Tea Tree Oil Acne Benefits

A tea tree oil acne remedy is often recommended to treat breakouts in the skin due to its antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. [1] This natural essential oil has the ability to kill bacteria, which is precisely why it is often found in natural lotions, toothpastes, creams, shampoos, and even mouthwashes.

However, the question begs to be asked if tree oil can effectively kill the p. acnes bacteria on the skin that triggers chronic and inflamed acne?

When reading natural health blogs online, I saw several reports that tea tree oil has much fewer side effects than using benzoyl peroxide on the skin. Benzoyl peroxide is an incredibly drying acne ingredient that can often cause side effects like dryness, itching, and flaking in the complexion.

Fortunately, tea tree oil is able to kill the acne bacteria in the skin without causing such side effects.

To date, there has only been one notable study done on the tea tree oil acne remedy. In a randomized trial through the Department of Dermatology at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Australia, researchers compared the results of using 5% tea tree oil to 5% benzoyl peroxide to treat mild to moderate acne in a group of 124 people. [1]

Both of these groups greatly reduced their inflamed acne lesions over a period of three months, yet tea tree oil was proven to be less effective than benzoyl peroxide. However, the tea tree oil acne remedy was again the treatment that caused fewer side effects in the acne sufferers.

In the group using benzoyl peroxide, a whopping 79% experienced severe side effects of burning, stinging, and dryness in their skin!

Let’s check out what several acne sufferers had to say about the tea tree oil acne remedy at the acne.org forums:

It really works and fast, within 1 day I noticed a difference.

This works fabulously assuming you are the right skin type. I am fairly greasy and this works wonders but for some people this may dry you out and may also cause an allergic reaction as it is pretty strong. Be sure to use sparingly, most poor reactions to Tea Tree Oil can be attributed by using in excess.

Tea tree oil saves my day. I used to use OXY with benzoyl peroxide but have found out that tea tree oil is an organic equivalent so I've switched. I have oily face so I apply 2-3 drops evenly over my whole face after moisturizing. It stops acne in its tracks, so to speak.

Now that we understand that a natural tea tree oil acne remedy can be beneficial to kill acne bacteria on the skin, I am going to let you in on a little secret…

Acne bacteria on the skin doesn’t cause acne. Shocking, isn’t it? Acne is actually caused by a poor diet that loads the body full of toxins, leading to a bacterial overgrowth on the skin. While a natural ingredient like tea tree oil can greatly reduce bacteria on the skin, it will not treat the true cause of acne.

For the greatest results, use natural tea tree oil instead of benzoyl peroxide to treat your skin AND clean up your diet to get rid of acne for good!

Sources:

1. Wong, Cathy. "Tea Tree Oil for Acne - Using Tea Tree Oil for Acne." Alternative Medicine - Everything You Need to Know About Alternative Medicine. 20 Sept. 2007. Web. 24 Mar. 2011. <http://altmedicine.about.com/od/teatreeoil/a/teatreeoilacne.htm>.

About the Author: Bethany Ramos is an aesthetician and makeup artist with a special interest in using nutrition to heal and alleviate a number of conditions in the skin. You can find out more skin care and makeup tips by visiting her blog at FacebyBethany.

The Turmeric Acne Treatment and Your Diet

A healthy acne diet focuses on fresh vegetables, lean proteins, and especially omega-3 fatty acids to restore and strengthen skin that has been damaged by toxic chemicals and additives in processed foods.

As you begin to integrate fresh and natural foods into your diet, one spice that should be at the top of your list is turmeric. Turmeric comes from the root of a plant in the ginger family, and it is normally ground into a powder and used in Indian cuisine. [1]

What Does Turmeric Taste Like?

Turmeric is a vital ingredient in curry powder, and it often has a slight taste of orange and ginger with a subtle bitter undertone. When cooking healthy and fresh foods to balance your diet, turmeric can be used to add flavor to soups, side dishes, vegetables, and lean proteins like fish. [1]

While turmeric has a pleasant and authentic flavor, it is important to discover the benefits that a turmeric acne treatment can provide when you include the spice in your diet.

