Constriction of Breasts in the Sky

[And whomsoever Allah wills to guide, He opens his breast to Islam; and whomsoever He wills to send astray, He makes his breast closed and constricted, as if he is climbing up to the sky.    Allah, the Almighty, says:     [And whomsoever Allah wills to guide, He opens his breast to Islam; and whomsoever He wills to send astray, He makes his breast closed and constricted, as if he is climbing up to the sky.]  (Al-An`am: 125)
The Scientific Fact:
The formation of the atmosphere was unknown until Pascal proved its existence in 1648. He proved that air pressure decreases as we go higher above sea level.
Later on it was discovered that air in the lower layers of the atmosphere is denser. About 50 % of the air mass is located between the surface of the earth and 20,000 feet above sea level, and 90% is located between the surface of the earth and 50,000 feet above sea level.
Therefore, density decreases vertically until air reaches its utmost rarefaction (minimum pressure) in the higher layers of the atmosphere before it completely vanishes in outer space.
When a human being goes higher than ten thousand (10,000) feet above sea level, it does not cause him any serious problem, as the respiratory system can handle the height of 10,000 to 25,000 feet above sea level; however, if a person goes into outer space, the amount of pressure and oxygen decrease causing the closing of the chest and dyspnea (shortness of breath). Then, the breathing process becomes difficult because of the lack of oxygen (oxygen starvation) and the respiratory system completely fails, causing death.
Facets of Scientific Inimitability:
It is well-known that the different layers of the atmosphere were unknown at the time the Ever-Glorious Qur'an was revealed. Consequently, the low pressure and the decrease of oxygen, which is necessary for man's life, in the higher layers, were also unknown. People at that time did not know these facts; on the contrary they believed that whenever man goes higher, he will feel more serenity and happiness and enjoy the breeze.
This honorable verse clearly indicates two facts that have been only discovered lately by modern science: the first one is that dyspnea occurs when a person goes higher in the layers of the atmosphere because of the lack of oxygen and the decrease in air pressure. The second is the state that precedes choking leading to death that occurs when a person goes more than 30,000 feet above sea level. This is caused by the drastic decrease in air pressure and an extreme lack of oxygen.
It is important to note the miraculous nature of the word (climb) that indicates the difficulty of this state and describes the pain and suffering attached to it.
This is a sure indication that these words are truly from the All-Knowing and the All-Aware.

The Seven Earths

The Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad is the second revealed source of Islam.  Like the Quran, it contains scientific information unavailable 1400 years ago.  From these miracles is the “seven” earths, mentioned by the Prophet in several of his sayings.  From them are the following two:

Hadith 1

It was narrated on the authority of Abu Salamah that a dispute arose between him and some other people (about a piece of land).  When he told Aisha (the Prophet’s wife) about it, she said, ‘O Abu Salamah!  Avoid taking the land unjustly, for the Prophet said:

“Whoever usurps even one span of land of somebody, its depth through the seven earths will be collared to his neck.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, ‘Book of Oppression.’)

Hadith 2

Salim narrated on the authority of his father that the Prophet said:

“Whoever takes a piece of land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, ‘Book of Oppression.’)

The aforementioned hadith prohibits oppression in general, especially the taking of a piece of land belonging to others unjustly.  What might the seven earths refer to?

Studies in geology have proven that the earth is composed of seven zones, identified from the inner to the outer layers as follows:

(1)  The Solid Inner Core of Earth: 1.7% of the Earth’s mass; depth of 5,150 - 6,370 kilometers (3,219 - 3,981 miles)

The inner core is solid and unattached to the mantle, suspended in the molten outer core.  It is believed to have solidified as a result of pressure-freezing which occurs to most liquids when temperature decreases or pressure increases.

(2)  The Liquid Outer core: 30.8% of Earth’s mass; depth of 2,890 - 5,150 kilometers (1,806 - 3,219 miles)

The outer core is a hot, electrically conducting liquid within which convective motion occurs.  This conductive layer combines with Earth’s rotation to create a dynamo effect that maintains a system of electrical currents known as the Earth’s magnetic field.  It is also responsible for the subtle jerking of Earth’s rotation.  This layer is not as dense as pure molten iron, which indicates the presence of lighter elements.  Scientists suspect that about 10% of the layer is composed of sulfur and/or oxygen because these elements are abundant in the cosmos and dissolve readily in molten iron.

