Say good bye to your skin problem by simply using Cucumber for Acne! Yes, you heard it right! Cucumber for Acne! Not only do they taste good in salads, but they can give you the benefit of clearing your skin form these unwanted blemishes. Researchers suggest that Cucumber contains active components that aid in the treatment of acne. Certain enzymes found in cucumber can give off an anti-inflammatory effect that will reduce the redness and swelling of the pimples. It is also full of anti-oxidants, the same as tomatoes, that read the skins of harmful toxins and dirt that seeps into the pores.

Aside from this, the cucumber provides moisture for the skin. IT rejuvenates the skin and leaves it feeling more smooth, supple and glowing. Moreover it keeps the skin looking healthy and radiantly beautiful.

Here are some steps you can do in applying the Cucumber Treatment for your Acne.

1. Cleanse the area where your acne is located. You may opt to wash you face thoroughly with soap and water. Pat dry with a towel or napkin.
2. Crush the pulp of the cucumber in a clean container. Make sure the pulp becomes sticky enough and that the juice from the cucumber is retained. Make sure you make enough of the concoction for ample coverage in the area affected.
3. Use a cotton ball or your fingers in directly applying the cucumber where your acne is. Massage the concoction gently into your face, giving emphasis to the affected area.
4. Leave it on for about 15 minutes. Then completely wash off the concoction from your face. Make sure no residue remain.
5. Pat dry with a towel or napkin.

For best results you may want to make it part of your daily beauty regimen.

Despite the modern influence, many are still choosing to go natural all the way. Why do you have to spend so much when all you need is just around your corner? Open your fridge and look for lemons. Using lemon for acne is a good move. Why?

Benefits of Using Lemon to Fight against Acne Scars

• Applying lemon for acne can rejuvenate skin. Lemons are rich in vitamin C and citric acid which are great in terms of skin exfoliation.
• Lemons contain healing and antibacterial properties that can help clear the clogged bacteria on your face pores. This is the main reason for your acne.
• It can help in making your skin tone even.
• Acne can get and make your face real oily. With lemons, it can lessen production of excessive sebum or facial oil.
• It does not just alleviate sprout of acne but improves your skin elasticity as well.

Steps in Applying Lemon for Acne

1. Grab lemons and squeeze juice out from it. If you find this time consuming then you can buy a bottle of lemon juice.
2. Get just enough amount of lemon juice and put it on a clean container.
3. Wash and rinse your face with water and mild soap.
4. Using a cotton ball, soak it to the lemon juice until ready for application.
5. Start applying the lemon juice by gently patting it against your face especially those areas where presence of acne is prominent.
6. Leave it for 15 minutes. If you start to feel a bit of that lemon heat then immediately rinse off the juice. Try to lessen the span of minutes until you get control of the heat.
7. Rinse off with cold water to make sure that pores are not left opened.

What are you waiting for? Follow these simple steps and use lemon for acne to keep a natural way of nourishing skin.

More than Just Skin Deep

Severe acne, also called cystic acne, is the most serious type of acne vulgaris. It is a common skin disease characterized by pimples, blackheads and whiteheads and scaly red skin. Face, upper chest and back are the most vulnerable to acne since they have compressed hair follicles. Acne often feels like they are more than just skin deep, and can be very painful too. It is also one of the causes of teenage depression due to low self-esteem.

Much to our dismay, severe acne often materializes during adolescence and continues to adulthood. An increase in testosterone, regardless of sex, is the culprit of acne in adolescents. Usually it decreases until age 25 and lessens over time. According to Brown University, around 17 million Americans are likely to have acne.

Types of Severe Acne

Acne is sometimes difficult to categorize but here are the four main types of severe acne:

• Acne Conglobata – the chronic and severe form of acne. Inflammatory swellings form around several blackheads and increase in size until it erupts and releases pus.
• Acne Fulminans – an abrupt onset of a highly caustic inflammation accompanied with fever and aching of joints.
• Nodulocystic Acne – a type of severe acne characterized by cysts or inflammatory nodules. Cysts that are close together may combine resulting to acne conglobata.
• Gram-negative folliculitis – an irritation of follicles caused by bacterial infection. This often results from long-term usage of antibiotic for treating acne.