The Turmeric Acne Ayurvedic Remedy

Turmeric is a natural spice often used in ayurvedic healing remedies to naturally purify the blood and relieve a number of skin conditions. [2]

Turmeric treats:

• The skin
• The heart
• The liver
• The lungs

Since turmeric supports the health of the liver, it will aid in natural detoxification in the body to significantly reduce your risk of acne outbreaks. On top of that, turmeric also has wonderful anti-inflammatory properties to alleviate chronic inflammation in the body that results in severe acne in the skin.

Here is what several acne sufferers from the acne.org forums had to say about the turmeric acne remedy:

Here a cure for all acne people suffer from red mark,scar,Hyperpigmentation.
Turmeric powder or the root from it. It only cost u a few dollar to buy at a asian market With a few dollar will last u a month and help u fade all kind acne,scar,red mark,Hyperpigmentation on your face in a month u will see life agian, and u don't have to waste thousand dollar or go to the pain of that nasty peel,skin bleaching or use harsh chemical that don't work.

I've been trying this for about 4 days now i can definitely tell you it works! Drinking the turmeric prevents further acne forming and applying it to the face helps fight current acne, and reduces scar formation & pigmentation.

The most important point to keep in mind is that using a spice like turmeric by itself will not be able to cure your acne. BUT when you use a turmeric acne treatment in addition to a balanced diet, you will be able to naturally purge your body of toxins, strengthen your immune system, and clear your skin from the inside out.

As an added bonus, you can also use a topical turmeric acne remedy at home to relieve acne in your complexion.

To do so, make a paste of turmeric powder and water to apply to your skin, and rinse with warm water after 5 minutes. This natural home remedy will alleviate surface inflammation, treat hyperpigmentation caused by acne scarring, and strengthen your skin to resist acne outbreaks!

Sources:

1. "Turmeric | Culinary Cafe." Culinary Cafe | Where Candie Cooks.” Web. 24 Mar. 2011. <http://www.culinarycafe.com/Spices_Herbs/Turmeric.html>.
2. "Use of Turmeric ? Turmeric Ayurvedic Applications." Turmeric ? Turmeric Powder, Turmeric Spice India. Web. 24 Mar. 2011. <http://www.turmeric.co.in/turmeric_ayurvedic_use.htm>.

About the Author: Bethany Ramos is an aesthetician and makeup artist with a special interest in using nutrition to heal and alleviate a number of conditions in the skin. You can find out more skin care and makeup tips by visiting her blog at FacebyBethany.

Shea Butter Acne Moisturizer Benefits

While it is vitally important to take care in the products that you put on your skin, that is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to remedying your acne.

Shea butter is a moisturizing product made from the nuts of the Karite Nut trees found in Central Africa. In its pure form, Shea butter is a solid fatty oil, derived from extracting the butter from the nuts of the trees. Since Shea butter is highly moisturizing and non-toxic, it is often advertised as an acne treatment product to naturally heal and smooth the skin. [1]

A Shea butter acne moisturizer has natural healing properties since it contains beneficial vegetable fats. These natural fats promote healthy cell regeneration and stimulate circulation, which is exactly what you need to renew and refresh a complexion that has been ravaged by acne. On top of that, Shea butter also has natural sun protection benefits to strengthen the complexion and prevent free radical damage caused by sun exposure.

But those benefits alone don’t guarantee a long-term acne treatment…

It All Starts with Your Diet

As an aesthetician, I always advise my clients to use natural products to treat their skin since it greatly minimizes the risk of toxic chemical buildup in the body. Any product that you put on your skin absorbs directly into your bloodstream and can affect your circulatory system. If you are using topical over-the-counter acne products that are full of harmful chemicals, then you are leaving your body at risk for these chemicals to be absorbed directly into your bloodstream.

For this reason, it may seem like a Shea butter acne moisturizer would be the perfect acne cure, right? Not entirely… Using the right natural products is only one piece of the puzzle. While a Shea butter acne moisturizer may greatly benefit your skin with its natural healing properties, it does not have the ability to completely heal acne at its source.

If you want any hope of clearing up your skin, it all starts with a healthy diet. Poor dietary habits load your body full of toxins, which lead to bacterial overgrowth on the surface of your skin. This toxic buildup will also lead to a hormonal imbalance to trigger oil production in the skin. As you can imagine, bacteria on the skin plus excess oil production will result in chronic acne.

