It is an excellent soother and an antibiotic treatment highly beneficial for acne-prone skin. 

It also has anti-fungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. 

The gel inside its leaves is the internal part of the aloe vera plant. It can heal damaged, broken and red irritated skin. It can also accelerate the healing process of your acne while reducing redness and swelling.

Did you know that Aloe vera juice is also perfect for digestive problems?

It can ease heartburn, ulcers, diverticular disorders and other types of digestive upset.

This is because its enzymes break down sugars and fat thus aiding digestion.

But I digress. Its rich antioxidants help protect the skin’s surface from damage caused by free radicals and environmental aggressors.

Now, unless you have a known allergy, Aloe vera is generally quite safe and beneficial for all skin types.

Did you also know that Aloe Vera contains Aloin which helps lighten hyperpigmentation? Wow.

Aloe vera also reduces inflammation thus preventing post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from developing in the first place. Simply incredible!

Furthermore, Aloe vera is a natural source of salicylic acid which helps with acne flare-ups, blackheads and whiteheads.

Its natural astringent properties can tone and tighten skin pores as well as reduce excess oil. Do I need to say more?

And the good thing is that it won’t block skin pores or irritate your skin although you should always test for allergies before applying it all over your face.

Now, you can either choose to apply it directly to your skin using the gel from the actual leaves, or you can buy skincare products with aloe vera as an active ingredient.

Need guidance on how to get rid of your acne? Check out my Acne No More program

The post Does aloe vera help acne? first appeared on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

The post Does aloe vera help acne? appeared first on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

Your skin is your body’s largest organ and it protects you from viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens.

Your skin is about 64% water so not drinking enough water per day may disrupt its functioning. In short, keeping your skin hydrated enough is a must.

Insufficient moisture on your skin will make it lose its soft characteristics and could theoretically develop wrinkles.

Drinking water will replenish the skin tissue and increase its elasticity. This is how you can basically delay aging related fine lines, blemishes and wrinkles.

Did you know that drinking enough water can also help in alleviating other skin diseases like eczema or psoriasis?

As you drink pure clean water your skin self-moisturizes and cleans cells of built-up waste. It can also fight dry skin and remove unneeded contaminants. So you can see how it may also help clear up your acne faster.

Not drinking enough water traps cellular waste and germs within your skin thus increasing the chances of developing acne or other skin related conditions. 

Your body’s organs of elimination are the gut, kidneys and liver. The skin is also called the third kidney.

These organs will suffer when not you’re not providing your body with enough water. This can cause toxin accumulation so when these organs cannot eliminate water from your body they call upon the skin to for assistance. This condition can also develop acne.

I always encourage my clients to consume lukewarm water as they wake up with some lemon juice to enhance detoxification and get rid of impurities. It can also trigger bowel movements which are a must if you want a clear skin.

So how much should you drink? It actually varies widely from one person to another based on size, activity level etc.

Hot, humid environments obviously require greater water consumption.

Another reason to drink more water is to balance your body’s PH.  An acidic body is bad for your health and for the skin so always opt to increase PH to sightly alkaline. If necessary, drink alkaline water.

A quick test for how moisturized your skin is can be done by gently pinching your skin to see if it bounces back. If it doesn’t bounce back, you need to drink more water to hydrate yourself.

Did you also know that keeping the skin moisturized enough maintains healthy skin cell rejuvenation and collagen production? This speeds up acne healing , reduces inflammation and prevents pimples and acne scarring.

One last interesting fact about water consumption is that it lowers blood sugar level which is one of the main triggers of acne…

 

Need guidance on how to get rid of your acne? Check out my Acne No More program

The post Does drinking water reduce pimples? first appeared on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

The post Does drinking water reduce pimples? appeared first on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

As you probably know already, pimples or zits are the result of skin pore blockage. Excess oil production, dead skin cells and bacteria can all block your pores.

Unfortunately, for most people, regardless of age,  if the underlying factors or causes of acne are not properly addressed,  then it may never disappear.

Did you know that 26% of 40 year olds and 12% of 50 year olds have acne? Did you also know that about 10% of females that developed acne in their adolescence will suffer from very oily skin during their entire life?

Acne during puberty will usually disappear by itself when you reach your early 20s.

