posted September 27, 2005 12:10 AM         

I've never had any trouble with acne until recently. Right around Aunt Flo's visit each month I get 1-3 pimples always in the same places... but they're not like normal pimples, they're more like cysts. There is no head on them... they're not poppable, even if I weren't grossed out by popping zits.

Its almost like they never go away... I just can't see them anymore.

posted September 27, 2005 12:28 AM         

I tried using an all natural Zip Zapper (from www.sumbody.com) and it bleached the area white. The zit was smaller, but still there. Haven't used that stuff since.

posted September 27, 2005 01:04 AM         

Thanks for the input so far...

I'm really interested in the cause and how to eradicate them too.

I should probably break down and buy some kind of cream.

I think I'll hold off a little longer and see what comes of this string... and what Trillian has to say.

posted September 27, 2005 02:22 PM         

The book Prescription for Nutritional Healing is a great book that I've been meaning to pick up for years. In it, I learned that zinc is very important for healthy skin. Acne is often related to a zinc deficiency.

"Because long term use of zinc inhibits copper absorbtion, it should be taken along with that mineral....In a seperate study, zinc performed as well as the standard acne antibiotic tetracycline."
Vitamin A is important too, but dangerous in high doses. I also picked up some Vitrol(sp?). An herbal supplement that is supposed to help with pms and balancing hormones. A study showed it cleared up people's acne after ten days of use.

I also got a bottle of Akne*Zyme from EnzymaticTherapy (would copy/paste the link, but I cant do that on this computer). It has all of the essencial vitamins and minerals that promote skin health in it. Just started using it so I cant say if it works, but right now my skin is clear which may be from taking the zinc...? You can also get topical zinc creams that may help. I prefer to try and fight the battle from within, rather than putting all kinds of cream and lotions on my face, because that really is where most skin problems stem from, within.

The guy at the store also mentioned something about taking essencial fatty acids, I believe. Another great thing to try is tea tree oil. Also lavender oil is supposed to be great for your skin. I picked up a product called Desert Essence Blemish Touch Stick which is a special formulation of 11 essencial oils to promote clear, healthy looking skin. Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic and much better for your skin than most of the products out there that contain peroxide and other unnatural ingredients.

Well, I hope that helps. You can find these product on-line or most likely at your local natural health store. Let me know how it goes. And I'll keep you updated too.

posted September 27, 2005 03:08 PM         

A combination of Zinc and Vit C is supposed to do the trick within 3 or 4 weeks - Zinc restores the acid-lkali balance in the body and Vit C strtengthens your immune system to the acne-causing bacteria.

Louise L. Hay says Acne is caused by a feeling of unacceptability / pimples are outbursts of anger, and the affirmation to put these right are 'I calm my thoughts' and 'I am a Divine expression of life. I love myself.'

posted September 27, 2005 03:11 PM         

And I read that - what Louise Hay said awhile back. Interesting eh?

posted September 27, 2005 10:21 PM         

I'll head to Wild Oats tomorrow after work.

So... the Opti-Zinc... Will I find something that is a zinc/copper combo, or will I have to pick up the copper separately?

Oh... I'm excited now. This is just what I was looking for.

I'm a big fan of fighting things from the inside too.

posted September 28, 2005 02:27 AM         

You've heard for years that zinc is a very important mineral for acne sufferers.
Several studies confirm that zinc dramatically improves acne symptoms. Some studies even suggest that zinc acne treatment is more effective then the drug tetracycline.

Yet other studies seem to suggest zinc does nothing for acne.

What's the real scoop?

Well my friend, listen closely because I'm about to clear up the zinc acne mystery for you.

After reading this report you will know why zinc acne treatment is SO effective for acne symptoms sometimes and why it doesn't work other times.

And you'll have the KEY missing piece to the zinc acne treatment puzzle. You'll know exactly how to get CONSISTENT and DRAMATIC results with zinc acne treatment.

Pay attention, because zinc is one of the natural acne treatments you definitely should look into.

What is zinc?
Zinc is a mineral found naturally in foods. It's crucial for so many functions in your system.

In fact zinc plays a key role in over 300 enzymatic reactions in your body. It also is crucial for your immune system. Without optimal levels of zinc in your system white blood cell count and T-killer cell count (immune system stuff) drastically drops...hampering your immune system.

This is why zinc has proven again and again to lessen the severity and duration of colds.

But what does zinc have to do with acne?

The zinc acne relationship
As explained in the special report, The TRUE Cause of Acne acne is caused by hormonal imbalance combined with congesting blood toxins.

Well my friend, it turns out zinc plays a very KEY role in hormonal balance. Zinc IN CONJUNCTION with a few other key nutrients helps to balance out hormonal production.

The end effect of the hormonal balancing of zinc acne treatment is that if USED properly, and if used with these other key nutrients zinc acne treatment will actually NORMALIZE your skins oil production.

In addition to that, it will help your body kill off any over growths of acne bacteria. But in all my experience with it that is the least important aspect for acne sufferers.

