Here is an interesting post that is worth repeating…

9 Common Misconceptions About Acne - http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=20080703_acne_prevention_tips.htm

1. Dirt causes acne
   No. Keeping your skin clean is not about removing dirt, its about cleaning out shedding skin and oil.
2. Direct acne treatment works
   No. Well its best to treat acne well before it has erupted in the form of pimples.
3. Acne only affect teenagers
   No. Adult acne is very real, teenagers get acne mainly due to the hormonal changes going on.
4. Oily food causes acne
   No. Same goes for chocolate.
5. Make up causes acne
   This ones a maybe as they can block the pores. So buy cosmetics that are Non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic and water-based.
6. Sweating prevents acne
   No.
7. Sunshine can clear up acne
   A little can help, too much can do harm.
8. Facial Scrubs help to get rid of acne
   No. Scrubbing can cause infections and alcohol based products can stimulate oil production. Small-grained scrubs and alcohol-free toners are advisable.
9. Acne can be cured
   No. It can however be treated and a good acne regime can prevent its severity.

Do you have chronic Acne?

What if there was a scientifically proven way to permanently clear skin In Just Three Days!

…sound to good to be true?

I was pretty skeptical about “Acne Free in 3 Days” but I’m learning a lot from this…
FREE REPORT

“Acne Free in 3 Days is the current best selling natural acne treatment program available online that will show you how to permanently eliminate your acne condition usually within several days.”

WebWire.com

I am looking forward to seeing what this can do kids as they ‘a bit’ lazy we it comes to taking care of their acne, doesn’t stop em from complaining about it though.
So far “Acne Free in 3 Days” seems perfect for them.

Diet and Acne - For years we have heard how diet is not a major cause of acne right?

Personally I never rule anything out and try to be in touch with new things to add to an acne prevention regime. So I was intrigued by this news story from the Herald Sun:

Food for thought

Over the past 30 to 40 years many doctors have dismissed the idea that diet is a cause of acne. But recent research indicates that what you eat impacts on your skin.

Professor Neil Mann, professor of human nutrition at RMIT University, studied the link between diet and acne after chatting with an anthropologist colleague who noted primitive societies with a typical hunter/gatherer diet had no incidences of acne.

They didn’t even have a name for it. Sticking to a low-GI diet of whole, minimally processed foods, such as fruit and vegetables, lean meat and a small amount of whole, unprocessed grains, could help clear the skin.

“We know there are many metabolic processes going on in the body in regards to what we eat, so we were sceptical about claims that diet has no relation to acne,” Professor Mann says.

A basic culprit is high insulin levels, Professor Mann says. “High levels of refined carbohydrates elevate the levels of insulin,” he says.

“High insulin levels cause an overproduction of sebum and that helps to block the pore. High insulin levels also cause a certain type of androgen, DHEAS protein, to rise, which, in turn, causes the sebum levels to rise.” HeraldSun.com.au (July 6th, 2008 - Australian Newspaper)

The story goes on to discuss many things about adult acne, but I particularly perked my ears up when I saw that experts are now supporting the idea that, sticking to a low GI diet can help with acne, and it certainly cant help!

Just came across a great blog post that really nails the secret to curing your acne problem.

There are no products to buy and the article dispels a few myths, the post goes into detail on the following points:

• Acne cure #01
  Don’t scrub or rub your pimples
• Acne cure #02
  Don’t pop pimples
• Acne cure #03
  Breathe deeply when stressed
• Acne cure #04
  Use a honey mask once a week
• Acne cure #05
  Use mild cleansers
• Acne cure #06
  Be patient and stick to your regime
• Acne cure #07
  Always use a 15+ sunscreen
• Acne cure #08
  Use medication dosages as directed
• Acne cure #09
  Use only noncomedogenic products
• Acne cure #10
  Avoid headbands and hats can aggravate your acne
• Acne cure #11
  Avoid touching your face with oily and/or dirty hands
• Acne cure #12
  Wash your face twice a day with sulfur-based soap
• Acne cure #13
  Keep your oily hair short
• Acne cure #14
  Eat fruits and vegetables daily
• Acne cure #15
  Drink 8 cups of water a day
• Acne cure #16
  Change your pillow case daily
• Acne cure #17
  Exercise regularly
• Acne cure #18
  Avoid polluted, greasy environments and tight irritating clothing

You can read the full article at davelessio.blogvis.com

I have been searching around the internet looking for acne home remedies and acne face masks. While I found hundreds of Skin Treatment remedies I have only listed Acne Face Masks that specifically target pimples and oily skin.

