Factors that Trigger Acne in Women

Since we know that hormones are related to outbreaks of acne, it comes as no surprise that women are particularly prone to this skin condition.

Womenshealth.gov reports that various hormone related factors can wreak havoc with women's skin.  They include hormonal changes related to menstruation, pregnancy and going off the birth control pill.

The governmental organization also reports that certain medication, makeup and applying pressure to the skin can contribute to acne.

Elsewhere, I read that hormonal birth control in any form (pill, patch or ring) can contribute to an array of effects, including a reduction of acne.  This happens because hormonal birth control contains estrogen. Ingesting it in any form results in a rise of estrogen in the body, as well as a rise in the ratio of estrogen to testosterone.  Taking hormonal birth control can result in other desirable effects -- including a lusher growth of hair.

However, hormonal birth control has side effects as well.  Researching and pursuing natural acne cures would be a preferable first step before deciding to go this route.

Seaweed a Boon to Acne Sufferers

There appears to be an array of press releases and blog posts recently, touting the effectiveness of seaweed as a natural acne cure.  Given the high numbers of youths and adults who suffer from this embarrassing and annoying skin condition, it is no wonder that so much effort is being put into finding natural, effective remedies that do not product undesirable side effects.

I have found one article in which the director of a company that markets a seaweed based product describes it as a miracle drug.  My sense is that this label may be optimistic, but time will tell.

Jean-Yves Moigne, the director of Cosmetics and Natural products for Alque et Mer, says his company's products are expected to appear on shelves by  mid to late 2011. The product is patented in Japan, Europe and the United States.

Along a similar lines, an Italian researcher, Professor Enzo Berardesca, a director at the Instituto Dermatolgico San Gallicano, Italy, conducted studies on an extract derived from brown seaweed. The researchers found that the extract did not appear to have any side effects.

We will have to wait and see whether this extract proves effective as claimed. In the meantime, some experts say that including seaweed in one's daily nutrition would be even more effective. Seaweed is known to be rich in natural trace elements and contains many minerals and vitamins for acne.. Dried seaweed can be purchased at many health food stores or online.

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New Anti Acne Product Derived from Ayurvedic Herb

According to a recent press release, pharmaceutical company Unigen Inc has created a new product purporting to inhibit the occurrence of acne breakouts and acne scars. The product, known as Bakutrol, is derived from Psolarea corylifolia (often known as babchi). which is one of the acne herbs often used in ayurveda medicine. Babchi seeds have many uses, including as natural remedies for leprosy, internal ulcers, skin conditions and fevers.  The active component in the seeds is an essential oil.

Ayurveda, viewed as an alternative medicine in the west, is a major health system that originated in India and is widely practiced in Asian countries.  A wholistic approach, it incorporates the body, mind and spirit. Ayurveda is likely to treat through special diets, herbs and minerals.

Unigen Inc. reports that their new anti-acne drug is antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anti-scarring.  They point out that current commercial products to treat acne often cause side effects including scarring, skin drying and skin irritation.  The company says that clinical studies showed that their product was effective in reducing acne problems without these unwanted side effects.   It can be formulated with other acne treating substances such as salicylic acid, or added to various cosmetic products.

A patent is pending. 

While it is always a good thing to have choices, especially choices that work without side effects, it would also be possible to utilize natural acne cures or consult a practitioner of ayurveda medicine for help with troublesome acne problems.

Neem Leaves Effective for Treating Acne

Anyone interested in natural acne cures might to well to investigate the use of neem leaves.

Until this morning, I had never heard of neem leaves.  However, a little research turned up some compelling evidence to suggest their effectiveness as a skin treatment.

According to Wikipedia, the neem tree is native to India, where it has long played a role in health promotion.  It is also native to other tropical countries in Asia.

Wikipedia says:

"In India, the tree is variously known as "Sacred Tree," "Heal All," "Nature's Drugstore," "Village Pharmacy" and "Panacea for all diseases." Products made from neem tree have been used in India for over two millennia for their medicinal properties: Neem products have been observed to be anthelmintic, antifungal, antidiabetic, antibacterial, antiviral, contraceptive and sedative.  It is considered a major component in Ayurvedic and Unani medicine and is particularly prescribed for skin disease.

All parts of the tree are said to have medicinal properties (seeds, leaves, flowers and bark) and are used for preparing many different medical preparations.

Neem oil is used for preparing cosmetics (soap, shampoo, balms and creams, for example Margo soap), and is useful for skin care such as acne treatment, and keeping skin elasticity. Neem oil has been found to be an effective mosquito repellent."

