Acne vulgaris develops when the pores, or pilosebaceous structures of the skin, become clogged with sebum or bacteria. Typically, one’s body drains this sebum or bacteria naturally; however, for unknown reasons, some individuals are unable to expel their body’s production of sebum and certain bacteria at one time or another. As a result, the sebum or bacteria sticks to one’s pore walls. Acne is your body’s inflammatory response to riding your body of any excess oil and bacteria.

Despite the plethora of acne medications on the market, you can naturally treat your acne by using products and techniques that will facilitate your body’s ability to drain itself of excess sebum and bacteria found naturally in the body. The key to controlling acne vulgaris, and other forms of acne, is maintaining a proper sebum production, flushing your system of toxins, and eliminating triggers and allergens that may cause rosacea and hormonal breakouts. Here are some tips:

2. Take flax oil in the liquid or capsule form daily. As an essential fatty acid not typically found in your food, flax has the ability to regulate your body’s metabolism and expel toxins from the system.

3. Drink 8-12 glasses of water daily. Add lemon juice or fresh squeezed lemon to your water to purify your system even more. Although diet is not seen as a factor that causes acne—excess oil, toxins, allergens, unbalanced hormones, and bacteria do. If your body’s response to certain foods causes these things to develop, acne can result. For example, if you are prone to hormonal breakouts and eat certain foods that contain hormones that only exacerbate your hormonal imbalance, such as beef, you may experience more breakouts. Thus, it is not the food, but what your hormones and your body’s desire to remain function properly, that causes acne to develop.

4. Exfoliate your skin regularly. Exfoliation will removes excess oil and skin cells from the skin surface, allowing any sebum or bacteria sticking to your pore walls to be more easily released as the pore becomes unclogged. Beauty 4 Ashes ® Christian Health & Beauty (www.discoverb4a.com) makes an all-natural exfoliating acne scrub which differs from many on the market because it uses essential oils to control your body’s sebum production and natural enzymes to regulate hormonal breakouts. It also contains aloe vera and acne scar and blemish removing essential and natural oils. A recent study by Skin Health magazine (May 7, 2007) found it to be the most effective all natural product to treat acne.

5. Eat more leafy greens. Although diet is not a “factor,’ certain foods cleanse the body and thus, aid in expelling bacteria and sebum from your body more quickly, so that it never reaches your pores. Try adding spinach, greens, prunes, grapefruit, coconut, and pineapple to your diet. Coconuts and pineapples especially have great medicinal properties that regulate your body’s metabolism, enzymes, and cellular detoxification.

Make a homemade acne mask. Take 1 tablespoon for olive. Combine with 3 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 tsp of organic lemon juice. Mix into a paste. Apply to skin and massage for 1-2 minutes. Rinse. This will help many individuals’ blemishes and can be used on the face or body.