(3)  The “D” Layer: 3% of Earth’s mass; depth of 2,700 - 2,890 kilometers (1,688 - 1,806 miles)

This layer is 200 to 300 kilometers (125 to 188 miles) thick and represents about 4% of the mantle-crust mass.  Although it is often identified as part of the lower mantle, seismic discontinuities suggest the “D” layer might differ chemically from the lower mantle lying above it.  Scientists theorize that the material either dissolved in the core, or was able to sink through the mantle but not into the core because of its density.

(4)  Lower Mantle: 49.2% of Earth’s mass; depth of 650 - 2,890 kilometers (406 -1,806 miles)

The lower mantle contains 72.9% of the mantle-crust mass and is probably composed mainly of silicon, magnesium, and oxygen.  It probably also contains some iron, calcium, and aluminum.  Scientists make these deductions by assuming the Earth has a similar abundance and proportion of cosmic elements as found in the Sun and primitive meteorites.

(5)  Middle Mantle (Transition region): 7.5% of Earth’s mass; depth of 400 - 650 kilometers (250-406 miles)

The transition region or mesosphere (for middle mantle), sometimes called the fertile layer, contains 11.1% of the mantle-crust mass and is the source of basaltic magmas.  It also contains calcium, aluminum, and garnet, which is a complex aluminum-bearing silicate mineral.  This layer is dense when cold because of the garnet.  It is buoyant when hot because these minerals melt easily to form basalt which can then rise through the upper layers as magma.

(6)  Upper Mantle: 10.3% of Earth’s mass; depth of 10 - 400 kilometers (6 - 250 miles)

The upper mantle contains 15.3% of the mantle-crust mass.  Fragments have been excavated for our observation by eroded mountain belts and volcanic eruptions.  Olivine (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 and pyroxene (Mg,Fe)SiO3 have been the primary minerals found in this way.  These and other minerals are refractory and crystalline at high temperatures; therefore, most settle out of rising magma, either forming new material or never leaving the mantle.  Part of the upper mantle called the asthenosphere might be partially molten.

(7)  Lithosphere

Oceanic crust: 0.099% of Earth’s mass; depth of 0-10 kilometers (0 - 6 miles)

The rigid, outermost layer of the Earth comprising the crust and upper mantle is called the lithosphere.  The oceanic crust contains 0.147% of the mantle-crust mass.  The majority of the Earth’s crust was made through volcanic activity.  The oceanic ridge system, a 40,000-kilometer (25,000 mile) network of volcanoes, generates new oceanic crust at the rate of 17 km3 per year, covering the ocean floor with basalt.  Hawaii and Iceland are two examples of the accumulation of basalt piles.

The continental crust contains 0.554% of the mantle-crust mass.  This is the outer part of the Earth composed essentially of crystalline rocks.  These are low-density buoyant minerals dominated mostly by quartz (SiO2) and feldspars (metal-poor silicates).  The crust (both oceanic and continental) is the surface of the Earth; as such, it is the coldest part of our planet.  Because cold rocks deform slowly, we refer to this rigid outer shell as the lithosphere (the rocky or strong layer).

Conclusion

The layers of the earth coincide with the above mentioned hadith of the Prophet.  The miracle is in two matters:

(1)  The expression of the hadith, ‘He will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection,’ indicates the stratification of these “earths” around one center.

(2)  The accuracy with which the Prophet of Islam referred to the seven inner layers of earth.

The only way for a desert dweller to have known these facts 1400 years ago is through revelation from God.

What is acne?

Acne is the most common of all skin diseases. Some figure has it that eighty percent of all people between the ages of twelve and twenty-four have some type of acne. It is a disorder of the oil glands in the skin. Contrary to some conventional conceptions, it is a problem suffered not exclusively by teenagers. Some people are plagued their whole lives with constant outbreaks of acne.

How acne develops?


The hair follicles, or pores, in our skin are connected with oil glands called sebaceous glands. These glands produce sebum, an oily substance that lubricates our hair and skin. At the same time, dead skin cells are expelled from the pore lining while sebum is being distributed to the exterior surface of the skin.

