All of us wish to have an acne-free and healthy skin. However, due to the increasing pollution and dirt it has now become no less than a challenge for us. Not only dirt and pollution but our diet is also one of the major reasons behind those annoying acne breakouts. Acne can occur anytime and often comes with a lot of discomfort. If you've tried every possible way to get rid of them but failed miserably, then it's time for you to tweak your diet.

Consumption of various foods like milk products, spicy food, breads and fried foods may cause acne. And to your surprise, the ever-so-delectable, coffee can be one of the reasons behind those suddenly aggravated acne breakouts. Yes, you read that right. According to Health Practitioner and Macrobiotic Nutritionist Dr. Shilpa Arora ND, "Acne can be aggravated by excessive coffee intake; however, it's not the cause. Acne is primarily due to hormonal imbalances. One should avoid processed food and sugar in their diet. Eat clean healthy fruits and veggies that are seasonal."

To avoid those unwanted acne breakouts, you just need to alter your coffee intake a bit. Coffee contains chemical properties that boost the stress hormones which tend to increase our calorie intake, triggering acne. Though stress is not the primarily the cause of acne but it can make it worse.

As we know that water is of utmost importance for a healthy looking skin, dehydration can lead to a host of skin problems. According to Consultant Nutritionist Dr. Rupali Datta, "Coffee is a natural diuretic. Having too much coffee and supplementing it with inadequate food may lead to dehydration as the acid levels tend to go up. The more acidic you are, the more dehydrated you get." Excess intake of coffee can flush out essential vitamins and water soluble minerals from the body, resulting in dehydration which can further trigger acne.

When natural hydrating process of the body is impeded, it also gives rise to bloating. So it's always better to limit your coffee intake to prevent those unwanted acne breakouts.

Who doesn't like a healthy and glowing skin? A radiant skin not only makes you look beautiful from outside but from within as well. A lot of care and attention goes into achieving that perfect glow. However, if you happen to have an oily skin type, then you'll have to go an extra mile for getting that glow. Oily skin is more prone to develop various skin-related issues like acne, pimples, whiteheads and blackheads. Blackheads can turn out to be quite annoying. A lot of people spend hefty amount of money in salon and beauty products just to get rid of those stubborn blackheads. However, just a few tips and tricks at home could help you get rid of them. Yes, you read that right. When the open pores in the skin get in contact with dirt, it leads to accumulation of dirt particles that eventually lead to formation of blackheads. The most common areas on face that are prone to blackhead formation are nose, cheeks and even chin. Scrubbing your face gently, using few basic kitchen ingredients, could help you move a step ahead in tackling blackhead issues.


Here is a three ingredient face scrub that you can use twice every week to get rid of blackheads:

Things You Need:

1 banana (mashed)
2 tbsp oats (crushed)
1 tbsp honey

Method:

To begin with, take a bowl and add crushed oats to the bowl.
Then, add honey along with mashed banana. Mix together all the ingredients and then apply this mix on your face.
Scrub it in a circular motion and then allow it to stay for 5-7 minutes.
Once this is done, wash it off using warm water and apply a gentle moisturiser on the skin to close the open pores.

Oats help in exfoliating the dead skin cells and also help in removing the dirt. Other than this, oats have the ability to absorb and remove extra oil from the skin. Honey acts as a moisturising agent and also has antibacterial and anti-microbial properties, whereas, banana helps in retaining the lost moisture in the skin. Banana together with oats doubles the exfoliating power, which is perfect for an oily skin type.

So, the next time you plan to have a pamper sesh, make this homemade scrub a part of your beauty regimen and say bye-bye to blackheads for once and all.

Suffering from those frequent acne breakouts? Are pimples and pimple scars driving you crazy? If yes, then fret not, we've got an easy-peasy all-natural home remedy for you. We often try to resort to various measures to get rid of acne marks; however, most of the time our efforts go in drain. People with oily skin type are more vulnerable to pimples. So, in order to keep pimple problems at bay, we give you a two-ingredient face pack, which is not only easy-to-make but may also do wonders for your skin. We are talking about lemon and honey. Both these kitchen ingredients are easily accessible and can be used in one face pack:

Ingredients Required:

Lemon Juice Extract
1 tablespoon honey

Method:

To begin with, take a bowl and add lemon juice extract to it.

Next, add honey to it and mix both the ingredients well.

Apply this mixture on your face and acne prone areas and let it sit for around 15 minutes.

Once this is done, wash it off using warm water.

Note: This lemon and honey mixture will moisturise your skin to a great extent and make it look soft and supple. This face pack is perfect for those who have an oily skin type. Why, you ask? It is because lemon helps clean the skin and eliminates dead skin cells, which further helps in reducing oil secretion; whereas, the antiseptic and antibacterial properties of honey help in reducing the oil secretion.

So, what are you waiting for? Bring together these two humble kitchen ingredients and say bye-bye to pimples and acne scars.

What is Acne?

