subject: Treating Acne: Are You Clearing Your Pimples or Stripping Your Skin? [print this page] Treating Acne: Are You Clearing Your Pimples or Stripping Your Skin?
Every day there is a new product out claiming to be the best acne treatment on the market. Ironically, most of them have the same active ingredient.
Benzoyl Peroxide: This is the most common active ingredient in acne medications. However, in addition to treating acne, it is also used to bleach hair and teeth, and enrich flour. If you have ever used an acne medication, you'll soon notice that your towels and washcloths look like they've had bleach spilled on them. It's because they have. Benzoyl Peroxide does treat acne as it acts and an anti-bacterial and antimicrobial agent. What is not commonly known is that your skin builds up a tolerance to Benzoyl Peroxide. In order to continuously control acne, it must be used in increasingly higher concentrations overtime. As the dose is increased, the chances of adverse reactions and severe skin irritations also increase. In most cases, when the use of Benzoyl Peroxide is discontinued, the acne will return.
What does this mean for your skin?
It means you'll have fewer breakouts while you use the product. It also means that your skin will be dryer than usual and will require additional moisturizer which for some can lead to more breakouts. Most acne treatments, like most traditional medicines, treat the symptom and not the cause.
What causes acne?
The exact cause of acne is complex and as yet not completely verified, but it is widely believed to be hormone related. This is why many teens experience acne while in puberty and women experience breakouts during their menstruation cycle or pregnancy. However, there are other factors that research has suggested play a part.
Diet: Yes, I used the evil 4 letter word. Your diet affects your insulin levels and as insulin is our master hormone, it controls our other hormones.
Stress: Stress causes and inflammatory reaction in our bodies. This inflammation causes the walls of a clogged pore to break and form pus, i.e. a pimple forms.
Hygiene: Heavy makeup, dust, dirt and sweat can all cause pores to become clogged. Clogged pores are a big welcome sign to acne causing bacteria.
What is the best way to deal with acne?
The best acne treatment is prevention. Taking care of your overall health, keeps you healthy on a cellular level preventing many diseases, including acne.
Eat a well balanced, low glycemic diet to stabilize insulin production in your body.
Practice relaxation techniques and exercise regularly to reduce stress on your body and mind.
Use all natural products to feed your cells and improve your overall health from the inside out.
Avoid harsh chemicals.
Drink plenty of water to keep hydrated. At 1% dehydration, your body loses 40% of its functionality. If you are thirsty, you are already 5% dehydrated. Water also helps flush toxins out of the body.
Harsh chemicals and stripping agents may treat acne, but they aren't good for your skin. Try a more natural and healthy approach and you will be surprised by the effect it has not only on your face, but on your life.
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