Its Causes

Inflammation of the hair follicles and increase in testosterone are the common causes of severe acne. When puberty hits, several hormones increase including testosterone. This causes sebaceous glands to produce sebum in the skin. When the sebum combines with the dead skin cells, it plugs the pore which results to swelling of the follicle and the skin around it.

Several factors contribute to high risk of having severe acne. This includes age, genes and familial traits, skin type, hormonal changes and diet.

Treatments: Medical and Natural

There are three possible ways to eradicate severe acne: medication, medical procedures and natural alternatives.

• Medication – Acne is often treated with Benzoyl peroxide which eliminates the P. acnes bacteria. However it can cause dermatitis and increased sensitivity to the sun.  Antibiotics and antiseptics are also used but they are known for generating bacterial resistance which make them less effective.
• Procedures – Dermabrasion is the common medical procedure for treating acne. The surface of the affected skin is removed through sanding. Comedo extraction is also another type of procedure wherein the whiteheads and blackheads are physically removed using a metal loop and sharp needle. This is not advisable since it can cause scarring when done incorrectly.
• Natural alternatives – Avoiding sugary foods is one way to prevent acnes. As substitution for ointments, try an application of tea tree oil which is as effective as Benzoyl peroxide but without the side-effects. It is also known to have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Foods which are great for acne:

• Whole grains and fiber – Help your body naturally absorb excess oil from your system by upping your intake of whole-grain food and fiber-rich fruits. Include whole-wheat bread, oats, cereals, and fruits such as apricots, prunes, and pineapples to your acne diet.

• Fatty fish – Omega 3 in fish reduces inflammatory tendencies of our bodies which lead to mad red acne spots.
• Nuts – Some say nuts are bad, but no! Nuts happen to be rich in selenium and zinc which are both essential minerals to have clear skin.
• Avocado – Enjoy this tropical fruit which is rich in vitamin E which helps you have glowing, radiant skin.
• Green tea – Rich in antioxidants, you can fight acne-causing toxins by flushing them out of your body with green tea,
• Water – Good old H2O can help flush away toxins in your body, and maintain the suppleness of your skin by cleansing it from the inside at a cellular level. Properly hydrated skin needs less oil. Less oil on your face would mean less acne!

Foods to avoid for your acne diet:

• Caffeine – Cut back on the caffeinated drinks to avoid breakouts. Caffeine may help in spiking up the production of cortisol or the stress hormone, which may in turn give you pimples. Stick to water instead!

• Oily food – Too much oil in your daily intake can contribute to raised insulin levels which may lead to acne breakouts. Also, too much oil in your system leads to a higher fat content which may break out as acne.
• Too much sugar – Regulate your sugar intake and halt your sweet tooth a bit. Too much sugar may cause a rise in insulin levels which causes more sebum to be released. This is what will lead to nasty breakouts.
• Dairy – Fresh milk from cows have hormones which may affect your body and lead to breakouts. Other dairy products like ice cream and cheese have high fat contents which can cause acne to show up on your skin.
• Processed food products – preservatives and other chemicals may cause an imbalance in your hormones which may lead you to have acne breakouts.

Remember these food DOs and DON’Ts to come up with an effective acne diet to help you achieve clearer skin!

Try out these natural remedies to remove those stubborn blackheads on nose:

• Natural cleanser and toner – You can make your own natural cleanser and toner by combining some lime or lemon juice, almond oil, and some glycerin. Lemon juice breaks down the stubborn oils while the olive oil and glycerin prevent damage while lifting it up.
• Exfoliate on a regular basis – Twice or thrice a week with some days in between can help remove stubborn blackheads on nose and prevent further development. Use crushed nutmeg mixed with some milk and scrub on the affected area. You can also use some baking soda mixed with water or sugar and some lemon juice as gentle exfoliators. Gently massaging these combined ingredients can serve as your home-made microdermabrasion therapy.
• Simple honey mask – Being very sticky, honey can help in removing blackheads from your nose. Dab some warm honey on the affected area. Using warm honey is better as it will open up the pores and release the blackheads. Leave it there for 10 to 15 minutes and wash off with water. You can also keep on patting the affected area while the honey is on top to loosen the black heads and make them stick.
• Egg white blackhead peeler – Separate an egg white from the yolk and beat it. Apply on the affected area with your fingers. Cut a small portion of 2-ply tissue paper and put it on top of your nose. Wait for it to dry and peel off after about 30 minutes.

