by Abdulsalam Yunusa | Mar 2, 2022 | Health & Wellness
Your face is usually the first thing most people notice about you, and this can result in them having bad perceptions of you when the first thing they see is a face full of acne. Acne can negatively affect one’s chances of employment, especially for jobs where physical appearance is considered important. Asides from these, the general quality of life is usually affected as well.
Acne vulgaris, commonly called acne, is a chronic skin condition that occurs when sebum, a thick oily substance secreted by the sebaceous glands of the skin and dead skin cells accumulate and clog hair follicles. The block inflow of this oily secretion will provide a good breeding place for some bacteria, eventually causing some of the features of acne (redness, pain).
There are several possible causes of acne. This includes Smoking, diets with high-glycemic-load such as white bread, cakes, doughnuts, and candies; hormones, and heredity. While there are several studies done and ongoing on the above causes, hormones and heredity are considered to be the major causes of acne.
A lot of times, acne is wrongly called pimples, but pimples are just one of the features of acne — others are whiteheads, blackheads, and oily skin.
Since it is formed by the accumulation of secretions of oily glands, it most commonly affects the skin in parts of the body with high numbers of oil glands. This includes the back, face, and chest.
Generally, acne in itself does not have any significant effect on your health but in many people, it can lead to reduced self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts in some cases. So, if this is your concern, or all you want to do is to get a spotless and smooth face, you are at the right place. Now, let’s dive right into it.
How to Get Rid of Acne on the Face
If you have acne, it is very likely that you will be getting a lot of treatment suggestions from people you come across. In fact, this is usually the next thing said to you after greetings. Well, our aim in this article is to provide you with tested practical ways how to get rid of acne on the face. And the good news is that most of the things we mentioned here are easily accessible to you.
READ ALSO: 15 Foods That Will Boost Your Immune System
1. Stop Popping Pimples
As simple as it sounds, this can go a long way in ensuring you get faster treatment for acne. It is always tempting to squeeze or pop the pimples on your face whenever you look into the mirror but don’t. While your dermatologist can safely do this for you, doing it yourself would likely result in redder and bumpier pimples. The chances of infection should not be taken lightly as well.
2. Toothpaste Can Treat Your Acne Too
Toothpaste has been used for some time to treat acne. Rubbing some amount of it on your pimples and allowing it to stay overnight can help to clear them, especially when continued for some days. Nevertheless, it is not recommended to use toothpaste that contains gels for this purpose.
3. Apply Tea Tree Oil on the Spots
Tea tree oil has been reported to be effective in fighting bacteria on the skin as well as reducing skin inflammation. If you have used some pharmaceutical creams and suffered from their unwanted side effects of irritation and dry skin, you should probably try tea tree oil.
To use tea tree oil, mix it with water, and use a cotton ball or swab to apply it on the affected spots. Repeat as necessary.
4. Apply Green Tea to Your Face
Apparently, the green tea you take in the morning before you begin the day’s work or later in the day after a hard day’s work has other uses apart from relieving you of stress. Green tea is rich in antioxidants as well as other ingredients that help fight bacteria.
Applying green tea extract, or skincare products containing it on your skin will help to reduce inflammation and inhibit the growth of bacteria that can cause or worsen your acne. Additionally, drinking green tea is said to be important in reducing sebum production and general body fat.
5. Use Aloe Vera to Moisturize Your Face
Aloe vera is a plant that grows in tropical parts of the world e.g Africa. A clear gel is produced from the leaves of the plant which is used as an important ingredient in many skincare products. This includes body ointments, creams, lotions, and soaps.
Aloe vera comes in handy to treat your acne because it contains sulphur and salicylic acid. Both are important ingredients in many over-the-counter lotions and creams used to treat acne.
When you apply it to your skin, it will encourage wound healing, treat rashes, abrasions, burns, redness, itching, and pain. Interestingly, it is also used to treat stomach aches.
For best results, you should combine it with tea tree oil.
Using it is easy, just take some leaves from the plant and scrape the gel out into a clean container. Use it as a moisturiser once or twice daily. You can also buy pure aloe vera gel from a pharmacy or beauty products store.
