_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Update: Current Regime - May 2013
It's worked miracles for me, I highly recommend it...(NB if you have active acne, first wash with sea salt and water to rid the acne and then do the following)
A) Gently cleanse with the gentle cleansing lotion from New Directions i.e. www.newdirections.com.au
B) Air dry face
C) Apply Beta Glucan liquid from New Directions, let it seep in for 2 minutes
D) Then Apply B5 from New Directions (it's super thick so just tap it gently around your face) on top of the Beta Glucan
E) Then Sprinkle B3 Niacinamide powder on your clean palm (just a little bit like 2 or 3 shakes of a salt shaker or 1/10 to 1/8 of a teaspoon in the beginning, but then ease off to a few skakes latter, as B3 can lighten skin and at high levels isn't great for your liver, but otherwise, it's a super nutrient your body and skin needs to be healthy - it also stops acne). Then apply a generous amount Aloe Vera + Marine Collagen Moisturizer from New Directions onto your palm and mix it with the B3. Apply the mixture liberally to your face and neck/ decollatage .
Only use B5 + B3 in store bought dermatological products as they can be too strong for the skin individually and damage your skin otherwise..
F) For individual whiteheads/ cysts, apply 100% essential tea tree oil and 100% essential lavender oil...If you have really active acne; try applying the tea tree oil onto your entire face for a week to get rid of acne bacteria/ fungus etc. The lavender oil is far too drying for the entire face, so use in only on individual pustules etc.
G) Optional: Sit in a steaming warm detox bath with epsom salts for 45 minutes to 1 hour with the above on your face...it really seeps into the open pores. After, just wash off and reapply fresh amount.
H) I also add the Retin A/ Steiva A .05% with copper peptides to the mix every 2 or 3 night. I now skin roll once a week or every two weeks. (see clearskincare,com.au). I'm stopped using glycolic acid peels for now (at least 4 - 6 months) as I went overboard with it and need to repair my skin. But my skin is looking better now than it has in 10 years!
H) 2 x 30 minute massages (firmly yet gentle) with one middle finger while using other hand to hold a handheld mirror up to good light so that I target all scars/ flaws. (I only use beta glucan & my natural skin oil for this...).
I) Weekly skin needling session with beta glucan.
J) Store all your products in the fridge to keep them fresh.
~ Peace ~ 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Key tips:
Clear acne:
A) Eat alkaline vegan, wholefoods, mostly raw, organic, unprocessed natural foods: Lots of fruit & vegetables (i.e. strawberries, lemons, limes, avocado, carrot, baked potato with the jacket) and fresh juices with carrot, beetroot, apple. And Green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, coriander, continental parsley etc. Superfoods like unhulled Tahini, spirulina, flaxseed oil, 100% virgin pure organic coconut oil, chia seeds, quinoa, super greens, lentils, chickpeas, tempeh, kale, chlorella.
B) TAKE A VERY good & complete multi vitamin/mineral.
C) Detox: i.e. Drink clay detox drink for a week as directed; take 1 charcoal tablet (see health food store) for a week; go to a sauna and sweat out toxins every week for a month; exercise every second or 3rd day for 1/2 hour and then at least weekly; eat coriander/ continental parsely salad with fresh lemon juice, mixed nuts/ seeds, flaxseed oil, sea salt, hummus. Also, if you can, try this green super food supplement (or equivalent) containing chlorella/ spirulina/ barley grass/ wheat grass that you can place in a glass of fresh juice daily. It's great for the skin and health and detoxes your body: https://www.synergyn...per-greens.html
D) Drink only natural alkaline spring water or fresh fruit/ vegetable juice.
E) Treat acne with natural sea salt wash with water once a day until clear. Place 100% Australian tea tree oil all over face daily to prevent break-out. Add 100% essential lavender oil to individual whiteheads (too drying to place all over skin).
F) Meditate, get sunshine daily - just don't burn (vitamin D without sunscreen), sleep in a cool and dark room and get at least 8 hours of regular sleep nightly. Do things that make you happy Surround yourself with positive, caring and supportive people!
G) MAY 2012: DRINK SUPER GREEN JUICES DAILY WITH CHLORELLA, SPIRULINA, BARLEY GRASS (AND OPTIONAL WHEAT GRASS) See https://www.synergyn...per-greens.html
Clear acne scarring & rough skin texture - moderate to severe: see http://www.clearskin...clinics.com.au/
A) Once you have gotten the acne under contol, start using glycolic acid peels at least weekly for a month or two. Start low i.e. 15% or 20%. If you have mature or very damaged skin, work your way over 6 months to 25%. Don't go higher or you will burn your skin. I went up to 50% and made new scars on my cheek! However, it did help my molted, severly damaged forehead skin. So stick with glycolic acid 25% or under.
B) Start skin rolling/ needling daily or weekly. Only on damaged skin and acne free skin either night/ day or both. Just don't over do it. Give your skin a rest for a month to remodel itself and build collegen. Use Steiva-A or Retin-A at night or every other night i.e. .05% (along with Clear Skin Care's Clear Skin formulation with 2% hydroquonine...use only if you have severe brown spots/ discolouration, and only use a maximum for 2-3 months. This is a toxic substance) USE a little sprinkle of B3 NIACIMIDE in your moisturizer i.e. Aloe Vera with Marine Collagen for pigmentation (get them both from www.newdirections.com.au). In the morning, gently skin roll/ needle and add copper serum by Clear Skin Care. Your skin will go red but after one week of using the Steive-A and Copper serum with skin needling, your skin will start to remodel, pores will shrink and scars will start to heal over DRAMATICALLY! Keep doing this for a number of months until skin completely heals. You can use Retin-A/ Steiva-A at night and Copper Serum in the morning every so often as general maintenence.
