What is Acne?  What causes it and can it be cured? Basically, this problem affects the oil glands in your skin.
  Oil glands sit under the skin and connect to the surface via small pores.
The glands produce sebum (don't you just love the way medical people give things names that sound, well medical!) which is an oily substance that normally and naturally keeps your skin in good condition by flushing dead skin to the surface.
Between the oil gland and the surface pore there is a small channel called a follicle.
You most likely would have heard this referred to as a hair follicle.
  If the follicle of an oil gland gets blocked a spot or pimple appears.
This is usually due to the sebum and dead skin cells clogging up the pore which stops the natural cleansing process allowing bacteria to thrive.
This in turn causes swelling, infection, redness and eventually puss which can build up under the skin giving you the classic acne symptoms.
Contrary to popular belief this does not just effect teenagers so if you are a sufferer, over 25 and looking for a cure, don't think you are unusual.
Around 80% of people suffer to some degree and at some time.
It affects all races and ages.
Although more prevalent in people up to 30 years old it is not uncommon in people in their 40's and even 50's .
Although the official response from the medical world is that no-one knows what causes thid disease there are a number of generally accepted factors that either cause or aggravate the condition.
Even these are disputed in some circles but you need to understand them before you can consider a cure.
1.
Hormone imbalance or change.
For instance puberty, pregnancy, starting or stopping oral birth control pills.
2.
Other medications or drugs.
3.
Poor diet  such as junk food, greasy food, over eating, under eating, lack of some vitamins or other trace element requirements.
4.
Stress or other condition causing general poor health.
5.
Hereditary factors I.
e.
you inherited a susceptibility to acne from your parents.
6.
Wearing heavy make-up.
7.
Wearing tight, non-breathing clothing, straps or headgear.
8.
Over washing or scrubbing of the affected areas.
9.
Use of some soaps and other cosmetics applied to the affected area.
10.
Summer acne may be due to a reaction to sunlight or a sun protection product.
So what do you need to do? Avoid squeezing the spots and pimples, do not touch the infected areas.
Like your Mum used to say - keep your hands away from your face! Of course this problem can affect other skin areas but predominantly the face, neck, shoulders, back and chest.
Avoid make-up if possible.
There are  'cover-up'  creams available but I would not recommend using those on anything other than the odd pimple.
Try to minimise shaving and wash lightly, with gentle cleansers,  and no more than twice a day Doctors may recommend one of the many creams or oral medication available and in some cases may even prescribe stronger or multiple drugs.
One thing for sure is that if you have a severe case then any one medication is very unlikely to be a cure for your acne.
The medicines tend to be pretty ineffective in most cases and this has created a need for a more natural and holistic approach to the problem.
After all the root causes are all very natural and related to your own body so there is a huge drive to look for natural cures.
Fortunately there is guidance to the natural cures for acne and many can be found on the internet.