how do i get my skin clear on my face?

[Orange]

I have alot of problems with my skin on my face blackheads, white spots under my eyes, acne.
My acne isnt that mad as i try to pay alot of attention to it i use toothpaste and rubbing achohol on it witch does quite a good job but its not perfect i still have redness from where the acne used to be in lots of places witch is almost as bad... wlel its quite faint but close up its annoying.
I use loads of products that say they will get rid of blackheads but i still have blackheads on my nose! Also yeah, i dont know what there called but i have little white spots under my eyes... witch i dont have a clue how to fix.
If anyone could help me sulve these problems that would be great!
Thanks..
Gary.

[Spartan]

Don't use too many face products. You only need to use a face wash when you shower, moisturizer after you shower, and then something like freederm for inflamed spots.

If that isn't enough, then go see a doctor and get a prescription for some anti-biotics.

[Calculusaurus]

Step 1: Forget everything everyone's ever told you about acne.

Step 2: Read this: Amazon.com: The Clear Skin Diet: A Nutritional Plan for Getting Rid of and Avoiding Acne: Alan C. Logan, Valori Treloar: Books

( gist of it here: Amazon Online Reader : The Clear Skin Diet: A Nutritional Plan for Getting Rid of and Avoiding Acne )

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by Calculusaurus

Step 1: Forget everything everyone's ever told you about acne.

That is bad advice. Doctors know what they're talking about.

I went on anti-biotics and they cleared up all my spots with no side effects.

[air nomad]

Have been to acne.org?
I tried the guy's "regiment", and it worked rather well. This site also has quite a lot of information too like how those red marks and black heads need time to clear up.

I recommend you stop using rubbing alcohol to treat acne because it severely dries out the skin and when your skin is dry, it tries to compensate by increasing sebum oil, which is good when there's a decent amount in the skin. However, when there's too much, it isn't really good because then it might clog pores. Also you might want to consider a cleanser instead of toothpaste.

[Lyric]

Originally Posted by air nomad

Have been to acne.org?
I tried the guy's "regiment", and it worked rather well. This site also has quite a lot of information too like how those red marks and black heads need time to clear up.

acne.org is fantastic, especially the forums there. My face hasn't been this clear and smooth in a long time.

[Bruce Achterberg]

I have no specific advice for you, but here's a tip: if you have to buy a consumable product to "fix" your "problem," they're probably monetising an inefficiency.

In other words, lots of people will charge you for something that fixes the symptoms of a root cause. Instead of hacking at the branches, get to the root. For me, this has almost always meant going more towards natural solutions.

At the moment I have pretty dry skin on my left hand (mostly on my left for some reason). While the world would want me to moisturise it with various chemical-laden products, my approach is to consider what might actually be using it in the first place. I'm not actually sure yet, but I'm pretty sure it's diet related. Not that my diet is bad, but this is at least pointing to an improvement I could probably make. If I improve my diet significantly and it doesn't help, I'll be left with a great diet, and try something else.

Find the cause.

[Lauxa]

I believe the biggest culprit in acne is diet, especially processed sugars. When I went on Atkins diet, my acne cleared up. When I went on raw food diet, my acne cleared up.

Bacteria feed on sugar, so probably an antibiotic can work if you don't want to fix your diet.

Good luck.

[Orange]

great advice for the acne guys thanks.. but can anyone make a suggestion for the other problems xx

[Lyric]

Originally Posted by Orange

great advice for the acne guys thanks.. but can anyone make a suggestion for the other problems xx

Those pull-off pore strip thingeys are decent for blackheads. White bumps under the eyes are probably milia and I think those have to be removed by a doctor. I have them. I've tried a few home treatments on them and while they have gotten somewhat less noticeable they're still there. Using a thick, rich eye cream is what really made mine worse so don't put ANYTHING like that on them.

Some people have had good results cleansing the skin around their eyes with baby shampoo to get rid of them. I tried that as well as exfoilating (GENTLY! Be careful and use common sense) on and around them with a baby toothbrush. I finally decided that I notice them more than anyone else probably does plus I'm a girl and my makeup helps cover them up too.
HTH.

Oh, you might want to google "oil cleansing method" it sounds weird but it really does work wonders on blackheads.

[ZeeZoy]

If I stay away from greasy foods, my skin seems to clear up. I also like to wash my face in the morning and at night. Maybe this will help.

GL!

[Fullcrum]

Just eat 90% raw vegan and drink green smoothies all day. Those mofos will disappear in no time.

No seriously I have massive back pimples and after changing to 90% raw, they're all inactive. In a matter of two days. Now they just have to actually disappear. Little rascals.

I'll have to check out some of your guys' exfoliation and oil xyz methods for getting rid of their little carcasses quicker.

[air nomad]

Salicylic acid might help because it gets rid of dead skin, but if their inactive like you say, they should eventually just slough off after a month or so(might be different for you since I don't know how fast your skin heals).

[Rose of Cairo]

I too think the cause of skin problems is diet. The skin is one of the organs that eliminate toxins and waste material from the body, like the lungs, liver, kidneys and intestines. Put less crap into your body and your skin won't need to let the crap out again.

The best advice I can give you is to go raw. You could also completely eliminate highly processed foods, sugar and dairy from your diet. It works wonders.