To use neem leaves as a natural acne remedy, you have several options to try:

• If you have access to fresh neem leaves, make them into a paste and apply directly to your troubled area. Wash the paste off after half an hour. Do this daily.
• Also, if you have fresh  leaves, make a "tea" by covering the leaves with water and boiling it.  When cool, put this tea in a sprayer and spray the substance on your acne. Do this regularly.
• If you do not have access to these leaves, there are products you can use. Swallow neem leaf caspsules, extracts or supplements, which you can purchase at health food stores or online.  Take one capsule three times daily for six weeks. You should see results by then.
• Use neem leaf soaps, which have many of the curative properties of fresh leaves. This makes it a perfect soap for treating acne.  Regularly, make a lather with the soap, apply it to the pimpled area and leave it for a time. Later, wash it off with water.

Products made from neem leaves are an excellent natural acne remedy.

Legal Help for Accutane Victims

Whenever I hear about the Accutane disaster, I become more and more convinced of the merits of using natural acne cures.

According to a PR News release, 13 million persons worldwide were prescribed Accutane for acne.  The drug proved to be defective and dangerous. Some users have experienced severe injuries to the intestines. In some cases, surgery and removal of the colon has been necessary.

Other known side effects include depression, suicidal thoughts and, in the case of pregnant women, birth defects in babies.

How can such a thing happen?

Well, according to the press release:

"Juries are finding that Swiss-based Roche Pharmaceuticals, creator of Accutane, knew that its product was unsafe but kept selling it anyway," said a spokesperson for Accutane-Lawsuit-Lawyer.com. "Roche was making up to $1.2 billion per year in profits from Accutane. For Roche, eventual lawsuits were a trade off, and the human suffering was collateral damage."

Accutane-Lawsuit-Lawyer.com urges all Accutane victims living in the US to contact them to discuss legal assistance.  Various lawsuits  have already gone to court with the courts ruling in favor of the victims. $56 million in jury awards have already been settled.

Spokespersons from Accutane-Lawsuit Lawyer point out that many people experienced symptoms related to the use of Accutane, but until recently, were unaware of the connection. Even though some juries have disregarded the statutes of limitations for this reason, anyone who may have taken Accutane in the past is encouraged to contact the legal advisers. The clock is ticking, as they say.

The Lawfirm has also produced a video,. offering tips for masking acne with makeup.



With so many natural acne cures available, commercial remedies should be the very last approach to undertake.

Turmeric a Good Choice of the Acne Herbs

Anyone interested in acne herbs to treat the unpleasant skin condition known as acne may benefit from checking out the herb turmeric.  Some call it a wonder herb, but that may be a bit too optimistic.

While not a miracle worker, many people have discovered that this well known herb has had a significant affect on their acne blemishes.

Turmeric has antiseptic properties when applied to the skin. When ingested, it boosts the immune system.  When applied as a warm poultice to an injured area, it aids sprains and strains.

To use this acne herb, first mix it with an oil such as coconut oil or sesame oil.  This should give you a paste.  Cover your acne and surrounding skin with this turmeric paste.  Leave it on overnight, but let it dry first or you will end up smearing it all over the pillow and bedding.

By morning, you may be pleasantly surprised to note that the acne has decreased in size. Some say that the acne disappears totally after as little as three days of regular, nightly use.  Even adult acne, related to hormones, has been shown to respond to this approach.

Not only has turmeric been shown to dry out the acne pimples, but it prevents new spots from springing up.  Unlike many commercial products, it does not dry out the skin.  In fact, some people use this herb daily as a facial, leaving it on for ten minutes. They consider it a beauty treatment that contributes to having a great complexion.

Alternatively, you could take Turmeric capsules, which are sold in health food stores.  Turmeric offers additional health benefits when taken internally. Online reports claim that this herb has been found to contribute to mental acuity, improve hearth health, help with cholesterol issues and to have a positive impact on arthritis and type 2 diabetes.

Turmeric is definitely one of the acne herbs to investigate. It's one of the natural acne cures.

Try Echinacea Q as a Homeopathic Acne Remedy

Anyone looking for natural acne cures would do well to explore the acne homeopathic remedies.

Homeopathy is an alternative medicine. It works by treating the whole person rather than just a symptom.  The best and wisest approach to homeopathy is to see a qualified practitioner. You will benefit by their input and supervision of any treatment or remedy you may try.

You will need to provide a full list of symptom and other information.

There is a good chance that your practitioner will suggest that you take Echinacea Q for your acne pimples and blemishes.  A typical dose would be to mix the tincture in five drops of water and swallow this dose three times daily.

According to homeopathy professionals, you should see an improvement by the end of a week.  Most of the acne should have disappeared in a months time.

Said to work 95% of the time, Echinacea Q helps build an immunity towards a number of infections.  No side effects have been recorded.

In addition to Echinacea Q, there are various acne homeopathic remedies that will assist in clearing up the acne scars and other marks on the skin.