As you start to use natural healing products like Shea butter, make sure that you are also correcting your diet for the best results in treating your acne for good!

Let’s see what a few acne sufferers from the acne.org forums had to say about using a Shea butter acne moisturizer to treat their skin:

I have been buying unrefined Shea butter from Coastal Scents for about 4 years. I buy it every winter because I live in Northern Canada and I shovel snow in the winter for a living. Shea Butter protects my skin, makes an excellent lip balm, and because it's occlusive in nature it protects my face (YES I said FACE) from salt and cold, chapping winds. I don't know why it clogs some people's pores, for me it's always been nothing but an incredible comfort to my skin...but then again, jojoba oil clogs my pores and it's noted MANY places it doesn't do that to alot of people. Goes to show what's good for me isn't good for you and even worse for the next guy

I'm 18, had trouble skin since puberty, and tried many, many moisturizers in my short lifetime. Most were either heavily fragranced or have toxic ingredients. I was pretty skeptical about the effectiveness of shea butter when I first heard about it, but I'm so glad I gave it a try. This stuff helped heal my eczema and got rid of my jawline acne. My skin is smooth and glowing after a few months of diligently incorporating this product in my skincare regime. It's also helped a bit with fading some past hyperpigmentation and red marks.

The bottom line is that using natural skin care products is highly important, but they are not the cure-all to treat acne in your skin. When you begin to balance your diet with fresh, whole foods and lean proteins, your skin will naturally start to heal itself to resist acne.

When that happens, any natural skin care products that you use will be even more effective to hydrate, smooth, and repair your complexion that is now free from acne!

Sources:

1. Johnson, Cait. "Shea Butter: What It Is, What It Does for Our Skin | Care2 Healthy & Green Living." Care2 - Largest Online Community for Healthy and Green Living, Human Rights and Animal Welfare. Web. 21 Mar. 2011. <http://www.care2.com/greenliving/shea-butter-what-it-is-what-it-does.html#>.

About the Author: Bethany Ramos is an aesthetician and makeup artist with a special interest in using nutrition to heal and alleviate a number of conditions in the skin. You can find out more skin care and makeup tips by visiting her blog at FacebyBethany.

Aloe Vera Acne Benefits

Aloe vera is a plant similar to a cactus that grows in warmer climates. Aloe vera is often used as a popular natural remedy in the diet and to treat the skin since it provides advanced healing benefits to soothe burns, reduce inflammation, and even treat scar tissue. [1]

If you have ever applied soothing aloe vera to a sunburn, then you probably know firsthand how calming and cooling this natural remedy can be. Here are some of the many benefits that aloe vera provides to the skin:

• Hydrates dry and cracked skin
• Strengthens the outer barrier of the skin to protect from environmental toxins
• Treats insect bites, burns, blisters, and frostbite
• Balances the skin and keeps it healthy
• Reduces inflammation caused by a sunburn
• Reduces inflammation from skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis
• Kills bacteria to quickly heal wounds or cuts
• Deeply moisturizes the skin to strengthen the outer barrier
• Provides anti-aging benefits
• Lightens dark pigmentation in the skin

As you can clearly see, aloe vera is full of countless benefits to treat the skin.

Let’s check out what several acne sufferers from the acne.org forums had to say about using an aloe vera acne remedy:

Wowwww. helped my skin so much! Salicylic wash and Alpha Hydrox BHA Souffle made my skin red and irritated but it was helping my acne and my red marks but I needed something to help soothe those chemicals on my face and this organic natural substance did the trick!!
Bought it at Lowes for 4 bucks

I am in love with aloe vera. I use 99% pure organic aloe vera gel, with nothing extra added. (DO NOT try the crap from the drugstore). My face is VERY VERY sensitive (every lotion I have ever tried stings), and the aloe has been wonderful! I had dry, flaky rough inflamed skin that was also oilly and had piples and blackheads. I apply a thin layer after washing my face (with a baking soda paste which you HAVE to try! go read my review!) my inflamation and redness is GONE, my rough skin is gone, my pimples are gone, and my black heads are minimal!

While aloe vera is a beneficial natural product to treat and strengthen the skin, it does not provide a complete acne cure. Let me explain.

