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I tend to believe it is more along the lines of what you eat, rather then how dirty your face is. Read everything I put below for more info. An exerpt from the westford national healing center:Acne occurs most frequently in the teenage years when it affects 80 percent of all teenagers to some degree. This has been associated with an increase in sex hormone activity which causes an increase in the sebaceous gland output. This can also be seen in cases of infantile acne just after birth, due to high levels of circulating sex hormones. Acne is rarely found in eunuchs. The incidence of teenage acne is so high as to be considered "normal" in developed nations. This fails to consider that not all populations experience such high rates of acne. One such population was the Canadian Eskimos who, prior to 1950, had no incidence of acne. Later, as more modern foods, including sugar and refined carbohydrates, were introduced in their diets, acne became common.
The main dietary offender in the modern diet is its high saturated fat content. A diet high in animal proteins, cheese, and milk causes abnormal development of the sebaceous glands, leading to acne. The modern teenage diet is a prescription for acne, with cheeseburger, hot dogs, french fried potatoes, corn chips, potato chips, fried eggs, french toast, butter, milk shakes, milk, sugar, candy, cola, and chocolate.
Although meat (especially pork fat) and hydrogenated fats are detrimental, milk fat is often the main offender. We are the only species that feeds our young milk after weaning. The situation would probably be less serious if we gave our children mother's milk, but we give them cow's milk, with its excessive fat.
The link between diet and acne has long been recognized by both naturopathic physicians and the lay public. Every teenager knows that chocolate may aggravate acne. Other detrimental substances in the diet are coffee, tea, alcohol, and sugar. Sugar in particular facilitates the action of saturated fatty acids, making it the number two offender.
A second major cause of acne is an incoordination of the elimination's. This may include sluggish bowel and skin function, a toxic liver, or overstressed kidneys. When the eliminating organs become imbalanced, the superficial circulation becomes filled with toxic eliminants which then clog the superficial capillaries and small lymphatic vessel which feed the sebaceous glands and cause inflammation with secondary infection. This incoordination between deep and superficial circulation may also be due to spinal lesions which upset the cerebrospinal centers located in the ganglia of the automatic nervous system which control these circulation's.
Another common finding is areas of the bowels that have thinned walls allowing leakage of toxins into the system. (See Psoriasis or allergy for more details on this conditions. Refer also to constipation as it relates to incoordination of elimination.)
The habit of hot showers or baths is another factor that upsets skin function and causes an incoordination between deep and superficial circulation. Prolonged heat causes a vasodilatation or a lax condition of the superficial blood vessels, leading to poor local circulation and congestion.
Certain dietary deficiencies have been associated with acne. Of these, vitamin B6, zinc, and essential fatty acids (EFA) are the most common. Vitamin B6 deficiency is common in acne related to the menstrual cycle, where acne is worse prior to or during menstruation and premenstrual symptoms of irritability and water retention are severe. Zinc is a common deficiency, especially during puberty with rapid growth, which requires and excess of this mineral. Zinc is deficient in most soils and therefore most foods.
TREATMENTThe orthodox treatment for acne is palliative rather than curative. The patient is usually told he or she will grow out of it and may be given antibiotics topically or orally if the condition is very severe. In some cases, if the acne occurs in an older female, oral estrogen's are used. These treatments are not only ineffective, they are detrimental. Most teenagers grow out of their acne, but not before some scarring. Many never grow out of it and suffer acne lesions nearly all their lives.
Antibodies are used to combat the secondary infections and often must be repeated every 3 to 6 months. This has a bad effect on the entire body by destroying friendly bacteria essential to our well-being.
The skin is made from the inside out. It takes 20 to 30 days for the skin now being formed to reach the surface. It is obvious then that external treatments can do little to affect this developing skin. Acne is an internal problem, not an external one. A possible exception would be cosmetic acne due to excessive use of facial creams and lotions, which clog the pores and in some cases cause and allergic reaction. Poor hygiene will also affect the skin, but the majority of cases are caused by internal factors. True healing must come from within. This healing will take some time. Even if you begin today, the results will only start to show themselves in 20 to 30 days, usually more like 60. If any severe acne lesions are present, these will take even longer, due to the great damage that has already occurred in these areas. Perseverance and absolute adherence to the diet below are essential to get results.