Antibiotics always have side-effects. They destroy our gut flora and weaken our immune system.

Good luck!

PS: I know these white things under the eyes. They went away when I went raw.

[WilliWibald]

As already pointed out by some people: Raw Foods (especially with the 80/10/10-Raw-Vegan-Regiment (811RV)) have a really noticeable effect on ones skin (personally tested). This also seems to be a good indicator, that 811RV is the way to eat... foods that are not ideal for us will create some sideeffects. Put greasy Crude Oil in your Race Car and it will get at the very least some hickups. Put not-fresh fatty cooked food in your mouth and you will get all sorts of long-term side-effects. Acne may be one of the harmless ones.

[Jonathan Browne]

I've had tremendous success at achieving clear skin with a mostly raw food diet as well as some other methods. I am currently writing a book about it (in depth with recorded cds, recipes, product recommendations etc), if anyone is interested in purchasing it when it comes out please pm your email address I will make sure to contact you when it's finished.

[beautyscientist]

I think that acne and other skin conditions can often manifest in the same way despite having very different causes. I am a great supporter of doctors and science generally, but the fact is that not every remedy is going to work on everybody. I haven't looked at the most recent studies, but a while back I concluded that changing diet doesn't often cure acne, but that there are some cases where it does. It might be worth trying a raw diet. I have been on a mainly raw diet for about a month now and I have seen no effect whatever on my skin condition - although I don't have much wrong with my skin. I have been monitoring it quite closely because it interests me. I wouldn't rule out it working for you though.

If I were you I would try raw. If that doesn't work I would try using olive oil as a cleanser.

Benzoyl peroxide products work well in clinical trials. Brevoxyl is a good one, but there are plenty of others.

If you still get no joy then I would go for the antibiotics. As your doctor will tell you, there are some small risks with these. But you really want to get rid of those spots if you possibly can so try everything!

[sgregory]

Apple cider vinegar- spread on face like an astringinet and don't wash off. When it drys, use olive oil to moisturize your skin. It doesn't clog pores and helps clear acne like the vinegar. Earthclinic.com has people on there that says this works.

Also, make sure you are getting your 10 glasses of water a day, (more if you are heavy). Thats how you eliminate toxins out of your body and if you don't do that, you body tries to get rid of it through your skin.

Fish oil helps to regulate hormones and hormones play a part in acne. Even if it doesn't work, the amount of good it does to your body and mind is enough to try it. Make sure you get more than the amount it says on the label, I personally take 10 caplets a day.

Don't try the chemicals and drugs unless it's an absolute last resort. Drugs always have some sort of side affects and antibiotics kill off you internal flora which then must be replaced with probiotics. They also are pretty expensive compared to the natural remedies that do work, like the one's I mentioned and others such as lemon juice on the face.

Good luck. Tell us in a month how it all works out for you.

[JonathanBrowne]

Benzoyl Peroxide works by oxidizing the p. acne bacteria. Oxygen in the skin leads to QUICK premature aging. Your literally going to destroy your skin over time if you slather on massive amounts of benozyl peroxide like they tell you to with the Acne.org - Acne treatment and community "regime". Benzoyl Peroxide should be used just like it says on the directions. A very small amount directly on the pimple. I would recommend using it at night. The main things that cause acne are skin products with irritating ingredients and diet. Theres a reason that the dermatology industry immediately discounts that. They push products on you with irritating ingredients that give temporary relief with massive side effects, and they tell you that changing your diet will do nothing for you. The reason they do this is because if they were to simply dispense good advice they would eventually go out of business. They depend on recurring acne. The only truly effective treatment they offer is accutane, which is actually just a megadose of a vitamin. Of course, accutane can also have massive side effects and usually people who have taken it a couple years later they usually have persistant minor acne, and too dry skin which makes their skin look lifeless and will no doubt contribute to aging.

[JonathanBrowne]

As for lemon and vinegar... I would not recommend vinegar if at all, more than once a week. It's extremely harsh on the skin. Lemon should only be used in combination with other ingredients not directly on the skin. I would honestly recommend staying away from all potential irritants. If you want to see a change in the overall tone and condition of your skin, just wash your skin with only hot water for 2 weeks. That's right no soaps or skin treatments of any kind. That alone won't take care of your acne but you will notice that the parts of your skin not affected by acne are starting to look great.

[beautyscientist]

Originally Posted by JonathanBrowne

Benzoyl Peroxide works by oxidizing the p. acne bacteria. Oxygen in the skin leads to QUICK premature aging. Your literally going to destroy your skin over time if you slather on massive amounts of benozyl peroxide like they tell you to with the Acne.org - Acne treatment and community "regime".

I think Jonathan might be overstating it a bit here, but it is good advice nonetheless. Benzoyl peroxide definitely does have a very good chance of clearing your acne. It works for lots of people. But use as little as you can and definitely see if changing your diet works first as this is far and away the best approach if it works for you. Benzoyl peroxide is a nasty chemical and you might well adversely affect your skin with it.

I think that people sometimes forget just how bad a poor skin can be for younger people. It can wreck their self confidence. I think there is a case for using benzoyl peroxide in spite of the risks associated with it if you get a short term fix.