If you have ever suffered with any prolonged period of acne then you have probably searched the internet on a weekly basis looking for the best acne treatments and cures available.  The treatment of acne can be a simple cure for most mild cases but it does take a daily skin care regiment that needs to become a part of your lifestyle if it is to be successful in the long run and offering an acne cure.  Most people would have less acne if they just followed their doctors and dermatologists advise and gave the creams and medications adequate time to work.

Understand what causes acne 

Propionibacterium acnes, a commonly occurring bacterium in the pores and follicles of the face, is one of the main causes of acne.  Bacteria sometimes become trapped within the skin’s pores and, in an effort to get out, they produce an enzyme that eats away at the sebum which is blocking their escape route.  In the process of breaking down the sebum the enzyme also causes inflammation to the surrounding areas of the pore.  This inflammatory condition is better known as acne.  The best acne treatments prevent this inflammation from happening in the first place.

However, not every pore becomes inflamed, it’s only the pores with a higher than normal level of sebum.  Sebum concentrations can be higher in some individuals for a variety of reasons, the most usual being a hormonal imbalance such as puberty in boys and just before menstruation in women.  A second culprit in increased sebum production is a lack of essential fatty acids in the diet. 

Finally, large quantities of toxins released through the skin, totally unrelated to sebum and bacteria, can be a trigger for the appearance of acne.  The increased levels of toxins excreted through the skin may be caused by an unhealthy diet and an overloaded detoxification system (kidneys and liver).

                         

Natural Acne Treatment 
Most people are looking for the fastest, easiest, and most convenient acne cure to solve their skin problems.  Everybody wants the best acne treatments on the market, regardless of the cost.  What most people fail to realize is that most mild forms of acne can be treated with simple over the counter creams and a daily cleansing regiment.  It can be that simple!

                                               

Daily Skin Care Regime
To control the breakout of lesions, blackheads, whiteheads or pustules at or near the surface of the skin simply follow these basic steps:

What to avoid
In addition to the daily cleansing steps you will need to avoid certain things that may aggrevate acne breakouts:

Best Acne Treatments also Involve Dietary Changes 

Despite all the efforts of cosmetic companies to produce an acne inhibitor, the most effective and long term method to decrease and inhibit the appearance of acne is through a change in diet.  By adding essential fatty acids to the diet, implementing a procedure to strengthen the organs of detoxification and elimination (kidneys and liver) and balancing abnormal levels of hormones, acne can be prevented and treated.

The most common methods to supplement the diet with essential fatty acids is through supplementation or addition of flax seeds or flax seed oil to the diet.  Additionally, consumption of healthy oils such as canola, safflower, and sunflower in place of trans-fats and saturated fats will increase the levels of essential fatty acids in the body and decrease unhealthy fat levels.  

Tonifying the detoxification and elimination systems can be done through the use of herbs such as dandelion, milk thistle, red clover and burdock root.  At the same time, decreasing the quantities of unhealthy foods will decrease the already overburdened detoxification and elimination organs.

Hormonal balance can be also be achieved through the use of herbs and diet.  In all of the above cases it is best to consult with a certified and professional herbalist or nutritionist before self-medicating.  

Your best chance at lasting change and making sure your acne treatments are successful is to combine the dietary changes with the daily cleansing regiment.  The key is to give it enough time to take effect.