Natural Acne Treatment

Naturopathic Acne Treatment

Have you tried and failed over the counter anti-acne medications, creams, ointments, etc? How about taking a glimpse at a naturopathic approach to acne treatment? You may consider any one of these safer measures to cure your acne. Naturopathy is simply as the name suggests ‘natural medicine’. The main philosophy behind this approach is to allow nature to help our body’s own natural capacity to heal and achieve optimal health. How effective is naturopathy treatment in dealing with acne?

* It helps the patient to recognize the cause of acne and recommends specific treatment for acne symptoms * It helps in uncovering the underlying conditions that hinder the body’s ability to function normally * It helps the patient to understand the root cause of acne so that he could avoid further problems to his skin.

A naturopathic physician takes a complete history of the patient that includes his food habits, cosmetics and medications used, environmental exposure, physical examination of face, chest, lesions and scars. Naturopathic viewpoint is that acne is an external manifestation of an internal imbalance. Therefore, this assessment helps in determining the cause that is impeding a patient’s natural functionality.

Nutrition is understood as a basic key in treating acne in naturopathy. Poor quality of foods consumed tends to clog the pores and attract bacteria causing acne. Eating better quality of foods allows the sebaceous glands to receive all the essential nutrients and produce good quality oil that flows well to nourish the skin. A naturopathic doctor may recommend a diet that is rich in protein, low in carbohydrate, green vegetables, fruits, fish, whole grains and sprouts. The patient is advised to avoid all fried foods, dairy products, processed foods, refined sugar, fatty foods, nuts, caffeine, etc. Consumption of plenty of water is advised to keep the skin moisturized, fresh and youthful.

Naturopathy also includes other healing measures in treating acne:

• Herbal medicine – Ayurvedic formulations using herbal extracts have been found very successful in treating acne
• Acupuncture – Electro- acupuncture and auricular acupuncture applied to the ear are effective therapies reducing symptoms of acne
• Mind and Body medicine – This approach includes relaxation therapies such as hypnosis, biofeedback along with cognitive imagery. (a) Relaxation reduces stress and influences the activity of hormones and immune system thereby reducing inflammation of acne (b) Biofeedback and Cognitive imagery – A combination of biofeedback and cognitive imagery helps the person to visualize and notice bodily changes from being stressed to being relaxed.

• Hydrotherapy – Colon cleansing using hydrotherapy is a well-known alternative medicine that has improved the conditions of acne in many sufferers. Colon cleansing actually improves overall bodily health since it frees your system from toxins.