Most of the time the glands produce the right amount of sebum and the pores are fine. But sometimes when too much sebum is produced, a pore or two may get clogged up. This plug blocks the pore, preventing the sebum or dead skin cells from leaving the pore. The situation could further be aggravated by a build-up of bacteria that live on sebum. This leads to swelling around the pore and acne is the result. This could happen to anybody, young and old.

However, a few eruptions every now and then are not what concern us. We acne sufferers are concerned with those numerous and serious pimples that dotted our face and neck and never seem to go away. As soon as some old ones begin to subside, to our relief, more new ones pop up. The constant battles eventually turn into hopeless struggles.

What causes acne?

Why does acne occur? And why does acne have to be on the face, and not on some harmless spot, like, say...the sole?

The latter question has its answer in our body. It's because the oil glands in our skin are concentrated in the T-zone--the face, the neck, the chest, the back, and the shoulders.

Nobody knows for sure the exact cause of acne. We only know about some of the elements that influence its development, and they are:

heredity,


oily skin or hair,
an increased production of male hormones at puberty,
a hormonal imbalance in women,
some prescription medications,
cosmetics that contain chemicals and vegetable oil,
periods of high stress, and
possibly some nutritional deficiencies.

Types of Acne:


When excess sebum is produced by the oil gland, the dead skin cells around the pore may become more "sticky" and partially block the pore, restricting the flow of oil onto the skin surface. This results in solidification of the sebum which fills the hair duct forming a blackhead (open comedo). The dark color of the blackhead is not due to dirt, but is dried oil and from a pigment (melanin) of the shed skin cells in the openings of the hair follicles.

If the partial blockage becomes complete, excess sebum can't escape. The bacteria "Propionibacterium acnes" (short form P. acnes) that are normally present on the skin are trapped in the pore as well. They make an enzyme that breaks down sebum into a substance called "free fatty acid." Free fatty acid is very irritating stuff, and can cause swelling, redness and pus formation. This is called a whitehead (closed comedo).

Similar but a bit more serious formations are called pustules (pus-filled yellowish bumps), and nodules (firm, larger inflamed swellings below the skin).

Acne vulgaris is the medical term for common acne, which is comprised of open and closed comedones.

If the inflammation is deep and severe, or if the spot is manipulated or squeezed, the pus can burst deep into the skin tissues rather than onto the surface. Swelling and pain take place as the body's activated defence mechanism sends bacteria-fighting white cells to the area. This deep-rooted inflammation and infection results in cyst formation. Cystic acne is the most severe and stubborn of all types of acne, and carries the biggest threat of scarring.

Acne Rosacea mostly appears in middle-aged adults. It is characterized by flushing of the face, and the formation of inflamed bumps on the forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin. The redness on the face sometimes misleads people to think that excessive drinking causes this type of acne. Actually, drinking has nothing to do with the eruption, but is believed to magnify the symptoms. The exact causative factor for this disorder is not known.

For some adults, Acne Rosacea never goes away. Over time, the development of Rhinophyma, or a bulbous nose, can occur, particularly in men.

Perioral Dermatitis is almost exclusive to young women. The presence of tiny papules (red bumps), pustules (pus-filled yellowish bumps) and scaling with intense itching are signs of perioral dermatitis. It is usually localized to the surrounding area of the mouth and on the chin, or extend to involve the eyelids and the forehead.

Some causes of Perioral Dermatitis are due to the use of fluorinated toothpaste, facial creams, or irritants such as strong benzoyl peroxide or cinnamon in the area.

The use of steroids could cause Corticosteroid Acne, among other side-effects to the body. Nasty cases of pustular acne on the face, chest, back, arms and thighs, together with cessation of menstruation, development of body hair, thinning of scalp hair have been reported with the taking of dehydroepiandrosterone. This drug that is supposed to help reverse the effects of aging, increase metabolism, aid in weight loss, help increase energy, among other things, is easily available over-the-counter. Extreme care should be exercised when using this product.

Acne Excoriee des Jeunes Filles is a condition commonly seen in young girls. In this case, minimal acne lesions on the face are exacerbated by neurotic squeezing and pressing of the pimples, trying to rid the contents with the fingers. As a result, hyperpigmentation and stellate contracted scars occur, while often the original underlying acne has healed.