6. Take Fish Oil Supplement
Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids which have several health benefits, including acne treatment. It might not be very effective when used alone, but people who have used it have attested to its effectiveness in reducing inflammatory symptoms of acne such as redness and pain as well as general risk for developing acne.
The omega-3 fatty acids mentioned above can be obtained from a balanced diet containing foods like sardines, salmon, chia seeds, flax seeds, and walnuts, nevertheless, supplements are available in pharmacies for those whose diet is poor in fatty acids.
7. Exercise Regularly
The benefits of exercise are diverse. This includes the prevention and treatment of a lot of diseases. Since exercise improves blood circulation and hormonal regulation, frequenting it also helps to treat acne by providing adequate nourishment for the skin cells.
In addition, exercise helps to relieve stress, which is suspected to be among the causes of acne. Research is still ongoing to find out how exactly stress causes acne and how exercise helps in treatment.
There are several options available; you can start with light exercises like walking, and then eventually move to other ones if you are considered fit.
How to Prevent Pimples
Knowing how to get rid of acne on the face is not as important as knowing how to prevent it from occurring or reoccurring after treatment. Good thing is that you won’t have to spend a dime to do most of them.
- Keep your face clean but avoid harsh scrubbing, as this can cause and worsen acne.
- Avoid or reduce intake of foods linked with acne such as high-glycemic foods like whitebread and donuts
- Wear sunscreen when going outdoors
- Apply topical treatments for mild skin conditions before they get severe
- Be mindful of the skincare products you use. Always consult with a dermatologist or a skin care expert before you buy new products.
- Reduce stress
- Exercise regularly
- Maintain a healthy weight, as being overweight is sometimes linked to acne.
- Avoid excessive skin exfoliation
- Discuss with a dermatologist on other preventive measures you should take especially if you are at risk of developing acne.
Conclusion
Acne has a variety of causes and thus the treatments might differ accordingly too. The methods of how to get rid of acne on the face mentioned in this article, in no way represent an exhaustive list, there is several other methods available and ongoing research on them.
Have you tried any of the methods above or other ones not mentioned in this article, we would love to hear about your experience. Thanks for reading through.
FAQs
How can I clear up acne fast?
You can use over-the-counter treatments containing salicylate and benzoyl peroxide.
How can I clear my acne naturally?
There are several options available; this includes spot-treating with tea tree oil, aloe vera, and adopting a good diet control habit.
What causes acne on the face?
Acne is linked to several causes. Two of the most important are genetics and hormonal imbalance. Others are personal hygiene, poor skin care, and diet.
What kills acne on the face?
To kill acne on the face, you can apply some gel-free toothpaste, or paste of crushed aspirin and allow it overnight. You can also use the several natural methods available.
Should I see a doctor for acne treatment?
You can easily treat mild to moderate acne with natural home remedies or over-the-counter drugs. However, a dermatologist is in the best position to evaluate and treat you, especially in recurring or severe cases.
Two of my older siblings currently have acne on their faces; my mum said she suffered from it as a teenager, does it mean acne can be inherited?
Yes. According to a study, acne is highly heritable, so if you are not affected by it, at the moment, it is very important for you to observe the preventive measures mentioned in this article
Can I buy over-the-counter drugs for my acne?
There are several over-the-counter ointments, gels, and lotions available for acne treatment. Some are highly affected but might be associated with unwanted effects such as irritation, redness, and dryness. To avoid or at least, minimise this, meet a dermatologist to recommend the most suitable one(s) for you.
by Abdulsalam Yunusa | Feb 2, 2022 | Health & Wellness
Stomach ache is a very common misnomer for abdominal pain; it is just one of the several causes of abdominal pain. Your abdomen comprises all the organs between the front part of your thorax (chest) and the pelvis, therefore, pain from any of these organs is termed abdominal pain. Nevertheless, we will still refer to it as stomach ache for the purpose of this article.
Stomachache is very common, and everyone must have experienced it at some point in time. While severe stomachache is a medical emergency that needs to be treated by your doctor, you can easily treat mild aches by just making good use of the things available in your kitchen.
Are you ready to explore the several options of home remedies for stomach pain available for you? Let’s ride on!
Home Remedies for Stomach Pain
When you are busy with some projects in the office or lying down peacefully at home, you might start to feel some uneasiness in your stomach.