C) If you have deep scars or wrinkles, get the smallest saftey pin you can. Wash it under hot water. Then on a clean face, use a mirror in good natural light to start pricking your deep scars and wrinkles gently but enough to let very small droplets of blood to form. Leave a little space between the pricking so you don't prick the entire site. This allows some skin to remain in tact and encourage better, more even healing. Do this when you have 3 days free so the small scabs can form and naturally fall off. Don't pick off the small scabs or you wil cause more scarring.
D) Use beta glucan Hyaluronic acid as a daily moisteriser. Or look for a natural, non-clogging light oil/ 100% natural vegan moisturiser.
E) Use lots of pure 100% vitamin e under your eyes to prevent wrinkles/ heal wrinkles. Use morning and night and you won't get under eye wrinkles!
Hope this helps you all. It has helped me tremendously.
[NB My benzoyle peroxide 'abuse' has made segments of my skin red & blotchy. I'm still trying to fix these without the use of laser. Hopefully after a few months the Steiva-A will start to heal my skin completely and the redness with completely vanish. Will keep you updated.]
F) Posted this elsewhere: BETA GLUCAN LIQUID FROM NEW DIRECTIONS IS A MUST!!!! See 100 mls http://shop.newdirec...a-Glucan-Liquid (NOTE: also17mls available)
Please try 100% beta glucan. It conditions and heals your skin AMAZINGLY. I got mine from www.newdirections.com.au.
Beta Glucan from www.newdirections.com.au is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. It heals the skin from damage and rapidly strengthens the epidermis. (It also helps to heal redness/ rosacea and hospitals use it on burns patients for 1st and 2nd degree burns to heal the skin and regrow it.
Lastly, here's a blurb from a Doctor from this rosacea support group website re the efficacy of beta glucan topical:
____________
"Hi Group,
I have put a lot of time trying to figure out what products used for burn victims might have medical applications for rosacea. So far, at the top of the list is the prescriptin strenght growth factor creams clinically test on rosacea sufferers. Excellent results. Top notch.
I have been visiting the Emergency Room at some of our sister hospitals (Clarian Health). They are using Beta-Glucan on first and second degree burns (not third). This is used for several reason:
1. An extremely potent anti-inflammatory
2. Very potent soothing qualities and abolishes burning sensations
3. Cell renewal and epidermal thickner (just as good as the 20 growth factors).
No studies on rosacea sufferers yet. But it is available. I would wait because rosacea trials by independent laboratories are on the way as they see a huge market with our disorder. I really like this product. Facial plastic surgeons have the most experience with this product and can actually show you how it immediately calms down skin redness post resurfacing procedures by placing it on one half of the face for just a few days. This will be a part of rosacea recovery in the future. Below is a short blurb.
Today, Combining history and science, oat beta-glucan renewal cell complex is available for use in both medical and cosmetic applications. Originally formulated for use in intensive burn therapy, oat beta-glucan isused worldwide to aid in the burn recovery process. From burn therapy to cosmetic surgery, oat beta-glucan is used by plastic surgeons and dermatologists to ease discomfort and assist healing of facial resurfacing procedures such as laser resurfacing, chemical peels and microdermabrasion. Today, the anti-aging oat beta-glucan renewal cell complex is a direct extension of the medical benefits derived from this proven technology."
____________________________________
You can also take it in capsule form. It helps cure everything from acne to cancer!!! See Beta13DGlucan.org: A Reliable Source of Information on Beta Glucan.
*Also, if you can, try this green super food supplement (or equivalent) containing chlorella/ spirulina/ barley grass/ wheat grass that you can place in a glass of fresh juice daily. It's great for the skin and health and detoxes your body: https://www.synergyn...per-greens.html
And here's another useful link that offers advice on what active ingredients help the skin. Good general information to help in educating your skin treatment choices: http://www.skinperfe...m/products.html
Lastly, I've not tried this brand myself, but the ingredients used in this brand sound excellent (and its creator seems to know what she's talking about). It's called Pure Skin Junkie. This might be a good brand to use longterm. I'm thinking of getting a few products myself. I will update if I do use them and give an appraisal. NB Check-out the before and after photos...it shows good results: http://www.pureskinjunkie.com/
1 Aloe Vera and Marine Collagen Rejuvenating Moisturizer $7.15 (100mls) http://shop.newdirec...=41505&x=35&y=4
2 B5 ($8.80) 17 g http://shop.newdirec...53163&x=40&y=11
3 B3 Niacinamide15 g ($7.70) http://shop.newdirec...=53155&x=49&y=8
4. Gentle Skin Cleansing Lotion $4.40 (100mls) http://shop.newdirec...=41063&x=58&y=6
"The B3 Niacinamide and the Aloe Vera and Marine Collagen from New Directions helped my severly damaged forehead skin (which looked like old leather at it's worst stage) was depleted of nutrients and blood supply since it atrophied from using Benzoyl Peroxide (and other toxic acne products prior to being vegan and eating very healthy) over many years. The skin rolling helped greatly along with the copper peptides, Retin A, vitamin e, hyaluronic acid, glycolic peels etc. However, NOTHING compares to the niacinamide (in conjunction with the Aloe Vera & Marine Collagen Moisturizer). I place a generous amount of moisturizer on my palm and the spinkle about 1/5 to 1/4 of a teaspoon of the B3 niacinamide to it and mix in my palm with my finger and slather it on (NOTE: you have to watch it go on for 1/2 hour in the mirror as little white patches appear where you need to add more moisturizer as the skin tends to drink it in...and the B3 niacinamide gently brightens and lightens your skin too...). Just keep a hand mirror beside you to check every 5 or 10 minutes over the hour to ensure that you moisturize those white patches so they don't lighten that area too much.