An excess of androgen, or male sex hormones increase oil production in your sebaceous glands. When follicles get clogged and sebum is trapped and bacteria flourishes . The end result of that process is acne.

While teen acne is caused by increased oil production, adult acne is typically caused by hormonal changes and chronic stress. 

Women are more likely to deal with adult acne because their hormones can fluctuate for decades due to factors such as menstrual cycles, pregnancy, menopause, PCOS or other hormone related health issues.

In most women, hormones will balance only as they reach menopause.

In men though, some may experience andropause or male menopause in their 50s. This condition causes androgen levels including testosterone to decrease thus triggering acne flare-ups. 

No one knows exactly how long acne will last for each person. Many teens find that their acne improves as they get older and that it almost disappears by the time they reach their twenties.

And as noted above, others will have acne well into their adult years.

You can, however, prevent this from happening whether you are a teenager or a 40 year old adult.

Dramatically changing your lifestyle including eating a very clean diet and doing some form of exercise which boosts the immune system while enhancing detoxification can prevent hormonal fluctuations and stress.

Need guidance on how to get rid of your acne? Check out my Acne No More program

The post At what age pimples stop growing? first appeared on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

The post At what age pimples stop growing? appeared first on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

This overproduction of oil clogs the hair follicle and leads to bacterial growth.

The bacteria multiplies and causes inflammation, and the result can appear in the form of what is known as a blackhead (an open comedo) or a whitehead (if it’s below the surface). 

Acne is a warning sign of something very wrong inside your body.

Acne is in fact a healing process, not only a disease. The body is trying to heal itself, and it manifests in acne. Your body is desperately trying to tell you something. 

Every type of blemish you have acts as a messenger from the body. It is suggesting changes to your diet and lifestyle that will only benefit you in the long run. .

Acne can suggest that you are too tense and need to manage your stress more effectively. It can also suggest that you are in the wrong job and you should consider a new one. It may suggest that you over-consume harmful foods and that your system is loaded with toxins. 

Researchers have found that the presence of certain Androgen hormones such as Dihydro Testosterone (DHT) and Insulin make the oil glands go into overdrive causing the excess sebum to block the pores. Insulin was also found to advocate inflammation in the cellular levels.

There are several factors that when addressed properly can reduce pro-inflammatory hormones and skin inflammation and thus eliminate acne naturally:

First, your diet must change. There is no way around this. You have to minimize the production of pro-inflammatory hormones by consuming food that will calm the surge of hormones, nourish your body with valuable nutrients and reduce overall body and skin inflammation.

This means lowering the amount of sugar and simple carbs in your diet while increasing the consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds.

The second thing you have to do in order to heal your acne naturally is to take anti-inflammatory supplements. These are supplements that help the body produce anti-inflammatory hormones. Omega 3 is a good example of that.

The last thing that has to be addressed is the accumulation of toxins from poor dietary and lifestyle choices.

Toxic buildup is another major factor in the acne equation. Toxic buildup in your blood, bowels and liver can occur if your primary organs of elimination (intestines, liver and kidneys) cannot deal with the extreme quantities of toxic waste, either because they are clogged or are overloaded with toxins themselves.

Probably the best way to get rid of the excess waste and toxins is through eating a very clean diet for a long period of time but it is often not enough.

You may need to conduct other more intense methods such as juice fasting, high enema which reaches all of your colon and other protocols as well,  but you must consult with your family doctor before conducting such cleansing techniques. They may not be safe for everyone.

Need guidance on how to get rid of your acne? Check out my Acne No More program

The post What are 3 ways to prevent acne? first appeared on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

The post What are 3 ways to prevent acne? appeared first on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

When candida starts to flourish it can negatively affect the colon, bladder, liver and vagina.

The most destructive aspect of candida growth results mainly from its waste product (mycotoxins) that can affect the brain, the immune system, joints, muscles, tissues and especially damaging the functionality of the liver.

Candida albicans, stimulated by antibiotics and refined carbohydrates (such as sugars and white breads), can grow to a plant-like form, break through the intestinal walls and help the yeast drive through the bloodstream and feed toxins into it.

Candida thrives when the blood pH becomes acid. This usually happens when we consume less alkaline foods and more acid foods. 

