule.

5. Menstrual Cycle - Acne, more often than not, happens about five days before and a few days after the monthly menstrual cycle. So watch out for hormonal imbalances, which can cause acne and pimples. Avoid stress around this time too.

6. Dermatologist - Visit a dermatologist if regular cleaning and over the counter creams are not working. Persistent acne may turn into infection. Remember to ask your dermatologist for an oil reducing formula too. 

Acne is a skin problem that should be treated the right way.

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