We have listed above the most common acne-type skin disorders. For a more complete list and their images, see Links to Acne Images.

Acne's Natural Cycles

Even if you do nothing to the acnes, most of them gradually heal themselves. As each of these pimples heal, others tend to appear. The healing pimples usually fade to a pink mark that generally disappears in time. However, some pimples leave scars that look like small pits or bumps.

A few other symptoms may be present in women who develop acne due to a hormonal imbalance.

These are:

hair loss,
excessive hair growth, and
weight gain in the upper body only.
Home Care for Acne
Despite the fact that acne negatively impacts people's confidence and self-esteem, the majority of acne patients allow their problem to continue as opposed to only 16% who have seeked medical care. If you are among those who prefer to handle the problem yourself, here are some generally accepted home care steps that can be used to help relieve acne.

These include:


keeping the skin of the face as dry and clean as possible,
washing the face carefully and gently twice a day with an anti-bacteria soap,
using a light, non oil-based moisturizer on the face after each washing,
avoiding cosmetics that contain synthetic chemicals and vegetable oils,
keeping hair clean and off the face,
avoiding picking at or touching blemishes,
avoiding pressure on irritated skin from tight collars or head-gear,
and using over-the-counter products that contain sulfur plus resorcinol that can be applied to the skin to unclog pores and heal acne.
Pregnant women should consult their physician prior to taking any over-the-counter medication. Parents of children and persons with medical conditions are advised to read product labels carefully and consult a pharmacist if they have questions about use.

Western Treatments

If the above measures do not help with your acne problem, or if your acne becomes infected or swollen, you should go see your doctor first. Your doctor may prescribe:

oral antibiotics,
topical antibiotics applied to the skin, or
other drug therapies.
The choice of drug therapy will vary from person to person and depend on the severity of the acne.

We'll cover in more detail the various treatment options in Conventional Western Treatments.

Chinese Herbal Treatments



Other than Western doctors, I've also tried traditional Chinese medicine.

In Chinese medical theory, "heat" is nearly always involved in acne: wind-heat; damp-heat in the intestines and stomach; or heat in the blood, which appears in severe acne. Emotions also may play a role and may be related to the liver (when there is anger), the heart (sad or overjoy), or the spleen (worry).

Since I have had acne for a long time, my case was diagnosed as chronic acne. Chinese physician would told me it was caused by stagnant qi (energy) and blood. Their approach is to use herbal medicine to rescue heat and cool the body until it finds balance again. In my case, certain herbs were used to disperse the blood so that it did not stagnate to cause acne.

Did it work? Yes and no.

A good, experienced Chinese physician would be able to pinpoint the exact syndrome (in Chinese medicine, a physician will treat syndromes, not diseases or symptoms), use the right kind and right amount of herbal ingredients for the formula. However, there is always a gap between theory and practice. Simple as it may sound, a good physician who can cure chronic diseases, or acne in our case, is always lacking. I have known a couple of good Chinese physicians who have cured acne patients before my eyes. However, the best they could do for me was to improve my conditions.

Alternative Approach


I have found that most Chinese herbal physicians, like their western counterparts, are helpless in dealing with acne. I will talk in more detail about Chinese herbal treatment in the corresponding page. For me, what finally helped control my acne and cleared my face was the alternative approach. This approach combines Chinese and Western medical disciplines. If you can't find solution for your acne problem from either your doctor or purely herbal treatment, try my method. I am confident it can help you. Whether you know it or not, acne is a disease that, if left untreated, may have psychological effects that take a long time to heal. Good luck!

Symptoms & Types

Is your skin itching, breaking out, or acting weird? Not sure what’s causing those problems? Get an overview of symptoms and types of skin conditions.

Symptoms
Acne Symptoms

Pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, pustules, and some skin cysts are markers of acne. Get up to speed on acne symptoms.

Rosacea Symptoms

How do you know if you have rosacea? Read six symptoms of this skin condition.
Psoriasis Symptoms

Wondering if your patches of red, cracked, scaly skin are psoriasis? Read up on psoriasis symptoms.

Skin Blister Symptoms

Blisters come in all sizes. Some are painful, red, or itchy; others aren’t. Get a quick overview of blister symptoms.

