Well, here are some facts about this scourge of your life. We will talk of causes, myths, what to do about this problem, and what not to do, remedies, helps, cures, to make your life, and your looks a lot better.

What is Acne?
Acne is a skin disorder. Acne occurs when excess oil (sebum) production combined with dead skin cells clog pores. Bacteria forms in the pores resulting in red inflamed pimples, pus filled whiteheads, or blackheads. There are many different forms of acne, however, acne vulgaris is the most common form. Some people estimate that as many as 80% of teens have some form of acne at one point. Sometimes people will have perfect skin in their teen years and will not develop acne until their adult years.

What causes Acne?
The causes of acne can be classified into bacteria, genetics, hormones, and clogged pores. All these work together to cause acne. Bacteria is the single culprit required for acne. Genetics is also important. If one of your parents had acne sometime in their life chances are you will too. Hormones(specifically testosterone) can cause increased oil(sebum) production clogging the pores with dead skin cells.

Is diet involved in this problem?
Specific foods have not been proven to affect acne. However it is important to note that good nutrition helps the body maintain healthy skin. There have been some scientists suggesting that caffeine products and excessively salty foods aggravate acne in certain individuals. If you notice that certain foods aggravate your acne then the best advice is to limit or avoid them in your diet.
So what foods should you look into? Well, exam foods high in iodine. Watch out for multi-vitamins(some contain iodine). Be aware of some junk food such as potato chips, corn chips, etc. Keep your diet low in fat and sugar. Eating a properly balanced diet ensures that your body gets the proper nutrients and therefore promotes healthy skin. Eat plenty of fruits and vegatables. A high fiber, low-fat diet iis excellent in promoting overall general health.

Water is a great help.
Water helps the body flush out toxins and transport nutrients to the body. Drinking water puts less strain on the skin organ to flush out toxins. The recommended amount of water you should drink is at least 64 ounces, that's eight large (8 ounce) glasses per day - less if you weigh less than 120 pounds.
While water alone may not eliminate your acne it will greatly assist your skin in remaining healthy and that will be one part of the battle in fighting acne.

Acidophilus
Acidophilus is a good bacteria that resides in our intestine. This is a good bacteria because it fights back against bad bacteria that can be harmful to our health. So you ask how the problem can be with bacteria? The problem here is that certain actions will decrease the number of good bacteria within your intestines. The result is less good bacteria present will allow more bad bacteria to prosper in your intestines increasing the possibility of diseases(acne included). The chances are good that if you are excessively using: antibiotics, drugs, chlorinated water, junk and processed food in your daily life that you need acidophilus supplementation to restore the levels of good bacteria in your system. Studies have illustrated that acidophilus supplementation assists in many illnesses, including acne.
I have heard others suggesting to eat one container of yogurt a day for acidophilus. However, the amounts of acidophilus may be too variant, also the ability for acidophilus to survive from the processing, distribution, and storage cycles that can be several weeks may be a problem. Therefore, you should purchase acidophilus from a health food store in standardized doses found in capsule or tablet form. From my research it appears that doctors and nutritionists are recommending either two or three capsules/tablets daily. You should supplement your diet with acidophilus before each meal.

Herbs
Herbs can be one of your best natural acne treatments. Do not look for overnight results though. Herbs work gently and build up in your system over time. Allow 3-4 weeks before examining effectiveness of treatment. Take prescribed doses as detailed on your bottle. Herbal supplements to include in the diet to balance the hormones are saw palmetto berry extract for boys and chaste tree berry extract for girls. Echinacea can be used to boost the immune system to fight against acne-causing bacteria. Some other herbs that may help include: alfalfa, burdock root, cayenne, chaparral, dandelion root, red clover, and yellow dock root. Green tea extract pills have also shown some results in some individuals.

Avoid Touching
Perhaps one of the most often overlooked remedies. Stop putting your hands on your face! I am often guilty of this resting my hand on the side of my head while reading. Also rubbing your chin is another common problem when thinking. Avoid rubbing, touching, or scratching your skin with your hands. Your hands contain a lot of bacteria that can cause acne flare-ups. Also be careful of the telephone. Clean them often with rubbing alcohol because they sometimes come in contact with the face causing more acne. It is probably one of the most difficult things to avoid since much of the hand to face contact throughout the day we are unconscious of. Make it a habit to avoid hand contact and be conscious of it during the day.

Facial Masks
Facial masks are good for a variety of reasons. They can tighten your pores, remove excess oil from the skin, or moisturize and replenish dry skin. There are many types of masks here a few you might want to try.
Pore Cleaner Exfoliant Mask
Mix baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and water into a paste and apply to your skin. Let dry on the skin then wash off with cool water.
Egg Yolk Mask
This mask is great for the skin. It leaves it refreshed and feeling great. Take one beaten egg yolk and apply liberally to the face with a cotton ball. Let dry on the skin for 15 minutes then rinse off with cool water. The egg yolk has alot of protien and fatty acids in there that will help your skin. This mask will replenish your skin and tighten up your pores.
Honey Oatmeal Mask
Great for oily skin. Mix some honey and oatmeal into a paste and apply to skin for 15 minutes. The oatmeal will absorb the oil of your skin.
Milk of Magnesia
Very nice mask for oily skin. You can apply a thin layer to the skin and leave it on all day. Use flavorless Milk of Magnesia.

Stress and Acne
Stress is something that needs to be reduced in your life since it tends to aggrevate acne in many people. I have experienced high levels of stress during finals weeks at school resulting in increased levels of acne. So, how do you lower your stress levels. Aside from eliminating things that cause you stress in your life, look into relaxation techniques. Relaxation techniques are great for stressful situations. You may even look into practicing meditation or yoga to further reduce your stress levels.

Zinc for acne
Zinc is one mineral that has shown to benefit acne in a scientific study. Warning: high doses of zinc are toxic. Avoid going over 100mg of zinc intake per day from food/supplement. You should probably have an intake of at least 50mg/day. It is recommended that you also take a daily multivitamin because increased levels of zinc require more Copper and Manganese. Examine effectiveness after 14 weeks. Some individuals report results in as little as 3 weeks. Your acne may get worse before it gets better during your intake of zinc. Zinc is of course not a cure all - end all for your acne. However, some persons have reported zinc being 75% effective for acne treatment. Zinc aids in healing of tissue and assists in preventing scarring. It also is important for the body in resisting infection and inflammation.

Sleep - Get enough and save your face.
Research has indicated that our hormone levels increase when our sleep patterns are disturbed. Increased hormone levels results in increased sebum production which leads to... yep you guessed it - more acne. It is during our time of sleep that our skin cells are nourished and regenerating takes place the most as the body repairs itself from a long day. Get to bed earlier! Go to bed at least 1 or 2 hours earlier than you usually do and in a couple of days you will notice your face getting clearer and more healthy.

Ice cubes for the forming acne pimple.
Ice cubes to the rescue! Aestheticians as well as others have reported success from this technique. The trick is to try and catch the pimple before it fully arrives on the surface of the skin. As soon as you feel a pimple forming, ice it! Take an ice cube wrapped in saran wrap and place on the skin portion where you feel a pimple about to form. Hold it there for a few minutes. Avoid prolonged holding as you can get frostbite skin. Perform the above steps three times daily. This technique is effective only on newly forming pimples and rarely useful for existing pimples.