For years, many medical doctors have been saying there is no connection between diet and acne. Are they right?













































Ask any medical doctor if there is a connection between diet and acne and almost all of them will claim there is none. Quoting from the Journal of the American Medical Association: “Diet plays no role in acne treatment in most patients…even large amounts of certain foods have not clinically exacerbated acne”.

With years of medical education and clinical experience behind these claims, how can we the simple folks who suffer from acne challenge these statements and think otherwise? The answer is: doubt. Doubt, if its stays in the borders of reason, can open many doors otherwise will stay forever shut. Believe it or not, doubt can change reality. Doubt can cure your acne and doubt can even save your life.

The fact is, countless acne sufferers have reported that their acne seemed to get worse when they consumed certain foods and saw dramatic positive change over their acne condition when they eliminated the same foods from their diet and when certain foods with specific nutritional value were incorporated into their diet.

Acne Diet and The Money Factor:
You Can’t Make A Profit Promoting A Healthy Diet.

So why do dermatologists so stubbornly insist that diet does not cause acne? The answer: you can’t make a profit promoting a healthy diet. At least not as much money as you could make by selling drugs and over the counters. There is a huge pressure upon doctors coming from the drug and pharmaceutical companies to prescribe expensive medications and lotions that create dependency. The truth is, that your doctor is in a way, a hostage by the trillion dollar drug companies. Did you know that the drug companies, who have no interest in producing something that they cannot control financially, sponsor most medical schools?

The right diet, although not a solution by itself, can, in many cases, dramatically reduce inflammation and even completely clear one’s acne (if you’re one of the lucky ones who’s acne is triggered by allergic response to food). Promoting a clear skin diet simply means less profits for the drug and pharmaceutical companies.

The truth is that conventional medications will never cure your acne, simply because they are pre-designed NOT to fix the internal cause of acne. They are pre-designed to deal with the external symptoms of a disease as they create more and more dependency and more dependency means making more money all at our expense and ignorance.

The Theory That Diet Doesn’t Cause Acne Is A Myth

The dogmatic theory that diet does not cause acne and that acne is merely an incurable genetic disorder was based upon two dated researches published in 1969 and 1971 that were aimed at studying the connection between diet and acne.

These studies were the foundation of the ‘acne symptoms treatment strategy’, meaning, because acne is a genetic disease that cannot be prevented, the only way to deal with acne would be to tackle its symptoms (bacteria, inflammation, puss, redness, greasiness), by applying creams, antibiotics, taking prescription drugs and over the counters.

Surprisingly enough, years after the above studies were published, clinical trials and in depth researches experimenting the acne diet link have found that the studies from 1969 and 1971 had came to the wrong conclusions and were in fact seriously flawed.

Recent studies have clearly found a significant connection between diet and acne. It appears that the wrong diet is now thought to be one of the leading acne contributing factors that can negatively affect hormonal regulation and the natural process of toxic elimination, which can seriously aggravate one’s existing acne.

Diet Shapes Who You Are (Including Your Acne)

In the same way that crashing waves shape beach cliffs and just like the wind shapes the canyon walls, slowly and methodically over time, so does eating shapes and effects our physic, our internal system, our physical and mental being, from the organ down to the cellular level.

The idea that an object foreign to our body that is inserted by the food that we eat, has no effect on us, or has no impact on chronic conditions such as acne is absurd. Diet is the primary thing that affects and shapes who we are.

Diet has cumulative effect on our bodies, and that includes our skin condition and acne, which is a manifestation of a chronic internal problem slowly shaped and built by the wrong daily dietary choices over the years.

Acne Diet and The Kitavan Islanders

While in the U.S, more than 80% of teenagers between 16 and 18 have acne and more than 17 million Americans suffer from some form of acne, there is an interesting evidence that native people that live and eat in traditional ways, have significantly lower to no occurrences of acne.

Mike's Acne Cure: Discover how Mike Walden (nutritionist and former acne sufferer) permanently cured his severe acne by clicking here...

In 2002, Dr. Cordain and his colleagues published a landmark study that examined 300 people living in the Kitavan Islands off the coast of Papua New Guinea that showed that none of the islanders had even one blemish on his or her face. Similar to the Kitavans, no case of acne had been observed when the same experiment had been conducted upon the South American Indians called the Ache, living in a remote jungle in eastern Paraguay.

The natives of Kitavan and the South American Indians had no access to the latest over the counters, topical creams or conventional acne medications and they had no dermatologist to consult with. The only vast difference between them and American or European citizens is their diet.

