Any advice on spots?

Question

I have always had the occasionally spot here and there, but the last few weeks, they have become really bad. So bad that its starting to get me a bit down. Any suggestions on what products to use?

Answer 1

I would first and foremost try to figure out why you are suddenly getting the spots, could this be hormonal, environmental, diet or stress perhaps?

A few ideas for you…

Tip #1 – Commercial products
Don’t use 'products' as most commercial spot treatments contain chemicals that are harmful to your skin and general health, for example paraben's and the likes of triethanolamine are commonly found in such products and considered potential cancer risks. There are also skin irritants commonly found in acne products such as fragrance that is typically made up of 50-100 different chemicals that do not have to be listed outside of this description and are often skin irritants. Many washes for spots are also exfoliating, this is great for spots but if those washes contain sharp pieces rather than beads to exfoliate they will make small cuts in the skin allowing bacteria to get in and cause more problems. In short, unhealthy skin or skin that is irritated will increase likelihood of spots.

For more information;
http://www.ewg.org/reports/skindeep
http://www.gina.antczak.btinternet.co.uk

Another reason for not using such products is because things like face washes will strip the skin of the oils that are essential for your skins health, these oils also help to rid the pores of dirt. When your skin is stripped of its oils it overcompensates and produces more oils that can often cause more spots, it's similar to the effect you would have if you washed your hair too often, the natural oils would be stripped so your body produces more to compensate and it becomes greasy.

Tip #2 – Oil Cleansing Method [OCM]
Something I use myself with great success and I know a lot of other people use it not just for spots but all round skin health – in my case I primarily started using it to deal with oily skin and flaky skin, the fact it cleared up my spots and helped to heal up old acne scars was just a benefit.
This works on the principle I went into above, you strip your skin of the oils then your body will overcompensate, this method is literally using oil to cleanse your skin.
Most people start out with 50 % Extra Virgin Olive Oil [EVOO] and 50% Castor Oil [CO], the EVOO is moisturising and the CO is cleansing – if you have really oily skin you may want to start with a slightly different mix say 25:75 EVOO:CO because that means you are getting more of the cleansing oil. Another VERY good oil to use is Jo-joba oil because it is very similar to the natural oils already on your face – I recommend you try the EVOO:CO mix and if you find your skin reacts well to that (or if it reacts badly – which I doubt it will) then switch over to 100% Jo-joba oil, this is what I have been using for the past five months.
Basically what you do is whenever you need to clean your face you take the oil and put it onto your face, you then take a face cloth that has been in very hot water, wring it out and then put it on your face for a minute, and you then wipe off the oil. Basically the oil acts as a cleanser to take all the filth from your skin, and the hot face cloth helps open up your pores. You then use toner to help close up the pores again and remove any excess oil you may have missed and moisturiser – these are not necessary, but it is very good to use good natural toners and moisturisers no matter what you do with your face to wash it.
With OCM you have the benefit of something that gives you really nice moisturised healthy skin as well as deals with most skin problems, but it is also very cheap given as most oils can be bought just from your supermarket, it is natural so healthier for you, not tested on animals so it is ethical, but also it is totally customisable – so say if your skin starts to get dry you just change to a better oil or change the basic mix to include the more moisturising oil (EVOO), you can customise it daily, you can also add essential oils such as lavender or tea tree oil that can help deal with preventing spots and healing your skin.

For more information;
http://community.livejournal.com/naturalliving/437205.html
http://www.purehenry.com/ocm.htm
http://www.moogoo.com.au/category13_1.htm


Tip #3 – Diet
More water the better, it will help clear out excess toxins from your body, a good diet will of course help as well, lots of nice organic fruit and vegetables as there is a correlation between plant-based diets and clearer skin. You may want to watch what you are eating some things will likely make you more prone to spots, for some people it is plainly down to junk food, for some it is too much salt in their diet, for others it is dairy. Acid is another possible cause as our bodies are naturally alkaline too much acid in your diet could be cause of the problem – try checking your diet against the following chart to see if there is any link - http://www.essense-of-life.com/info/foodchart.htm. As a side note as well, vitamin C and vitamin E are also very good for the skin, perhaps a good vitamin supplement would be helpful for you – get yourself one with zinc, good stuff zinc is.
Treating the problem as internal is probably going to be far more beneficial for you than dealing with the external alone, particularly given the sudden problem, which would suggest internal rather than external cause.