However, this stuff is MAGIC to sun damaged, chemical damaged, leathery coarse skin, damaged skin, orange peel skin, acne damaged skin, collagen loss skin, rosacea, red skin, pigmentation, rolling scars etc. Along with the Aloe vera + Marine Collagen moisterizer (which also contains shea butter, vitamin e, almond oil etc), it has literallly transformed my skin before my eyes. In my case, I do need to use a lot of it. And now, my skin condition's better now than it was over 10 years ago!!! I TOTALLY recommend this stuff...I also place the the B5 directly onto my skin (I tap it on because it's thick and tacky), and then add the rest. Btw, I store all these things in a paper bag in the fridge to keep them fresh.
Here are some links about Niacinamide:
http://www.skintypes...w=article&id=74
http://immortalhair....ing-photodamage
In future, I am going to keep adding nutrients/ active ingredients ... There are so many things to try now that I have seen concrete personal evidence that potent vitamins/ natural active ingredients can do WONDERS for the skin in concentrated forms. I always knew intuitively that my skin was "hungry" for nutrients but I wasn't sure what ones and didn't realize that direct topical applications of these nutrients could deliver such stunning results in a short amount of time. This is a life changing revelation for me. I hope you continue searching for solutions too...they are out there, and clear, healthy skin is within reach..."
PS SIT IN A WARM Steaming detox bath (with sea salt or epsom salts) for 45 minutes to 1 hour with a generous amount of beta glucan + B5 + Aloe Vera + Marine Collagen Moisturizer + B3 on your face (NOTE be careful with mixing the B3 powder well to the moisturizer and add about 1/8 to 1/5 of a teaspoon of B3 NB it can lighten your skin so test it first to see how much you need)...this will seep into your skin and work MIRACLES.!!! YOU HAVE GOT TO TRY After bath, just wash it off and and apply a fresh amount to your skin for bedtime.
Update: Sept 2012:
Quick Summary of Key Recommendations for clear acne free & healthy skin:
A) Start on the inside:
Alkaline, organic, raw vegan diet, gluten free & wheat free, anti-candida
1. Go raw organic wholefood vegan (no dairy, no meat, no junk food, no or minimum processed food, no bread, no pasta)
2) Have a gluten free diet & anti-candida diet (no wheat, no oats, no rye, no barley, keep sugar to minimum)
3) Eat lots of fresh superfoods raw in fresh salads with fresh lemon juice & organic virgin olive oil (sea salt) like kale, red cabbage, carrots, beetroot, fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro/ coriander, mint etc, avocado, red oinion, cos lettuce etc and nuts/ lentils/ chickpeas etc
4) Eat brown rice, wild black rice, quinoa or baked potatoes for your main meal with veggies & tempeh or lentil or chickpeas or white beans or mixed nuts etc (Also, you can either make or buy quality tahini & hummus too, and use ample spices & herbs like turmeric, cumin, mint etc )
5) Eat gluten free & wheat free breakfast like amaranth cereal or quinoa with fruits/ nuts and almond milk
6) Eat a handful or two of unsalted mixed nuts daily like brazil, walnut, peanut, almond pistascio etc (make sure you're not allergic to them)
7) Eat a handful or two of mixed seeds daily i.e. sunflower, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, sesame seeds etc
8) Have omega 3 in your diet daily via one or a combination of the following: linseeds, 2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil, DHA seaweed derived supplements (brand: DEVA), chia seeds etc
9) Have a tablespoon of chlorophyl, chlorella or teaspoon of spirulina daily
10) ***Take a good vegan multivitamin (recommended brand DEVA). You can also take a vegan B complex vitamin which has B12 (or you can also use nutritional de-activated yeast daily which supplies B12 for vegans) for an extra boost. NOTE: You need a daily source of iodine in your diet, so it should be derived via the multivitamin or kelp supplements. Sea vegetables are also very nutritious and contain good sources of iodine. Iodized salt is okay, however, pure sea salt or himalayan salt is better for you (but might not have ideal levels of iodine, so you should seek a better source of iodine).
11) Take 1-3 tablespoons of 100% virgin organic coconut oil daily in a warm drink like organic cocoa with water or herbal tea like dandelion or chamomile or peppermint etc
12) Drink purified still mineral water only, stay away from toxic tap water
13) Eat lots of fruits & berries daily
14) Eat lots of veggies daily and try juicing daily with superjuices like beetroot/ carrot, apple
15) Eat lots of leafy greens daily like spinach, kale, cos lettuce, flat leafed parsley, mint, cilantro/ coriander etc.
16) For extra boost, you can take a zinc supplement with betacaroteen.
17) Stay away from coffee, tea, soda etc...drink only pure mineral water, fresh juices or herbal teas/ organic cocoa with water etc or green/ whte tea on occasion...
18) You can eat organic, vegan dark chocolate 75-85% cocoa daily...it's packed with iron & magnesium..