Zinc inhibitors
But that's not the whole story...

It turns out there are some substances that will drastically impair the action of zinc in your system. And some actually "deactivate" zinc in your system.

If these substances are in your system then all the zinc acne treatment in the world will do nothing for your acne.

This is one of the major reasons so many of the zinc acne treatment studies showed such a dramatic improvement for acne symptoms in one study, yet showed NO improvement in other studies.

It's because the zinc acne treatment researchers didn't understand that zinc is working IN CONJUNCTION with other key nutrients, and they didn't understand that zinc inhibitors were blocking the zinc acne treatment from working.

And believe me...it took me years to figure it out myself. Zinc acne treatment worked SO WELL sometimes yet not at all other times. It wasn't until years later that I was able to piece together this mystery.

How to use zinc acne treatment effectively
Well first remember, that zinc does not act independently. Zinc will only be effective at normalizing hormone production and normalizing skin oil if used in conjunction with the zinc co-factors explained in the program, Your LAST Acne Solution.

In addition to that, you need to be aware of zinc inhibitors and avoid them.

Next, you need to ingest OPTIMAL levels of zinc in your system.

Zinc is found in foods such as egg yolks, fish, legumes, soy lecithin, sunflower seeds, and whole grains.

You should always try to get your nutrition from foods, but here's the rub...

Zinc is a mineral (not a vitamin). And foods will only have as much zinc in them as they soil they were grown in had.

No zinc in the soil...no zinc in the food.
And conventional farming methods use fertilizers that do NOT contain zinc. As a result most foods have little to no zinc.

The same goes for animal food sources of zinc. The resultant food will only have as much zinc as the diet of the animal had.

It's pretty hard to get it from your diet alone these days. It's a very common deficiency.

Since it's such a key mineral for acne sufferers, and pretty inexpensive, this is definitely one of the minerals I would suggest you consider supplementing with.

I've researched and experimented with zinc acne treatment to death. And I can tell you from all my research and experimentation that there are only 2 forms of zinc that consistently work for zinc acne treatment...EVERY other form of supplemental zinc did not work accept these 2 forms...

What are they?

Zinc gluconate and Zinc Monomethionine (otherwise known as Opti-Zinc).

And of the 2 I strongly favor Opti-Zinc (Zinc Monomethionine). Don't waste your time with any other form of zinc.

L-Opti Zinc by NSI
proven best for zinc acne treatment

How to use Opti-Zinc for zinc acne treatment
If you read all the studies on zinc acne treatment, generally they were using in the range of 30-100 mg a day.

And it is often suggested that zinc should not be taken in excess of 100 mg a day.

But here's the twist on that...

Copper is a competing mineral for zinc. Excess copper hinders the action of zinc in your system.

And with the widespread use of copper piping and birth control pills (very high in copper), copper toxicity has become more and more common.

If you have high levels of copper in your system then you will need to take zinc in as high as 300 mg a day for before you will get results with zinc acne treatment.

If you do not have excess copper in your system then 50-100 mg a day will work like a charm if used in conjunction with the zinc co-factors explained in the program, Your LAST Acne Solution.

How do you know if you have a copper toxicity?

Good question.

If you take birth control pills then you are at a very high risk. If you drink tap water from copper pipes that is not filtered or purified in some way then you're at a considerable risk.

If you have a Caucasian blood line and your nipples are brown (not pink) then you have a SEVERE copper toxicity.

In addition to that, someone skilled in a muscle testing procedure known as applied kinesiology can quickly test you for a copper toxicity non-evasively. It's a simple procedure you can learn your self with a little practice.

Zinc acne treatment effective, yet not enough to cure acne

While zinc is a very KEY mineral for normalizing hormone production realize that hormones are one half the acne puzzle...congesting blood and lymph toxins are the other half, and zinc doesn't do anything to fix that.

So you need to use zinc acne treatment as part of a more comprehensive program to balance your hormones and purify your blood. Checkout the FREE Acne Cure E-Tutorial to discover how." http://www.natural-acne-treatments.com/zinc-acne.html
*********************************

The brand I got comes in 30mg doses and I am taking two a day. Could take three I guess, but I dont want to over do it and my acne is not severe - plus I'm taking the Akne*Zyme, which also has 30mgs of zinc in it. (dont take over 100 mgs)

Hope you find some and it helps. I spent a fortune in that store and there are still a few other things I want to go back and get! :O
Hydrochloric Acid is one. Supposed to be great for your skin. But that's a whole other story.

posted September 28, 2005 04:05 PM         

This doesn't prevent the root cause, but he suggested that when I get those that I put a very hot washcloth on the affected area. It brings the problem to the surface of the face, and helps you get over it faster. I don't often do that, but it DOES seem to work. I don't want to bother with sitting around with a hot washcloth on, so I just keep the spot under the shower rays a bit longer while showering.

posted October 06, 2005 01:53 AM         

kisses
Laura