Paul Rooney asked:
What is the best acne treatment? Really that is the $64,000 question as what works for someone may not work for someone else due to many factors, such as the cause of the acne (is it through nutrition or hormonal?) and also, the way peoples skin types vary so much has a bearing on what is the best acne treatment for that individual. However there are lots of remedies out there, some chemical, some natural so we are going to look at some of them in the hope that we will find the one that suits you best. However, before jumping in with any treatment you may want to ask the opinion of your physician or your dermatologist about your choice of treatment, just to make sure. That said, lets look at some of the available remedies.
Applying a topical anti-bacterial gel, cream or lotion is commonly thought to be one of the best acne treatments for mild to moderate complaints. The good thing about these treatment is that you do not necessarily need to see a doctor first as they can be bought over the counter and a qualified chemist should be able to help you pick the one that is right for you. Products intended for treating acne normally contain active surface molecules (heavy detergents), multiple scrubbing particles, alcohol, menthol, mint, camphor, eucalyptus, lemon and grapefruit oils. However, try not to choose anything with too much alcohol in it and avoid putting neat alcohol on the affected area, as this can make the skin worse by drying it out.
A treatment that is quickly gaining popularity from acne sufferers is Tea Tree Oil. Tea tree oil, also known as Melaleuca Oil comes from a tree in Australia, and if you buy a good make of it, it should be almost 100% natural product. Because tea tree oil is antibacterial, it helps to prevent acne breakouts caused by bacteria. Now research has been done into the effects of tea tree oil and what they have found is that tea tree oil is practically just as effective as 5% benzoyl peroxide (this is what they use to make a lot of acne products with) but interestingly, the teat tree oil has nearly no side effects, whilst comparably, 79% of benzoyl peroxide users report side effects including red, itchy, and dry skin.
A treatment which although costly, is becoming hugely popular is Laser acne treatments. However, this is not really intended for mild acne, as it is quite a serious treatment and is intended for the more severe forms of acne. Laser acne treatment is very effective as not only can it be used for clearing up the acne itself, but for those that have suffered acne scarring, then laser acne treatment can also help to reduce the visual effects of the scars. As mentioned before Laser acne treatment is not cheap but it is very effective, and this is why it is so popular amongst severe acne sufferers.
I have left until last what I believe is the best acne treatment, and that is really down to good diet and taking care of yourself. Eating properly can help you avoid having acne as it can help your skin to stop producing the wrong chemicals, and it also means you are not carrying as much toxic waste in your body. So you need to be cutting out the fried, fast and processed food and start getting more fruit and veg in to your diet. Additionally, you will be helping yourself if you cut out fizzy drinks and too much caffeine, and increase your water intake as this will help to flush out impurities. The benefits of this are enormous as not only will your skin start to clear up, but you will also start to notice other health benefits too.
JULIA
