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.

Sunlight and the exposure to the sun are essential to our health, as well as to your emotional and mental well being. Similar to diet, proper nutrition, exercise and sleep, a controlled and moderate daily exposure to the sun and to adequate amounts of fresh air are two important foundations of good health.

While the amount of exposure to sunlight and fresh air are mostly out of our control, here are a few tips that will help you increase your exposure to clean oxygen and immune/vitamin D boosting sunlight:

1. Take short 10-15 minutes daily sun baths, provided that you do not get burned and already have significantly altered your diet.

2. If you live in a northern climate or in a cloudy place you can order full spectrum light boxes. These light bulbs mimic the sunlight and have been shown to have the same beneficial effect as natural sunlight.

3. Grow plants in your home. Plants cleanse the air by filtering and oxygenating the air.

4. Sleep with your window open as much as possible.

5. Get out of the city occasionally.

6. Practice deep, slow and rhythmic breathing on a daily basis.

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

The post How long should you be in the sun to really benefit your skin? first appeared on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

The post How long should you be in the sun to really benefit your skin? appeared first on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

When I was 14 I had terrible acne and I always envied my friends who could eat whatever they want and still maintained such a smooth skin.

What did they all have in common? Was it their genes?

It certainly wasn’t the food because they were having junk food for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

We can never know for sure but there has to be some genetic tendency involved with acne.

If your family, for example, has a background of skin diseases such as acne, psoriasis, skin allergies and eczema or even vitiligo, then you’re most likely to get these yourself if you don’t maintain an optimal clean lifestyle.

You see, our body eliminates waste through respiration, perspiration(sweating), urination and defecation. In some people, the gut is relatively weak(constipation, IBS, lack of digestive enzymes) so the body has to compensate and it chooses the skin, if that genetic gene is turned ON.

If you’re an acne sufferer then you need to ask yourself why your body has ‘chosen’ your skin as its main channel of elimination.

The reason is probably because the other channels mentioned above such as the gut do not function properly(genetic as well?).

Maybe your kidneys don’t filter enough waste through the urine, so the skin is basically called upon to get rid of that excess waste.

So I want you to remember that your acne is just an indication that you have an excess of waste in your body and that something is not working properly with your normal elimination channels, so focus on improving their function.

Even if its genetic it doesn’t mean that your skin has to take the blame. Choose a healthy lifestyle, follow a strict diet and avoid acne-aggravating factors to bypass the genetic tendency and you should be fine.

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

The post Why certain people will never have acne first appeared on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

The post Why certain people will never have acne appeared first on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

After going a long way to achieve the desired clear skin, it seems that achieving a definitive clear skin demands not only eliminating the source of your acne and maintaining the results, but it also requires the banishing of acne reminders as well.

The following treatment can be good alternative to potential surgery complications or the extra cash. This treatment is aimed at helping the skin to heal itself naturally by accelerating the skin remodeling process:

I’m talking about applying Rosehip oil(Rosa Moschata) which is great for reducing scar tissue since it is high in essential fatty acids. Using a cotton bud, you should apply rosehip oil diluted with 10ml jojoba oil to your skin before going to bed and let it dry.

Apply the Rose hip oil to a clean skin after cleansing or exfoliating and your skin should be damp not dry. Don’t use too much of it(3-4 drops each time). Apply for at least 2-3 months and on a daily basis.

If you have some money to spend then the best effective yet safe treatment I recommend is microdermabrasion. You need to take at least 10 sessions but the results will amaze you.

Another option is to use a product such as that Skin Peel 4000 from Skinculture.com which is a good choice but less effective than the above.

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

The post Best Methods To Eliminate Acne Scars? first appeared on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

The post Best Methods To Eliminate Acne Scars? appeared first on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

If we could pinpoint exactly why we get acne in specific areas we could basically prevent it from happening. But how much truth is there to the acne facial map?

Ayurveda is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent.

According to Ayurvedic medicine, acne on the cheeks comes from either the lungs or the small intestines which means you may have digestive issues such as constipation or respiratory issues(smoking?). Quit smoking, take probiotics and combine a clean healthy diet and enough exercise to improve your bowel movement.

Keep getting acne on your nose? It either has to do with lack of overall skin hygiene that you need to maintain or with the cardiovascular system so protect your heart by adding Omega 3, fish oil, walnuts and green leafy vegetables to your diet.

Acne on your forehead probably means you’re eating too much sugar and refined carbs, so avoid these foods in particular and switch to a fiber rich plant based diet if possible.

Pimples around the jaw, neck and chin line? You’re either very stressed or you have hormonal imbalance. Do daily meditation to alleviate anxiety and see your OBGYN to correct hormonal issues.

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

The post Acne on your nose? On your cheeks? Here’s what it means… first appeared on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

The post Acne on your nose? On your cheeks? Here’s what it means… appeared first on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

It all started with my neighbor saying something about coffee having an effect on hormones so I decided I’d give it a try. I remember my last cup of coffee was on Saturday and I decided that Sunday my was going to be my coffee-quit day.

As soon as I gave up coffee I started suffering from migraines and headaches. It went on for about 4-5 days and gradually they stopped. I felt fine afterwards but what was interesting was that my skin looked much better than before not only in terms of less acne but also it had a new shine to it.

So then I did some research and found out that caffeine can trigger inflammation and increase stress hormones which can cause acne flare ups in some people that already have some form of hormonal imbalance.

Furthermore, as cortisol levels go up so does the oil production which can cause blocked skin pores and acne.

My best friend also had acne. I advised him to stop drinking coffee for 3 weeks. After about 2 weeks he called me and said “I’m not sure I’m seeing any positive results so I’m going back to coffee”. So as you can see it doesn’t seem to be working for everyone as we all have different hormonal make-up.

My advice to you? Give coffee a break for 2 weeks. See what happens. You never know. It might be the best decision you’ve ever made.

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

The post SHOULD YOU GIVE UP COFFEE COMPLETELY IF YOU HAVE ACNE? first appeared on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

The post SHOULD YOU GIVE UP COFFEE COMPLETELY IF YOU HAVE ACNE? appeared first on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.