4 Therapies To Treat Severe Acne Naturally?
From personal experience, I know that having acne can be emotionally traumatic. I developed acne in my early teens, and 40 years on, you can still the scars on my cheeks. In the late 1970s, treatment options were limited to antibiotics and creams. None of these helped, so I was left to cope with going to school and university with enormous zits on my nose. I am also still dealing with the after-effects of the antibiotics!
Fortunately, there are alternatives to antibiotics (which are still prescribed) to treat severe acne naturally. I actually found a natural cure for my acne by luck. While studying Naturopathy at College, one of our practical projects involved removing a food from our diets for two weeks. I chose to avoid all dairy products. After one week, I suddenly realised I had no acne. Since that point, scientists have produced evidence that dietary modification and other alternatives to treat severe acne naturally.
4 Ways To Treat Severe Acne Naturally
1. Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a complementary medical practice that entails stimulating certain points on the body, most often with a needle penetrating the skin. Acupuncture has been shown to alleviate pain and to help treat various health conditions, including acne.
In a double-blind placebo-controlled study, researchers in China found that after 12 acupuncture treatment sessions of moderate acne vulgaris was associated with a reduction of inflammatory lesions and improved quality of life.
2. Dietary Modification
Diet has been shown to influence many aspects of your wellbeing, including the health of your skin. Acne has been associated with dairy and high glycemic load.
In a 2009 systematic literature review of 21 observational studies and 6 clinical trials, researchers concluded that convincing data support the role of dairy products and high-glycemic-index foods in influencing hormonal and inflammatory factors, which can increase acne prevalence and severity.
In a 2012 double-blind placebo-controlled study, researchers in Korea concluded that a reduction in glycaemic load of the diet for 10 weeks resulted in acne improvements.
3. Light Therapy
LED light therapy is a painless, relaxing, non-invasive skin-care treatment with multiple benefits, particularly stimulating collagen and treating mild to moderate acne.
In 2009 researchers carried out a prospective, randomized, open and comparative study to evaluate blue light treatment’s safety and efficacy versus a topical benzoyl peroxide 5% formulation in patients with acne grade II and III. They concluded that blue light irradiation was as effective as benzoyl peroxide in acne treatment grades II and III, but there were fewer side effects.
4. Moxibustion
Moxibustion is a form of heat therapy in which dried plant materials called “moxa” are burned on or near the skin’s surface. The intention is to warm and invigorate Qi’s flow in the body and dispel certain pathogenic influences.
Moxibustion has been shown to help many conditions, including acne.
In a systemic review of randomised control trials, researchers in China concluded that moxibustion is safe and effective for acne treatment, and it is possibly better than routine western medicine.
What therapy is right for me?
At this point, you may be thinking about which therapy is right for me. When choosing an approach with any of my clients, I will always choose the simplest option first. Based on this strategy, here is my suggestion for which order to take:
- Remove Dairy – the simplest and safest to try on your own.
- Try a low glycaemic diet – seek the advice of a registered functional medicine practitioner.
- Acupuncture and moxibustion – search for a Traditional Chinese Medicine trained acupuncturist.
- Light therapy – LED Light therapy is available in Ottawa at Oxygen Medi Spa.
Disclaimer
This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Now I would like to hear from you. Do you have acne? What have you tried to help with their symptoms? Let us know in the comments below.