Acne is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition that causes spots and pimples, especially on the face, shoulders, back, neck, chest, and upper arms. Whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, cysts, and nodules are all types of acne. It is the most common skin condition in India, affecting up to 20 crore Indians yearly. It commonly occurs during puberty, when the sebaceous glands activate, but it can occur at any age. It is not dangerous, but it can leave skin scars.

The glands produce oil and are stimulated by male hormones produced by the adrenal glands in both males and females. At least 85 percent of people in India experience acne between the ages of 12 and 24 years.

Fast facts on acne
Here are some facts about acne.
Acne is a skin disease involving the oil glands at the base of hair follicles.
It affects 3 in every 4 people aged 11 to 30 years.
It is not dangerous, but it can leave skin scars.
Treatment depends on how severe and persistent it is.

Who are at risk to get affected by this disease?
Risk factors include genetics, the menstrual cycle, anxiety and stress, hot and humid climates, using oil-based makeup, and squeezing pimples. There are many suggested home remedies for acne, but not all of them are supported by research.

Diet: It is unclear what role diet plays in worsening acne. Scientists have found that people who consume a diet that offers a good supply of vitamins A and E and of zinc may have a lower risk of severe acne. One review describes the link between acne and diet as "controversial," but suggests that a diet with a low glycemic load may help.

Tea-tree oil: Results of a study of 60 patients published in the Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprology suggested that 5-percent tea-tree oil may help treat mild to moderate acne.

Tea: There is some evidence that polyphenols from tea, including green tea, applied in a topical preparation, may be beneficial in reducing sebum production and treating acne. However, the compounds in this case were extracted from tea, rather than using tea directly.

Moisturizers: These can soothe the skin, especially in people who are using acne treatment such as isotretinoin, say researchers. Moisturizers containing aloe vera at a concentration of at least 10 percent or witch hazel can have a soothing and possibly anti-inflammatory effect.

What Causes Acne?
Human skin has pores that connect to oil glands under the skin. Follicles connect the glands to the pores. Follicles are small sacs that produce and secrete liquid. The glands produce an oily liquid called sebum. Sebum carries dead skin cells through the follicles to the surface of the skin. A small hair grows through the follicle out of the skin. Pimples grow when these follicles get blocked, and oil builds up under the skin. Skin cells, sebum, and hair can clump together into a plug. This plug gets infected with bacteria, and swelling results. A pimple starts to develop when the plug begins to break down.

Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) is the name of the bacteria that live on the skin and contributes to the infection of pimples.

Research suggests that the severity and frequency of acne depend on the strain of bacteria. Not all acne bacteria trigger pimples. One strain helps to keep the skin pimple-free.

Hormonal factors: A range of factors triggers acne, but the main cause is thought to be a rise in androgen levels. Androgen is a type of hormone, the levels of which rise when adolescence begins. In women, it gets converted into estrogen. Rising androgen levels cause the oil glands under the skin to grow. The enlarged gland produces more sebum. Excessive sebum can break down cellular walls in the pores, causing bacteria to grow.

Other possible triggers: Some studies suggest that genetic factors may increase the risk. Other causes include some medications that contain androgen and lithium, Greasy cosmetics, Hormonal changes, Emotional stress, Menstruation.

What are blackheads?
Blackheads are basically a form of acne that contains oxidised melanin; melanin is the pigment that is secreted by the skin cells, known as melanocytes. They get lodged within the pores of the skin and can give a nasty appearance. It looks like little black dots on the skin and gives an uneven appearance.

Why are they caused?
Clogged pores have an all around depicted pathogenesis:

The sebaceous organs overproduce sebum (and skin cell abundance may likewise be an element)
The abundant sebum bunches together with dead skin cells and hinder the hair follicle (the base and trench in the skin from which a hair strand develops)
The open comedones uncover this plug of sebum to the air, bringing about oxidation of the sleek, waxy substance, turning it into a dark colour.
As laid out above, clogged pores are a consequence of strange sebum production, frequently combined with abundance of skin cells, bringing about blocked pores. While we comprehend this procedure, the explanations behind the extra creation of sebum are less clear.

Hormonal changes amid adolescence are the most widely recognized trigger for excess sebum generation. Less basic are changes because of menstrual periods, pregnancy and conception prevention pills. The male sex hormone, ‘androgen’ triggers more noteworthy over-production of sebum and higher turnover of skin cells and its creation surges in both young men and young ladies amid adolescence.

An over-secretion of androgen hormones in grown-up ladies may expand the dangers of clogged pores and different types of skin inflammation, and also hirsutism (extreme hair development). Different variables for skin break outs and the occurrence of clogged pores include:
1. Beauty care products, chemicals and garments that cover pores
2. Substantial sweating or high dampness
3. Dietary variables, ailment or pharmaceuticals that support fast skin cell turnover
4. Certain steroid drugs aggravate skin inflammation or cause comparative skin eruptions.

How is it treated?
Having a small number of blackheads is categorised as mild acne. It is treated as per its severity; so spotting a few sporadic blackheads on your face might not warrant immediate medical attention. However, severe cases should be medically attended to, in order to prevent scarring and further aggravations.