Acne Light Does anyone know anything to help with light red marks left from acne?
I have light red marks on my face from having pimples some time ago. It isn't that severe, just wondering if you guys had any advice. I know that it will go away with time probably. Are there any creams or anything that might help? They are on my cheeks, and in bright light are clearly visible... Doesn't look too good. lol
Hi John
Here are some ideas to heal the issue.
Quick Action Plan for Acne
1. Massage your skin, where needed, with bergamot, camphor, geranium, juniper, lavender, or neroli essential oils.
2. Ayurvedic practitioners recommend making a paste of ½ tsp each of turmeric and sandalwood paste with enough water, and applying to pimples. Also, drink half a cup of aloe vera juice twice daily until acne clears.
3. Eat an organic whole foods diet, with plenty of organic cooked and raw vegetables, and whole fruits. Reduce animal fats and stressor foods such as caffeine, refined sugars, and alcohol, as well as colas, candies, and frozen and processed foods. Include more high fiber foods.
4. Drink eight glasses of pure, filtered water daily. Also, daily have two glasses of raw juice, combining carrot, beet, and celery juice, or, carrot, cucumber, and lettuce (not iceberg), and spinach, with carrot predominating.
5. Add 3-5 drops of crab apple flower essence to pure water and drink during the day. Rescue Remedy® is good for stress.
6. Combine the tinctures of herbs such as sarsaparilla, burdock, and cleavers in equal parts, taking ½ tsp three times a day. Drink an infusion of nettle several times a day and apply tea tree oil topically. An infusion of calendula mixed with equal parts of distilled witch hazel can be used as a cleansing wash. Steam sauna your face with red clover, lavender, and strawberry leaves.
8. Enjoy full body immersion hydrotherapy treatments such as steam baths, saunas, sitz baths, colonic irrigation, hot and/or cold compresses, and steam sauna your face with red clover, lavender, and strawberry leaves.
9. Useful supplements are vitamin A, beta carotene, vitamin B complex, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, and zinc. Also include omega-3 fatty acids, brewer's yeast, chlorophyll, and pancreatic enzymes with meals.
10. Expose your face to sun and air at least 30 minutes a day, and exercise daily. Keep your skin clean by washing your face three times a day with soap made from the herb calendula officinalis, or using other alternatives to soap. Rinse with warm water and pat dry. Squeezing pimples or whiteheads may cause infection. Keep the skin free of oil and use water-based products. Get sufficient sleep.
11. Make facial masks from natural products; leave on overnight to help dry the skin if acne is caused by excess oil.
12. For long term relief and health be sure to do a colon cleanse. This clears out the toxins in the blood and excess waste in the body. Colon cleansing will healp clear up a lot of issue, expecially acne.
Cause
Acne may be worsened at adolescence, during the pre-menstrual and/or mid-menstrual cycle due to hormonal action, and when under stress, on contraceptives, eating a poor diet that causes an over acidic system, or taking prescription and non-prescription drugs.
Blackheads can form when the oil combines with skin pigments and gets trapped. Blackheads may suggest the need for better hygiene, or magnesium and vitamin A. Chronic, numerous whiteheads can also form during acne outbreaks, suggesting vitamin B1 deficiency or absorption problems. Consistent raised spots on the outside of the arms and sometimes even the thighs, resembling "chicken skin," may suggest need for magnesium, vitamin A, or essential fatty acids or the need to avoid foods that inhibit the absorption of these nutrients, such as trans-fatty acids found in margarine and hydrogenated oils, such as cottonseed oil and palm kernel oil.
Food allergies, allergies to facial creams, soaps, shampoos, makeup, and excess intake of refined sugars, can all cause or contribute to acne. Certain foods can also aggravate acne conditions because of their high-acid forming effects on the body, especially fried foods, trans fats, iodized salt, alcohol, hot and spicy foods, all processed foods, chocolate, fruit juices, carbonated beverages, caffeinated beverages, and dairy products. Excessive long-term intake of seafood or other high iodine foods may also cause acne in some people.
Coexisting gum problems suggest the need for folic acid. A separate acne condition may occur in women 30-40 years old due to physical exercising or working all day with face makeup, lowered resistance due to stress, or hyper-response to bacteria or hormone problems. Another acne problem, acne rosacea (reddish spots in a pattern over nose and cheeks), may be a sign of low B vitamins or low hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
Acne light treatment is rapidly becoming a popular acne remedy because it is a fairly easy and a drug-free way to help heal blemishes. As you know, many topical medications contain strong ingredients that damage sensitive skin, resulting in peeling, redness, and increased sun sensitivity. Ouch ! But, Blue light (not the beer, if you are a Canadian) therapy is widely regarded as an excellent alternative to most acne medications. Some individuals have expressed concern over the safety of this procedure, becuase this procedure used to use ultraviolet (UV) light that was harmful to the skin. Fortunately, modern Clearlight treatments have been FDA approved and free of UV dangers.
The FDA approved blue light therapy for acne in August of 2002. In studies, two 15-minute exposures a week for a period of four weeks produced a 60 percent reduction in acne in 80 percent of patients. Reported remissions from acne lasted as long as three to eight months. The first approved system of treatment, ClearLight, is now available through dermatologists. This method involves a new therapeutic blue or red light that uses what is called Acne PhotoClearingTM - APCTM technology. It targets and destroys the surface of the acne and quickly and easily repairs it. It is also known to be effective in clearing inflamed acne in one month.
So how does blue light therapy work?
Basically, patients are exposed to a low intensity blue light source (405 nm to 420 nm) for 15 minutes twice per week for 4 weeks. Each session costs between $50 and $150, making a full course of treatment an average of $800. But, wouldn't you know it, acne light treatment is considered cosmetic and is therefore not covered by insurance.
Another form of acne light therapy that is used more and more is known as pulsed light and heat energy (LHE) therapy.
LHE therapy uses both light and heat to eradicate the root causes of acne. Very much like blue light therapy, LHE therapy uses light to destroy acne-causing bacteria. It also uses heat to reduce the production of sebum and to help shrink sebaceous glands. It is an attractive option for many acne sufferers because it promises fast results. Usually, improvement in the symptoms of acne can be seen in as little as 30 days. Not surprisingly, this is becoming popular because it is a fast treatment, with most sessions done in just over 10 minutes. The FDA has approved LHE therapy for the treatment of mild to moderate acne.
While different kinds of light therapies may seem attractive, they can also be expensive, and may not be covered by most health insurance plans. If you are looking for an answer that is milder and less expensive, consider the many herbal therapies that are available. Some acne sufferers swear by certain herbal supplements, including black currant seed oil, evening primrose oil and others. Follow the instructions on the bottle or ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice. Also, never take any herbal medication if you are taking prescription drugs as their could be side effects. Consult with your Pharmacist or Doctor first.
Visit a skin specialist or dermatologist for more information on acne light treatments.
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This entry was posted by admin on October 27, 2008 at 10:46 pm, and is filed under Laser Treatment For Acne. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0.
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