Types

Sunburn

Sun protection is the best way to avoid sunburn, even on overcast days. Get smart about sunburns.

Muehrcke's Lines of the Fingernails

Muehrcke's lines appear as double white lines that run across the fingernails horizontally.

Ingrown Hair

Ingrown hairs are hairs that have curled around and grown back into your skin instead of rising up from it.

Gangrene

Gangrene is a condition that occurs when body tissue dies.
Cellulite

Cellulite is nothing more than normal fat beneath the skin. The fat appears bumpy because it pushes against the connective tissue beneath the skin, causing the skin above it to pucker.

Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac

Learn what causes reactions to poison ivy, oak, and sumac, what to expect if you come into contact with these plants, and how to treat the rash.

Bedbugs

Learn what bedbugs are, signs you have a bedbug infestation, and how to exterminate them.

Acne

Get more information about acne here.

Psoriasis: In-Depth Information

How does psoriasis start and what can you do about it? Get the facts from this detailed article on psoriasis.

Perioral Dermatitis

Perioral dermatitis is a facial rash in the area around the mouth. It’s mainly seen in young women but can also affect men. What are its causes and treatments? Find out.

Common Skin Rashes

Skin rashes have many possible causes. Get the facts on four leading types of skin rashes.

Eczema

Eczema is a family of skin conditions, the most common of which is atopic dermatitis. It can happen at any age, even in infancy, and often affects the face, hands, knees, or feet. Read more.

Cellulitis

Cellulitis is a spreading infection that usually begins as a small area of tenderness, swelling, and redness on the skin.

Fungal Infections

Athlete’s foot, jock itch, ringworm, and yeast infections are examples of fungal infections. Find out how these infections start and how they’re treated.

Blisters

Got a blister? Find out how they start.

Skin Cysts, Lumps & Bumps

Skin isn’t always smooth as silk. It can have lumps and bumps. Find out what causes those little hills and valleys.

Itchy Skin (Pruritus)

Itchy skin? Find out about its causes and treatments.

Scars

Scars mark our wounds and can often be treated. Read about scar treatments, including skin creams, surgery, dermabrasion, and laser resurfacing.

Warts

Did you know that warts are caused by a virus? Do you know how to get rid of warts? Boost your wart wisdom.

Molluscum Contagiosum

Molluscum contagiosum are pearl-like bumps on the skin, caused by a virus. The condition can last for months or even years and, as its name suggests, is contagious. Learn about it.

Hives

Hives are an outbreak of swollen, pale red bumps or plaques (wheals) on the skin that appear suddenly.

Alopecia Areata

Alopecia areata is a condition that causes a person's hair to fall out.

Vitiligo

In vitiligo, white patches develop on the skin. Between two and five million people in the U.S. have vitiligo. Read about its causes and management.
Changes in Skin Color

In hyperpigmentation, skin darkens. In hypopigmentation, skin lightens. Why does it happen? Read this article to find out.

Spider Veins and Varicose Veins

These unsightly veins most often develop on the legs. Find out what they are and why they happen.

Wrinkles

Many people struggle with this visible sign of aging. Find out what increases your risk of developing wrinkles and what you can do about it.

Carbuncles

Learn about what carbuncles are, how you get them, and how they’re treated.

Leprosy

Leprosy is an infectious disease that causes severe, disfiguring skin sores and nerve damage in the arms and legs.

Ten Tips for Dealing with Face Acne

Nearly every teen has to deal with face acne at some time or another. How you treat acne on your face determines how long it will be a problem. But gentler methods get rid of acne faster than drastic methods. Here are ten tips every teen needs for dealing with acne on the face.


1. You can’t rub, scrub, or wash your acne away, so don’t try.

By the time you can see a zit, the excess oil causing the problem is already locked inside a pore. Rubbing, scrubbing, or washing hard won’t get the oil out of your skin. It will just injure the surrounding skin and make the pimple even more inflamed and more noticeable.

2. Cleansing your skin once or at most twice a day, however, can help prevent breakouts.

The best time to treat acne is before it starts. You can do this by removing excess oil off your skin so it does not ever get a chance to clog your pores. The key is to get excess oil off your skin without putting harmful on your skin in its place. Always use a mild cleanser and let it do the work. Unless you are removing obvious dirt, grime, or makeup, don’t rub your skin when you wash it.

