The appearance of our skin is so important, and this ideal has only been reinforced by the images we see of movie stars with pristine complexions and the oft-printed notion that (women especially) with glowing, flawless complexions are our society's ideal of beauty and grace.



There is just something about that flawless complexion that makes those that suffer from occasional or chronic acne search the globe for treatments that will really take the acne away and lead them on their way to clear, healed and healthy looking skin. I can remember my feelings of helplessness when I had bad to moderate acne in my teens, trying any number of solutions only to be mostly disappointed in the end.

I would have given anything to enjoy the blemish free complexion that so many of my friends seemed to enjoy, and yet the answer remained elusive to me until I was an adult and learned about all of the excellent alternative treatments I could use as well as how my diet and lifestyle could clear my skin faster and more efficiently than some of the most potent medical treatments in some cases.

Little did I know at that time, mostly because the internet was not nearly as sophisticated, and barely used back then, the plethora of acne cures, treatments, ointments, creams, lotions, devices and diet and lifestyle plans that could clear up my acne if I'd only had the benefit of enlightenment that this vast network of information had to offer information seekers.

However, today is the present, and I'm pretty much acne free, so there's no use crying over spilled milk as they say. Nowadays, I'm reading about some extremely interesting, unorthodox treatments for acne that have seemed to work for many individuals, of course to varying degrees, and thought it fun to share some of the more unusual treatment methods with you here today.

The most interesting and certainly dubious if ever there was one, acne treatment I've read about, is one that is not an acne treatment at all, but rather one of those happenstance "discoveries" of a totally unrelated substance to acne treatment that is found to be a good topical antidote to acne. It's actually a sexual lubricant used in Cambodia for condoms commonly used by those in the sex trade for protection against STD's called Number One Plus.

Many have testified that this lubricant, when applied topically to acne problem areas, actually dries up acne lesions fairly quickly. There is really no explanation for how someone happened to find this out, but I suppose we can just use our imaginations on that one!

Another interesting and unusual acne treatment I've heard of throughout my years of research is the topical application of toothpaste on acne lesions. I tried this one and it didn't work for me, but my own father swore that it helped him clear up acne spots when he was in his teens, and I did also have one friend who said this technique worked for her, but she emphasized that it had to be a white paste type, not blue or clear or a gel.

Another rather interesting treatment that is supposed to be therapeutic for acne as well as other common skincare woes is one that is performed by an asian-inspired beauty salon that gives facials that are made with ingredients that include nightingale droppings. Yes, you read that right - bird poop as a skin care remedy! Still, they swear that this stuff works, so who are we to judge unless we try it?

Here is one that I actually like and also believe it has merit and works as I had tried it back in my more experimental (and desperate) days. It's an egg white mask. What you do is take the white of a raw egg, separated of course from the yolk, and you rub it on your face just like you would any other type of skin mask that you buy in a store. You let the egg white dry on your face, then rinse it off.

It leaves your skin feeling baby soft and smooth and is supposed to have soothing, therapeutic effects on skin that is affected by acne, which is often inflamed and irritated. This is one of the best and cheapest ways to pamper yourself a bit and give yourself a little salon treatment without spending the money. Just watch you don't let the egg drip off your face!