19) Stay away from vinegars, processed tomato sauce etc
20) For savory treats, you can have popcorn with sea salt / and or lemon juice or a little curry powder.
21) Do not fry and NEVER use a microwave. Buy a toaster oven if needed or bake in a regular stove.
22) Lightly steam food on occasion if required.23)
23) If you suffer from regular stomach compliants, take good quality peppermint tablets like mintec or take non-dairy probiotic tablets (otherwise, drink peppermint herbal tea often and eat lots of fresh mint in your salads).
24) Green super food supplement (or equivalent) containing chlorella/ spirulina/ barley grass/ wheat grass that you can place in a glass of fresh juice daily. It's great for the skin and health and detoxes your body: https://www.synergyn...per-greens.html
B) External:
1.Wash your skin only with water, preferably purified water
2. Go for 2-3 days without washing your skin or even longer, this helps heal the skin and return the healthy PH level on the skin's mantle
3. Wash body with pure vegetable soap like sandelwood etc
4. Get a non-toxic, natural vegan shampoo & conditioner (use sea salt too every once in a while too to disinfect & re-mineralize your hair)
5. Use a herbal (fluoride free) toothpaste, brush your teeth morning and before bed...try cleaning inside of cheeks & tongue gently too.
6. Use a natural gentle mouthwash like a few drops of organic wild oregano oil or few drops of **food grade** 3% hydrogen peroxide
7. For moderate/ severe active acne, wash skin gently with sea salt and then apply to wet skin crystal alum (crystal deodorant). This will disinfect the skin, dry the oil, and help heal it. Once the acne is under control after 1-3 months, STOP USING SEASALT WASHES & CRYSTAL ALUM AS IT'S DRYING. YOU NEED TO BE GENTLE WITH YOUR SKIN. DRY SKIN CAUSES SCARRING. So, wash only with water/ purified water once your acne is under control and use LAVENDER OIL as a spot treatment only and only use water to wash your face. If you need a moisterizer, use hyaluronic acid for oily/ young skin or organic virgin 100% coconut oil for dry or more mature/ scarred skin.
8. For skin over 30-35 or severely skin damaged skin, use beautician grade 25% glycolic acid skin peels every 2 or 4 weeks for a few months and then once every year for maintenence. Neutralize with sodium bicarbonate. Note, this might make you break out the first few times but it will eventually stop. Add hyaluronic acid or vitamin c serum afterwoods (see clearskin website). (NOTE: If you have severest acne, please see a dermatologist for a low TCA grade peel i.e. 5%- 15% ....DO NOT go any higher or you could damage the skin...and don't do this at home....this TCA skin peel is highly corrosive and will damage the skin if applied too long or wrong!!!
9. Place pure vitamin e under eyes daily to minimize wrinkles. Or use 100% virgin organic coconut oil.
10. For acne scarring/ severe red marks, you can try skin rolling. Note this takes up to a year or two to get maxmum results, but it's sure worth it! It's also less risky than laser and builds-up the skin and minimizers wrinkles longterm. Do this hygienically at home (i.e. to clean your roller before and after use, just use use hot water in a clean glass with a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice and whisk the roller in it for a few minutes before rinsing in clean water...then allow it to naturally dry on clean tissue paper before applying it to clean dry skin. You can store it in the refrigerator in a clean container). Use it twice weekly for 2 weeks or a month, and then stop for a month or two to heal the skin. Appy vitamin c serum or copper serum (if inflamed with red) after rolling.
11. Only use non-toxic, organic, vegan make-up if required.
12. Fresh lime juice applied directly to skin is exellent for tired or dull skin. It's also good for stopping acne breakouts. It will make your skin GLOW with HEALTH!!!
13. 100% ORGANIC TEA TREE OIL (brand recommended: Thursday Plantation) is great to use to keep skin supple, hydrated and acne free. PLEASE TEST ON YOUR SKIN FIRST. It can be VERY POWERFUL and too strong for some skin types (i.e. you might need only a little if your skin is fragile or hyper sensitive). Test a small patch first for 24hrs. Personally, I apply it over my face, neck & decollatage at night and morning time (avoiding the eye area - I apply pure 100% vitamin e serum instead around my eyes) and have seen Tea Tree oil do WONDERS for my skin texture. It provides great skin conditioning at a cellular level, makes my skin cells turn over faster (i.e. I sometimes peel lightly after using it for several days at high concentrations), calms red pigmentation (left over from severe benzoyl peroxide damage) and it's proven to prevent/ stop skin cancer according to a university study. NOTE: Please use this powerful essentail oil sparingly once you have your skin condition under control. It's also great for burns, tinea, skin infections, insect bites, cold sores etc.
14. BETA GLUCAN LIQUID FROM NEW DIRECTIONS!!! SEE ABOVE: also B5, Aloe Vera + Marine Collagen Moisturizer, B3 niacinamide - all from www.newdirections.com
C) Exercise & Sunlight & Good Sleep:
1. Ensure you get regular yet gentle exercise daily for at least 15-45 minutes, like walking or swimming at the beach (stay away from chlorinated pools). Try and get into the fresh air often via a mountain walk, beach walk, park walk...breath deeply. You can also try yoga, dancing etc
2. Sleep in a well ventilated dark cool room. Make sure you get to bed before 9-10pm most nights and up before 7-9am. You should get between 7.5 to 10.5 hours per night. Let your body tell you what you need to feel great.
3. Get lots of direct sunlight DAILY for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour or more without getting burnt. Vitamin D is very important to health.
