How to Get Rid of Acne

Steps You Can Take To Fight Acne

If you're like me, you fight a constant battle with acne. Hormones and stress make it worse, it's painful at times, and I've tried just about everything to get it under control. Here are some things that have worked for me!

1. Lemons. I know, this sounds crazy, but the one thing that has made the single biggest difference in my skin is the simple habit of drinking one lemon per day, squeezed into water. Yes, lemons. I know, nothing spectacular, but you should see my skin! A couple of weeks ago (while doing research for this column, actually), I came across an article that made the claim that drinking water with fresh lemon was great for your skin. Being the vigilant journalist that I am, I decided to give this one a try, and OH MY GOSH, my skin has seriously never looked better.

Maybe it's because of all the extra water I've been drinking because it's summer, but honestly, when I stop drinking it with lemon, it does seem like my temperamental skin starts to act up again, so I've been strictly adhering to the "lemon solution."

There's really no rhyme or measurement to it-I just use one of those $ 2 hand-juicers from the drugstore to smash up a fresh lemon into water, which I then drink.

Here are some answers to the questions I know you probably have about this:

-Yes, it is sour. SO SOUR. Usually I hold my nose while I'm drinking it. No, I don't put sugar in it. Seriously, you should see my skin. I don't even need concealer.

-Yes, lemons are said to erode tooth enamel, so I rinse with water after drinking my special lemon concoction.

-Apparently this works because the lemon detoxifies your system. All I know is that it works and as long as it continues to work, I am doing it every day.

Obviously, I am not a doctor, and if you have some special condition that prevents you from eating lemons, you should check with your doctor before putting my wacky solution into motion. If you do try it and it works for you, let me know!

2. Other dietary changes. This lemon solution worked so well for me, I actually was able to incorporate some dairy products back into my diet, but before that, I was dairy-free for a whole year on the suggestion of my dermatologist.

3. Proactiv Solution. Personally, I only use the cleansing solution. Because my skin is sensitive as well as being acne-prone (joy!), if I use all three steps in the Proactiv system my face dries out, turns bright red, and itches, so I don't do that at all. I find that I can use about three bottles of Proactiv (washing my face morning and night) before my skin gets used to it, then I stop using it for a few months.

4. Neutrogena Facial Scrub. This is the one I use in between Proactiv, and my skin responds well to the temporary switch over to glycolic acid.

5. Zeno Hot Spot. This cool little gadget heats up the bacteria causing the pimple, thus causing it to go away more quickly (like, within a day or two). I use this at the very first sign of any pimple that might show it's ugly head in spite of this regimen!

6. Neutrogena Wave, used twice weekly (with either kind of soap).