How to Prevent Acne Without Medication

While many purported acne "cures" are available commercially, most of these come with some unwanted side effects, and are only effective as long as you continue using them. Ideally, you should try to prevent acne before it occurs, by using natural approaches. Many experts agree that acne rarely has a single cause, but instead is a symptom of an unhealthy lifestyle. By consuming healthy foods and vitamins, avoiding stress and taking good care of your skin, you can increase your chances of living breakout-free without taking medication.

Instructions

• 1

  Eat a healthy diet. The more raw fruits and vegetables, organic meat and whole foods you eat, the better. Avoid processed foods, sugar and artificial sweeteners, too many dairy products and excessive protein. Try not to combine multiple types of food in a single meal, instead eating protein and carbohydrates at different times.

• 2

  Supplement your diet with vitamins and other nutrients. Vitamins A, B6, E and C are believed to help prevent acne, as do zinc supplements. Herbs such as burdock, black walnut, wild indigo and Oregon grape root may be of assistance as well.

• 3

  Take good care of your skin. Avoid heavy makeup and other products that can clog your pores. Wash your skin regularly and get plenty of sunlight. Resist the urge to pick at any existing pimples --- this will do nothing but lead to infection and scarring.

• 4

  Avoid stress. While it can be difficult to stay away from stressful situations, you can control your reaction to them. Allowing yourself to become stressed puts your body into a fight-or-flight state for extended periods of time, which can negatively impact your health and increase the likelihood of acne.

• 5

  Exercise regularly and minimize unhealthy habits such as smoking and drinking. Try to avoid other things that can weaken your health, such as pollutants. Use a water filter to clean your tap water and use natural hair and skin products.