Acne Fighting Foods

If eating the wrong foods can impact your heart and lungs, why can't eating the wrong foods impact the largest human organ, your skin? Finally! It has been scientifically proven that diet plays a vital role with acne sufferers of all ages. Acne sufferers can treat acne naturally and holistically and get great results! In a recent study, the participants' acne were improved drastically after 12 weeks of following the right diet. 
 

The Acne Slayer Cookbook is a collection of recipes that promotes an acne-free complexion. In the Acne Slayer Cookbook, you'll find over 100 easy to prepare dishes. Recipes are jam packed with antioxidants, Vitamin A, B Vitamins, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, beta-carotene, calcium, chromium, fiber, omega 3 fatty acids, protein, potassium, magnesium, selenium and zinc. Parents of teens suffering with acne can prepare meals from this cookbook. Recipes can be enjoyed by the entire family! 

The Acne Slayer Cookbook is more than a collection of recipes. Download it to an internet capable device, and it becomes an interactive cookbook. All recipes are linked to additional nutritional information, video tutorials, and reviews. DOWNLOAD NOW! Before downloading you will be asked to complete a short offer.

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Healthy Fats

What are Healthy Fats?

Healthy fats are those that do not raise cholesterol levels. Fat is an essential nutrient that the body uses for many critical functions. Healthy fats provide the body with essential fats that help to keep our skin healthy.  The human body does not make healthy fats. Therefore, healthy fats must be obtained through the diet. Being the Acne Slayer Blog focuses on acne and skin care, the focus is on omega 3 fatty acids which have been proven to be beneficial to fighting acne.

  

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Omega 3 fatty acids provide the human body with anti-inflammatory benefits. Acne is an inflammatory disease. Arming the body with a diet full of anti-inflammatory foods is an excellent strategy to combat this chronic disease. Perhaps the most important benefit of omega-3s is they have been shown to control the production of leukotriene B4. Leukotriene B4 is a molecule that can increase sebum production and cause inflammatory acne breakouts.  

Fish & Seafood

Fish and seafood are excellent sources for omega-3s. Fish choices rich in omega-3s include salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines and albacore tuna. Seafood choices rich in omega-3s are oysters and mussels. Also oysters are packed with zinc! For healthy servings of fish and seafood, prepare it baked, broiled, grilled or poached. An acne fighting diet should include two servings of fatty fish or seafood weekly.

Nut& Seeds

Walnuts have the most omega 3 fatty acids than other nuts. Therefore walnuts should be the top choice when consuming nuts. Nuts are high in fat and consuming fats whether healthy or unhealthy should be restricted. Therefore eating walnuts in moderation will provide a good dose of omega-3s. Flax seeds have more omega-3s than other seeds. Sprinkle these favorable seeds over steel oats or salads for a full punch of omega-3s!

Beans

Beans do not have as much omega 3 fatty acids as nuts and seeds. But some varieties contain a fair source of omega-3s. Beans are also full of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Plus beans are also a low glycemic food! Therefore, beans are an excellent addition to an anti-acne diet! Kidney, Great Northern and navy beans are some good choices.

Fruits & Vegetables

Fruits in the berry category have the most omega-3 fatty acids content. These include avocados, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries. Vegetables also contain amounts of omega-3s. The best choices include dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach and watercress. Brussel sprouts also contain omega-3s.

Oils

Flax seed, canola and olive oils are excellent choices for omega 3s. Flax seed oil has more omega-3s than canola and olive oil. Olive and canola oils are easily incorporated into an anti-acne diet because they can be used in cooking. Olive and canola oil are excellent for stir frying and roasting vegetables. Flax seed oil can be added to foods before or after cooking. Canola oil is less expensive than olive oil and can withstand higher cooking temperatures. Additionally, all three of these oils can be used in salad dressings.

Notes

Healthy fats regardless of the health benefits are still classified as “fats”. Therefore to avoid any adverse health effects they should be used in moderation.

For your convenience

The Acne Slayer Blog has taken on the task of compiling recipes that are loaded with healthy fats. Use the Acne Slayer Cookbook and take out all the guess work of an anti-acne diet. Download your copy now!
Before downloading, you will be asked to complete a brief offer.