As an aesthetician, I continually advise my clients to use natural and gentle products that are free from chemicals to treat their skin. However, if you are only relying upon a product like an aloe vera acne remedy to clear up your skin, then you will be sorely disappointed.

The cause of acne starts with a poor diet. This diet weakens your immune system, fills your body full of toxic chemicals and additives, and leaves your skin vulnerable to acne breakouts. If you want any hope of clearing up your skin for good, then you must first of all balance your diet by eliminating high carb and high sugar foods, and then focus on the products that you use to hydrate and strengthen your skin.

With that being said, the many benefits that aloe vera provides will work well to treat the side effects that acne causes to your skin. An aloe vera acne remedy can:

• Reduce hyperpigmentation caused by acne scarring
• Hydrate the skin to strengthen its outer barrier
• Reduce chronic inflammation caused by acne
• Speed up the healing of acne lesions
• Keep the skin smooth and youthful

The most important point to keep in mind is that an aloe vera acne remedy can be used AFTER you have cleared up your acne to restore health to your skin. The first step is to balance your diet to eliminate any acne triggers, and then use aloe vera to hydrate, heal, and restore health to your skin that has been damaged by chronic acne.

Sources:

1. "Aloe Vera to Skin Care | Skin Care." Bitterroot Restoration | Home. Web. 21 Mar. 2011. <http://www.bitterrootrestoration.com/skin-care/aloe-vera-to-skin-care.html>.

About the Author: Bethany Ramos is an aesthetician and makeup artist with a special interest in using nutrition to heal and alleviate a number of conditions in the skin. You can find out more skin care and makeup tips by visiting her blog at FacebyBethany.

The Vitamin C Acne Remedy and Your Skin

Vitamin C is also called ascorbic acid, and it is essential to collagen production. Collagen production stimulates the growth of blood vessels and cells to give your skin a firm and youthful quality. [1] This is exactly why you will often see vitamin C as a leading ingredient in anti-aging products on the market.

However, in my experience as an aesthetician, I always recommend that my clients take their vitamins naturally before using them topically. Basically, make sure that you get enough vitamin C in your diet instead of just relying on it as a product ingredient to heal your skin!

Here are few more skin benefits you can expect from the vitamin C acne remedy: [1]

• Antioxidant Protection: Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that reduces free radical damage from outside sources like pollution, smoking, and sun damage. These free radicals can cause wrinkles, fine lines, and dryness in the skin, and they will also leave your complexion susceptible to breakouts caused by acne bacteria. The vitamin C acne remedy will use antioxidant protection to strengthen your skin to naturally resist acne outbreaks!

• Reduced Risk of Sunburn: While I always encourage my clients to wear an SPF that protects from UVA and UVB rays, vitamin C does have the potential to reduce the risk of sunburn caused by UVB rays. This can greatly reduce your risk of skin cancer. Of course, this doesn’t mean that eating vitamin C-rich foods will allow you to tan without sun protection, but the vitamin C acne remedy will strengthen your complexion to reduce your risk of sun damage. This is yet another factor that will boost the health of your skin to make you less vulnerable to acne outbreaks.

• Wounded Healing: After your skin has been ravaged by acne, you may feel embarrassed, frustrated, and desperate for help. Fortunately, the vitamin C acne remedy will stimulate the growth of ligaments and scar tissue so that your skin can naturally repair itself. This is the perfect natural treatment for acne scarring to boost the health of your skin and quickly balance your complexion after an acne outbreak.

With all of these skin health benefits in mind, you’re probably chomping at the bit to find out which vitamin C-rich foods you should include in your diet! Some of the top sources of vitamin C to focus on to strengthen your skin are citrus fruits, cauliflower, bell peppers, spinach, tomatoes, and collard greens. [1]

To dig a little deeper, it’s important not to exceed over 2000 mg of vitamin C per day, or it could cause stomach irritation. For the best healthy skin diet to treat acne, make sure that the vitamin C-rich foods that you eat are balanced with other healthy food sources, like vegetables and lean proteins, while eliminating high-carb, high-sugar processed foods.

Making these simple substitutions in your diet will allow your skin to receive the most benefits from vitamin C to naturally repair itself and resist acne bacteria in the complexion.