D) Detox:
For severe, stubborn acne, you need a major detox. Try one or a combination of these:
1. Clay bath (sacred or bentonite clay etc); clay mask or try edible clay from the health store in a drink for a week or two.
2. Activated charcoal tablets for a week or two.
3. Dandelion leaf & root tea.
4. Colloidal silver Sol Silver (super natural silver) -- it's non chemical derived & excellent quality & superior to collidal silver. Take internally as directed for a few weeks and apply topically.
5. Milkthistle tablets as directed for a week or two.
5. Raw vegan super juicing 3 times per day until acne clears (i.e. beetroot/ carrot/ kale/ apple/ berries/ chlorophyll/ spinach/ spirulina/ chlorella) etc.
6. Sweat regularly i.e. at least a few times per month! Through a good exercise workout or a quality sauna...there are some toxins that can only be released through the skin...remember to wash afterwards with sea-salt!
7. Fast once a week eating only organic grapes or organic apples and drinking purified spring water to leech the toxins from your body fat until skin clears.
E) Maintain emotional & mental wellbeing & stability
- Get inspired, do a course or activities that help you love yourself and your life!
- Have fun! Watch a comedy or see a standup comedian. Laugh daily
- Get spiritual. Join a church, meditation group etc and get connected to good, kind & caring people.
- Move away or break toxic relationships or habits. Only invite people into your life that make you feel good and inspire you to be a better person.
- Be kind to yourself. If you fall down 7 times, then get up 8 times...
- Have time away to listen to your inner voice and be true to yourself & hopes & joys
- Keep life simple. Be grateful for simple pleasures.
- Be proactive & positive. Create goals...go for them! But be happy whatever the outcome...love life & the journey...
- It's okay to have days when you need to heal & be alone. Nurture yourself. Go to a bookstore and read soul-nurturing books in the park or beach or in bed..
- Listen to uplifting music often.
- DECLUTTER & THROW OUT JUNK. SIMPLIFY & ORGANISE YOUR SPACE. MAKE IT SACRED & HYGIENIC.
- Surround yourself with things you find beautiful and uplifting.
- Try organic gardening or even plant a simple herb garden.
- Take your mind off yourself. Adopt a shelter pet FOR LIFE (if you love animals & are kind & responsible)...you can also volunteer at a shelter or another community group.
- Love yourself. Love your life. Love others. Be happy NOW!!!
IMPORTANT UPDATE: 8 Nov 2012 I have begun to erase my red marks & hyperpigmented (skin plus deeply moisterize my skin damaged skin so that it's 95% healed) by usingNIVEA CREME (IN THE BLUE TIN, GERMAN VERSION) .
Hi Everyone,
I'm posting this to help others 'gently' control their acne and rebuild the collagen in their face to address scarring/ skin damage.
*****************************
NOTE: For highest potency detox tips ONLY for more severe acne vulgaris/ conglobata types see: http://www.acne.org/...t&p=3095354
****************************
My bio:
I have used benzoyl peroxide for a number of years and it TOTALLY ruined my face. It chemically burned it and had given it a damaged, dull, bumpy look. Basically, it damaged my skin cells. I advise that others stop using benzoyl peroxide as it will ruin their face eventually too. BP also stops working after a while and by then you've added awful, dull, aged, injured and damaged skin cells to your list of problems. Instead, try natural, healthy, less invasive and vitamin based practices to heal your acne.
Basically, treat your acne like a bad allergy to junk, artificial foods, toxic chemicals & products. Because essentially, you are allergic to the toxins in the environment and the foods you eat. Your body/ skin needs to heal by eating healing, nutritious foods and through becoming more alkaline. You also need to address the acne bacteria or fungus that you're skin is suffering from. NOTE: ALSO, SEE A DOCTOR FIRST TO CHECK IF YOU HAVE ANY FOOD OR CHEMICAL OR ENVIRONMENTAL ETC ALLERGIES TO WHEAT, GLUTEN, NUTS, DUST ETC AND ADJUST YOUR DIET/ LIFESTYLE ACCORDINGLY.
Here's what's worked for me (i.e a healthy, natural diet & lifestyle). I hope you find it useful for you too.
TIPS FOR Controlling acne/ bacteria/ fungus:
1. Become a nutritionally healthy vegan (meat causes acne). Please research how to do this properly so you don't miss out on important vitamins and minerals like B12, B5, vitamin D (i.e. at least exposure to direct sunlight without sunblock for 1/2hr to 1 hour daily), folate, Iodine (kelp supplement) calcium, Omega-3 as well as complete protein etc. See http://www.vegansoci.../become-a-vegan , http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/vegan.htm , http://goneraw.com/ , http://www.healthyveganrecipes.net , http://www.balance-p...ne_recipes.html etc
2. Cut out all dairy (dairy products cause acne)
3. Drink a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice mixed with a glass of warm mineral/ spring water first thing in the morning. (Alkalizes & purifies body).
