Hi, I suffered from acne for 10 years, Since then I have tried nearly every treatment including accutane (I had to be taken off it and the side effects were really bad). I've tried antibiotics, over-the-counter creams and alternative medicine. I’ve lost count of the meds and herbs I have taken. I’m sure they’d fill up a dictionary.
With the antibiotics I did ok, they would clear me up briefly but then I would break out again worse than before. Sometimes the they didn't work at all.
Finally I got fed up from seeing little improvement and the doctors who kept putting me on different meds.
That’s when I embarked on the alternative medicine journey. After trying and failing with tons of herbs, cleansing, dieting and nutritional supplements. Someone advised me to try slippery elm, kigelia extract, vitamin C and shea butter.
For slippery elm I used to take one teaspoon fully mixed in 1 cup of warm water in the morning and evening. For vitamin C I would take 2000mg 4 times a day. I noticed my skin would glow about an hour after taking it.
For shea butter I use grade A (because it’s the only grade that has anti-inflammatory properties). It’s supposed to help moisturize and diminish redness and in my case it seems to work. Luckily for me shea butter grade A is produced locally so it wasn’t hard to get.
For kigelia extract I was told to get it without any irritants or unnatural chemicals and if possible without glycerin. Hunting this stuff down wasn't easy and it’s somewhat pricey but eventually I found it and it was worth it. I have to say I almost gave up but after 3 weeks I noticed some improvement so I pressed on and after six months I was cured!
It’s now 1 &1/2 years since then and I am still acne free. I also find I don't need to use this stuff as often.
My heart goes out to anyone who is suffering from this disease; I have been there and I know the embarrassment and the discomfort people go through. For me it was trial and error till I found something that worked.
Alternative medicine is not for the faint of heart, but it’s the best approach when conventional medicine fails. My advice is to be patient because at times this stuff can take quite some time before you see results or know for sure it isn’t working. Fair warning, some of the stuff I tried had the the most unpleasant taste you’ll ever encounter and the oils smell ‘not so nice’.
So, it all comes down to how bad you want to get rid of the disease. If you’re willing to try everything there’s a good chance you’ll see results. Worst case you know one more thing doesn’t work. Sorry for the long story, I thought I should share my experience; it might be of help to someone. Thanks!
I used to get mine from Amazon for $69 but this place is much cheaper and lasts longer.
For shea butter:
http://www.amazon.com/Unrefined-Cert.../dp/B000GRENPA
For slippery elm:
http://www.amazon.com/Now-Foods-Slip.../dp/B000UE25XQ
For vitamin C:
http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=3774771