Here is what several acne sufferers from the acne.org forums had to say about the vitamin C acne remedy:

It works. I tried everything, tee tree oil, benzoil peroxide and all sorts of face cleansers. But I never thought that acne was caused from the inside. So I tried Vitamin c 2000mg per day. and my acne started clearing. My skin started to lighten and become smoother. I look 2 years younger at least from using this.

Vitamin C works in COMBINATION with a healthy lifestyle.. for the majority of people don't expect to have great skin if you're not treating your body well!

I have been taking 1000mg of vitamin c with rosehips for more than a year now; until then i have not had flue; It also helps my skin to become more smoother and acne scars fade away easily. Take it! If it wouldn't help you with your pimples then just use it to have a healthy body and fight diseases.

The truth is that vitamin C is not a miracle fix for your acne. BUT including fresh sources of vitamin C in a balanced diet will boost your immune system, flush your body of toxins, and ultimately strengthen and heal your skin so that you are finally free from acne. At last…

Sources:

1. Sentry, Susan. "Discovery Health "How Does Vitamin C Benefit Skin?"" Discovery Health "Health Guides" Web. 16 Mar. 2011. <http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/information/nutrition/vitamin-c-benefit-skin.htm>.

About the Author: Bethany Ramos is an aesthetician and makeup artist with a special interest in using nutrition to heal and alleviate a number of conditions in the skin. You can find out more skin care and makeup tips by visiting her blog at FacebyBethany.

It’s time to find out the truth…

How Pantothenic Acid Impacts Acne

To better understand the benefits of the pantothenic acid acne treatment, we must first explore how pantothenic acid impacts your health as a whole.

Pantothenic acid provides such benefits to your health as: [1]

• Treating hair loss
• Alleviating asthma
• Reducing allergies
• Relieving stress
• Treating heart problems
• Treating respiratory disorders
• Boosting immunity
• Reducing signs of aging
• Alleviating skin disorders

As you can see, pantothenic acid does contribute to the quality of your skin. But how? The answer may be much different than you think…

One major pantothenic acid acne benefit is in the fact that this vitamin greatly boosts and protects the immune system. So what does that have to do with your acne treatment? Well, what many people do not realize is that a compromised immune system can directly lead to acne.

When your immune system is weakened, it will leave the protective barrier of your complexion vulnerable to damage, making it highly likely that the acne bacteria on your skin will result in chronic, inflamed acne lesions.

To take it a step further, another pantothenic acid acne benefit is that this vitamin relieves stress. Stress is yet another factor that will compromise your immune system, which could result in hormonal imbalances, excess oil production, and bacteria on your skin that will cause acne.

However, as a word of caution, this vitamin is not a complete acne cure-all. Come again?

While pantothenic acid is highly necessary to improve the quality of your skin and strengthen your immune system, you will never be able to defend your body against acne if you don’t first of all correct your diet. A weakened immune system stems from poor digestion, caused by an unhealthy diet.

To get started, it will greatly benefit your immune system and skin to eliminate processed, sugary foods from your diet. These foods cause an overload of toxins in your body, which will throw your hormones out of whack and lead to acne bacteria overgrowth to result in serious breakouts.

In addition, it pays to include foods rich in pantothenic acid in your diet, like: [1]

• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Mushrooms
• Salmon
• Legumes
• Collard greens

While you may be tempted to supplement your diet with a pantothenic acid acne supplement, it is always best to try to get this vitamin from fresh food sources since they will provide a variety of vitamins and nutrients to benefit your skin.

On top of that, some foods rich in vitamin B5, like salmon, also contain omega-3 fatty acids. These omega-3 fatty acids are vital to the health of your skin since they once again boost your immune system to strengthen your complexion to naturally resist acne. Do you see how it all works together?

Check out what a few acne sufferers from the acne.org forums had to say about pantothenic acid acne remedies:

After reading about pantethine (the active form of B-5), i'm wondering why people aren't trying it instead of b5? From what ive read, you get a better effect with a lot less to no side effects. Because you only have to take around 900 mg or so of pantethine, there will be no adverse side effects.

I've been taking B5 for 2 weeks now. My skin is less oily and my break out minimizes but my skin isn't clear yet. So I am going to give it another 2 weeks to see if there are any further improvements. Basically, I am taking 10mg (20 pills and 4 times a day) per day. I see a significant reduction of oil after my third day. Also, I used to have on average 3 new pimples per day and now I'm only having 1 new pimple in 3-4 days.

