There are many approaches to acne treatment, but they boil down to two basic methods – the outer approach and the inner approach. The outer approach focuses on topically applying remedies and medication on the acne, and/or using medicated cleansers or facial scrubs.

The inner approach can be broken down into two categories – natural and medical. The medical route focuses on taking pills to change the bodies function. The natural method stresses getting the body balanced, healthy and working more efficiently.

Which method you choose is completely up to you, however, as acne is an imbalance in the body, it never hurts to try the natural approach to try to support the body. The medical approach, however, may produce undesired side effects which can create further issues.

Acne primarily occurs because of hormonal imbalances. This creates excess sebum around hair follicles and pores, which become blocked, inflamed and filled with pus. While it can be challenging to bring the body back to balance, its critical to support and nourish the body properly.

To lay a good foundation for success with acne treatment, there are three important rules you must observe:

• Rule #1: Eat a healthy diet – acne thrives on junk food and sugar. You see, junk food is full of harmful oils, refined carbohydrates, additives, artificial flavorings, colorings and who knows what else! None of these substances actually nourish the body. But skin needs nourishment. It needs lots of vitamins (especially vitamin A) and minerals, lots of hydration (water), enzymes, amino acids and everything else that builds beautiful skin.

A steady diet of soda, hot dogs, hamburgers, fries and shakes leaves your skin undernourished, dehydrated and altogether unbalanced. What else can your skin do but revolt with ugly acne attacks?

For beautiful skin, eat fresh fruits and vegetables every day, drink lots of water, get plenty of lean protein and healthy fats, like olive oil, fish oil and avocados. Avoid fried foods, excessive dairy products (especially ice cream), chemical additives, colorings/dyes and sugar. You can learn more about natural acne cures in the “Acne No More book.”

Also, stay away from plastics, especially microwaved plastics. They have been shown to exude estrogenic chemicals which cause further imbalances to delicate hormonal levels.

• Rule #2: Make sure your colon is cleansed and detoxed regularly. This is so often overlooked, yet it is one of the major causes of acne breakouts. Read more about our best colon cleanse recommendation…
• Rule #3: Avoid heavy/greasy makeup and cleanse your face with clean water and a natural cleanser twice a day. What’s the best cleanser? We love Satin Facial Scrub with its natural pH advanced cleansing formula and Orange Blossom Facial Wash™ – it’s a gentle, nonabrasive, free-rinsing cleanser with botanicals that removes dirt and makeup without stripping skin of natural oils.

What’s the best makeup for acne prone skin? Mineral makeup – it doesn’t clog pores or contain oily ingredients. It lets the skin breathe and can even be good for the skin. Our favorite? Organic mineral makeup by mineral hygenics – you’ll love it’s incredibly natural coverage and the healthy glow it gives your skin!

Observing these three rules will help you build a good foundation and possibly even be the most effective acne treatment for you.