4. Food is medicine!. Make every mouthful nutritious. Treat it like medicine more than a meal. i.e. http://www.balance-p...ne_recipes.html etc Eat wholesome, mostly raw, organic, non-genetically modified/ non-GM, homemade, wholefoods that are nutrient packed foods like: avocado, healthy turmeric spice, cumin spice, curry spice or fresh homemade curry, black pepper, sea salt, nuts, seeds, cinnamon, tempeh, quinoa, mint, continental (flat) parsley, olives, alkaline mineral/ spring water (don't drink tap water), fresh cilantro (coriander), fresh basil, couscous, bulgur wheat, mixed herb salads, tabbouleh, lightly steamed vegies, peas, try salads like endive/ steamed potatoes/ French bean & walnuts with freshly squeezed lemon juice or lime/ sea salt/ olive oil or try cucumber/ fennel/ spinach & tomato salad with hummus or nuts, eat organic apples, drink orange juice, try vegan banana "ice cream" i.e. place overripe bananas in freezer then peel/ mix in blender until consistency of ice cream (YUM!), mandarins, apricots, plums, nectarines, peaches, sultanas, brown rice with coconut milk/ coconut oil/ homemade or powder curried lentils with fresh lime juice, figs, homemade salsa, pink grapefuit juice with lime, strawberries, berries, homemade falafel, kiwi fruit, fresh juices like carrot/apple/ beetroot/ ginger, rice, cabbage salads with mixed nuts, organic carrots, homemade guacamole, hummus, coconut water, sprouts with lemon juice/sea-salt/flaxseed oil/nuts/ hummus, wheatgrass shots, jasmine rice with peas/ freshly grated ginger/ lemongrass/ coconut milk/ few pinches of curry/ few pinches of tumeric/ sea-salt/ lime juice/ black pepper/ hummus/ nuts/ tempeh, homemade dips using tahini/raw nuts/ vegetables/ seeds, vegan nori rolls with avocado and carrot, blackstrap molasses, organic muesli with almond milk and a dash of real maple syrup, watermelon, rockmelon, pears, mangoes, cos lettuce with chickpeas/ mint/ continental (flat) parsley/ olives/ cherry tomatoes/ red onion/ fresh lemon juice/ sea salt/ black pepper / olive oil, healthy traditional vegan Indian/ Mediterranean/ Thai foods, flaxseed oil, 80-85% cocoa dark chocolate/ vegan chocolate, fresh ginger & lemongrass tisane, coconut oil, rice milk, almond milk, vegan sausages/ vegan schnitzel (can get these at the supermarket), popcorn with lemon juice & sea-salt, homemade pumpkin soup, sweet potatoes baked, sea vegetables (search for recipes), peppers, stuffed peppers (capsicum) with fresh lime juice lime/ extra virgin olive oil/ brown or parboiled rice/ curry powder/ capers/ lentils/sea-salt/ turmeric, mixed mushroom salad or mushroom vegan risotto with fresh basil etc...
5. Eat or drink the following rarely: pasta, breads, canned food, foods in plastic containers, unfermented soy products like soy milk and tofu, unnaturally flavored drinks, processed food, refined sugar...
6. Don't drink/ eat/ smoke the following: vinegars, junk foods, alcohol, cigarettes, teas, highly processed sauces, non-organic highly processed tomato sauces, coffees, soft drinks, colas etc etc
7. Alkaline your body through drinking alkaline mineral/ spring water (an acidic body causes acne) http://www.detoxifyn...line_water.html
8. Everyday or every so often apply topically fresh LIME juice (NOTE: not lemon juice which may be too strong for some skins) on your face whether under or over your makeup for a fresh glow and acne free skin.
9. Rice water - natural toner/ tonic: for softer skin and healing of damaged skin, every day or weekly vigorously mix 2 tablespoons of rice bran or jasmine rice with 5 tablespoons of warm spring water for 2-5 minutes and/ or let sit for 1/2 hour or 1 hour. Apply the cloudy rice water infused with rice starch to face and body. Apparently, Japanese women drink this cloudy rice water also for a clear soft complexion.
10. Every so often (i.e. weekly, fortnightly or monthly) or during acne breakouts, wash your face, body and hair with sea-salt or Himalayan salt. However, as soon as your skin clears, return to washing only with water thereafter and then spraying afterwoods with alkaline mineral/ spring water. ALSO, DON'T OVER-WASH..GO SOME DAYS OR A FEW DAYS WITHOUT WASHING YOUR BODY/FACE/ HAIR SO NATURAL HEALTHY OILS CAN SOOTHE AND HEAL YOUR SKIN!!...DRY SKIN CAN CAUSE SCARS...YOU NEED HEALTHY, GLOWING, WELL-HYDRATED SKIN. TRY HYALURONIC ACID (HA SERUM from Clear SKincare Clinics) AS A LIGHT BUT EFFECTIVE MOISTURIZER--IT WON'T CAUSE ACNE BUT LEAVE YOUR SKIN SOFT AND HYDRATED.
11. To curb excess grease/ sebum or breakouts: swim at the beach often, or apply 10% glycolic acid daily. You can also use alum crystal i.e. http://www.thecrystal.com/ for a month to get your oil/ acne under control. But then stop using it and try 10% glycolic acid or just fresh lime juice.
12. As a very last resort, for really stubborn acne only, try TCA acid at the LOWEST LEVEL STRENGTH ONCE ONLY AND ONLY ON THE SEVEREST ACNE PARTS OF YOUR SKIN NOT ON THE NON-ACTIVE ACNE PARTS i.e. less than TCA 10% strength applied by an experienced and reputable professional doctor/ dermatologist (NOTE: I applied TCA 30% to my forehead and created a BIG indent on my forehead which I'm trying to fix now !! I also scorched/ burned my decolletage/ chest! This is a strong acid!! Don't ever use a high concentration!!).
13. Don't get sun damaged skin but do get 1/2 hr to an hour at least of sunlight daily (without sunblock) for vitamin D (just don't damage/ age your skin by sunbaking).
