:Clear Skin Blog

Homeopathic treatments are another branch of alternative medicine that takes a different approach from vitamins or minerals. The idea behind homeopathic treatments is to “treat like with like”. What this means is to treat an illness with small doses of agents that would normally cause that illness in a healthy person. So to treat acne, you would take small doses of ingredients that would actually cause acne under normal circumstances.

If this sounds strange to you, you’re not alone. Homeopathy has a lot of critics in the medical field, and is largely unsupported by the laws of chemistry and physics. However, its popularity is on the rise in western countries. Due to the risky nature of some ingredients, homeopathic treatments may also be regulated by the FDA, which gives them an image of legitimacy despite the common lack of evidence (in contrast, vitamins are not FDA-regulated).

Treatments that claim to be homeopathic do not always rely on homeopathic ingredients. For instance, the Nature’s Cure line of acne treatments claims to be a homeopathic medication, but their products generally include other ingredients such as antioxidants that combat acne without ever causing it. In many homeopathic treatments, the ingredients based on homeopathic principles are often so small in dosage and so diluted that many medical professionals claim they are unable to produce any effect at all. A user may notice results due entirely to the non-homeopathic ingredients used in the formula.

Homeopathic tablets are taken differently from traditional vitamin tablets. Rather than swallowing the tablets with water, it is recommended to chew them first and let the tablet dissolve in the mouth. Like with liquid vitamins, the ingredients are more readily absorbed into the blood stream in liquid form.

While homeopathy attracts a lot of skepticism, some of these treatments can in fact work. However, whether they give results due to homeopathic ingredients or not is often debatable.

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Yeah, the shopping cart server for Acne-Vitamins is acting up today. We’re performing some updates to our cart that will hopefully iron out any problems that customers have been having when placing orders. Unfortunately, it seems our host chose today to go through some sort of server update, slowing down to a crawl and making it hard for us to test the shopping cart efficiently. Everything should be working now, but you may not be able to order immediately simply due to the script timing out. Hopefully when this is all done the cart will run smoother than before.

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We all know that exercise is generally beneficial to your health and well-being, but how does it help skin care? Exercise alone is not going to give you clear skin, but the benefits of exercise can help your skin heal faster, increase the effectiveness antioxidants that combat acne, and even help prevent some of the causes of acne.

Exercise can enhance healing by increasing your blood circulation. With better circulation, your body is able to get red and white blood cells where they need to be faster, allowing for more efficient healing from wounds. The enhanced circulation also allows for vitamins and other nutrients to be delivered where they need to be faster, so that your skin cells can get essential nutrients needed to combat bacteria and other toxins when they threaten to build up. Thus, circulation largely effects you body’s “reaction time” to infection. Regular exercise can help ensure a healthy rate of circulation.

Keeping in the habit of exercising regularly is also good for your metabolism, and we know from vitamin B5 how much metabolism can effect your skin. A higher metabolism enables your body to more efficiently metabolize the skin oil (sebum) which builds up in your pores and causes most cases of acne in the first place. Again, a high metabolism may not be enough on its own (since your body still needs the “fuel” of metabolism in the form of coenzyme-A), but by having a healthy metabolism you ensure that your body is able to efficiently break down that sebum when the right nutrients are present.

Then there is the well-established link between exercise and sleep. Aerobic exercise in particular is beneficial in helping many people get to sleep easier and sleep more soundly. Why does this matter for acne sufferers? Because sleep rejuvenates your body. Much of your body’s healing processes go on during sleep, and poor sleep habits (or sleeping disorders) can cripple your ability to combat illness and infection. Lack of sleep contributes to stress and numerous other health problems, including acne. Exercise is a healthy way to improve your sleep levels and make sure your body is able to effectively prevent and heal from breakouts.

Of course, related to sleep is the direct problem of stress, which is known to contribute to acne. The role of exercise in stress relief is obvious, and the added benefits to your sleep levels also help your body to manage stress. For your skin and your overall health, it’s a good idea to do some strenuous exercise every day.

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As you may know, I’m not a big fan of sun exposure paranoia (that is, the belief that you should never leave the house without caking on the SPF-15). Many more people suffer much more serious ailments from lack of vitamin D (caused by not getting enough sun exposure) than those who suffer from skin cancer caused by soaking up too many UV rays. Harvard’s Edward Giovannucci has said that for every 1 person who dies from skin cancer, 30 people die from cancers related to vitamin D deficiency. Despite this, there should still be a happy balance between sun exposure and sun protection, and fish oil may just be a healthy way to achieve that balance.