I've been taking B5 for about 4 days now, and my skin looks and feels better. My cystic acne that I had cleared up. Now I just have hyperpigmentation from all of my old acne.

So what have we learned today? While a vitamin like pantothenic acid definitely has the ability to benefit your skin by boosting your immune system, it will not provide an acne cure by itself. Start out on the right foot by cleaning up your diet and including foods rich in vitamin B5 to strengthen your skin to naturally fight acne!

Sources:

1. "Health Benefits of Vitamin B5 or Pantothenic Acid." Welcome to Organic Facts. Web. 16 Mar. 2011. <http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/vitamins/health-benefits-of-vitamin-b5-or-pantothenic-acid.html>.

About the Author: Bethany Ramos is an aesthetician and makeup artist with a special interest in using nutrition to heal and alleviate a number of conditions in the skin. You can find out more skin care and makeup tips by visiting her blog at FacebyBethany.

The Benefits of Niacin

Niacin is a vitamin that has been in the spotlight for its anti-aging properties, yet it offers many more benefits to the health of the body.

The first important point to remember when considering a niacin acne treatment is that niacin is vital to the breakdown of all major foods in the body. [1] So what does this have to do with clearing up your skin?

First and foremost, poor dietary habits are a major contributor to chronic and inflamed acne. Bad dietary habits, like eating sugary and processed foods, can cause poor digestion, imbalanced hormones, excess oil production, and finally severe acne in the skin.

If you are attempting to treat any of these symptoms separately, then you are in a world of trouble.

To give you an example, focusing only on treating a hormonal imbalance through medications will never give you acne relief. You will only be treating a symptom caused by a poor diet over and over again, yet you will never be able to alleviate your acne unless you first of all correct your diet.

This is precisely why a niacin acne treatment provides such a great benefit in clearing up the skin. When you include more niacin-rich foods in your diet, it will support the growth of healthy skin by aiding in digestion.

Niacin also improves blood circulation, which is necessary to stimulate healthy cell growth so that your skin can repair itself after being ravaged by acne. Niacin is a primary vitamin that plays a role in protein, fat, and carbohydrate metabolism. On top of that, niacin is also necessary to create red blood cells and hormones in the body, as well as to metabolize drugs and toxins.

When you take into account the many triggers of acne, like hormone levels, toxins, and poor digestion, a niacin acne treatment seems to pack a powerful punch and treat all symptoms at the same time!

Of course, it’s not always that easy… The main word of caution to take into consideration when pursuing a niacin acne treatment is that one vitamin is not a cure-all for acne. Yes, niacin is essential to promoting healthy digestion, yet if you do not focus on balancing the rest of your diet by eliminating processed foods, then you will have no hope of clearing up your skin.

Let’s check out what several acne sufferers had to say about a niacin acne treatment on the acne.org forums:

I started taking 250mg of time-release (low flush) niacin about six weeks ago. Within about a week, my problematic cystic acne was gone and has not returned. I have oily skin that is constantly broken out to a greater or lesser degree, and mild body acne as well that is also constantly present. In addition to the constant small zits, I always had at least one deep cyst on my cheeks that would hang around for weeks and leave hyperpigmentation that could last as long as two years. The niacin supplement was the only thing that changed in my regimen, so I am as good as certain that niacin got rid of my cystic acne.

Please note, I have no intention to keep up the Niacin for any longer than a month at a time--this is the advice I have found on the safest way to take it. If it is overdone it will only put further pressure on the liver and possibly increase acne as a result. Less is definitely more in this case. Supplements can stress the body and digestion too if taken foolishly, so be careful and stop all supplements immediately if you have adverse side-effects, people think because they are naturally derived that they are safe--anyone can react to anything, so be sensible-- seek advice from a supplement professional if you have concerns.

The bottom line is that niacin is one key component on your quest for clear skin. Niacin is a vital vitamin to promote healthy skin, yet if you do not focus on correcting your entire diet as a whole, then you will not see the results that you are looking for.

Focus on a whole and balanced diet that includes fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins, as well as niacin-rich foods like poultry, fish, eggs, peanut butter, wheat germ, and brewer’s yeast. [1]

As you begin to replenish healthy levels of niacin in your body through a balanced diet, your skin will have the opportunity to repair and strengthen itself to naturally resist acne!