Acne Diet and Sugar: The Sweet Poison

Aside from the fact that sugar is a 100% pure chemical with zero nutritional value, recent studies have clearly shown a connection between the consumption of sugar and the aggravation of acne.

When you consume any form of refined carbohydrates (white sugar, white flour, white rice) here’s what happens: right after you insert that ‘sweet poison’ into your body, it rapidly spikes up your blood sugar levels. Your body needs to bring those levels down so it secrets a surge of insulin, other male hormones and an insulin-like growth factor called IGF-1. The excretion of these hormones overwhelms your liver and your internal system in general. The excess of male hormones encourages the skin to excrete large amounts of sebum oil: The greasy substance that encourages the p.acne bacteria to grow, resulting in the aggravation of your acne.

Acne Diet and Dairy Products: Got Milk? Got Acne

If you thought sugar can aggravate your acne, here’s another major nutritional player in the formation of acne: behold the miracles of milk. Milk (all dairy products included) is the most harmful, mucus forming, allergenic and acne aggravating food you can find. Surprised? I thought so. After years of constant brainwashing by the media, who can blame us for thinking milk is good for strong bones and healthy teeth? The truth is: every sip of milk contains 59 different raging hormones, (which trigger the hyper-production of sebum oil resulting in more acne), saturated animal fat, steroid hormones, dead white blood cells, and cow pus in abundance!

Did you know that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows 750 million pus cells in every liter of milk (about two pounds) produced in America? Think about it, the next time you pop a pimple.

Scientific studies already point the finger at milk as one of the worst acne aggravating foods: “As pointed out by Dr. Jerome Fisher, ‘About 80 percent of cows that are giving milk are pregnant and are throwing off hormones continuously.’ Progesterone breaks down into androgens, which have been implicated as a factor in the development of acne…Dr. Fisher observed that his teenage acne patients improved as soon as the milk drinking stopped.”

If there’s one element you should remove from your diet in the quest for clear skin make it this one. Not only will you see an immediate improvement over your acne, you’ll feel a huge weight has been lifted from your body. If you worry about calcium intake, don’t! Milk being acidic forming food creates a leeching effect where calcium is taken from your bones to balance the acidity. Milk actually deprives your body from its calcium resources. Green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds are not only excellent sources of calcium they also have the powers to help you fight your acne symptoms.

Diet Is Only One of The Factors That Cause Acne

Dairy products and sugar are not the only acne aggravating foods. The two above cannot sum up the list of western made acne triggering foods. There are several other foods you should clearly stay away from if you ever wish to clear your acne. The good new is that there are tons of other foods such as essential fatty acids that are not only excellent for your skin, they can actually help you clear your acne, by re-balancing your body and promoting to an acne-free environment.

The right nutrition plays an important part in the complex process of acne formation. When doctors claim there is no link between diet and acne because certain individuals can eat specific foods and get acne while others eat the same foods and don’t, these doctors have failed to realize that there are several factors involved in the formation and aggravation of acne and diet is only ONE of them.

The Final Verdict On The Acne Diet Connection: How To Finally Overcome Your Acne Challenge

Acne is a complex condition that is triggered by several underlying factors. The only way to neutralize your acne condition is to tackle all these acne-contributing factors-holistically. Since the wrong diet is only one of these acne-triggering factors, in most cases no special diet can cure acne.

There is a however, a tight connection between diet and acne formation. Dietary factors can trigger and aggravate your existing acne. Avoiding the wrong foods such as milk, sugar and hydrogenated oils, and eating cleansing and hormonal balancing foods such as green leafy vegetables and essential fatty acids, can help your skin heal itself from the inside out and dramatically reduce your acne symptoms.

There are also several important dietary principals that you must understand and follow if you ever want to cure your acne for good.

Taking responsibility over your body and adhering to these dietary principals along with taking the necessary steps to tackle all acne contributing factors, holistically, will not only cure your acne permanently and give you the flawless acne free skin you deserve, following these principals will also significantly improve your overall health, mental well-being, look and feel.

Click Here for "Acne No More"

It is the #1 best selling acne ebook in the history of the Internet for a reason…

Because its contains the very best acne treatment you can get. Thousands of women and men of every age have completely cured their acne condition and achieved lasting clear skin naturally, without drugs, over the counters, creams or “magic potions,” simply by using the clinically proven, scientifically-accurate step by step method found inside this amazing acne freedom guidebook.