Tip #4 – Vinegar
Used as a toner it helps to keep the bacteria on your skin under control, as well as helps with the problem of oil on your face. A good apple cider vinegar with mother diluted in some water onto your face should help out a lot. I actually discovered this was a particularly good cure for little spots on my arms, it has a medical term but I'll be damned if I remember it, anyway vinegar has many good points in terms of skin care it helps to get rid of dead skin cells that hang around on your skin and clog up pores too.


I'm sure I have LOTS more ideas, but damn it I have given you enough to start with, lol, the rest I'll leave to you, but I really do recommend using OCM it has an amazing effect on the skin.

Edit: I'll also say if you have acne please don't use hormonal birth control to deal with the problem, that is like using an a-bomb to kill a fly, overkill given the major effects hormonal birth control has on your body. If it is likely to be hormonal than balancing out your hormones is going to be a good idea, the simplest and most common way of doing this is by taking either evening primrose oil or black cohosh – I am of course assuming you are a girl, if you are a boy I am not so sure – balancing out hormones may also help with any other problems you may have of course, such as PMS, cramping, etc. Good luck!

Answer 2

Yes!

1) A mild cleanser, such as Purpose liquid (you can get it in Target for about $5)
PLUS
2) 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide (such as Neutrogena's "On The Spot" treatment), or this, which is what i use (SCROLL DOWN the page to see the rave reviews!) :

http://acne.org/rate_item.php?item_id=13

all i know is, that the gel in that link totally works, and b/c it's a gel, it is less irritating than the Neutrogena & absorbs quickly. if you're interested in the other part of the Regimen, it's at http://acne.org/. seriously check that out... i have mild acne myself, which flares up to "moderate" at times, and this stuff has worked. same general idea (& key ingredient -- Benzoyl Peroxide) as Proactiv, but better, since the point behind it is to not irritate the skin. there are a bunch of people on this Regimen who tried Proactiv, but it failed for them, too.

Step 3) is to use a mild, non-irritating, oil-free moisturizer... like "Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture, Sensitive Skin" (I personally use this: http://www.kissmyface.com/Product/Kiss+My+Face/Moisturizers/0201683EA/ )

oh -- and there are a ton of people on that site (see the message boards) from the UK (which i'm assuming you are, since you used the word "spots" instead of "zits" , hehe), and who get the gel delivered there...

Answer 3

Definitely tea-tree oil. And make sure you wash your face with mild soap (cuticura is good) and water at least once a day. Try eating more fresh fruit and veg too, and drink lots of water to help flush out the toxins. Are you getting enough sleep, or having more stress than usual? They can do it too.

Answer 4

Balanced diet, exercise, lots of water & being strict about cleaning your face – also do not touch the area. Sometimes it is a hormonal in-balance, so therefore you would have to consult a GP. Can also take skin, nail & hair supplements

Clean area. Then put ointment that will dry area out – do not squeeze

Answer 5

if you have suddenly got spots then you need to think about what you are using or eating differently. be careful not to start using strong products as it will strip your skin and inflame things. you may have a hormonal fluctuation. try using a tea tree oil treatment that's mild first. it may sound silly but have you recently changed your brand of toothpaste? this caused me to have spots near my mouth and on my chin.

Answer 6

I'm the same, I never used to get spots, but since I turned 20 I started getting bad break-outs, teen skin in my 20's... I started using tea tree range from body shop, they'll give you advice in there too on whats best for you, or for a cheaper option theres T-ZONE they have a good range too...

Answer 7

Spots as in ... period spots? If so, wear superthin pads every day until you can visit a doctor. It may be a hormone problem which can be fixed by taking pills to balance your hormone levels.

And if you mean spots on your skin, you should try ProActiv or Clearasil or Neutrogena foaming cleansing pads. Those work wonders.

Answer 8

I take Dianette for my spots. It is a form of oral contraception. It is good if the cause of your spots is oily skin. If this isn't for you, you can also try antibiotics. Don't just suffer with spots, go to your doctor and ask for treatment. I had spots for years, they never went away no matter what i ate or used on my skin, and they didn't go away when i got out of my teens. Medication was all that worked.

Answer 9

Tea Tree Oil; especially the dabbing spot-on type.

Answer 10

why dont you see if over the last few weeks you may be eating food that makes them worse,, it might be somthing so simple keep a chart on what you eat and you may narrow it down to a food that you have or somthing like a new soap or washing powder

Answer 11

If I knew what products you use at the moment I could tell you what you need to do. WIthout knowing that I couldnt give any advice.