You know how cruel children can be and I was no different.

During the first week of high school I teamed up with a group of lads who were to be my new mates throughout my teenage years.

There was Pete who had ears the size of an elephant, I liked Pete because, although my ears stuck out quite a bit Pete’s stuck out a lot, this took all the pressure off of me – brilliant.

John was probably my best mate, he also had his ‘uses’.

You see he was about 12 inches shorter than me so he became a very useful ‘resting place’ for me to lean on – I’m sure he walks with a tilt to this day!

Dale and Crispo were both mad and would have made a good double act on any TV show.

Then there was Steve.

Steve probably took the most ‘stick’ of everyone put together.

You see Steve – and remember ‘children can be very cruel’ – Steve was covered with acne all over his face.

This resulted in an instant nick name on the very first day of school – ‘Scab Face’.
There, I said it.

Almost everyone gets a spot or two and I remember how awful it was at the time but to get a nick name like that, well, what can you say.

Steve, if your reading this, I’m sure I speak for all of your old school chums, when I say a public ‘sorry’.

None of us really suffered like you did.

We were very cruel at times.

Now, I was surfing the web – like you do – when I came across a guy named John Dunne who claims to have found a cure for acne.

John wasn’t even born when Steve was taking his ‘punishment’.

His website looks genuine and his has some interesting before and after pictures of people he has helped.

It’s a shame the internet didn’t exist when we were teenagers, come to think of it, the only computers we had ever heard of were launching Apollo spaceships!

I can only wonder what Steve looks like now, it’s been 30 years since I last saw him.
Steve, if your reading this, I really hope you weren’t scarred for life, physically or emotionally.

Acne Introduction

Acne is the most common and chronic skin disease. It is an inflammatory condition of the sebaceous (oil) glands and hair follicles usually found on the face, the neck, chest and shoulders. Nearly eight out of ten young people between the ages of 12 and 24 suffer from the some degree of acne. It is closely related to the disturbance in the hormones experienced at puberty.

Acne Symptoms

Acne is characterized by the presence of comedowns or blackheads, pimples, small superficial sebaceous cysts and scars. There are over half a dozen forms of acne. All of them are concerned with sebaceous glands or the glands connected with hair follicles. The most common from of acne are blackheads and pimples.

Acne Causes

All forms of acne have their origin in wrong feeding habits, such as irregular hours of eating, improper food, excesses of starches and sugar, and fatty foods. Chronic constipation is another major cause of acne. If the bowels do not move properly, waste matter is not eliminated as quickly as it should be and the bloodstream becomes surcharged with toxic matter. The extra efforts of the skin to eliminate excess waste result in acne and other forms of skin disease.

Acne Treatment – Home Remedies for Acne

1. A pack made by boiling 50 gm of raspberry, strawberry or blackberry leaves with 1.5 litres of water for 3 minutes will give itching free and soothing skin. One of the well liked home remedies for acne.

2. Mix natural yoghurt and fine oatmeal to a thick paste, apply and leave to dry. Wash the face with luke warm water and pat dry it. Afterwards you can apply and antibiotic lotion depending on the skin type.

3. The latest method nowadays used for the treatment of acne skin is the aloevera. Soaps and gels made from aloevera serves a good purpose in healing the acne damaged skin. One of the best home remedies for acne.

4. The orange peel is valuable in the treatment of acne.

5. Make a paste by mixing honey and cinnamon powder. Apply the paste while sleeping and wash the face next morning. One of the simple home remedies for acne.

6. Unboiled milk mixed with besan has been proved effective for the daily wash of acne skin.

7. Mix 1 tablespoon groundnut oil with 1 table spoon lime juice for treating pimples. One of the effective home remedies for acne.

8. Apply fresh limejuice mixed with a half glass of boiled milk for treating pimples, blackheads and cracked skin.

9. Apply ripe tomatoes paste on pimples and wash it after keeping for an hour.

10. Apply fresh mint juice every night to treat acne.

11. Make a paste of salt in vinegar, keep it for 20-30 minutes and then wash.

12. Drink a glass of wheatgrass juice daily to remove acne.

13. Make a paste of turmeric powder in mint juice keep it for 30 minutes and then wash with luke warm water. One of the popular home remedies for acne.

14. Apply a paste of fresh fenugreek (methi) leaves in water, keep it overnight and wash the face with warm water next morning.

15. Mix lime juice and rose water in equal portions and apply every night after thoroughly washing the face. Keep for 30 minutes and then again wash the face and pat dry it. One of the common home remedies for acne.

Acne Prevention

Acne is common in teens and twenties, and a serious disorder of the sebaceous glands, requiring medical direction. To keep skin conditions under control, observe the following suggestions:

1. Reduce the oiliness of the skin.

2. Remove the blackheads regularly.

3. Have a well-balanced, regular diet with lots of fresh fruit juices.

4. Avoid emotions, high temperature, humidity, nylon and silk garments as they all block skin pores and promote acne.

5. Try to avoid chocolates, nuts, fried and fatty foods.

6. Vitamin C and vitamin E are antioxidants which rejuvenate the skin, so the diet rich in these vitamins should be included.

Cleaning methods to be followed for acne skin

1. Cleanse the face with medicated soap and warm water.

2. Apply acne cream or ointment all over the face and the neck.

3. Saturate cotton with an antiseptic lotion and touch each and every pimple or acne.

4. Steaming is an excellent way to clean all types of skin. It cleans the skin, stimulates the circulation and unclogs the blocked pores.

5. Electrical devices are available to produce steam–this process is known as a sauna facial and are highly beneficial for the cleaning of acne skin.

6. If your skin is dry, steam your face once a week. In the case of oily skins, steaming can be done daily. Steaming should be done by leaning over a large bowl of boiling water. Cover your head with a towel, making a tent around the bowl.

No medication will prove effective without balanced and healthy diet. So its important to take good diet before opting for any medication. Zinc is also and efficient mineral in dealing with acne. Along with diet, good and healthy living habits are also essential in preventing and treating acne.