Most of us thought that we were leaving the pain of acne behind after puberty. And yet, here we are, wondering how to heal our skin fast. If you’ve got a pimple problem then here’s what you can do about it.
Hidden dirt finding your face
A lot of pimples are caused by dirt clogging up your pores. You might think that washing your face is the obvious answer but there’s an underlying cause you probably didn’t consider. Every night you put your head down on a pillow that absorbs oils, dirt and anything else on your skin. Over the next few nights your skin picks up a bit of that dirt and voila clogged pores. Having multiple sheet sets in your cupboard and changing your pillowcases frequently is a fast solution. How often is frequently? Some acne sufferers swear by everyday but we think even twice a week will make a difference.
A dose of Vitamin D
Korean research has found that people with acne are typically deficient in Vitamin D compared to those with clear skin. Taking an over-the-counter supplement is one way to boost your vitamin levels but the best quality Vitamin D comes from nature. Just an hour or two of sunshine is needed daily to keep your skin clear. So take your breakfast outside tomorrow morning and enjoy it from your patio lounge set.
3 steps to live by
Nicky Wood is a naturopath from the Gold Coast who often consults with acne patients. She takes a 3-tiered approach to treating acne.
“1. Minimise sugar intake from processed foods and beverages and eat plenty of fresh produce of varying textures and colours. This allows you to expose your skin to collagen building, membrane strengthening, protective, cleansing and balancing nutrients found in an array of fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes - and lean organic meats (no added hormones). The aim is to also improve carbohydrate processing using specific foods and nutrients whilst correcting the currently inflamed skin.
2. Address hormone imbalances - we recommend you salivary test your insulin, cortisol, oestrogen and testosterone to check for fluctuations in levels or poor clearance as this will interact with your skin reactivity. Elevated testosterone in women is a key factor in inflamed acneic skin.
3. Improve any gut bacterial imbalances - the skin like the gut has a microbiome or balance of bacterial profile - and it plays a huge role in keeping your skin cells happy and clear of toxins. The adverse interaction between the skin, bacterial cells, insulin and glucose and your hormones is in play with even small outbreaks of acne. By maintaining microbiome and membrane integrity your skin will be more successful in keeping its own balance of luminosity and outbreaks.”
Find more advice on her website Wise Healthy Living or on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Skipping moisturiser
Especially when you have oily skin it can seem like the last thing you want to be doing is adding more moisture to it. But a quality moisturiser suited to your skin type will help to balance out the PH levels and counteract irritation and redness. So your new skin commandment: moisturise day and night or wake up a total fright.
Acne is unpleasant yes, untreatable no. You just need to get to the bottom of what’s causing you to break out - from diet to dirt - and start treating it at the source.
