Zits question

[Llaura16]

Does rubbing half a lemon or orange straight on the zit help the skin at all? My friend does it and swears by it saying that the Vit C can work directly on the skin. Personally i think that the acids will damage the skin. Who's right?

[Sqad]

Neither of you.

There is no scientific evidence that to suggest that Vitamin C plays any part in the treatment of "zits" and certainly evidence that Vitamin C can be absorbed through the skin.

Acids may damage the skin, but both oranges and lemons contain very weak acids which would have little deleterious effect on the skin.

[andy-hughes]

The way to avoid zits is to keep the skin scrupulously clean - wash several times a day with surgical soap.

Avoid a fatty diet, eact lots of fruit and veg, and if the hair is around the face, tie it back or cut it short.

[Sqad]

error...that should have read

and certainly NO evidence that Vitamin C can be absorbed through the skin.

[ethandron]

hormones and an inherited predisposition to zits also play their part. in those cases your diet and over the counter stuff can have little or no effect and it's worth a trip to the doctor as there's lots which can be done these days.
however, if your friend is convinced that rubbing on a lemon or orange helps them, then there's no reason why they should stop, it may not actually be doing much good but it's not doing any harm either.

[Llaura16]

I agree sqad. Sqad? Have you missed out the letter "U' in your username?
are you saying that she has a dirty face andy-hughes? Lol.
I think it's the hormones too ethandron but as you said if she feels better from the placebo affect then hey who are we to stop her as she isn't causing anyone harm but does go through over a kilo of oranges and lemons a week!

[andy-hughes]

Of course not Llaura16 - I would never suggest that to a teenager, they have enough complexes as it is!

Seriously though - overactive sebacious glands in the skin cause a build-up of sepbacious oil, which leads to pore blockage, and the spots, so regular washing helps to keep pores clean, and cut down on clogging.

[Sqad]

Llaura....LOL...it used to be sqad and then I was banned, banished, whatever and I came back as ....sqad.

[Llaura16]

She is a heavy chocolate user so maybe the sugar and fats don't help and i always tell her to steam her face as the rest of us do and she never listens.
I take it you used to be "SQUAD" and then came back as "SQAD"
Still its a nice original username.

[Sqad]

Llaura....yes ;-)

[ethandron]

exactly llaura. i speak very much from experience, we have an 'acne gene' running through our family and the only thing which has had any effect on anyone has been oxytetracyclene and/or roaccutane, i myself have taken oxytet on and off for the last 30 years. i remember in my teens being convinced that a particular soap (aquamanda by goya) had cured my acne. it hadn't and a few weeks later all the zits returned so the soap went in the bin :o)
lots of youngsters grow out of zits, but for those that don't it can have a devastating effect on their confidence and i would urge anyone to go and see their doctor to get them sorted out.

[ethandron]

ps. llaura, watch out for sqad, he's a bit of an old devil with the ladies ;o)

[Llaura16]

Yes some of my friends take roaccutane.
So sqad's friendliness carries an ulterior motive? Ill keep my eyes opened then.

[Sqad]

eth....less of the OLD.......but you are right about the rest....."animal magnetism" ;-)

[Llaura16]

Sqad if you're interested in animal magnetism then you have to read this!

http://www.livescienc...mouse-levitation.html

[Sqad]

Llaura...LOL....thank you, but I will stick to my personal definition of "animal magnetism"

[ethandron]

he's pretty harmless though llaura, and actually very helpful and entertaining (goodness me, was that praise for sqad i just wrote? must be the christmas spirit getting to me). :o)

[society]

lol. Sqad, brace yourself,I think Llaura's naivety would be a challenge for you... :-)

[Llaura16]

Oh I get what you mean now sqad! Don't worry i get it now society!
ethandron christmas is a great time!

[TTG]

Small speck of toothpaste might help. Must be very small amount.
Only effective on spots that have come to a "head". Just try it on one to test.

http://www.suite101.c...-rid-of-spots-a147974

[Prudie]

I thought the idea that spots are caused by poor diet, greasy hair and not washing had been discounted but I may well be wrong. Using oranges or lemons sounds like an addition to the home remedies for drying spots up - like toothpaste as said and perfume and salt.