"My age is 19, I have a problem with my face. What happens is that if I don't wash it, I get pimples. If I do wash it, it becomes dry, and I also get pimples. They also leave marks. Could you please tell me if there is any fruit or veg I could use for this problem."
--Sara
ANSWERS:
Tim, age 16: This is a very common problem. Like many teenagers, it would appear
that
you're developing acne. There's a huge dichotomy about how how you
get
them; if your skin is greesy, you'll get zits, but if your skin gets
too dried out,
you get zits as well.
As far as dietary changes, examine the foods that you eat. Do you
tend to load
up on fast-acting carbs like white bread, sugar, soda, etc? Do
you tend to
eat a lot of fried foods, anything from fried tofu to stir fries or
other oily
substances? This sometimes contributes to outbreaks. For women, acne
is
often connected to their monthly cycle; hormones are obnoxious
things! You
might to try adding Vitamin E pill to your morning routine.
There are products I would recommend. Many companies sell
acne-reducing
face washes, which it would appear that you've tried. The trick is
that, in order
for your face to stay hydrated, you have to apply a moisturizer
(preferably one
made for the face that doesn't contain pore-blocking oils) after you
wash.
If you like Burt's Bees (I'm a huge fan), there are three products
that have
helped me to keep this problem at bay. First, there is the Lemon
Poppyseed
Facial Cleanser, which smells great in addition to really making your
skin
clean. After you apply that, use the Carrot Nutritive Day Cream, a
hydrating
facial lotion that at first looks oily, but leaves your skin so
smooth and healthy
that it helps to combat acne. If you really want to go all out, you
can apply one
of the skin toners (I like the Garden Tomato, although the Rose is
absolutely
divine smelling!) after the cleanser/before the moisturizer. It helps
to empty
any last residue of the cleanser out of your pores and closes them up
so that
dirt and other airborn cloggers don't give you an outbreak, but if
you're having
issues with a dry face, you MUST add the moisturiser after it.
Otherwise, your
skin will definitely dry out.
Good luck in this battle! I hope this information helps.
Melanie, Vegetarianteen.com Editor: I've read that using certain fruits on your skin (in the bathtub is best!) will help exfoliate naturally. Mango is a good one. After you peel it and eat the inside, rub the fruit left over on the skin of the mango onto your skin and leave it on for a few minutes before rinsing. Tastes good, too, and it's totally natural. Also, you may like to read the article Raw Beauty to learn about lovely skin from the inside out!
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