External Acne Care: The Pros and Cons of Washing Your Face

Acne is basically an internal condition triggered by several
underlying factors. However, there are additional external acne
symptoms that may enhance the formation of acne or interfere with the
healing process of your existing acne on the external level (e.g. the
external acne environment). Without handling these external triggers,
it will be very difficult for anyone to overcome their acne challenge,
especially when the holistic treatment is performed while the
individual still suffers from “live” and “evolving” acne.

Clogged or very large pores, oily or very dry complexion and bad skin
hygiene do not cause acne but they interfere with the healing process
of the skin and make your external acne environment more prone or
“susceptible” to acne.

Taking care of your skin on a daily basis by incorporating simple and
easy to follow protocols may not only enhance the healing process of
your existing acne it will also balance your skin ph levels, making it
smooth, even toned, radiant and healthy looking.

Although there are many types of cleansers available for different
purposes (exfoliation, clean, medicate), washing your face twice a day
using a gentle antiseptic and anti-bacterial 100% natural soap like
tea tree oil soap, or Cetaphil soap can help reduce inflammation,
swelling and redness and significantly improve the overall appearance
of your skin without the irritation, allergy reactions and over-
dryness that over the counters like Benzoyl Peroxide can cause.

Washing your face should always come after a good 5 minutes steaming
routine. After the steaming, follow these 3 easy steps:

  1. Use lukewarm water to get the soap wet.

  2. Apply the soap to your face using your fingertips in a circular
    motion.

  3. Wash your face gently and pat your skin dry using a cotton towel.

If your sebaceous glands are producing too much oil (due to hormonal
imbalance that should be fixed internally), then you probable have
excessively oily skin and large pores. To tackle that problem
externally, do not use alcohol and water astrigent, instead use soap
like Neutrogena clear pore oil Controlling astrigent or even better
apply an all natural mask made of bentonitre or egg whites.

An extremely dry skin can also be treated internally through balancing
oil secretion protocols and dietary changes and supplementation,
including the regular intake of 10 glasses of pure water on a daily
basis. As for the external care, applying lots of good quality
moisturizer such as 99% Aloe Vera gel while avoiding harsh and un-
natural external care products; can significantly reduce your dryness.

Warning: Excessive washing of the face can cause mild to moderate
irritations and increase redness and inflammation, defeating its own
purpose.

If you have sensitive skin, the best practice is to test each product
prior to using it, using dollar size amount on your chin, regardless
of its quality or the nature of its ingredients.

Mike Walden is a certified nutritionist, independent medical
researcher, natural health consultant and author of the #1 best-
selling e-book, “Acne No More- Open The Door To An Acne Free Life.”
Mike has written dozens of holistic health articles and has been
featured in ezines and print magazines, as well as on hundreds of
websites worldwide. For information on Mike’s Holistic Clear Skin
program, visit:

http://miniurl.com/7843