| The fact is, there are a number of acne | | | | Vitamin E recharges vitamin C and makes it more |
| treatments that work. The odd thing about acne | | | | available to the skin. Vitamin E is something you |
| is that the most expensive treatments tend to | | | | need in your skin, not on your skin. Very little of |
| be the least effective. Here is the low-down on | | | | the vitamin E in skin creams ever reaches the |
| two ways to use natural acne treatments that | | | | skin itself. Most of it gets washed away. |
| really work. | | | | Skin also benefits from selenium and zinc, but |
| 1. Nutritional supplements really do help you | | | | there is a better way to get your selenium than |
| overcome acne, but you don't need to take | | | | mineral supplements. |
| anything exotic and there is absolutely no reason | | | | 2. Herbal supplements also help control acne. |
| that these supplements should break your bank | | | | First, let's consider the herbal supplements you |
| account. | | | | take like vitamins and minerals. Yeast-not to be |
| Vitamin A is the natural form of the Accutane | | | | confused with yeast infections-but simple brewer's |
| and Retin-A so often recommended by skin care | | | | yeast is a terrific source of just the right amount |
| doctors. Your skin needs vitamin A to generate | | | | of selenium to provide antioxidant protection to |
| new skin cells, actually to help them "differentiate" | | | | your skin. |
| into specialized roles in skin health. Taking too | | | | The problem with selenium supplements is that is |
| much vitamin A can cause some of the same | | | | it easy to overdose. Take too much selenium, |
| kinds of problems as Accutane and Retin-A, | | | | and not only do you not get better skin, you can |
| namely skin inflammation and dangerous side | | | | get strange markings on your nails. Yeast |
| effects in pregnant women, but there is a simple | | | | supplements, such as brewer's yeast and yeast |
| solution. Just take beta-carotene or mixed | | | | beta-D-glucans, provide the selenium your skin |
| carotenoids. Your body can convert | | | | needs and also a mild boost to the immune |
| beta-carotene into vitamin A as it needs it. | | | | system. When you take yeast supplements by |
| Vitamin C is an absolute essential to healthy | | | | mouth, you get mineral nutrition. When you use |
| skin-but you can overcome acne with even a tiny | | | | skin care products formulated with yeast, you |
| amount of vitamin C, far less than you need for | | | | help keep your skin supple so pores stay open. |
| other aspects of your general health. The original | | | | Two other herbs are better than benzoyl |
| studies of vitamin C conducted in the 1930's | | | | peroxide for controlling the bacteria that cause |
| found that as little as 10 mg a day (which is about | | | | acne. You use them on the skin. You do not take |
| one-tenth of the smallest amount of vitamin C | | | | them by mouth. |
| you can even find in a supplement) is enough to | | | | Calendula is best for heavy-duty acne infections. |
| help clear up blemishes. More is better, however, | | | | It not only kills the bacteria that cause acne, it |
| up to 500 mg a day. Just remember that | | | | also kills staph, and it is as good a pain reliever for |
| "ascorbic" refers to the vitamin C you take in a pill | | | | the skin as aspirin. Tea tree oil takes a little longer |
| and "ascorbyl" refers to the vitamin C you put on | | | | to kill acne bacteria than benzoyl peroxide, but it |
| your face in a cream. Vitamin C also helps | | | | stops pain and inflammation, and, unlike benzoyl |
| prevent side effects of prescription drugs. | | | | peroxide, does not dry out the skin. |