Mike Walden, a certified nutritionist, health consultant and author has not just pumped out yet another “acne cure program” into an already over-saturated market. Mike’s “Acne No More” can be more accurately described as an “Acne Bible.” It is quite simply one of the most comprehensive, complete, and precise guides to acne freedom you will ever read.

What makes it so much different than other clear skin publications on the market?

Click Here for "Acne No More"

Well first of all, it’s not just a “acne relief” or “skin care” program, it’s a holistic and natural acne cure program. It contains effective home remedies for acne you’ll love! This may seem like semantics or wordplay at first, but once you’ve read just the first chapters, there will be no doubt in your mind that pursuing “acne relief” is not only the wrong goal, it may be the reason that you’ve failed to stop and maintain your ‘acne free internal environment.’ “Acne No More” shows you exactly why you should fix the internal problem that’s causing your acne, not just masking the symptoms or getting relief and then goes on to show you exactly how to do it.

Secondly, what makes “Acne No More” different is the amount of attention that is paid to each and every element required to achieve permanent freedom from acne symptoms and from hormonal and toxic overload disorders. “Acne No More” not only thoroughly discusses the lies, myths and fallacies surrounding a very confusing subject, it is simply the most detailed book about acne, blackheads, and hormonal health and inner balance ever written.

The “Acne No More” book is quite extensive (223 pages of rock solid content) which focuses on 100% natural acne treatment. That means there aren’t recommendations for harsh prescription drugs with nasty side effects. In “Acne No More” core formula section (The 5 pillars) – Nothing is held back. In this section, Mike gives a detailed overview of each step, and then dives into the specifics in a perfect chronological order. There are also outstanding charts and checklists which make it very easy to know where you are at in the program and follow it.

Because the “Acne No More” program is not a quick fix ‘fairy tale’ cure but a complete holistic solution aimed at eliminating the root cause of acne and digestive disorders (regardless of their severity) and ensure your will permanently be acne-free, it does take work and persistence to complete. “The dictionary is the only place success comes before work” says Mike, as he emphasizes the “no quick fix” philosophy behind the entire book.

If there is any drawback to the “Acne No More” ebook, it’s that it contains so much information, that some readers may find it a bit overwhelming. Those who are looking for a quick start type of acne program, might be a bit intimated at first. The good part however, is that even these types of readers can feel confident and assured that it will be worth the effort because this will literally be the last book they ever have to buy on the subject.

Who will benefit most from “Acne No More”?

In the broadest sense, anyone and everyone who needs to cure their acne and regain their natural inner balance will benefit from “Acne No More”. This ebook is honestly for everyone. Even people without acne. This is a total health rejuvenation program better than 98% of the nutrition and alternative health books on the market.

In terms of graphic design, “Acne No More” is a clean and professionally formatted PDF e-book. It is well organized and ideal for printing and reading in the comfort of your own home.

This impressive and unique publication has changed many lives and the hundreds of inspiring testimonials and success stories are found on the “Acne No More” website archives as proof.

The Bottom line?

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Anyone looking for a quick fix solution to acne, anyone looking to be told fairy-tales, and anyone looking for a “magic bullet”, acne pills, over the counters, ‘acne freedom in 3 days’ hyped up programs should not waste his or her time with “Acne No More”.

On the other hand, anyone searching for the truth about acne and his natural inner balance and who is ready and willing to put in some work and make the lifestyle changes necessary to achieve acne freedom, will find “Acne No More” to be one of the best investments they ever made in their lives. Click here to learn more about Mike Walden’s “Acne No More”

My experience with Benzoyl Peroxide is that it normally IS powerful yet non-irritating. I use it on the skin around my eyes when plucking my eyebrows so the area I plucked won’t get red and irritated. I also use it for cuts and scrapes, and especially if I bite my tongue or get a canker sore on or in my mouth – there’s nothing more relieving than Peroxide for that.

But the question is, does it work for acne?

The answer is, yes, it does work for most people if you follow the directions and stick to the regimen every day until your acne clears out. For some, it’s a bit too harsh and drying on the skin.

The way to know is to test it on a small spot on your leg first. If the skin swells or turns red, your skin reacts to it and you should not use it, especially on your face. If your leg is fine, it will probably be fine on your face.

Here’s one user’s experience:

43 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

  TRIED EVERYTHING BEFORE – Saw results in 2 days, September 6, 2006
By Tough Cookie “Megster”

When I was in my teens I had minimal acne. My life has been pretty stressful for someone in her mid 20′s and a few years back I noticed that my blemishes were getting considerably worse.

