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.

Androgens are hormones the body produces when we are in puberty; they are known to stimulate the production of more oil. That is also why acne in pregnancy is so common.

Excessive hormone production or excessive amounts of used hormones that are not eliminated properly cause the over-stimulation of your oil glands, which means that your skin will become more oily.

But that is not enough to cause acne. In order for acne to appear, the acne bacteria (passive in every person) have to be fed with blood toxins to develop into acne.

Researchers have found that the presence of certain Androgen hormones that are pro-inflammatory 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.

Fortunately, you can reduce these pro-inflammatory hormones like insulin by taking anti-inflammatory hormones found in supplements like Borage oil, Evening Primrose oil.

You should also avoid consumption of pro-inflammatory foods such as empty carbs and processed food in general. This means eating mostly fruits, vegetables, legumes in moderate amounts, nuts, seeds and some fish(preferably salmon not tuna).

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

The post Is acne related to too much testosterone? first appeared on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

The post Is acne related to too much testosterone? appeared first on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

They didn’t always leave a mark. But when they did, the discoloration was always worse than the actual pimple.

These marks or spots(as opposed to acne scars) are called Post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation. Depending on your skin tone they can be black, purple red or brown.

What causes these marks? It’s because of the skin’s healing process. As the body is fighting the pimple and the local inflammation, it releases an excess of melanin(the skin color’s protein) which can cause discoloration.

These marks or spots can fade over time but it can take up to months or even years till that area has completely healed. Unfortunately, in some cases, the marks can be permanent.

So in order to prevent Post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation, you must do whatever it takes to prevent acne from forming in the first place by changing you diet and by maintaining proper hygiene.

But if you already have spots then you must see your dermatologist. He will probably prescribe glycolic acid which helps speed up the healing process of your skin.

Another optional treatment is taking a supplement called MSM for about 2 months until these marks fade completely.

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

The post Can red marks go away naturally? first appeared on Mike Walden's Acne Blog.

The post Can red marks go away naturally? 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.