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.

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Related Tip: Do You Know that Dandruff Causes ACNE?

5 Hidden Causes of Acne, Revealed!

300 Calories is the average calorific value of our daily sugar intake. It's no wonder then that dietician and weight loss gurus across the world will advise you to quit added sugar as the first step of a weight loss program. Added sugar refers to processed sugar in the form of cubes, sugar crystals or powdered sugar and does not include natural sugars found in fruits, vegetables etc. Apart from cakes and sweets, we eat added sugar in a number of ways including a number of packaged foods like sauce and salad dressings.
If you consume a lot of sugar on a daily basis, quitting added sugar could leave you with withdrawal symptoms. Quitting added sugar is not easy, but here are a few reasons it is well worth the effort.
1. You'll have fewer pimples
Sugar has inflammatory properties. This can trigger systemic inflammation leading to the acne. Thus quitting sugar can instantly reduce the number of pimples on your face and give you clearer skin.
2. It improves the health of your heart
Added sugar can raise insulin levels. This activates the sympathetic nervous system and increases blood pressure and heart rate. Stopping your consumption of added sugar can lower cholesterol levels and decrease the amount of triglycerides in the body. This lowers blood pressure and boosts cardiovascular health.
3. A friendly weight scale
Replacing toffees with dry fruits will considerably reduce your calorific intake. Similarly switching packaged salad dressing for fresh homemade dressing can also make your salad healthier. Given that we eat added sugar in so many forms, making a conscious decision to quit added sugar can have a big impact on your daily calorie intake. Studies show that this simple step can lead to a weight loss of up to 10 pounds in six months.
4. It'll make remembering names easier
Added sugar can hinder learning and memory. Over time, it can also damage communication between brain cells. Quitting sugar can boost both your short term as well as long term memory. You will also find it easier to focus on will be able to be attentive to something for longer periods of time.
5. A good night's sleep
You don't just need 8 hours of sleep a day; you need 8 hours of restful sleep at the right time. Sugar makes blood sugar fluctuate and the crash that follows a sugar high can make you feel sluggish around mid-day. Many people find that if they have an afternoon nap, it becomes more difficult for them to fall asleep at night. Sugar also releases cortisol that interferes with sleep. Thus quitting added sugar can keep you alert through the day and help you fall asleep easier at the end of the day.

See What Really Happens to Your Body When You Stop Eating Added Sugar

Do birth control pills help in controlling acne?

An outbreak of a pimple is perceived as a cause of embarrassment and concern as it gives rise to skin damage. Coming to the cause of acne, it generally occurs due to excess oil (sebum) production. The oil on your skin combined with dead skin cells, blocks your skin pores, thereby promoting bacteria growth and causing acne breakouts. 
The use of birth control pills to cure acne is usually recommended when topical medications and oral antibiotics don’t help in clearing up the problem. 
Here’s how they work on acne. 

Possessing properties that can regulate your hormone production, birth control pills contain the two hormones that your body naturally makes – oestrogen and progesterone. Present in different amounts in the pills, they act by lowering the amount of androgens (male sex hormones, which give rise to excessive sebum production) produced by your body. As a result, with a reduction in sebum production, there is also a decrease in the breakout of acne on your skin. However, you shouldn’t expect instant results from their use. 

Many a times, birth control pills can cause a flare-up of the problem before it can be contained. This can result in your acne getting worse before getting better. 
Although birth control pills can help to control acne, it’s still important to maintain a proper skincare routine comprising of washing, toning and moisturising for a healthy and glowing skin. 

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Do Birth Control Pills Help in Controlling Acne?

On an average a person consumes nearly 800 calories daily from added sugar. This does not just include natural sugar found in fruits or milk but the processed sweet sugar as well, that is added to cakes, tea, coffee, confectionery and even pasta sauce and salad dressing. However, it is possible that you can limit your sugar intake or even quit it to get some truly amazing benefits.

When you take this hard decision, you may experience withdrawal symptoms such as mild depression, anxiety or restlessness. But if you remain adamant and continue with your decision, your body will soon show some incredible results that you couldn't have imagined.

Here are a few of them:

1.&nbsp;Your heart will beat happily

Sugar raises insulin levels that activate the responses of sympathetic nervous system thereby elevating your bp and heart rate. When you cut down on sugar, your ldl cholesterol will decrease by 10% and triglycerides will reduce by 20-30%. And your risk of heart attack will reduce manifold.