I have been to Dermatologists, have pills, have retin A, and have tried numerous organic methods, and even cut dairy, spicy food, and excessive sugars from my diet. Short lived results that didn’t last. Even Proactive didn’t work!! (never went on Accutane, afraid of the side effects)

I have only been using this system for a short while and would assume that, like any other acne product if it works then it will clear up your face initially and you will see more blemishes come (as your skin clears out all of the gunk) before you see the light at the end of the tunnel.

(Before using Acne Free) My skin was honestly in pain. I had a terrible (pre that time of the month break out) and had used some random harsh whatever to exfoliate the top layer. I think I fried it and my entire face was falling off. I wanted to hide in the house for the entire week and didn’t want anyone to see me.

I can say that despite the sensitivity of my skin at the time when I purchased the product (peel city) this product was a GODSEND!! Three days later I was almost out of their “7 day sample” Yea… I used more than I should have I guess. And found myself back buying the full sized version. I also bought their scar healer, and their Acne/Blackhead Terminator. (But would strongly suggest just sticking to the basics until you know whether or not the product works for you).

I had about 30 blemishes that were all annoyingly painful 30% cystic 70% annoying, after a week they had all reduced in size by about 80-100%, and I went from having about 33 blemishes on my face to 15 with slight red dots where the other 50% of the original blemishes were. Would probably have less than that but I was BAAAD and picked ( Someone slap me please!!

The previous week (when I had the horrible skin week) I had only gone to visit one friend. He was SHOCKED to see me three days later and asked “what the heck did you use on your skin@$!?”

NOTE: I have been using “HUGGIES” NON SCENTED BABY WIPES TO REMOVE MAKEUP PRIOR TO USING THE ACNE FREE 3 STEP CLEANSING SYSTEM. WHEN I STOPPED USING THESE TO REMOVE MAKEUP FOR A FEW DAYS MY “FRIENDS” CAME BACK A LITTLE BIT.

ALSO FELL ASLEEP WITH MAKEUP ON ONE NIGHT… NOT A GOOD IDEA!! STICK TO USING THIS MORNING AND NIGHT. IF YOU CAN GO WITHOUT MAKEUP FOR A WHILE TRY THAT TOO. (Editor’s Note: That’s why we recommend organic Mineral Makeup – it won’t clog your pores or hurt your skin in any way, even if you sleep in it!)

**Honestly it seems to be hit or miss from the reviews I read. I will update this review in a month or so to let you all know of the progress.

I did have several cystic and normal blemishes pop up in places where they had not been before but zapped them with the Acne & Blackhead Terminator and the Repair lotion and they went away in 2-3 days. One – I was bad and squeezed and it will probably take longer to heal but what’s a week for one when I had 33 last week??? I will take 50% improvement any day. Hopefully soon it will be 90-100% improvement!!

So the big “friend” and the other little guys are still healing (normally it would take weeks and then new friends just keep appearing so relief can be few and far between).

Overall skin tone (and I’m a picker so it was pretty red to start) has improved 200% from what it was before. Still doesn’t look amazing but I could see how over time it will get better. The first few days of use I noticed that my entire face was a bit red, but I was in less pain and really didn’t care. This week it is less red than last and also less painful.

I ordered the Zeno ($225), a hand held medical (non prescription) device, to zap the little buggers that pop up from time to time. Apparently there are statistics that support this device and it gets plenty or raving reviews. I can feel a blemish coming on and a friend of mine said that worked really well if you caught it at an early stage so we will see what happens!!

I also am considering picking up the Clarisonic ($195) brush that you can use with your cleanser. The one that comes with it isn’t very good (from what people say) and the nice thing about using “Acne Free” instead of proactive (other than cost, and the fact that proactive didn’t work for me) is that the cleanser doesn’t have granules. So… if you want to use a brush like the Clarisonic then you’re not smudging around granules and moving dirt from one pore to another.

I am planning on letting what is on my face clear up over the next few weeks before I used the Clarisonic brush. But am excited to be able to try something like it.

If you’re not sure if you’re allergic to benzol peroxide test the product on the back of your arm or leg before you use it. If you swell up that’s a good sign that your body isn’t crazy about it.

“the clear skin” suggestions I have seen on the net call for a mild cleanser, a 2.5% benzol peroxide cream, and a mild non clogging moisturizer. Funny that Acne Free has 2.25% benzo in the face wash, 3.7% in the toner, and 2.25% in their “time released” moisturizer. Seems to not be too far off from what some other people claim to work. If your face is too red work up to using the toner two times per day. Start out just at night.