Like acne, it is best to leave blackheads on nose alone but if you get the chance, you may gently squeeze it out when they are very visible on the skin. Follow these steps to squeeze those blackheads:

1. Cleanse your hand with antibacterial soap.
2. Wash your face thoroughly with a cleanser.
3. Expose your face to steam or put a warm washcloth on top of your face to open the pores.
4. Place two clean fingers on either side of the blackhead and squeeze with even pressure.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 twice to see if the blackhead would budge. If it doesn’t, it is best to leave it alone and try the other methods above for gradual blackhead reduction.

Whiteheads are white, as the name suggests, for a reason. The opening of the skin with whiteheads is small and therefore not enough to allow air to get in. Usually, oxidation occurs when in contact with air, and when this happens the whiteheads turn to blackheads. When bacteria get drawn to it, and the whiteheads get inflamed, it then turns to a full-blown pimple. Not all whiteheads turn to pimples, though. But it is still prudent to lessen the case of having whiteheads the right way. Note that if it is squeezed carelessly, the whiteheads on nose can turn into pimples instead. When one squeezes them out carelessly, the skin might break allowing more opening for bacteria and dirt to come in and mix with sebum there.

Below are ways to remedy whiteheads on nose without causing injury to one’s face by squeezing.

Honey massage

Honey is popular for its anti-bacterial properties. Use raw honey and massage it evenly on the face. Let it stand for a quarter of an hour. Afterwards, wash the honey off with warm water.

Honey, lemon and almond facial scrub

This natural scrub uses honey once again. Create a scrub by mixing together one tablespoon of honey, two tablespoons of ground almonds, and a little bit of lemon juice. Once the mixture is completely mixed and has a homogenous consistency, apply it on the face with a soft rubbing motion, not putting too much pressure. Try to work out the whiteheads on nose by massaging it in an upward and circular motion. After five minutes, wash off the paste with lukewarm water.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera helps remove whiteheads by removing dead skin cells blocking the pores, while also moisturizing the skin. Remove the gel-like substance from a part of the leaf of the aloe vera and massage it on the face. Let it stand for 20 minutes before washing it off with warm water.

Pomegranate and lime juice

Combine half and half of cranberry juice and lemon juice then dab at the affected area with it. Let it settle for an hour before washing off with lukewarm water.

Even with all these simple and natural remedies, it is still best to prevent the occurrence instead. Preventing whiteheads is just as easy:

• Drink lots of water all the time
• Eat fresh vegetables and fruits
• Drink a bit of lemon juice in water to detoxify
• Don’t touch the phase with dirty hands
• Choose oil-free products

Never touch the face, especially with dirty hands.

There are different causes of acne; however, some presumed causes are myths. Below are misconstrued causes of acne:

• Oily foods and chocolate have been proven by studies that they have direct effect on the development of acne.
• Dirty skin. Contrary to popular belief, people with acne do not necessarily have dirty skin. Some people may have strict skin care regimen and still have persistent acne because of some other real reason such as unnatural overproduction of sebum.
• In addition to these mythical acne factors, below are some other practices that are not true in treating acne:
• Frequent washing keeps acne from breaking out. The bare minimum for keeping away dirt, excess oil, and dead skin cells from accumulation is simple cleansing with a soap or wash that’s gentle enough for the facial skin. As a matter of fact, too much cleansing and vigorous scrubbing can irritate the skin, which may increase the likelihood of developing or worsening acne.
• Popping the pimples will help remove them. This is in fact, false. Popping pimples especially with unclean hands, will only wound the skin and aggravate the affected area, causing the pimple to stay longer.
• Tanning the skin will help clear acne. Tanning has nothing to do with acne. It may just temporarily cover the redness. But this is just because there is lesser contrast between the redness and the darker hue.