This could be because there has been an accumulation of excess gas in your stomach, heartburn from peptic ulcer or gastroesophageal disease, cramping from diarrhoea, constipation, or just a bad reaction from the food you ate a few minutes or hours ago.
Whichever one it is, there are several home remedies for stomach pain that you can try to get immediate relief before going to the hospital for appropriate evaluation and treatment. Thus:
1. Give It Some Time
Stomach aches are sometimes mild and all you need to do is to give it time. A good example is a diarrhoea from mild food poisoning or from eating food that your stomach is not used to. In such situations, by allowing your body to flush itself of the offending food, you will be okay in no time.
2. Drink Enough Water
Water is necessary for a lot of functions in the body. This includes digestion and absorption of food. In cases of stomach pain due to diarrhoea or constipation, it is imperative to take enough fluids. Adequate water intake helps in preventing and relieving constipation.
Furthermore, dehydration due to diarrhoea or vomiting could be very dangerous if body water is continuously lost without being replaced. Taking adequate water in such situations, therefore, comes in very handy.
Apart from the water lost to vomiting and diarrhoea, some important substances in your body, known as electrolytes are lost as well, therefore doctors recommend taking Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) in such situations since they also contain glucose, salt, and other electrolytes needed by the body.
Here is a quick guide on how to prepare ORS at home.
3. Take a Warm Bath or Use a Heating Pad
The use of heat as a natural remedy comes in handy especially when the pain is a result of muscle cramps. In this case, taking a warm bath or applying a heating pad or bag to the aching area will relax the tense muscles and ease your symptoms. Heat therapy can also be used for indigestion.
Be careful not to use excessive heat to avoid causing harm to yourself.
READ ALSO: 7 Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Menstrual Cramps
4. Add Some Ginger to Your Tea and Cooking
Ginger has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiviral properties that make it a good natural remedy for a lot of diseases.
Adding ginger to your tea and cooking can be very helpful for treating your upset stomach. It helps with nausea, indigestion, and other symptoms as well.
5. Increase Your Fiber Intake
Constipation, as earlier mentioned, is an important cause of stomachache. This can be prevented, as well as treated, by incorporating a good amount of fibre-containing foods into your diet. There are several options available. These includes:
- Fruits like apple, banana, citrus, strawberries
- Potatoes
- Barley
- Oats
- Dried beans
- Whole grains
- Most vegetables etc.
6. Potash Used to Be a Wonder Drug
The popular kanwa (potash) in Northern Nigeria has been used for ages to ease symptoms of stomach aches, especially if it is due to acid reflux, constipation, or spasm.
According to research, potash has many other uses e.g. in fertilizer production, toothache treatment, as a preservative, fire extinguishing, cleaning purposes, etc.
Nevertheless, medical experts have warned that its excessive use could result in decreased sperm production, kidney failure, and heart diseases (arrhythmia), so it is best to use safer alternatives.
7. Peppermint Helps to Relax Your Tense Muscles
The menthol content in peppermint helps to ease your symptoms of a stomachache. It has also been shown to relax muscles when a person is having abdominal cramps.
However, it is not recommended for you if you are suffering from a peptic ulcer or any acid reflux disease.
8. Aloe Vera Juice Can Ease Several Symptoms of Stomachache
The juice from the Aloe Vera plant contains substances that may ease your symptoms by reducing inflammation, encouraging bowel movements to treat constipation, improving digestion of proteins, reducing excessive stomach acid, removing toxins, etc.
9. You Can Use Over-the-Counter Medication
There are several over-the-counter medications available, depending on the symptoms you are having. This includes laxatives for constipation, loperamide for diarrhoea and cramps, antacids for reflux disease, and pain relievers like paracetamol.
Nevertheless, you should always consult with your doctor before you buy and take any medication.
Things You Should Avoid When You Have a Stomach Ache
- Avoid lying down too quickly after a meal: this is especially important for people experiencing acid reflux. Lying down immediately after a meal will push the acidic contents of your stomach upwards, eventually causing heartburn.
- Avoid carbonated drinks: carbonated drinks can easily cause an increase of gas in your system, resulting in burping and flatulence. Excessive amounts of gas will likely cause stomachache, so it is preferable to reduce your intake of such drinks and swap them with water, fruit juice, or the likes
- Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol
- Avoid foods that are difficult to digest
- Avoid improperly cooked food
When Should You Seek Medical Care?