Personally I didn’t care about the red, but if you’re using something like this — use common sense and don’t go lay in the sun (or a tanning bed) for hours, and don’t mix in too many other products or prescriptions. It says not to on the labels!!

Good luck to you all!! I only gave this product a 4 out of 5 stars because I haven’t been using it long enough to give it the full 5 that I think it could deserve. My dermatologis would consider my case “adult/young adult acne” probably caused by stress. I will update this review to let you know how things work out.

Initial post: Oct 27, 2006 3:02 PM PDT

Suzy-K says:

Thanks for such a personal testimony….it was really fun to read—hope you soon have no “friends” at all!:)

Although not every rosacea patient responds to the same triggers, the list of potential rosacea triggers in various individuals may be endless.













































The National Rosacea Society published a survey of 1,066 rosacea patients. They found that the most common factors were exposure to sun, stress, heat, wind, heavy exercise and alcohol consumption. Here’s a list of factors and the percentage of people who found them to trigger rosacea:

Factors

81% Sun exposure
79% Emotional stress
75% Hot weather
57% Wind
56% Heavy exercise
52% Alcohol consumption
51% Hot baths
46% Cold weather
45% Spicy foods
44% Humidity
41% Indoor heat
41% Certain skin-care products
36% Heated beverages
27% Certain cosmetics
15% Medications
15% Medical conditions
13% Certain fruits
10% Marinated meats
9% Certain vegetables
8% Dairy products
24% Other factors

The following list was compiled from patient histories by Dr. Jonathan Wilkin and produced by the National Rosacea Society.

Foods

• Liver


• Yogurt


• Sour cream


• Cheese (except cottage cheese)


• Chocolate


• Vanilla


• Soy sauce


• Yeast extract (bread is ok)


• Vinegar


• Eggplant


• Avocados


• Spinach


• Broad-leaf beans and pods, including lima, navy or pea


• Citrus fruits, tomatoes, bananas, red plums, raisins, figs


• Spicy and thermally hot foods


• Foods high in histamine

Heat related

• Saunas


• Hot baths


• Simple overheating


• Excessively warm environments

Weather

• Sun


• Strong winds


• Cold


• Humidity

Drugs

• Vasodilators


• Topical steroids

• Alcohol, especially red wine, beer, bourbon, gin, vodka or champagne


• Hot drinks, including hot cider, hot chocolate, coffee or tea

Emotional influences

• Stress


• Anxiety


• Exercise

Skin care products

• Many cosmetics and hair sprays, especially those containing alcohol, witch hazel or fragrances


• Hydro-alcoholic or acetone substances


• Any substance that causes redness or stinging

Other triggers

• Frequent flushing


• Menopause


• Chronic cough


• Caffeine withdrawal syndrome

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but these are the most common rosacea triggers. If you haven’t already noticed any of them as causative factors, start paying attention to what your specific triggers may be. Keep a notebook and jot down your activities, weather and/or environmental conditions, the foods you eat and drink and the products that you use. After a while you’ll begin to see patterns.

Once you know what triggers your rosacea, you’ll be able to protect yourself or avoid the trigger.

While there is no cure, there is good news. The FDA has approved a slew of topical treatments for this condition. The usual acne medications don’t work with rosacea as it is primarily inflammatory. So acne medications such as Retin-A or Accutane don’t help at all. The reason is that Rosacea is aggravated by the sun and certain foods, rather than hormonal imbalances. A complete reddening of the face, called flushing, is common.

Again, the biggest reason flushing occurs is from sun exposure. The next biggest reason is emotional stress. Hot weather in general also aggravates rosacea. So the first thing to do is to always protect yourself from the sun and heat and learn to stay calm in stressful situations.

If you decide you need medical treatment for your rosacea, anti-inflammatory antibiotics taken either topically or by mouth are available by prescription. Or you can discuss any of the new topical treatments with your dermatologist.

Your dermatologist can now select from the following creams and ointments:

• Avar


• Azelex & Finacea (azelaic acid)


• Clenia


• Cleocin & Clindamax (clindamycin)


• Klaron


• Metrocream


• Metrogel


• Nicomide (nicotinic acid)


• Noritate (metronidazole)



• Ovace


• Plexion


• Rosenil (all forms of sulfa)


• Rosula


• Rozac

Got rosacea? You’re in good company. Some of the most famous people in the world have it or have had it. Why, it seems to run rampant through the Royals in nearly the entire British House of Windsor, having affected Lady Diana, Princess of Wales, as well as Prince Harry, Prince Charles and Prince William of England.

