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Health & Fitness

Battling breakouts...naturally.

Well, it happened.  That dreaded breakout that hasn't happened for some time, is back.  Trying to figure out the best way to treat it is like trying to find the "truth" on the internet.  There is so much information and so much "fact based on opinion" it will make your head spin.  I have put together some tips that have worked for me over the years and have helped others as well. 

1)  Resist as much as possible the urge to pick.  This is my biggest issue.  It's there starting at you, you know you can get the bad stuff out if you just squeeze hard enough.  Doing this is counter productive.  The more you pick the more you inflame the entire area of skin and spread more bacteria to other pores and bring forth more pimples.  Don't feel ashamed about having the urge to pick.  It is actually a primate instinct.  You're not weird or gross, it is part of nature.  I actually learned this from a Dermatologist long ago and it made me feel much better! 

2)  Try to get an idea what could have caused the breakout.  Have you tried a new skin care product or even body product?  Even a new hand lotion can come on contact with your face and cause a reaction.  Is some of your makeup old or are your brushes dirty? Clean your brushes regularly and replace your makeup on a regular basis.  Did you eat anything new or have a good old fashioned pig out on junk food?  Food in actually one of the number one underlying issue of acne.  Certain foods, particularly processed, GMO, and gluten, case inflammation of the stomach and intestines which throws off balance and inflames the entire body.  If you're a woman, are you due for your cycle?  This is the other very common issue that goes hand in hand with acne.   Hormone changes and fluctuations mess with the body and also the skin.  If the breakout is on the chin, jawline and around the mouth this is a classic sign of a hormone issue. 

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3)  So now you have an idea of what attributed to the break out.  Now what do you do?  One way to clam down a break out is to apply a yogurt mask.  Yogurt is a naturally occurring source of probiotics.  Research is showing that acne can be treated with probiotics applied directly to the skin.  Try to get organic or hormone free and be sure it is plain.  Apply to the face for about 5-10 minutes and rinse with warm water.  Bentonite Clay is also an excellent way to heal breakouts.  You can find it cheaply at your health food store.  I used Redmond Clay and it is fantastic.  I love it so much I use it in my serum.  You can even try both of these masks one right after the other.  Bentonite Clay first and then follow up with the yogurt.  You can also use some diluted Tea Tree oil.  It is anti bacterial and is used quite a bit in treating breakouts naturally.  Be sure you dilute it enough, it is a strong oil and can cause inflammation if not diluted properly. 

4)  My number one piece if advice for treating breakouts...don't panic!  Quite often we get upset and freak out which just raises our blood pressure and causes more stress on the body.  Fear not, they will go away!  It may take some time and trying different remedies but you will get the breakouts under control.

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As much as I am a holistic/natural advocate, I believe that holistics and modern medicine should work together not against each other.  If you have tried many natural remedies and are still suffering from inflamed acne, you should go to a doctor.  I recently had a very bad hormone related breakout and I went to a Dermatologist for an unrelated issue.  She asked if I wanted to go on anti biotics to clear the acne and I refused.  I told her what I was doing to treat it and together we discovered that for me, Tea Tree oil is not beneficial.  I had used it and other strong oils currently and in the past to treat my acne and they actually made it worse instead of better.  She told me that essential oils are wonderful but like anything may not agree with everyone.  People can have reactions to essential oils just like food, perscriptions ect.  The oils that are commonly used to fight acne made mine worse.  She gave me an anti bacterial cream and told me to use it just until the inflammation was gone and to go ahead and continue my other natural remedies.  I am healing up nicely and no longer need the prescription cream.  Listen to your body, if you are trying a remedy that is not helping, try a different one.  When in doubt consult a doctor. 

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