You may have left behind the braces and bad hair, but another pesky part of your teenage years never left your side - annoying acne. Clear skin isn't a sure aspect of adulthood and many of us have to deal with blemishes well past high school.

Those pimples haven't permanently planted themselves on your face, though, so listen in for the top three reasons we get nasty zits, and the best ways to zap them away.

That damn cycle

Problem:

Ask a lady when her clear skin pulls a fast one on her and she'll tell you "that time of the month." Many of us deal with the telltale blemishes that mark our least favorite week, an occurrence of acne largely caused by the hormonal changes in our monthly cycle. Acne lesions are formed when hair follicles on your face become plugged with dead skin cells and an oily substance called sebum and bacteria grows, and since androgens - male hormones present in both men and women - create a surplus of oil, these hormones are said to precipitate blemishes.  

Solution:

Your hormones are largely out of your control, but reduce your chances of seeing that monthly spot by treating the acne itself. Continue to cleanse with a skin-specific regime throughout your entire cycle, but resist the desire to rigorously wash your face when you start to see spots pop up - over-cleansing can irritate the skin as well as strip it of its natural oils, potentially leading to the overproduction of oil and thus more acne. If you are already taking an oral contraceptive, speak to your doctor about making changes or adjustments with your prescription, since the pill can be used to normalize the hormonal fluctuations that are instrumental in causing breakouts. A naturopathic doctor can also work with you to naturally balance the hormones within your body by using various herbs.

You are what you eat 

Problem:

No, we're not endorsing the buzz that chocolate and pizza causes pimples and blackheads. Many women prove that theory wrong everyday, munching away at chips, fried foods, and other unhealthy junk and staying 100 percent blemish-free. But just because a poor diet doesn't necessarily cause acne, if you're already predisposed to it, what you eat can definitely aggravate it.

Recent research places refined carbohydrates and sugar in the hot seat, claiming that they lead to a surge in insulin, which leads to an excess of the male hormones that encourage the skin to secrete more sebum - and we all know that could mean more breakouts.   Research has also determined that food allergies could contribute to acne, since the skin acts as an elimination organ. If you chow down on food to which you're allergic, a toxic reaction will lead to your immune system setting up its defenses, and, in this case, your body works to expel the toxins, leading to inflammation in the skin.   

Solution:

Limiting your intake of such foods as red meat, dairy products, processed foods, refined flour, sugars, white rice, high-fat foods, salt, additives and preservatives, caffeine and alcohol could help control your acne. Plus, swapping these unhealthy foods for such options as organic poultry and fish, veggie mince, soy milk, tofu, fruits and vegetables, brown rice, chick peas, lentils, and herbal teas can lead to both a healthier you along with healthier skin. Read more >>

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