Learn more about the Acne Slayer Approaches:

• Trigger Foods

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Commercial Acne Treatments

Why Commercial Acne Products?

Perhaps, the main advantage of commercial acne products verses natural acne products is their convenience. Instead of experimenting with homemade acne treatments, consumers can rely on commercial formulas. Another advantage to commercial acne treatments is that consumer reviews are readily available online. The following is a brief description of a few of the popular acne care systems available. 

Proactiv+

Proactiv+ is a benzoyl peroxide based acne skin care line. The current Proactiv+ system has been revamped from the the original formula. The 3 step system includes an exfoliating cleanser, pore penetrating lotion, and a skin hydrator. Proactiv+ retails for about $40 for a 30 day supply. Proactiv+ offers automatic shipments on their website.

Neutrogena Complete Acne Therapy System

Neutrogena Complete Acne Therapy System is a benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid based acne skin care line. The 3 step system includes a salicylic acid based cleanser, a benzoyl peroxide based acne control lotion, and an oil free sunscreen. Neutrogena states that it is the number 1 dermatologist recommended acne treatment system. Perhaps, this is because it is the only popular acne treatment system that includes a sunscreen in its system. The Neutrogena system retails for about $25 for a 60 day supply. Visit Neutrogena's website to purchase online or to find a local retailer. 

Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Control Kit

Clean & Clear Advantage Acne control kit is a benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid based acne skin care line. The 3 step system includes a benzoyl peroxide based acne cleaner, a salicylic acid based moisturizer, and a salicylic acid based spot treatment. The Clean & Clear kit retails for about $20 for a 30 day supply. Visit Clean & Clear's website to purchase online or to find a local retailer. 

Natural Commercial Products

Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are the active ingredients in most popular acne skin care products. Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic have been known to cause adverse effects to some users. The following acne treatments active ingredients are natural alternatives to benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid.

Calendula

Calendula also called pot marigold is a plant that is a natural alternative to benzoyl peroxide. Calendula has proven effective against bacteria, pain and inflammation. Kiehl makes a calendula based cleanser and toner. The cleanser and toner duo retails for $50 for a 30 day supply. The duo is available on their website. California Baby makes a great calendula based moisturizer. The moisturizer retails for about $15 on their website. 

Tea Tree

Tea tree oil comes from the leaves of the Australian Melaleuca alternifolia commonly called tea trees. TTO has been shown to have antiseptic and antifungal properties. The Body Shop carries an entire line of TTO based acne treatments. The line consists of products ranging in prices of $9 to $20 dollars. The products are available directly from their website. 

Green Tea

Green Tea comes from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Topical applications of green tea have been shown to reduce sebum production, fight against bacteria, and work as an anti-inflammatory. St. Ives makes green tea based cleansers. The cleansers retail for under $10. Visit St. Ives website to find a local retailer. 

Sunscreen

A good sunscreen provides protection from UVA and UVB rays. Due to the complex nature of sunscreen, it's best to use commercial products. Neutrogena currently have 2 sunscreen formulas specifically designed for acne prone skin. Neutrogena's sunscreens retail for about $11 and are available from their website. 




Dark Spots

It's important to know the difference between acne spots and acne scars. Scars are permanent demarcations that require treatment in a medical office. Spots often disappear without treatment. Stubborn spots can be treated with products containing hydroquinone and alpha or beta hydroxy acids. These skin lightening agents should only be applied to healed acne spots. Alpha Hydrox Spot Light Targeted Skin Lightener is a popular products for acne spots. Alpha Hydrox products are widely available through online and retail outlets. Most acne dark spots can be corrected with over the counter products. However, stronger strengths can be prescribed by a dermatologist. 


Do you want an individualized skin care regime?

See the blog post on natural acne treatments. 

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Natural Acne Treatments

Why Natural Acne Treatments?

