Only a person who has suffered from acne during the teenage years can understand the anguish that one undergoes with an acne-filled face and the damage acne can do to one's psyche and self-image. And for some strange reason, acne always seem to pop up at the wrong time, e.g., a day before your date or just before an important party. There is nothing that an acne sufferer will not try out in desperation - every new acne cream entering the market and available over-the-counter, every tip from any source, leaving nothing to chance. As a result of overdosing of the skin with all kinds of chemicals, the acne condition only worsens in the long run, leaving your skin so dry, red and irritated that, sometimes, even water seems to give a burning sensation.

Unless your acne is due to a serious medical condition accompanied by other hormone-related symptoms requiring medical attention, natural acne remedies and herbal acne remedies are the best course of action to control and cure your acne in a gentle way.

Nature is a storehouse of a whole range of medicinal herbs and trees. According to naturopathic doctors, one of the root causes of acne is accumulation of metabolic toxins and excess hormones in the body due to slow activity of the liver and other organs involved in flushing out of body wastes. So, the emphasis is on internal cure rather than only on external symptomatic cure.

Some plants that seem effective for curing skin disorders and are used in herbal acne remedies ? either for topical application or for ingestion ? are German Chamomile (digestion-improving properties), Neem (blood-purifying and antibacterial properties), Witch Hazel (astringent properties), Goldenseal (antibiotic properties), Burdock (liver-stimulating properties), Echinacea (immune-boosting properties), Aloe Vera (skin-soothing properties), etc. Essential oils like evening primrose oil, lavender oil, borage oil, blackcurrant seed oil, etc., are also used in herbal acne remedies.

Some nutrient supplements that are very effective in acne treatment and are based on natural substances are: vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid, found in eggs and whole wheat), azelaic acid (found in wheat, barley and rye), zinc, selenium and chromium. These can be used along with your other natural acne remedies after consultation with your doctor.

However, since many herbs/herbal extracts might be toxic in nature if taken indiscriminately, it is always advisable to take only some standard commercially available herbal acne remedies or visit a reliable herbal medicines doctor. If you want some do-it-yourself home treatment, it is better to go in for natural acne remedies using off-the-kitchen-shelf products ? e.g., steam-cleansing your face, applying a honey or a fuller's clay mask to the face once every 15 days or so, applying a dot of raw garlic juice on the pimple ? in addition to maintaining skin and hair hygiene religiously.

Whatever natural acne remedy you are following, it always helps to pay attention to your diet, too, because, other than genetic factors, it is your diet that controls the functioning of all the internal organs involved in flushing out metabolic toxins from the body. Here are a few important diet tips:

? Avoid, as far as possible, consuming foods like red meat, cakes, pastries, cookies, pizzas, colas, etc., that are invariably rich in saturated/hydrogenated fats and/or in sugar.

? Ditch refined foods for fiber-rich, whole-grain foods.

? Eat 8 to 10 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables daily.

? Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water daily.

? Take daily a multivitamin supplement that contains minerals like zinc, chromium and selenium.

Following a strict skin and hair hygiene routine, along with a healthy nutritive diet and regular exercise, will hasten the process of an acne cure with natural acne remedies.