Friday, March 02, 2007
Tip! ) Help correct hormonal imbalances related to acne breakouts. Perhaps the most important acne treatment regime is consistency! No matter what treatment is chosen there is one sure way to make it fail and that is inconsistent or improper use. Not all acne products have good use instructions. When the product is not part of [...]
Perhaps the most important acne treatment regime is consistency! No matter what treatment is chosen there is one sure way to make it fail and that is inconsistent or improper use.
Not all acne products have good use instructions. When the product is not part of a larger kit it probably only has sketchy use information. There needs to be a better long term use beauty regime in place in order to reap full benefit from the products chosen.
When choosing over-the-counter products there are only four choices of active acne fighting ingredients which can be utilized with full FDA approval. Those ingredients are often used in about the same order as part of an acne fighting regime.
The first of those ingredients is salicylic acid. This is frequently used in soaps and cleansers as the first step in a twice daily treatment regime. The second is benzoyl peroxide which serves as an antibacterial and oil eliminator. The third is resorcinol and/or sulfur often used in combination as a leave on peeling agent.
Although theses ingredients recur in many different forms and under many different brand names there is a great variation in the percentage of each used. This is particularly true in the case of benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid.
Higher percentages of benzoyl peroxide will yield good results on cystic torso acne. The same strength will cause excessive reddening and drying or blistering of facial skin particularly in babies or the middle aged.
The same situation exists with salicylic acid. A low 2% concentration of this ingredient will cause slow peeling of outer skin layers and eventual loosening of clogged pores. The higher percentages at up to 35% will yield deep pore cleaning but would not be suitable for daily use. An acne treatment regime needs careful planning.
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Flaxseed Oil and Acne
Tip! Heredity: If the parents have undergone the acne problem, it does not affect the skin texture of the children. However, if the problem was serious then it may continue with the children to a smaller extent. Whilst there have not been many flaxseed oil and acne studies carried out, flaxseed supplements remains a popular [...]
Whilst there have not been many flaxseed oil and acne studies carried out, flaxseed supplements remains a popular acne treatment, with both natural therapists and acne sufferers.
Flaxseed is traditionally used as a natural laxative, providing bulk to the stool as well as lubrication. But flax oil has many other benefits, which derive from its richness in the omega 3 essential fatty acid. Essential fatty acids are so named because we must get them from our diet - our bodies do not make them. They are important for normal growth and development, brain function, and help prevent chronic illnesses like arthritis and heart disease.
Essential fatty acids come in several forms, the most commonly known being the omega 3 fatty acids and the omega 6 fatty acids. Omega 6 fatty acids are more common in our Western diets, being found in oils like safflower, sunflower, corn, sesame, and other oils. It is possible to have a deficiency of omega 6 fatty acids if relying only on omega 3 fats, like flax and fish oils, as the main type of fat in the diet. Or if taking the omega 3 fatty acids in greater quantities for a period of one and a half, to two years, to restore an omega 3 deficiency. But the more likely scenario is that an excess of omega 6 fatty acids is being consumed in relation to the omega 3’s.
Symptoms of omega 3 fatty acid deficiency include dry skin, sticky platelets, and tissue inflammation. Given that inflammation is of particular concern for acne sufferers, it becomes easier to see why increasing the amount of omega 3 fatty acids in the diet remains a popular natural acne treatment.
Omega 3 fatty acids can be found in certain types of fish like salmon and mackerel, and flaxseed oil. And as well as reducing inflammation, omega 3’s speed up healing - again, important for acne sufferers - and reduce platelet stickiness. Platelet stickiness becomes important beyond heart health when you consider that the blood cells carry the supply of oxygen to cells, including cells in our skin, and the cells that are involved in healing.
There are 3 types of omega 3 fatty acids that are significant. These are alpha linolenic acid (ALA or LNA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexanoic acid (DHA). ALA (or LNA, as it is often abbreviated to) is converted into EPA and DHA by the body. EPA and DHA are the forms in which the omega 3’s are most easily used by the body. Supplementation with ALA has been found to reduce inflammation and improve dry skin.
Flaxseed oil is a very good source of ALA, containing an average of 55% and higher. But to carry out the conversions into EPA and DHA, the body needs to have good levels of zinc, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin B3 and vitamin B6.
The recommended intake of ALA is about 2,220 mg per day. Higher doses are recommended to treat deficiencies, or some conditions. There is no real standard recommendation for acne sufferers simply because not enough studies have been done in relation to acne. But doses of 3000 to 6000 mg per day are used to prevent and treat some chronic conditions.
For more information on natural acne home cures, click here. For information on zinc gluconate and acne, click here.