DIETOur main concern is to eliminate as many saturated fats as possible. Ideally the diet should contain no saturated fat. I find it best to restrict to diet to no saturated fat for a reasonable length of time in the beginning, so that you can begin to see true results rapidly. If you can be motivated enough and convinced that this short-term, very strict diet will have some very long-term advantages, I advise 6 to 8 weeks of a no-saturated-fat diet. this includes plenty of non citrus fruits, raw vegetable juice, salads, cooked vegetables, vegetable and seaweed soups, seeds and nuts in moderation, whole grain, and vegetarian proteins such as beans and tofu. Seaweed's are suggested for their high iodine content, as are pumpkin seeds for their zinc. All junk foods, refined foods, and carbonated drinks or alcohol are prohibited. A short vegetable juice fast of 1 to 7 or more days with enemas on days 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 is useful to speed the healing process. These should be done every 2 to 4 if possible. The diet that follows allows nonfat dairy products, but by no means suggest it. If possible, dairy products should be excluded from the diet until the skin is perfectly clear. This is not always possible.
The fat content of milk is fairly complex and must be understood if proper milk products are to be added safely to the diet. The following summary should prove helpful:
Ice cream - 10% to 20% butterfat
Evaporated whole milk - 8% + butterfat
Whole milk - 4% to 6% butterfat
Homogenized milk - 4% butterfat
Evaporated low fat - 4% butterfat
Low fat - 2% butterfat
Nonfat, skim - 5% butterfat
Dried skim - 1% butterfat
Evaporated skim - 25% butterfat
True buttermilk - 5% butterfat
Dry curd cheese - 5% butterfat
Of these milk preparation only dried skim or evaporated skim have a low enough butterfat content to consumed in moderation daily. Skim milk yogurt is acceptable one to two times per week. Real buttermilk (butterfat removed) is acceptable on occasion. Dry cur cheese is also acceptable on occasion. No more than 6oz of skim or buttermilk three times per week, 2oz powdered skim per day, or 1 cup per day of dry curd cheese is allowed. All cottage cheese are to high in fat, as is butter. Margarine is generally made by hydrogenating unsaturated fats and making them partly saturated. Those fats are entirely unnatural to the body and should be reduced or avoided altogether whenever possible.
Commercial peanut butters also often have hydrogenated fats. Check all labels before purchasing. In general I restrict peanut butter and encourage other nut or seed butters such as almond, sunflower, or cashew. Peanuts are not nuts anyway - they are legumes.
Commercial breads usually contain about I percent saturated fat and must be avoided. Either buy well-labeled whole grain breads from reliable bakers to bake your own with cold pressed vegetable oils. Commercial baked goods often contain up to 20 percent fat and should be strictly avoided.
In later stages of this diet (and in some cases very early on) poultry in moderation and fish may be added, but never served fried. Cold water ocean fish (i.e., cod or salmon) is suggested as the best fish source and has been found to reduce blood cholesterol levels.
Cold pressed unsaturated vegetable oils in the diet are acceptable in moderation, but never heated. It is suggested that you add 400 IU of vitamin E to a newly opened vegetable bottle to prevent rancidity and keep refrigerated. These should be used as salad dressings with lemon juice (the only citrus in the diet) or apple cider vinegar. Any herbs for taste are fine. Use plenty of onion and garlic. HOW TO EATThe following diet may be of some use as a basic guideline. Choose from the following...
Breakfast
Non citrus fruit
Non citrus fruit plus skim yogurt
Whole grain cereal (no sugar) with soy milk, skim milk, dried skim, or evaporated skim milk
Poached eggs and whole wheat toast
Mid-Morning
Whole meal pancakes
Vegetable juice (carrot, lettuce, nettle, and watercress)
Potassium broth
Herbal tea
Lunch
Fresh raw salad with plenty of green leafy vegetables, watercress, lettuce, cabbage, kale, chard, parsley, alfalfa sprouts, celery, onions, garlic, seaweed, sprouts, etc., with carrots and other combinations. Keep the salads varied and interesting. Salad dressing used should be based on cold pressed vegetable oil and lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Garlic, various herbs, and honey may be used to add variety to the dressing. I suggest you obtain a good salad cookbook and experiment. Tofu or soybeans. A few nuts , brown rice of millet
Mid-Afternoon
A mid-morning supper as lunch, or conservatively cooked (baked or steamed) vegetables, especially green and yellow vegetables. Carrots are also good. Use a wide variety. Tofu or soy protein beans Fish (never fried), Turkey or chicken (never fried), Whole grains (especially brown rice and millet), Dry curd cheese.
Evening
As midmorning and Mid-afternoon
Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water each day.
SPECIAL FOODSGreen vegetables, Carrots, Onions, Garlic, Watercress Vegetables juices (carrot, lettuce, nettle, and watercress), Nettles
In some cases wheat allergy may be a causative factor and should be avoided in all stages of the diet. Prior to therapy a radioallergosorbent test (RAST) and cytotoxic test should be done. Wheat, yeast, dairy products (even nonfat), citrus, or even eggs may be a major factor in individual cases.
Refer to Constipation if this is a problem.
I do believe that candy is a cause of some acne. But It isnt the main cause. You looking at lack of propper nutrition, and other vitamins. Too much saturated fats, in you're diet. Etc. etc.
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