Using the above home remedies for stomach pain might be all that you need for a mild ache, but sometimes it can be severe or be associated with some symptoms that will necessitate you to see a doctor as soon as possible for specialized evaluation and treatment. These include:
- Blood in stool
- Bleeding from the anus or rectum
- Severe pain
- Effortless weight loss
- Yellowing of the eyes
- Severe vomiting and/or diarrhea
- Difficulty swallowing
- Stomachache during pregnancy
- Heartburn that does not get better after taking over-the-counter antacids
FAQ
Q: Should I take antibiotics for a stomach ache?
A: There are several causes of stomach ache and each is treated differently. Antibiotics should only be used when it is evident that harmful microorganisms are responsible for causing the ache. This will be confirmed by your physician.
Q: Should I be worried if I experience recurrent stomachache?
A: Recurrent stomach aches could mean that you have an underlying problem that needs to be treated. You should consult your doctor for immediate and appropriate investigations and treatment.
Conclusion
We believe that by reading up to this point, you are now enlightened on several home remedies for stomach pain that you can easily try at home. However, this should not stop you from going to the doctor for professional treatment if your symptoms persist.
Have you tried any of these methods before? Please share your experience with us in the comments section below.
by Ashphat Adam | May 16, 2021 | Beauty & Fashion, Personal Life
The majority of people especially girls, here in Arewa, in fact, most places, do want long hair. Some are already blessed with it while some are still struggling to achieve that. Let’s not kid ourselves, the long hair lovers, if you want long hair and you are given one opportunity to make that wish come true ASAP, will you really let the opportunity out of your grasp? This could be done with the best natural hair supplements
The first thing that comes to mind is keeping your hair healthy all the time by keeping it clean and nourished. Lack of doing that may be the major roadblock to achieving your dream hair. I know it sucks to keep trying to do something which ends up not working out. Well, one thing to do no matter how cliché you think it sounds is to never give up.
Best natural hair supplements are here to help you through that frustrating phase that makes you want to shave all your hair off. Our hair just like our body also needs food to grow, some of the food we consume contribute a major deal when applied to the hair. It may sound gross I know but trust me, our hair gets really hungry too.
Here comes nothing but in this case some juicy stuff or unbelievable thing which actually works very well as among the best natural hair supplements.
The Best best Natural Hair Supplements You Will Find Very Effective
1. Rice Water
Yeah, the rice water that comes to your mind, that is the one. You can try using it on your hair in different ways. You can either let it get fermented or you boil it on the go. The most recommended is actually the fermented rice water. Disgusting right? Actually, it smells horrible but out of 10, I give it a 10 but there are certain things you can add to it to avoid that discomfort;
Essential oils; the likes of rose oil, lavender oil, etc. It aids in the reduction of that unbearable smell and you can use your magic wand to go on with your hair magic.
Orange peels: They help too, slicing the peels and adding them to your rice water, then leaving it for some time before using it.
2. Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is also among the best natural hair supplement which the main thing to do is actually have the plant. Easy right?
Next is the application of the gel that is inside the plant, your choice either to apply it all over the hair at once or by parting the hair into four or even two.
3. Banana
Keep your chill, I know what I wrote, and banana is also among the best natural hair supplements and excellent for usage on hair.
Though it comes with the downside of trying to make it chunk-free, your hair magic is already in progress.
4. Avocado
Yummy but on your hair is another different amazing experience uhm uhm! Don’t let anything stay as a barrier between you and getting that dream girl!
I don’t have to tell you to shampoo your hair after use yeah? Oh well, shampoo your hair after use of any natural hair supplements and it actually depends on how long you are willing to leave it on your hair.
You can experiment on your own by trying different duration or just go for the famous 1 hour tops.
Conclusion
If you are having doubts about using any of these best natural hair supplements, then I guess you can stay with that messed up hair all you want, and not being rude, not trying can be interpreted as stupidity to let go of these awesome gems.
Let me be real with you, there are a ton of best natural hair supplements each with its purpose. It is just waiting for you to knock on the right door and voila! Your wish will be its command.