The real major causes of acne are:

• Heredity: If any of the parents or relatives has acne, there is a big chance of getting acne from them. The type of skin and tendency of its sebaceous glands to release higher levels of sebum may be inherited leading to acne.
• Follicle fallout: When dead skin cells are being shed so that they can be replaced with new ones, the hair follicle may get clogged with the old cells, blocking sebum from surfacing. This blockage results in acne.
• Overproduction of sebum: There are cases wherein, there is little to no blockage. It’s just that there is too much sebum being released by the glands so that it gets backed up, resulting in pimples.
• Hormones: The effect of hormones is most apparent in women, especially when they are through their menstrual cycle, wherein the hormone activity is fluctuating. It is for this reason that some women develop acne at a certain time of the month. This case however is not always true for all women.
• Stress: Stress is also one of the causes of acne. Stress results in production of stress hormones in the body, which may manifest in adverse reaction to the sebaceous glands, leading to the production of more sebum. Other manifestation of stress can be the closing up of pores, aggravating the sebum blockage.

• Cosmetic and medical anti-acne cream: A large chain of cosmetic products are coming up in the market for treating acne. These products claim their guaranteed solutions to be the best acne products but initially, you have to seek medical guidance in advance. The bottom-line is cosmetic anti-acne solutions may not be as good as medically tested products.
• Ingredients should be free of side-effects: If your skin is sensitive, then, the query of how to get rid of acne must be addressed patiently. In other words, you are recommended to choose the products which ensure that they do not have side-effects post using the cream.
• Reviews must be seen rightly not randomly: In case, you think that all the acne treatment reviews are the same, then, I must say they have been submitted by people from different walks of life. It further implicates that after reading the reviews, you can apply a ‘Patch Test’ formula to ensure no form of itchiness is caused.

Based on the above safety checks, you can take a decision whether the acne treatment will be effective or not.

Causes of Pimples on Scalp

• Over-production of oil in the scalp which clogs the pores of the skin resulting in the growth of acne or pimples.
• Allergic reaction to certain hair care products containing harsh chemicals that irritate the scalp and results to pimples or acne lesions.
• Poor hygiene leading to deposits of dirt and dead skin on the scalp that clog the pores
• Unhealthy lifestyle particularly poor diet and too much caffeine intake
• Hormonal imbalance
• Stressful lifestyle
• Hereditary trait
• Severe exposure to sunlight
• Excessive use of oil-based hair styling products

Natural Treatment for Pimples on Scalp

If the cause of pimples or acne on the scalp is personal lifestyle like poor hygiene, poor diet, etc, treating the condition will be much easier. Here are natural treatments for pimples on scalp:

• Mild shampoo – Washing the hair and scalp with mild shampoo everyday helps avoid the accumulation of dirt, oil and dead skin on the pores, thus preventing acne and pimples from developing.
• Soda Water – For mild acne or pimples, soda water might also work. This is done by washing the hair with soda water and letting it sit for a few minutes before rinsing. This will help dry out the pimples and acne on the scalp.
• White Vinegar – White vinegar is also effective in drying out pimples and acne. The same procedure in using soda water applies when using white vinegar.
• Baby Powder – Baby powder might also work and it is worth a try. This can be done by sprinkling a generous amount of baby powder on the scalp and leaving it for a few hours before washing the hair clean.
• Fenugreek Leaves – A paste made with fenugreek leaves and water and applied on scalp can also treat acne or pimples. The paste is usually applied on the affected area and left for at least 10 minutes before rinsing.
• Tea Tree Oil – Another popular natural acne treatment is the tea tree oil which is used to prevent or treat acne and pimples. The oil is applied topically on the affected area.

In some conditions especially in severe cases, immediate medical attention might be needed. But for milder conditions, natural home remedies might be effective. However, if after trying out these home remedies for pimples on scalp the condition still persists, it is always best to consult your doctor to get the condition under control. Home remedies may not be an effective acne treatment to some people and doctors can best recommend over-the-counter or prescription medications that can best cure and eliminate pimples or acne on scalp.