Battle Blemishes

Whether in the form of blackheads, whiteheads, blemishes are a bane at any age. anytime there's a buildup of excess sebum - a fatty secretion of the sebaceous glands - pores can become blocked, inflammation ensues and blemishes arupt.

Hormones - particularly testoterone - and stress are big acne triggers. However, it seems that food might play a more active role in triggering acne than previously believed. The entire western junk food diet of highly refined starchy and sugary foods may be to blame. Colorado State University researchers report an astonishing difference in the rate of acne incidences between primitive populations eating all-natural foods and diets of Westernized societies. Of the two study groups - 1,200 people (including 300 teens ) in New Guinea and 115 hunter-gathers of Paraguay - not a single case of acne was abserved during the two-year study. The theory is that the high-glycemic foods of the typical Western diet spike blood sugar levels, thereby elevating testoterone levels, leading to an overproduction of sebum and blockage of pores thet trigger acne.

BOTANICAL OPTION

In some cases botanicals can help clear up blemishes as well as benzoyl peroxide ( which can be extremely drying to the skin ), with significantly fewer side effects. Tea tree oil ( Melaleuca alternifolia ) contains a host of phytochemicals with antiseptic and fungal-killing activities. tea tree oil should only be used topically

Source : Herbs for Health Magazine