3. Never try to dry out your skin to get rid of acne.

Getting lots of sun to dry out your skin used to be the standard advice for getting rid of acne. It turns out that it is not drying out your skin that makes the difference when you get sun. It’s the blue and red rays of sunlight that kill acne bacteria and reduce oil production in your pores.

A little sunshine on unprotected skin, up to about 20 minutes a day, helps your skin make vitamin D for the rest of your body. The rest of the time, use sunscreen to protect your skin from sunburn and sun damage. And use a special blue light or combination blue and red light lamp to give your skin gentle light treatment that gets rid of blemishes without drying out your skin.

4. Products for treating face acne need to be gentler than products for treating acne on the rest of your body.

Benzoyl peroxide is great for getting rid of acne on your back. If you have single pimples on your back, it can strip off the top layer of the pimple and attack the bacteria inside. The skin on your back and can stand up to benzoyl peroxide treatment.

Use that same strength of benzoyl peroxide on your face and you may have an entirely different experience. Benzoyl peroxide on your face, except in the mildest (2.5% or lower) non-prescription strengths, often causes intolerable itching, burning, peeling, and redness on the face. Other treatments may be needed for face acne.

5. Keep your hair out of your face to prevent forehead acne.

Acne breaking out just over your eyebrows and on your nose is often due to oils from hair falling over the face. Acne at the hair line at the top of the forehead is often due to hair care products clogging pores. To prevent blemishes on your nose and forehead, keep your hair out of your face and rinse excess hair care products out of your hair with your head tilted backwards.

6. Learn how to conceal acne without having to conceal the concealer.

Sometimes you can’t get acne treated fast enough before a big date, graduation, or some occasion where you will be in photos. You have to cover it up. The traditional advice is to use green concealer to cancel out the redness of a pimple, and then to use foundation makeup to cover up the green concealer. That works out OK until your foundation wears off and people start asking you why you have green spots on your face.

Cover up pimples with a single layer of gold or brown foundation, complementing your skin tones. If you have fair, brown, or black skin, use gold foundation. If you have Asian skin tones, use brown concealer. You may have to experiment to find the right shade for your skin. Covering up pimples with as few layers of cosmetics as possible helps pimples clear up, and reduces the risk of makeup malfunctions as the day goes on.

7. When you use a lotion on your face, make sure you cover the jawline.

Blackheads, whiteheads, and pimples on the jawline are often invisible to you but extra-visible to other people. Prevent them by making sure you that any skin care treatment you use on your whole face is applied over your jawline, too.

8. Use stronger skin care products as spot treatments rather than all over your face.

If you have a problem with cysts or nodules, you might want to treat them with a product known as tretinoin topical, the over the counter version of a medication known as Retin-A. If you put tretinoin topical all over your face, you will open up pores in problem places, but you may also make the rest of your face unnecessarily red. The best way to use product that has potential side effects, or that costs a lot, is just on the places you need it the most, not all over your face. Make sure your hands are clean when you apply spot treatments to pimples, and make sure you wash your hands before you touch your face again.

9. Keep your skin moisturized.

Moisture in your skin (which is not the same thing as oil dripping out of your pores) keeps it flexible and helps pores stay open. Not every one needs moisturizer all the time, but even oily skin can dry out. Using a little moisturizer when you need it helps prevent whiteheads and blackheads, especially on the lower forehead and at the sides of the face.

10. Don’t mistake price for quality.

One of the troublesome truths of the cosmetics industry is that the highest-priced products almost never work as well as their less expensive counterparts. Any ingredient added to a product just to impress you is also likely to irritate your skin—and keep you wanting more of the product. The best way to buy your acne products is to get all your skin care products from a single source you can trust, such as Exposed Skin Care.

Simple Tips to Cure Your Acne Naturally

Acne is a tremendously embarrassing and burdensome problem. It is easy to feel that you don't have control over your breakouts. But the fact is, you do. Now, your first response may be to assume that I'm going to recommend you see your dermatologist. Well, think again. Natural remedies can be just as effective as medications. Possibly more powerful. Sometimes, all your body needs is the right nutritional balance and proper skin care. Here are some easy things you can start doing today to help you heal your acne. You should notice a difference in about 4 weeks.