When the blood pH becomes more acid, candida overgrows (as it adapts to the new acid environment) secreting more mycotoxins that put a burden on your liver and intestines as well as other organs of elimination.

Needless to say, damaging the liver can have a negative impact on your acne. In fact, most acne sufferers in my opinion have an overgrown candida in their system that once eliminated will result in a remarkable improvement on their skin and health condition in general.

Controlling candida has proven to be a great influence in significantly reducing acne breakouts.

Since conventional medical tests for yeast infection are not always accurate, the best advice is to combine a solid medical diagnosis with a reliable self-diagnosis. The following is a simple and easy-to-use home test for candida:

First thing in the morning and on an empty stomach (no food or liquids allowed), find a clear glass and fill it with mineral or reverse osmosis water. Next, work out a generous amount of saliva and spit into the glass.

Leave the glass of water aside for a period of up to an hour. If you have a mild case of candida yeast infection, you will see strings in the form of legs that travel down into the water.

If you have an advanced case of candida yeast infection, you will see your saliva sink to the bottom of the glass.

Bear in mind that most people fail the test. (I failed it when I first applied this self-diagnosis test.) Only in rare cases, or after you have eliminated your candida, will the saliva remain floating on the water.

Need guidance on how to get rid of your acne? Check out my Acne No More program

The post Can Candida cause acne? first appeared on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

The post Can Candida cause acne? appeared first on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

There are the microscopic small comedonal acne that can be in the form of whiteheads (open comedo) or blackheads (closed comedo).

A more serious formation of acne are the nodules and pustules. Nodules are large and firm and exist below the skin, whereas pustules are yellowish bumps that are pus-filled.

There are acne forms which are non-inflammatory, carry no pus but only appear as red spots. These are commonly referred to as pimples.

Of all acne cases, cysts are the worst. Cysts are sac-like formations filled with pus that is spread under the skin tissue in a diameter of 5 mm or more across. The pus runs deep below the skin’s surface, which often results in serious pain.

Not all cysts are caused by inner factors. Some may be the result of squeezing small pus-filled acne, causing the pus to run even deeper into the skin and aggravating the infection.

Acne vulgaris is the most common form of acne, containing both whiteheads and blackheads.

Acne rosacea is characterized by a flushed appearance of the face due to the enlargement of blood vessels which is caused by inflammatory bumps. The most common places acne rosacea appears are on the chin and
forehead.

Perioral dermatitis is the form of acne which young women suffer from. The common places where these tiny papules appear are around the mouth and on the chin.

Acne conglobata is another severe form of acne that affects the chest, back and the face. This is an intensive form of acne vulgaris where multiple cysts and nodules are spread in large areas. Acne conglobata is more common
among men.

Need guidance on how to get rid of your acne? Check out my Acne No More program

The post What are the different types of acne? first appeared on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

The post What are the different types of acne? appeared first on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

One reason is that your diet may still require some fine tuning.

The fact that a certain food is healthy doesn’t mean that you can consume as much you want. Another reason is that your diet is great but there are other underlying causes to your acne that have not been addressed yet.

With regards to your diet, are you really watching your fat and oil consumption? Too much fat, even the healthier kind, can trigger acne. For example, consuming nuts excessively can have a negative effect on your skin condition.

How about grains, are you consuming whole grain breads, whole grain pasta, brown rice on a daily basis? Do you watch portion size and are you really making sure you’re not going overboard with quantity?

As you probably already know, high intake of carbs, even the whole organic kind, can spike up blood sugar and insulin level and trigger acne and inflammation.

But if you really watch what you eat in terms of quality and quantity and still get acne breakouts, then you must look in other directions.

You may be allergic or intolerant to gluten which causes inflammation and can interfere with your skin’s healing process. So make the necessary dietary adjustments.

Your gut flora may be out of balance so take probiotics and digestive enzymes to make sure you break down protein carbs and fat properly.

Undigested food particles can lead to indigestion. Digestive issues have been linked to skin disorders.

Or you may be dealing with stress and emotional issues on a daily basis. This can negatively affect your gut, your digestion and your body’s amazing healing capabilities. It can also interfere with your immune system.