Fish oil, derived from the tissue of pelagic fish, is a natural anti-inflammatory rich in omega-3 acids. These are the fatty acids that your skin needs to protect itself from the sun. Fish oil is also an excellent source of vitamin D itself (after sun exposure, fish are considered the most significant source of vitamin D). Multiple studies have now been performed revealing that regular supplementation with fish oil can reduce sun damage, in some cases as much as doubling a user’s resistance to sunburn.

Fish oil does not block the sun’s rays from hitting your skin. Instead it works by increasing your skin’s ability to ward off the dangerous effects caused by those rays. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil reduce the excess inflammation induced by UV tissue damage. This inflammation, visibly seen as sunburns, can otherwise cause further damage to your skin cells, much moreso than the UV damage itself. By inhibiting the production of inflammatory agents, fish oil in effect minimizes the damage to your skin.

While sunscreen is still a good idea if you’re going to be out under the sun for a long period of time, it’s important to get at least 20-30 minutes of normal sun exposure each day, and in many cases when you spend a little more, the added protection of fish oil may be all you need…not to mention taking a fish oil pill is a lot easier than applying all that sunscreen.

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Aftershave creams and lotions are supposed to heal and protect your skin after shaving, but sometimes the wrong product can cause more harm than good. If you have acne-prone skin, it’s best to choose a gentle aftershave that will leave your skin moisturized rather than dry and irritated.

Those with sensitive skin should avoid the large number of aftershaves that are alcohol-based. Alcohol naturally saps the moisture out of your skin. It may “shock” your pores into tightening momentarily, but will leave your skin cells dry and vulnerable afterwards. Surprisingly, even the Clearasil brand aftershave contains a large degree of alcohol (in addition to salicylic acid, which is even more drying). The intention here is to cause further exfoliation. However, shaving itself naturally exfoliates your skin. Your skin needs to be soothed and protected after shaving, not further stripped away.

Similar to alcohol, it’s better to use a product with lower levels of menthol. Menthol is the ingredient that gives your skin that “refreshing cool breeze” feeling, as though cool air is rushing against your pores. While menthol is safe in small doses, like alcohol, its antibacterial properties are offset by the fact that it can irritate your skin. Menthol is a popular ingredient more for the feeling it gives users, rather than any benefit to your skin.

There are alcohol-free, menthol-free and even oil-free aftershaves out there for those looking for real protection for sensitive or acne-prone skin. These products are usually even better than “for acne” aftershaves that may still rely on the above mentioned ingredients. So if you suffer from shaving-related acne, razor burns, bumps, or ingrown hairs, take the time to choose a gentle aftershave that will truly protect your skin rather than simply feel good and then leave your skin dry and vulnerable.

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Using makeup can be a pain when you’re struggling with acne, especially when you constantly need to remove it in order to apply topical acne products. Internal acne treatments can make your skin care routine less burdensome, but you still want to be careful with your makeup selection so as not to further aggravate acne. It’s worth noting that they now have acne-concealing makeup products for both men and women, so there are even products for you guys out there who would like to hide stubborn acne scars as they heal.

While trying to conceal the appearance of acne scars, the last thing you want is to invite future breakouts. The three main products used for concealing skin blemishes are concealer creams, foundations, and finishing powders. These products are often used together, but for many simply using two, or even one, of these products is enough. It usually depends on the severity of your scars.

Always make sure your face is thoroughly cleansed before applying any makeup. If you do use topical spot treatments, these should be applied first and allowed to dry. The general rule with makeup is to choose products which are noncomedogenic and oil-free (and still apply them only sparingly). Remember that men and women have different skin types. Most makeup is made for women, so guys may benefit from finding products made specifically for them. Stick to reliable brand names and make sure they match your skin tone properly.

Start with the concealer, lightly dabbing it over scars and blemishes. Use as thin a layer as will suffice and blend with a facial sponge. For some the concealer alone may be enough. Otherwise, follow with the foundation, also applied sparingly after the concealer has dried. Use the same gentle dabbing and blending motion. Lastly, pat on a light layer of powder to take away any detectable shine that the other products may have left.

Try not to rely too much on makeup. Keep in mind that you can help speed the healing of most acne scars with the proper vitamins such as B5 and C. Deeper acne scars may require the help of a dermatologist, but can still often be repaired.

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