Here are a few more actors, actresses, comedians and politicians you can feel affiliated with:

Celebrities With Rosacea:

Bill Clinton – Is this former U.S. President just red-faced about getting caught with his pants down?

Or is it rosacea?

Actually, a close look at any of Bill Clinton’s photos shows tell-tale ruddiness and the start of red-nosed rhinophyma. Will he end up with a nose like W. C. Fields’? Only time will tell.

Borris Yeltsin – Those red-faced photos weren’t just from barking orders all day (or from drinking Vodka all night). Well, maybe the Vodka…

Cameron Diaz – Well concealed. This American actress smitten with rosacea can afford pay for the best make-up artists to get her skin looking smooth as silk.

We wonder if she uses our favorite brand of Mineral Makeup?

Janis Joplin – Relentlessly pounded on and called, “Pig-face” in high school for her red, blochy skin, she was even dubbed, “The ugliest ‘man’ in school.” She showed them. No doubt all that teasing contributed to, or was the source of her raw, intensly emotional singing that brought her fame.

J. P. Morgan – His rosacea flared up so badly during stressfull times that he curtailed his social activies.

Lisa Faulkner – Diagnosed with rosacea in 2005, this actress has learned to live with the condition by concealing it, staying away from stress and avoiding triggers. Unfortunately, she’s had to severely limit drinking champagne – and that MUST put a damper on her social life at Hollywood parties!

Mariah Carey - She may have rosacea, but it’s artfully concealed. However it’s starting to show more now that she’s getting a little older. She doesn’t do facials because having people poke at her face is not good for her rosacea. She prefers using home remedies, like making little packs of milk and ice to calm it down.

Renee Zellweger – Fitting right into the role of ‘Bridget Jones,’ Renee’s rosacea has never been fully concealed by all the makeup she wears while under the lights. A pity. Maybe a change of makeup to organic Mineral Makeup that does an incredible job of covering blotches is in order.

Rosie O’Donnell – With a mouth that loud (and that crass), she deserves it. What else can we say?

Ted Kennedy – The famous senator had his share of red and blotchy skin – no doubt due to his “work hard, play harder” lifestyle that did nothing to avoid rosacea triggers.

W. C. Fields – Who could mistake that pronounced red, bulbous nose as anything else but rhinophyma from years untreated adult acne rosacea! But then, he claims he got that nose from being punched in the nose so often during youthful bar fights. Maybe, but we think its all the wine and spirits he drank. In any case, it only added to this comedian and actor’s comic appearance.

William Shatner – During ‘Star Trek’ filming, Bill’s rosacea popped up from time to time, but it only looked like he had a tough day on the deck of the Enterprise. Now, as Denny Crane, his rosacea seems to have settled down – or he has better makeup artists.

Acne Rosacea (commonly called Rosacea) is a a chronic inflammation of the blood vessels in the skin. This causes facial redness, a rough complexion, and small acne-like eruptions on the cheeks, forehead and nose. Unless it affects the eyes, it is typically a harmless cosmetic condition, as the redness is semi-permanent. However, red gritty eyes, burning and stinging sensations, and in some advanced cases, a red, bulbous nose (rhinophyma), may develop due to thickening and swelling of the skin.

Rosacea primarily affects fair-skinned Caucasians primarily of northwestern European descent and is so prevalent in people from Britain and Ireland, it has been nicknamed the ‘curse of the Celts.’ It is by no means limited to any nationality. It can also affect people of virtually any other ethnicity. Rosacea affects both sexes, but is almost three times more common in women. It’s peak age of onset is between 30 and 60.

Symptoms can include:

• Frequent redness of the face, or flushing


• Small, red lines under the skin


• Acne


• A swollen nose


• Thick skin, usually on the forehead, chin, cheeks and nose


• Red, dry, itchy eyes and sometimes vision problems

Causes of Rosacea

The causes of rosacea are not fully known. There is much speculation, however.

• It has been noticed that patients with rosacea had elevated levels of the peptide cathelicidin and elevated levels of stratum corneum tryptic enzymes (SCTEs). Antibiotics have been used in the past to treat rosacea but they may only work because they inhibit some SCTEs.
• It has also been hypothesized that rosacea is a neurological disorder, resulting from hypersensitization of sensory neurons by bradykinin following activation of the plasma kallikrein-kinin system due to exposure to intestinal bacteria in the digestive tract. This hypersensitivity then produces neurogenic inflammation upon dermal stimulation, causing the flushing symptoms and vasodilation that are characteristic of the disorder.