14. Spot treatment: apply organic lavender oil directly on whiteheads (not entire face as it's drying).
15. Get regular sleep of at least 7.5 hrs a night. Go to sleep the same time. De-stress by listening to therapeutic white noise CDs like falling rain. (See http://naturesoundsfor.me/ , http://www.purewhitenoise.com/ ). You can take 1 capsule i.e. 300-500mg of complete magnesium before bedtime to help you sleep. Sleep in a dark, well-ventilated room that's cool- temperate.
16. Take supplements: magnesium, zinc, vitamin E, C, B group vitamins, B5, B12, Folate and a multivitamin/ multimineral, tablespoon of flaxseed oil daily (for omega-3). NB Girls, make sure you're not low in Iron...if you're lethargic and prone to infection, you should checkout with your doctor if you're anemic or low in Iron. You can take Floravital tonic to address low Iron levels or a little blackstrap molasses daily. However, if you're severely anemic, you'll need a good Iron supplement with Vitamin C for a few months. However, don't keep taking Iron supplements because it accumulates in your body and can be very toxic at high levels. Instead, try natural sources of Iron like Floravital (a gentle general herbal tonic) or blackstrap molasses with a glass of orange juice for vitamin C (which helps your body absorb Iron better).
17. Dab gently natural pure vitamin E around eyes every morning and night.
18. Only use mineral makeup or rice powder.
19. Daily apply either a little organic macadamia nut oil/ coconut oil/ extra virgin live oil/ avocado oil/ jojoba oil/ aloe vera/ almond oil/ rice bran oil/ or argan oil as a moisturizer (i.e. you can either - apply then wash off, leave on as a 1/2hr mask then wash off or just leave it on all day & night).
20. Try the ancient health practice of "oil pulling" regularly (swish rinse mouth/ teeth for 10-20 minutes with an organic natural oil like cold pressed sunflower oil, sesame oil, coconut oil, macadamia oil etc then expel the oil i.e. spit out the oil, don't swallow oil!). Clears sinus and gets rid of mouth bacteria that cause disease.
21. Swish a little organic Wild oil of oregano with spring water as a mouth disinfectant.
22. Exercise gently daily. Don't overdo exercise or running or you'll age your skin. At least do 100 star-jumps every other day plus another weekly activity like swimming or light weights. Yoga is great too or dance classes, pilates or simply power walking.
23. Have a sauna every month or 2. There are some toxins that need to be expelled through the skin by sweating. You can also buy an inexpensive face steamer for home use. Use this every month or 2.
24. NEW!: Fluoride toothpaste is bad! It causes acne. Use a herbal alternative toothpaste and only use fluoride toothpaste once a blue moon (flouride causes acne). You can use a drop or two of wild organic oil of oregano (with spring water) as an antiseptic mouth wash too.
25. NEW!: If you must use a wash on your non-acne prone parts of your body, use a pure vegetable soap with a natural oil like sandalwood, lemongrass, coconut oil, olive oil etc.
26. UPDATE: Drink at least 7 to 8 glasses of pure alkaline spring water. (Please avoid spring water from plastic bottles that contain bisphemenol or fluoride/ chlorine - need to research).Do not drink tap water. If you have dark circles under your eye, this therapy will clear them up within 1-2 months. If you also add a healthy mostly raw vegan diet (i.e. no colas, no sodas, no junk food, no alcohol, no coffee, no tea & no cigarettes), the dark circles with disappear within 1-2 weeks!!!
27. UPDATE: Drink liver cleansing/ detox juices either: 3 x per day, once daily or weekly -- depending on your acne severity.
For example, try:
Beetroot/ carrot/ apple/ ginger
or
Spinach salad leaves/ alfalfa sprouts/ cucumber/ celery/ apple
or
Wheatgrass shots
Also: you can add other superfoods like berries, spirulina or chlorella etc.
28. NEW UPDATE: .3% Hydrogen peroxide uses for skin and body: see http://www.thewellne...rogen-peroxide/
29. NEW UPDATE: A general vitamin & mineral supplementation is beneficial. I find "Nature's Way" Mega B complex with all B vitamins, zinc & folate & magnesium does wonders for my skin. I also take one general daily women's multivitamin by Cenovis. And lastly, on rare occasions, if I feel 'blahhhhh', unwell or need an extra skin boost, I take "Nature's Way" 'Garlic + Vitamin C + Horseradish". These are the only supplements I now take.
TIPS for rebuilding collagen and addressing damaged skin/ scarring/ pigmentation:
1. Very careful and gentle home skin needling (only 2-3 minutes every 2nd or 3rd night) with 0.75mm novaderm roller used with Vitamin C serum, Vitamin A based product (called 'New Skin'), vegan hyaluronic acid serum called HA Serum (note, I am also using a product to help with pigmentation called 'Clear Skin' and will be adding Copper Peptide Serum too). I got all this through the 'Clear Skincare Clinics' i.e. http://clearskincare.com.au/products , http://clearskincare.com.au/ . The results so far are really good. My rolling scars etc are becoming less visible!
UPDATE 31 January 2012: http://www.acne.org/...ost__p__3210620
At the moment, I'm just gently washing my face with extra virgin olive oil (yes that's right! It's very healing to my skin) and adding lime juice over it every morning and night. I can wear makeup straight over it. And I only use a sea salt wash once every one or two months. The lime juice makes your skin glow, smell great, keeps it clean & acne free. It also makes your skin taut, hides fine lines and helps make it look dewy & healthy!
