Poor skin health can affect your emotional well-being and is often an indicator of an underlying health issue or improper skin care habits.
Having glowing and beautiful skin can give you the confidence needed to address every situation life may put you in. Achieving the beautiful skin you desire and using natural methods gives you good karmic energy because you chose to make a wholesome choice.
Adult acne is most common in women going through hormonal changes. Acne in teenagers has a big hormonal component to it as well. Hormones are not the only culprits, however. Diet, stress, and harsh chemicals in skin care products are the other leading causes of acne. Adult acne affects 25% of adult men and 50% of adult women at some point in their life. 1/3rd of adults with acne on their face also suffer from acne on their neck, back, and body. Adult acne is thought to cause depression and social anxiety. Same is true for teenage acne, which tends to take an immense toll on one's psychological health. Regardless of your age or whether you are suffering through adult or teenage acne, the location of your breakouts can tell you a lot about the reasons.
Determining the source of your acne can help you choose which natural method to use in the alleviation of breakouts.
Acne mapping means to correlate acne with what is causing it. Ayurveda and Chinese medicine are great at correlating acne’s location to its root cause. At a modern scientific level, however, we may not have figured out this mapping so well yet, in terms of the exact cascade of events that leads acne to be isolated to a certain area of your face.
1. Is Your Acne Caused By Hormones?
For teenage acne, the answer is most likely yes but not so for adult acne. Acne caused by hormonal imbalances or increased hormonal activity is most often isolated to the chin, cheeks and the jawline. Sebum, an oil or waxy matter produced by your sebaceous glands is an important source of energy for acne-causing bacteria. When your body's endocrine system (hormonal system) suffers an imbalance caused by pregnancy, diet, or stress, your body produces more sebum and that leads to breakouts on your chin, cheeks, and jawline mostly.
Getting your hormones checked and figuring out natural ways to balance them is a big recommendation in case your acne is the result of shifting hormones. Ayurvedic herbs like shatavari are awesome to help balance your hormones. Talk to your naturopath to see if this is the right solution for you.
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2. What Does Acne Caused By Food/Diet Look Like?
It's no secret that poor diet can cause inflamed breakouts, but did you know a food allergy can cause acne as well? Acne associated with diet and allergies will yield acne breakouts on the forehead, temples, and nose mostly. Poor diet can trigger a spike in insulin, a hormone that causes the sebaceous glands to produce more oil and this, in turn, causes clogged pores. Food allergies cause a continuous volatile reaction in your body, and in this case, the reaction would be acne. It is not only allergies that can give rise to acne. If your diet is unhealthy, your gut health suffers. Per Ayurveda, an unhealthy digestive system can lead to acne and many other diseases. So identify your triggers and eliminate them. Many report skin clearing when they eliminate nuts, dairy, chocolate or whey protein supplements from their diet.
Ayurvedic herbs like triphala are time-tested to keep your digestive system clean and in great working order. An Ayurvedic practitioner can help you incorporate this herb in your daily routine.
3. Is Your Acne Caused by Stress?
Acne related to stress is thought to appear on the cheeks and forehead. Your body responds to stress by redirecting blood flow and oxygen. The areas that consequentially lack in blood flow in stressful
Stress causes many to eat an unhealthy diet, either eating too much or consuming dehydrating substances like too much coffee or alcohol. All these factors worsen acne by adding a diet component to your acne as well.
Are there herbs that can help with stress management? Yes, most definitely. Ayurvedic herbs like ashwagandha and brahmi are stars at this. They are great for the health of your central nervous system and help keep your mind calm in trying situations. Dosage and suitability are best handled by a qualified practitioner.
Here is a remedy you can use at home to get rid of your acne. It is a face mask that contains turmeric and rice flour. Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel!
Now that we have discussed some ways to determine causes, let's discuss potential solutions in helping you to achieve young, beautiful and acne-free skin.
It is important to remember that successful solutions are specific to causes. If you feel your acne is caused by more than a single factor (very likely), then a combination of various adjustments is your answer.
It is important to have an understanding of yourself, your habits, and what affects you before choosing a natural solution to your acne. Making changes to clear your skin applies to adult as well as teenage acne.
The following methods and tips aim at helping your skin find its balance and healing externally. This, in turn, can have a major positive impact on your acne, regardless of the cause. However, a bidirectional approach is the best for obvious reasons.
1. Use Turmeric, Neem, and Clove in Your Skin Care
These three Ayurvedic ingredients are what your skin needs. No matter the cause, these ingredients cumulatively are known for their natural antiseptic, antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Exposing your acne-prone skin to these daily is the key. Therefore using a natural skin care routine made with these ingredients is the practical way to go about this. If you are using harsh chemicals like benzoyl peroxide, your skin may be screaming for nourishment and natural care. Go natural on your already sensitive and inflamed skin.
2. Switch to a Gentle Cleanser ASAP!
It is the first step in your skin care routine and if done wrong can lead to your entire plan falling on its face. Sounds harsh! Well not as harsh as harsh chemicals on your skin. Harsh cleansers make your skin dry, tight, and parched. This causes your skin to overproduce oil to protect itself and the result is more acne. Use a gentle, pH-balanced and sulfate-free cleanser as the first and foundational step to a natural skin care routine.
3. Determining Food Allergies
There are several common food allergens that cause acne; dairy, eggs, soy, legumes, sugar, caffeine, grains, chocolate, and nuts. Removing allergens from your diet is the most effective way to address the acne due to improper diet.
4. Hydration
Water helps to flush out toxic material created in the body due to poor diet or food allergens. Drink plenty of water every day to help keep your body clean from the inside. Hydrating your skin is just as important as hydrating your body. Hydration combined with rejuvenation is a wonderful combination for addressing acne breakouts. A face lotion containing aloe vera, neem and clove will provide antibacterial, refreshing, and moisturizing properties.
5. Combating Stress
Lavender is famous for its soothing and calming properties. Lavender encourages your nervous system to relax and promotes good sleep. Both are very important to keep your skin
6. Jojoba and Rosehip Oil
This is yet another winning combination that promises results. Jojoba oil is very similar to your own sebum and does not clog pores. Skin takes it up quickly and gets nourished from deep within. In addition, jojoba cleans pores very effectively and thus eliminates the chances of infection. Rosehip oil is very nourishing and has awesome scar-fading properties as a bonus. Vitamins C and E, in particular, give rosehip oil the edge. Both are serious antioxidants and help reverse free radical damage to your skin due to acne. Vitamin A in rosehip oil helps your skin resurface quickly. This leads to fading of discoloration and scarring associated with acne.
Hope you found this information useful. Leave your comments and questions below.
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