Alternative Therapies for Acne

With an average 80% of everyone expected to suffer from some form of it in their lives, acne is a much more common problem than you might think. Whatever name you know it by – zits, pimples, breakouts and any other acronym you care to mention – not only is it common, but acne is also extremely difficult to treat effectively. Although most people may only get the odd zit, for those who suffer from a higher intensity of acne, it can be very frustrating indeed, and even lead to a lack of confidence and self-esteem. 

Although there are effective treatments available via medicinal methods, these can be pretty harsh on the skin, and cause other rashes to occur. However, there are various alternative treatments available, and these are just some of the more popular:

Blue light therapy - this is excellent for anyone who has tried various methods if acne treatment with little or no success. The way that this treatment works is by concentrating its efforts on the bacteria that causes most acne cases, P.acnes (or propionibacterium acnes, to give it its full name). By concentrating on the porphyrins, which are the little molecules that P.acnes creates which in turn becomes acne bacteria, blue light therapy treatment helps to create free radicals, which the target the P.acnes bacteria and eradicate it.  

One of the reasons that this type of treatment is becoming more popular is that it's one of the few that offers a solution, yet doesn’t need any kind of invasive surgery or harsh medical treatments. Since many drugs used to treat acne can actually be worse for the person afflicted, with skin peeling and heightened sensitivity to the sun being just two side effects, blue light therapy is seen as an easier option. Although there were some instances in the past where blue light therapy came under attack for how safe it actually was, since it used ultraviolet light in the treatment, the latest version is fully approved by the FDA, and even better, it’s completely free of any UV light.

If you do go for blue light therapy, the treatment is normally carried out over a period of four weeks, and usually consists of eight sessions in total. The sessions themselves only last around fifteen minutes, and the does is gradually increased at each one. If you’re unsure in any way whether blue light therapy is for you, check with a specialist.  

As well as blue light therapy, there is another treatment that uses light called LHE, or pulsed light and heat energy. This is where as well as light, heat is also used to combat acne and its causes, such as the bacteria that results in acne. The heat side of the treatment targets the sebaceous glands, which in turn leads to reducing sebum, another main cause of acne. Like blue light therapy, it only needs small sessions, usually lasting no more than ten minutes. However, whereas you need to spend around 4 weeks on blue light therapy, LHE can achieve results in as little as 30 days. The FDA also approves it, meaning you can have LHE treatment, secure in the knowledge that it’s safe.  

Although light treatments are quick and effective, they are also fairly expensive. Another problem is that most insurance policies won’t cover the cost of treatment. Therefore, a cheaper and still effective option is to try herbal remedies. Some of the most popular among acne sufferers is black currant seed oil, as well as evening primrose oil. These come in little capsule forms, and if you take three 500-milligram capsules each day, they can prove highly effective.  

As well as herbs, you may also want to look at various vitamins and minerals when it comes to treating acne. It's well known that a healthy skin is the result of Vitamin A, so add this to your diet. The great thing about Vitamin A is that not only is it effective, it helps to increase Keratin, which is essential for good skin complexion. However, it is an extremely strong vitamin, so seek medical advice as to how much and how often you should use it. Other vitamins you should consider are Vitamin E and B-6. Adding zinc to your diet can also be highly effective when trying to combat acne.