Acne is one of the most common skin problems to afflict mankind and it it can be present in all people irrespective of age, caste, colour or gender. Acne is a tremendously embarrassing and troublesome problem, because it is so noticeable and off-putting. Acne can be defined as red eruptions on the skin, usually filled with a white puss, causing discomfort and irritation. The most usual type of acne is called acne vulgaris or puberty spots.

Acne vulgaris can be described as: an inflammatory disease of the skin, caused by changes in the pilosebaceous units (skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland) . Acne lesions are commonly referred to as pimples, spots or zits – [source: Wikipedia]. It is a problem over which we do not have complete control. There are different ways to treat acne; one can go for medication from a skin specialist or one can also try home or natural remedies.

Natural treatments are less time consuming, less costly and have no side effects. However, they do require a little more patience, because the routines have to be followed rigorously in order to get rid of the problem once and for all. A natural cure for acne is just as effective as medication. Here are a few natural remedies to cure your acne. To start with, your daily consumption of water should be at minimum of eight to ten glasses. This helps you to detoxify your system and destroy the harmful bacteria that cause acne.

Too much oily food also leads to acne, so fried and spicy food should be strictly avoided. Complete abstinence of fried and fatty food will have a marked, beneficial effect on an outbreak of acne. Furthermore, including chromium and zinc in your diet also helps to eradicate acne. There has to be a combination of the right nutritional balance and proper, hygenic skin care.

A mixture of nutmeg powder with unboiled milk regularly applied on the afflicted area also helps to cure acne. Cinnamon powder mixed with honey is equally effective in treating. Boiled Neem tree leaves applied to acne acts as a disinfectant. ['Neem': A tall, usually evergreen East Indian tree (Azadirachta indica) widely cultivated in tropical Asia for its timber, resin, bitter bark, and aromatic seed oil, which is used medicinally and as an insecticide (source = 'Free Online Dictionary')].

The afflicted area should be washed with special anti-acne soap a minimum of three or four times a day. Make-up should be strictly avoided when afflicted by acne. Make-up makes acne worse. Acne should never be squeezed as it may cause infection or / and make it worse. Squeezing your acne may also lead to permanent scars on your skin, which results in your skin looking unsightly. Don’t let your hair fall onto the acne-infected area either.

Your hair should be kept pulled back to prevent contact with the acne. Pillow covers should be washed on a daily basis to prevent the bacteria spreading. The regular washing of your skin should be observed to keep it free from bacteria. Besides this, a healthy lifestyle ought to followed with a proper, balanced diet, exercise and sleep. Remember if you take good care of yourself, ailments will have trouble affecting you, especially a small thing like as acne!