Also, I'm alternating between skin-needling (I bought it from www.clearskincare.com.au) with vitamin c serum & using a 35% strength glycolic acid peel I bought from ebay for about $40 (unbuffered beautician grade) to improve the damage I've caused through BP. I skin needle or do a peel twice a month. Later, I intend to do this once every 2-3 months (or less) once the skin damage is corrected. NOTE: The glycolic acid makes me break out a little but it does help correct the skin damage. The blemishes go after 2 or 3 days. I just add the lime juice or hydrogen peroxide. However, only use this if you have moderate to severe skin damage. It's not wise to use it if you're addressing acne only or if you're under 30-35 years. *So, I'd stay clear of any AHA products if you can. It's for mature skin only or very damaged skin. Like all peels, it can cause dermal damage after excessive use/ misuse.
Thus, so far, my skin is vastly improved. Basically, if I eat well and exercise I won't break out anymore. I believe my acne is derived from a leaky gut syndrome & sensitivity to food & environmental toxins...so as long as I eat healthy, my skin is 98% acne free (NB the glycolic acid peels make me break out a little...but it clears after 2-3 days post peel...otherwise, my skin would be 100% clear). I'm now just addressing red pigmentation & severe asphyxiated/ skin damage from BP on my forehead. My severely BP damaged forehead has now improved by 80% through regular home skin needling & 35% unbuffered glycolic peels (NOTE: I leave ample time between peels and needling to ensure the skin can rebuild itself...I also take a month break every so often)!!! However, to date with make-up, my skin looks great. I hope to be able to go make-up free within 6-12months. I'm trying to achieve this without using laser. It's looking promising!!!
Natural remedies are always the best way to go for long-term healthy & clear skin!!
************************************************************
EXCITING UPDATE 1 February 2012.
I have been using an unbuffered 35% glycolic peel I got on ebay for about $40 over three or four months. At home, I placed it on my face around 10 minutes each go. This is the maximum length of time you should do it apparently. However, I read somewhere else recently, that you should neautralize the acid with bi-card soda when your face starts to turn lightly pink. Well, I have done the home peel 10 times for 10 minutes over 3 months and my skin has NEVER turned pink. It's also never really stung only tingled. I was considering going a higher strength but my bad experience with 30% TCA made me stick with the 35% glycolic acid strength. (NOTE: TCA 30% burned a dent in my forehead which I'm repairing with home skin needling! ...so stay away from this stuff or see a professional and use ONLY low strength 10% TCA). BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY!
Anyway, yesterday, I did something I haven't done before. On Monday, I skin needled my face. Then on Tuesday I applied a little 6% strength hydrogen peroxide on my forehead to calm it down. I then washed it off. After another two hours, I decided to apply the glycolic acid 35% peel to my forehead only. NORMALLY YOU SHOULDN'T DO THIS, AS YOUR SKIN NEEDS AT LEAST A 4 DAYS TO A WEEK TO RECOVER FROM SKIN NEEDLING. However, I wanted to amp up the glycolic acid peel effectiveness as I wasn't turning pink after 10 minutes. So, I placed it only my forehead yesterday, and for the first time it STUNG instantly!!! The glycolic acid made my skin feel hot and within 15-20 seconds I was quite uncomfortable as it bordered on painful...but then as I looked in the mirror, I noticed my forehead was turning pink!!! THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME EVER. So I tried to hold out as long as possible and I'm guessing I held out for 45 seconds to a minute only. However, what I saw post yesterday's peel was amazing!!! For the first time the bumpy skin and tiny 'bubbles' underneath my skin on my forehead DISAPPEARED !!! THIS IS NOTHING SHORT OF A MIRACLE FOR ME !!!! This morning, the bumps have disappeared, and it looks as though I have a little sun burn and my skin has slightly darkened and will peel. I can't wait to see the results after the top layer has shed!!! So, until then, I would say that my forehead has smoothed to 90% !!! I won't need laser after all!!! It seems I had ALOT of dead skin and skin damage on my forehead, that's why it took 10 peels x 10 minute over 3 months to finally get my skin to go pink & show a vast improvement of 90%!!!
I hope this information helps others.
PS Please don't use glycolic acid peels, other peels or AHA's if you have light acne or minimal skin damage, This is heavy duty stuff and will ruin your skin if your problems are minor or moderate. I have read that some people can suffer from lifelong rosacea as a result of having a peel. So please only use it if you have very damaged skin. And only then start with 10% glycolic acid and then if required, work your way up to 20% glycolic acid unbuffered if you're under 30. However, only people over 30 should use 25% glycolic acid, Speak to a dermatologist for information and research extensively before attempting this at home or with a professional. Glycolic acid peels when performed a few times per year can be beneficial, but over using this treatment can damage your skin too. So research widely and use common sense.
****************************************************************************************************
Overall:
I have struggled with moderate / severe acne for a verrrry long time. The above tips are what has given me acne free skin. I'm now addressing the acne scarring and damage/ pigmentation/ redness caused through benzoyl peroxide use/ damage with the skin needling. The results so far have been really promising. I will report back within 2 weeks or a month to let you know how the results are with the skin needling. So far, after less then a month, my rolling acne scars, damaged/ burned skin, brown marks have improved incredibly.
Anyway will keep you posted and hope this information helps others!!
AS
PS For the girls, if you want to hide your red acne as best as possible under mineral foundation while its healing, try applying Shisedo's green corrective stick as a primer first underneath your foundation. It helps conceal redness and gives good coverage until your skin recovers.
Quote