Sources:

1. "Niacin, Vitamin, Benefits of Niacin, Niacin Deficiency, Symptoms of Niacin Defic." Women's Health: Supplements for Weight Loss, Nutrition, Immune System, Health. Web. 15 Mar. 2011. <http://www.womens-health-symmetry.com/niacin.html>.

About the Author: Bethany Ramos is an aesthetician and makeup artist with a special interest in using nutrition to heal and alleviate a number of conditions in the skin. You can find out more skin care and makeup tips by visiting her blog at FacebyBethany.

Zinc Health Benefits

It’s no secret that we need a balance of vitamins and minerals in our diet to keep our bodies healthy and promote a strong immune system. Zinc is an important mineral that plays a critical role in protein synthesis; it also regulates healthy cells in the body to support a boosted immune function. [1]

Since zinc is directly related to healthy cell growth, a deficiency in this mineral has often been linked with acne and rosacea.

Having ample amounts of zinc will provide such benefits as:

• Wound healing
• Hormone regulation
• Protection from free radical damage
• Protein metabolism
• Reduced risk of diabetes
• Enhanced digestion
• Reduced stress levels
• Increased metabolism

On the flip side, having a zinc deficiency can cause symptoms like: [1]

• Low blood pressure
• Loss of appetite
• Depression
• Pale, dry skin
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Hair loss
• Growth retardation

Zinc is located in the strong muscle fibers of the body, and it can be found in high concentrations in the retina, liver, bones, kidneys, pancreas, and the skin.

As you can see, having the proper amounts of zinc in the diet play a vital role in stimulating healthy cell growth to greatly reduce acne outbreaks. A deficiency in this mineral could lead to dry and pale skin, as well as a compromised immune system, leaving you vulnerable to severe acne.

Here is what several acne sufferers from the acne.org forums had to say about using zinc acne treatments to clear up their skin:

Zinc works. I'm not 100% clear, but there is a HUGE improvement. I no longer get big breakouts, rather, I get a small pimple here or there. My skin is way less oily too! I can wear less makeup now because I don't really need it except to cover the scars. Just try it!!! I wish I had known about the benefits of zinc years ago!

Taking 50 mg of zinc daily can't harm you! Zinc can only provide benefits for you. Even if this is not a miracle cure for acne, I believe it aids in preventing acne and is good for your overall health.

I have also found that zinc helps considerably, but does not eliminate, my acne. I won't repeat what everyone else has already said, but it's definitely worth a try. Also try the picolinate formulation, as this has increased bioavailability.

While it may seem like the best zinc acne treatment would be to take a supplement, it is always, always recommended to get your vitamins and minerals directly from your diet.

Why is that? In general, zinc acne supplements are not necessarily as effective as whole foods. However, if you find yourself struggling to get enough zinc in your diet, choosing a proper supplement can often help to balance out an already healthy diet and improve the quality of your skin.

Some of the top sources of zinc include: [1]

• Oysters
• Peas
• Turnips
• Oats
• Almonds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Whole grains

As you start to include these healthy foods as sources of zinc in your diet, it will work as a natural zinc acne treatment. To qualify, only focusing on a zinc-rich diet will not clear up your skin. The truth is that you must have a balanced diet with whole, fresh foods that include zinc, as well as other essential vitamins and minerals, if you want any chance of strengthening and clarifying your skin.

There is no one vitamin that provides a miracle cure to your acne. Still, zinc is a highly necessary vitamin within your clear skin diet that will stimulate a healthy immune system, aid in digestion to purge toxins from your body, and heal your skin through healthy cell regeneration.

Balancing your diet is the key to clearing up your skin. Make sure to include these zinc-rich foods along with other healthy food sources in your diet to heal your skin from the inside out!

Sources:

1. "Health Benefits of Zinc." Welcome to Organic Facts. Web. 15 Mar. 2011. <http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/minerals/health-benefits-of-zinc.html>.

About the Author: Bethany Ramos is an aesthetician and makeup artist with a special interest in using nutrition to heal and alleviate a number of conditions in the skin. You can find out more skin care and makeup tips by visiting her blog at FacebyBethany.

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