Apply a honey mask to your face once or twice a week - Honey has antibacterial properties so it is great for disinfecting and healing minor blemishes. It is also gentle on sensitive skin.

Wash twice a day with acne soap - You should wash your face twice a day with a sulfur based soap designed for acne. Once when you first wake up in the morning and then, right before you go to bed at night. Be extremely gentle to your skin when washing - do not scrub or use any sort of rough cloth. Over washing your skin will actually stimulate your sebaceous glands to produce more sebum, thus increasing your acne.

Keep your hair off your face - If you have long hair or bangs, pull your hair off your face. Your hair contains oils as well, and will contribute to your breakouts. You'll also want to wash your hair everyday and after workouts

Take a potent multi-vitamin - Acne can be a sign that something is wrong on the inside. Your skin depends on nutrition. It is a vital organ that is usually neglected. If your body is not receiving the right nutrition, it will fight back. One common way it will rebel is to produce excessive sebum, clogging pores, and reducing the ability for your skin to heal and fight bacteria (see Acne Prevention Vitamins)

Include chromium in your diet - Chromium is well known for weight loss diets. But it is also excellent for healing infections on the skin. Taking a chromium supplement once a day will help heal your pimples quickly and prevent future breakouts.

Eat carrots for beta-carotene (Vitamin A) - Vitamin A strengthens the protective tissue of the skin and actually prevents acne. It helps reduce sebum production. This vitamin is essential for the maintenance and repair of the tissue which the skin and mucous membranes are made of. Vitamin A is also a powerful antioxidant needed to rid your body of toxins. Did you know that a deficiency in vitamin A can actually cause acne?

Avoid wearing makeup - Leaving makeup products on your skin only contributes to clogging your pores, causing more pimples and blackheads. If you feel you must wear makeup, be sure it is water-based.

Do not pick or squeeze your blackheads and pimples - As tempting as it may be, do not squeeze, scratch, rub or touch your pimples and blackheads. Do any of these actions, actually increases the sebum production. Plus, when you squeeze, you are actually rupturing the membranes below your skin, causing infection and sebum to spread underneath your skin. The result is more pimples.

Wash your pillow case every other day - Your face lays on your pillow case every day. Your pillow case absorbs the oils from your skin and reapplies the dirt and oil. Thus causing breakouts. Keep your sheets and pillow cases clean.

Eat foods rich in zinc - Zinc is an antibacterial agent and a necessary element in the oil-producing glands of the skin. A diet low in zinc can actually cause acne breakouts.

How to wash your face

Medical science has achieved impressive breakthroughs in the treatment of acne. However, gentle cleansing must precede topical treatment in order to prevent irritation, because irritation can lead to more breakouts.1

Look for the terms "oil-free" and "non-comedogenic" (non-acne aggravating) when selecting a facial cleanser. You know you're on the right track when references to mild, "non-irritating", and "non-overdrying" are mentioned as well. If you have inflammatory acne, the most common variety that comes with redness, you'll want to avoid any scrubbing cleansers as well. Simply choose a gentle liquid cleanser with no scrubbing agents, beads, or balls.

Many acne cleansers also include other medications. For instance, Neutrogena Acne Wash "Oil-Free Cream Cleanser" has 2% salicylic acid in it. Clean & Clear "Continuous Control Acne Cleanser" contains 10% benzoyl peroxide. Often the medication will be washed off with these sorts of cleansers. Also, you may unwittingly be layering medications if you start with a medication containing cleanser and then apply a second medication afterward. From my experience, a gentle cleansing followed with application of medication is what works best.


Wash your face only twice per day, morning and evening. Excess washing can cause irritation. You want to be as kind to your skin as possible.


Use only your bare hands to wash, and wash for 10 seconds or less. A washcloth is irritating. Consider the act of washing as simply prepping your skin for medication, nothing more. Washing itself does not clear breakouts since dirt does not cause acne, so there is absolutely no need to scrub.


Pat dry. Do not rub dry. Rubbing the skin is irritating, and excess irritation...that's right...can lead to more breakouts. Gently pat dry.


Once your face is properly cleansed, you are ready to apply whichever medication you and your doctor have chosen.