“Apple Honey Acne Mask

1 medium apple, grated 4 Tbl honey

Mix together the grated apple and honey. Smooth over your clean skin and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Rinse gently with warm water and moisturize as usual. This mask is good for oily skin that has a tendency to break out.” goodcleanluv.com

Honey is a natural antiseptic and I often use it to draw out blind pimples, this apple and honey face mask is a great example of how to use honey to treat acne.

“Anti-oxidant Soothing Mask for acne skin.

I tsp green tea powder mixed with aloe vera gel.

Mix and apply the gel over a thoroughly cleanse face for 20 minutes and then rinse off with tepid water. complete with your usual skincare routine.” clubxacne.com

I like this acne treatment because it uses two of my favorite acne cures together in one home remedy. This is a great example of how to aloe vera for acne.

“Deep Cleansing Mask for oily acne skin.

Stong brew of mint tea ( anti-inflammatary ) mixed with oat (oil absorbing) .

Apply on clean face for 20 minutes. Wet face and gently “rub” off to give the skin a light exfoliating.” clubxacne.com

I have used oats before and they work well as a face scrub and it makes sense that they would help to absorb excess acne causing oil (sebum).

“Thyme As An Astringent

Thyme is excellent for treating acne. Add about 1 tablespoon of dried thyme, or a small bunch of fresh thyme to 1 cup of boiling water, and steep for at least fifteen minutes. Strain and store in a jar in the refrigerator. Apply to skin as an astringent to tighten pores. Keep in the refrigerator for about one week.” acnenaturalcures.com

I will have to explore this thyme acne treatment further.

“Easy Acne Mask

If you’re having a major breakout, mix 1/2 cup of strained tomato pulp with enough powdered milk to form a paste. Blend until smooth. ( Tomato contains Vitamin C and Potassium–both good for healing skin.) Cover face and leave on 20 minutes. Wash with warm water.” makeuptalk.com

I haven’t tried this one because it seems a little messy

“Green Tea Natural Facial Mask

For this excellent green tea face mask you will need a tea bag (green tea), Tea tree oil and some grape seed oil. Break open the contents of the tea bag and grind the tea into a fine powder with a mortar and pestle. Add 2 or 3 drops of tea tree oil and just enough grape seed oil to work the mixture into a smooth paste.

Smear the green tea paste gently over the affected areas of your face, making sure you avoid getting too close to your eyes. Leave the mask on your face for around 10 minutes then wash off with warm water.” acnetreatment2020.com

This is one of my favorites and a great example of how to use green tea for acne. I have had great success with this one except use a high grade green tea I bought online. Drinking 2 cups of green tea per day will also help prevent acne.

Sundari Neem & Green Tea Cleansing Mask

Don’t want to mess with having to make them yourself?
Click on the image above and check out one product that I highly recommend!

“Treat a blemish with all-natural products

• Apply Tea Tree Oil to blemishes to help kill the bacteria and reduce redness.
• Oatmeal and warm water will make a soothing mask for the skin.
• Mint Juice can be very soothing and calming for irritated skin, your face will feel cool and refreshed.
• Aloe Vera extract can sooth irritated skin, decrease redness and swelling. Facial lotions containing Aloe Vera are also helpful.” blogs.glam.com

This last extract sums things up nicely and supports a lot of the acne face mask recipes I have compiled here, sourcing them from other great acne help websites.

“…remember that an acne home made mask is only as pure - and that means as clean, and free of bacteria - as that kitchen countertop where it’s created.” Acne HomeMade Mask

“As a side note, some people have a condition called hyper keratosis on their arms. This condition makes the skin look like it has a permanent case of “goose bumps”. As tempting as it might seem to put some of the acne mask on that area, if you have the condition, it will not help. The only thing that does work are products with lactic acid in them, like LAC-Hydrin and the like.” au.zenmed.com/blog