• It appears that triggers that cause episodes of flushing and blushing play a part in the development of rosacea. Exposure to temperature extremes can cause the face to become flushed as well as strenuous exercise, heat from sunlight, severe sunburn, stress, anxiety, cold wind, and moving to a warm or hot environment from a cold one such as heated shops and offices during the winter.


• There are also some food and drinks that can trigger flushing for sensitive people, especially in Caucasians of mainly northwestern European descent. This include alcohol, food and beverages containing caffeine (especially, hot tea and coffee), foods high in histamines and spicy food.


• Certain medications and topical irritants can quickly trigger rosacea. Some acne and wrinkle treatments that have been reported to cause rosacea include microdermabrasion and chemical peels, as well as high dosages of isotretinoin, benzoyl peroxide, and tretinoin. Steroid induced rosacea is the term given to rosacea caused by the use of topical or nasal steroids. These steroids are often prescribed for seborrheic dermatitis. Dosage should be slowly decreased and not immediately stopped to avoid a flare up.

Treatment Options

There is no cure for rosacea, nor is there a single, specific test for rosacea. In addition, it can easily be confused with, and co-exist with acne vulgaris and/or seborrhoeic dermatitis. Only an experienced dermatologist can diagnose it with certainty.

Treatment centers around management. Typically, treatment usually involves trigger avoidance and the use of topical medications to reduce inflammation.

Mild cases are often not treated at all and are simply covered up with cosmetics. Since many creams and cosmetics can cause a rosacea trigger, you’d be better off using natural mineral makeup that doesn’t clog or irritate and lets your skin breathe.

Its also important to eat a balanced diet with ample protein, fruits, vegetables and fiber to keep your body and immune system healthy.

Accutane Benefits

For the last 20 years, Accutane has been a leading drug for acne. That’s no surprise, since Accutane is the only drug that has the potential to clear severe acne permanently after one course of treatment.

But Accutane is not without risks. One course normally lasts five months and results in prolonged remission of acne in up to 85 percent of patients.

No other acne medicine works as well for severe acne. Other medications only suppress acne temporarily.

Accutane is a member of a class of drugs known as retinoids, and while highly effective for most people, it doesn’t work for everyone. For some patients, another course of treatment is necessary, but for other, it doesn’t work at all. Some patients need to use topical medication in addition to Accutane to control their severe acne.

Accutane Risks

As powerful as Accutane can be in improving patients’ lives, its adverse effects can be just as powerful. This drug is known to cause miscarriage and severe birth defects. Patients taking Accutane may develop potentially serious problems affecting a number of organs, including the liver, intestines, eyes, ears, and skeletal system. In addition, some patients taking Accutane have developed serious psychiatric problems, including depression. More rarely, patients have developed suicidal behavior and killed themselves.

Because it is a high-risk drug, Accutane should be reserved for cases of “severe recalcitrant nodular acne,” according to the product’s labeling. This type of acne is resistant to standard acne treatment, including oral antibiotics, and is characterized by many nodules or cysts – inflammatory lesions filled with pus and lodged deep within the skin. These lesions can cause pain, permanent scarring, and negative psychological effects.

Is Accutane For You?

Only you and your doctor can determine the answer to that question. Remember, Accutane is not for mild cases of acne or those who plan to have children later in life.

With any luck, you’ll be like Julie Harper. Acne plagued Julie throughout high school and college. She depended on makeup and wore her hair down over the side of her face. She gave up chocolate and French fries, only to find that neither made a difference. And she went through medicine after medicine, from over-the-counter creams to oral antibiotics, to no avail.

These were not occasional pimples that vanish after a couple of days. This acne covered her face and left scars on her neck. “I had tried everything and felt frustrated all the time,” says Harper, now a physician and assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Alabama-Birmingham – a career she chose due in large part to her struggle with acne.

Dr. Harper finally found a successful treatment nine years ago at the age of 22. She took Accutane (isotretinoin) and watched her skin improve in just a couple of months. By the third month, her acne had disappeared. She says with clearer skin came more self-confidence and higher self-esteem.

Whether you decide on taking Accutane or not, it’s important to weigh the benefits against the risks. These are serious considerations for anyone considering Accutane.

The inner approach can be broken down into two categories – natural and medical. The medical route focuses on taking pills to change the bodies function. The natural method stresses getting the body balanced, healthy and working more efficiently.