2.&nbsp;Your weight fluctuations will be gone

With the exception of fruits, sugar is mostly present in processed or high-carb foods that contain loads of other unwanted constituents like fat etc.

So when you quit sugar, your body has to no longer worry about those unwelcome calories and your weight will stop moving right and left across the scale.

3.&nbsp;Digestion will become efficient

When you quit sugar, the digestive system becomes more efficient. Since your stomach and intestines have to no longer worry about those difficult to digest processed foods, their abilities and functioning improves. Even your colon begins to work better, may be you take more trips to the restroom, so things get even more on track.

4.&nbsp;No more acne troubles

Sugar triggers acne troubles. When you cut it down, you will no longer be troubled by those zits that dampen your looks. Your skin will actually clear up, cracks will disappear and you will get a healthier skin.

5.&nbsp;You will no longer have sweet craving

With sugar, there is a huge negative, as you enjoy sweets, you crave for more sweets. But if you quit sugar, slowly you will begin to avoid foods that contain sugar and as a result, whenever you will eat anything that has sugar, it will taste over sweet and you will not be able to have large portions. This means no more cravings for sugar!

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

5 Wonderful Things That Happen to Your Body When You Quit Sugar!

Acne could be a real headache for normal skin. It not only ruins your face, but is also tough to get rid of. The condition is characterized usually by red pimples or blackheads and occurs due to infected or inflamed sebaceous glands. If you are skeptical about using chemical products, here is list of acne related treatments with alternative medicines:

1. Apple cider vinegar: Apple Cider Vinegar has multiple qualities. It can dry up the excess oil present in the face thereby ensuring that the bacteria cannot feed upon it. Its alkaline property helps the skin's pH to come down to an accepted level. Last, but not the least, apple cider vinegar directly attacks the acne causing bacteria and eradicates them from within. This pack is easy to prepare and can be applied multiple times a day.

2. Honey and cinnamon combo: Cinnamon possesses antimicrobial properties and attacks acne right from the word go. Honey, on the other hand, is a natural cleanser which helps to drive out the acne from your face. The pack is prepared by mixing 2 spoons of honey and 1 spoon of cinnamon. Before applying it on the face, it has to be ensured that the face is rinsed well with water. Owing to the pack's sticky nature, it should not be left on the face for more than 15 minutes.

3. Milk and honey paste: There is a wide misconception about milk causing acne. Unless injected inside the skin, milk actually improves the skin tone and limits acne outbreak. It also helps in reducing skin irritation and redness. Honey has antibacterial properties and fights acne. The pack is prepared by adding 1 spoon of honey and 1 spoon of milk and applied on the face for no more than 10 - 15 minutes. The mask can be washed off with warm water and by lightly rubbing the skin in circular motion.

4. White portion of the egg: The white portion of the egg has unaccountable benefits. Being rich in protein, it helps to fight acne and reduces blemishes of the skin. The vitamin present in the white portion combat acne and soak up excess oil present in the skin. This pack should be applied for 15 minutes followed by a thorough face wash with lukewarm water.

5. Mashed papaya: Papaya ingredients are found in almost all beauty products these days. Raw papaya is a great remedy for acne problems though. Papaya also helps to remove excess fat from the skin and eradicates dead skin. It contains an enzyme called Papain, which is known to have anti-inflammatory properties. It also restricts pus formation in the skin. Papaya can be mashed evenly and applied on the face for 15-20 minutes before washing it off with plain water. This pack can be tried three or four times a week to see visible changes in the face.

Acne Treatment With Alternative Medicine

Bedtime skin care to prevent acne

Skin repairs and rebuilds at night time while you rest, so it makes sense to follow good skin care routine before going to bed every night.

3 most effective bedtime skin care tips that rejuvenate your skin.

1. Cleanse and moisturize your skin: Your skin is exposed to kinds of pollutants, allergens, makeup during daytime. So cleanse your skin properly. Then apply vitamin E based moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated.

2. Use clean pillowcase: Many pathogens and oil may reintroduce to your skin if you use unwashed pillowcase. Thus make it a habit to use a clean pillowcase, preferably made of silk fiber, which keeps you away from the risks of pimples and other skin infections.

3. Don’t sleep with your phone: Your phone collects many bacteria and other microbes during daytime. Thus it is better to keep your phone away while sleeping to avoid any counter infections.



3 Highly Effective Bedtime Skin Regimen to Prevent Acne and Wrinkles

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