I hate acne.

I bet you do too. Acne as we know is a skin condition distinguished by whiteheads, blackheads, and swollen red pimples, otherwise known as "zits". It can be painful physically but much more so mentally and socially. There are millions of products that claim to have the answer to acne but is there anything that really works? Is there such a thing as an alternative acne treatment?

Well, the truth is that many people have grown tired of the mainstream "cures" that seem to never work but are great at shrinking your bank account. In addition, acne sufferers are searching for medication without the harmful side effects that are so prevalent in typical prescriptions and over the counter choices. These people are now searching daily for alternative ways to treat their acne.

So what does it mean to be "alternative"?

Well, alternative can mean many things but mostly it means that these type of treatments are not regulated by the FDA and more than likely haven't had medical research performed to test its success rate. As a result, you are very unlikely to get the alternative to try "alternative" treatments because medical doctors either don't know about them or won't recommend them as that would hurt their bottom line.

Two treatments that are known to work on acne inflammation are seaweed and tea tree oil. These products both have very strong antibacterial abilities. Seaweed of course comes from the ocean while tea tree oil comes from the Australian Ti tree.

A vitamin deficiency can also be to blame. One of the main culprits is Vitamin B5, otherwise known as pantothenic acid. Often, acne sufferers will experience success with B5 supplements. There was a double blind study done on vitamin B5 by a Hong Kong acne specialist named Dr. Leung in which his patients experienced a 90% success rate in relieving acne after six months.

There are several herbs that are used specifically for teenage girls. These herbs include red clover, wild yam, dong quai, evening primrose, chaste berry, and black cohosh among others. Herbal experts believe that these herbs help control the estrogen, the female sex hormone and the hormone androgen which release the sebum which clogs the pores. Visit your local health food store to find these.

Other herbs that are useful in relieving infection and swelling in men and women acne sufferers include: burdock, dandelion root, licorice, Echinacea, salvia and red peony. Again, pick these up at your local health food store.

Please also remember that stress contributes to the degree of acne problems. Great stress relievers include exercise (the best one!), yoga, acupuncture, meditation, and others.

Remember to do your research before trying an alternative acne treatment as these treatments are not necessarily devoid of side effects.