The ingredients used in some commercial and pharmaceutical acne care products have been known to cause a long list of side effects for some acne sufferers. The most common active ingredients in commercial topical acne treatments are benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. Recently, benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid have been reported to cause severe allergic reactions for some users. Also, the trend of people becoming immune to antibiotics is an issue of concern. If commercial products are causing adverse reactions, natural products may prove beneficial. Severe acne sufferers considering transitioning to natural products should do so under the care of a dermatologist.  

Medical Research 

There are tons of online testimonies from acne sufferers who would recommend a sleuth of natural acne treatments. However, this blog is dedicated to medically backed acne solutions. Natural products do not have to adhere to any legal regulations. Therefore, there is limited medical research on the efficacy of natural products. This post only focuses on the treatments that have been clinically researched and applied.

Comedonal Acne Lesions 

Comedo is the medical term for clogged pores. The comedo is a mixture of oil (sebum) and dead skin cells. The treatment for comedones should focus on unclogging pores.

Blackheads & Whiteheads

Blackheads and whiteheads are comedones. If blackheads and whiteheads aren't alleviated with a regular skin care regime as outlined in the “Skin Basics” post, manual extraction should be considered. 

Comedone Extractor 

A comedones extractor is a tool designed to manually remove blackheads and whiteheads. The tool has two ends. One head is designed to remove larger comedones. The other head is designed to remove smaller comedones. Application: Before using the tool, apply a warm towel over a freshly washed face to loosen clogged pores. Alternatively, the face can be steamed by covering the head with a towel and placing the face at a safe distance over a pot of steamed water. Or a face steamer can be used. After steaming, pat the face dry. Proceed to use the comedone extractor on stubborn blackheads and whiteheads.  When the extraction session is finished, sanitize the extractor by soaking in rubbing alcohol.

Inflammatory Acne Lesions

Most inflammatory acne lesions (papules and pustules) start as blackheads or whiteheads. Therefore, the best defense against papules and pustules is to treat whiteheads and blackheads promptly. 

Papules & Pustules

Inflammatory acne lesions originate from a clogged pore that has caused a break in the follicular wall. The break in the follicular wall will sometimes result in inflammation. Due to its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, pure Australian tea tree oil (TTO) can be used to treat inflammatory acne lesions. TTO should be made into a 5% gel solution. A 5% gel TTO solution can be made by mixing 1 tablespoon of pure Australian TTO with 9 tablespoons of organic aloe vera gel. Application: Dip a Q-tip in the 5% gel solution and apply directly to the inflammatory acne lesion. Rinse off after 20 minutes.


Nodulocystic Acne Lesions

Nodulocystic lesions are nodules and cysts. Nodulocystic lesions lay deep within the skin and are prone to scarring. The difference between a nodule and a cyst is a cyst contains pus. Pus is a sign of infection. Depending on the severity of some nodules and cysts, it may be best to seek a dermatologist's care for removal. The dermatologist might prescribe antibiotics or perform a procedure to remove the nodule or cyst. The most popular procedure is injecting the cyst or nodule with a steroidal solution. If a dermatologist's visit isn't possible, the nodulocystic lesion may be treated at home. Application: Apply a warm towel to the lesion as this should reduce swelling. Next, apply a 5% Pure Australian tea tree oil gel as described above. Leave on overnight. Complete this regime nightly until the nodulocystic lesion disappears.

Dark Spots

It's important to know the difference between acne spots and acne scars. Scars are permanent demarcations that require treatment in a medical office. Spots often disappear without treatment. Stubborn spots can be treated with natural and commercial products. One natural treatment for acne spots is lemon juice. Lemons contain alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). AHA is the active ingredient in professional grade peels. Application: Dip a Q-Tip into freshly squeezed lemon juice. Apply lemon juice directly to dark spots. Rinse off after 5-10 minutes. Complete this procedure daily or every other day. Results should be noticeable in a few weeks.

More Tips

Preparing homemade natural acne treatments requires the right tools and ingredients. Be sure to check out the resources section of this blog for suppliers.

Don't have time to make your own products? 

• See this post concerning commercial acne products.

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Skin Care

For information regarding skin and acne treatments, visit the following pages:

Skin Basics

Skin Care 101

Natural Acne Treatments

Commercial Acne Treatments

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