Which method you choose is completely up to you, however, as acne is an imbalance in the body, it never hurts to try the natural approach to try to support the body. The medical approach, however, may produce undesired side effects which can create further issues.

Acne primarily occurs because of hormonal imbalances. This creates excess sebum around hair follicles and pores, which become blocked, inflamed and filled with pus. While it can be challenging to bring the body back to balance, its critical to support and nourish the body properly.

To lay a good foundation for success with acne treatment, there are three important rules you must observe:

• Rule #1: Eat a healthy diet – acne thrives on junk food and sugar. You see, junk food is full of harmful oils, refined carbohydrates, additives, artificial flavorings, colorings and who knows what else! None of these substances actually nourish the body. But skin needs nourishment. It needs lots of vitamins (especially vitamin A) and minerals, lots of hydration (water), enzymes, amino acids and everything else that builds beautiful skin.

A steady diet of soda, hot dogs, hamburgers, fries and shakes leaves your skin undernourished, dehydrated and altogether unbalanced. What else can your skin do but revolt with ugly acne attacks?

For beautiful skin, eat fresh fruits and vegetables every day, drink lots of water, get plenty of lean protein and healthy fats, like olive oil, fish oil and avocados. Avoid fried foods, excessive dairy products (especially ice cream), chemical additives, colorings/dyes and sugar. You can learn more about natural acne cures in the “Acne No More book.”

Also, stay away from plastics, especially microwaved plastics. They have been shown to exude estrogenic chemicals which cause further imbalances to delicate hormonal levels.

• Rule #2: Make sure your colon is cleansed and detoxed regularly. This is so often overlooked, yet it is one of the major causes of acne breakouts. Read more about our best colon cleanse recommendation…
• Rule #3: Avoid heavy/greasy makeup and cleanse your face with clean water and a natural cleanser twice a day. What’s the best cleanser? We love Satin Facial Scrub with its natural pH advanced cleansing formula and Orange Blossom Facial Wash™ – it’s a gentle, nonabrasive, free-rinsing cleanser with botanicals that removes dirt and makeup without stripping skin of natural oils.

What’s the best makeup for acne prone skin? Mineral makeup – it doesn’t clog pores or contain oily ingredients. It lets the skin breathe and can even be good for the skin. Our favorite? Organic mineral makeup by mineral hygenics – you’ll love it’s incredibly natural coverage and the healthy glow it gives your skin!

Observing these three rules will help you build a good foundation and possibly even be the most effective acne treatment for you.

External Causes for Acne:

• Use of anabolic steroids – Anabolic steroids stimulate the production of sebum in the skin, creating the perfect environment for a variety of bacteria which cause acne or even more serious infections, such as Staph.


• Any medication containing lithium, barbiturates or androgens – these drugs are known to aggravate acne.
• Exposure to certain chemical compounds. Chloracne is particularly linked to toxic exposure to dioxins, namely Chlorinated dioxins.
• Exposure to halogens. Halogen acne is linked to exposure to halogens (e.g. iodides, chlorides, bromides, fluorides).
• Chronic use of amphetamines or other similar drugs.

Development of acne vulgaris in later years is uncommon, although this is the age group for Rosacea which may have similar appearances. True acne vulgaris in adult women may be a feature of an underlying condition such as pregnancy and disorders such as polycystic ovarian syndrome or the rare Cushing’s syndrome.

Menopause-associated acne occurs as production of the natural anti-acne ovarian hormone estradiol fails at menopause. The lack of estradiol also causes thinning hair, hot flashes, thin skin, wrinkles, vaginal dryness, and predisposes to osteopenia and osteoporosis as well as triggering acne (known as acne climacterica in this situation).

Hygiene

For years, there has been a misconception that acne is caused by dirt. Acne is not caused by dirt. This misconception probably comes from the fact that blackheads look like dirt stuck in the openings of pores. The black color is not dirt but simply oxidised keratin. In fact, the blockages of keratin that cause acne occur deep within the narrow follicle channel, where it is impossible to wash them away. These plugs are formed by the failure of the cells lining the duct to separate and flow to the surface in the sebum created there by the body. Built-up oil of the skin can block the passages of these pores, so standard washing of the face could wash off old oil and help unblock the pores.

That said, heavy or greasy makeup can definitely contribute to acne, as it blocks pores. If you use this kind of makeup, always wash it off thoroughly. Natural, non-clogging mineral makeup is a much better choice for acne-prone skin.

If you missed Part 1, here’s where you can read What Causes Acne? Part 1. Part 1 discusses the internal factors linked to acne.