Need guidance on how to get rid of your acne? Check out my Acne No More program

The post Why dietary changes may not be enough to eliminate acne first appeared on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

The post Why dietary changes may not be enough to eliminate acne appeared first on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

A small island in the Pacific Ocean never saw one case of acne in either teenagers or adults. What is their secret?

Well, the Swedish doctor and researcher Staffan Lindeberg, traveled to the Kitava island, in Papua New Guinea, and studied about 1200 inhabitants, including 300 teenagers.

What he discovered was amazing. He saw zero cases of acne. None whatsoever. How can that be? Well, the secret was in their diet!

Their diet consisted mostly of whole plant based foods like sweet potatoes, coconut, fruits, some fish, and vegetables. They never had dairy products, processed food, junk food or alcohol. So different from what we eat in our Western diet.

Though their carb intake was high, most of it had low glycemic load, meaning it didn’t spike up the blood sugar to levels where insulin and acne-triggering hormones are affected.

What’s even more amazing is that other groups on different areas of the Island who consumed a diet that was similar to a Western diet developed acne and other diseases.

So contrary to what most doctors say, diet does have a lot to do with acne. Remember the people of Kitava. They are a living proof that a simple change in eating habits can have a positive effect on your skin condition and on your overall health.

Need guidance on how to get rid of your acne? Check out my Acne No More program

The post This island has ZERO cases of acne. Are they doing anything different? first appeared on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

The post This island has ZERO cases of acne. Are they doing anything different? appeared first on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

But did you know that dairy products (especially cow’s milk) are probably one
the most notorious acne-aggravating products you can find?

They cause allergies, create heavy mucus, and they clog your digestive tracts as they become like glue once they enter your bowels.

Dairy products are loaded with hormones injected into the animals in order to increase their capacity to produce milk.

Dairy products are filled with antibiotics, which are destructive to your body and hormonal balance.

In fact, humans are the only species that drink the milk of other species. The problem is that we cannot digest the milk as calves do. Our digestion system is built differently.

We cannot process the protein in milk either. This often leads to multiple types of allergic reactions and digestive problems that manifest themselves as acne.

My own experience of milk was almost magical. As soon as I stopped consuming cow’s milk products, my acne condition dramatically improved.

What to avoid: milk, cheese and yogurt. Also avoid products that have lactose, milk proteins, whey protein and dry skim milk powder.

Great substitute: sesame seed butter. This is ground whole sesame seeds (not the regular Tahini), a wonderful source of protein and calcium containing more than 1100 mg of calcium per 100 g.

Good alternatives to dairy products include nut milks (sesame, almond, etc.) and nut creams (cashew, macadamia, etc.).

Soy products can also serve as an alternative but should be consumed sparingly because excessive consumption has been linked to thyroid problems.

As for chocolate, if you must then chooser dark chocolate (no dairy ingredients, preferably with high percentages of cocoa solids). I have found chocolates based on carob powders to be extremely tasty. Eat in moderation.

Need guidance on how to get rid of your acne? Check out my Acne No More program

The post Can eating dairy products cause acne or is it just a myth? first appeared on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

The post Can eating dairy products cause acne or is it just a myth? appeared first on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

Did you know that pimples contain oil, bacteria and grime or dead cells? But if you pop a pimple, you are basically interfering with your skin’s natural healing process.

So should you leave them be? Will they disappear on their own? And if so, when exactly?

Some pimples just won’t pop. You try and squeeze them but they seem stubborn. Others like cysts, sometimes just need a small squeeze and they start popping.

There is a certain life span to a pimple. It develops from blocked pores and bacteria. White blood cells are then sent to fight off the infection.

They die but form pustules. The infection at this final stage heals but may form a scar.

Large pimples can take up to 30-45 days to disappear but the smaller kind may take only a couple of days.

Now, you don’t want to leave any scar tissue so if you have some patience you can try drying them up. This can speed up the healing process.

You can apply 5% Benzoyl peroxide twice a day. And you can also try this Aspirin paste:

Take 5 “uncoated” aspirins and crush them into a bowl and add 1 teaspoon water and 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar into the bowl, wait a minute or two for aspirins to dissolve into a PASTE, stir with your
finger and dab this paste on to individual spots.

Need guidance on how to get rid of your acne? Check out my Acne No More program

The post Can pimples pop on their own? first appeared on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

The post Can pimples pop on their own? appeared first on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.