www.clinicforacne.com

What a fantastic week

2012-02-03T12:28:00.000-08:00

You are probably bored by now hearing how fantastic my job is but some weeks I am completely overwhelmed with the results my clients are getting by following my advice. This week in particular has been amazing. This is a week that I have been run off my feet in fact this week I am lucky if I had one break for lunch and after dinner I have also been busy working but the fact is, it all payed off. This week I have had six clients achieve clear skin in a very short period of time and one after a long period of time and only after we had tried just about everything I could think of but we got there in the end.

It is a shame because some people do not believe that they will ever be able to clear their acne and I understand truly I do because there are so many people falsely claiming that they can clear skin when they have absolutely no understanding of why the body produces spots.

I am blessed to have this knowledge and go to bed happy each night with the knowledge that I have helped to change peoples lives by simply showing them how to clear their skin.

Job well done.

I do love honest clients!

2011-10-29T09:51:00.000-07:00

I had a great email come in this morning by a client who came to see me 3 weeks ago and is now realising that what I suggest works. This really made my day.

She announced to me that she had a huge confession to make and said that she was skeptical about what I was saying at the time of our consultation. The reason why? Because she had seen so many people previous to me who all promised to give her a spotless complexion, this included every NHS acne consultant in the part of the country in which she lived as well as a Herbalist that she consulted, no one however was able to clear her skin. There was I then talking to her about how I was going to clear her skin and she was sitting there thinking "here, we go again, probably another huge waste of time and money." (her words). Fortunately, something I said "rang true" and she decided to "give it a go" and low and behold her skin started to clear. In her words "and now I am seeing the results and the more I see I believe in what you are telling me. I owe you a huge apology for being so cynical."

Don't you just love it when people are so honest?

I fully understand why some people are cynical, there is so much utter garbage written about acne (and I include what most dermatologists and doctors write online with that statement) there are also lots of e-books going about that are misleading and it all results in acne sufferers going round and round in circles trying everything in sheer desperation to clear their skin.

I still find it absolutely incredible that here is little me sitting in a clinic in Glasgow resolving peoples acne problems when there are doctors who should fully understand the workings of the body and therefore should have a clear understanding of acne...what the heck were they learning in medical school...it beggars belief!! No wonder some of my clients are so skeptical...the medical system fails to make any sense!

Sometimes I am misquoted

2011-10-05T06:35:00.000-07:00

In a recent interview I was asked what changes I make to my client's diets to improve their acne. The answer I gave is that there is no single diet that suited all of my client's simply because everyone was different and it really depended on the type of spots that were appearing. What my client's eliminate or what foods they need to eat more off differed from person to person which is why each client has an individual food diary provided for them.

When the article was published I was quoted as saying that I "increase my client's fruit intake and ask them to reduce their intake of carbohydrates". I just want to clarify for anyone paying heed to this, that these words were not uttered out of my mouth. I never ask my clients to increase their fruit intake and I never make mention of carbohydrates. I can only think that the person who interviewed me must have conducted their own research after speaking to me and decided that this is what I must be doing...wrong!

There is so much information on acne on the internet which is truly confusing for acne sufferers. There must be countless acne sufferers who are eliminating cow's milk when they may have no need to do so, or working to a candida diet when candida is not the root cause of the problem; eliminating gluten thinking that gluten intolerance is the root cause, taking liver cleansing supplements thinking that is all they need to do, taking a host of expensive vitamins thinking that is the answer or using expensive skincare products feeling that the secret to getting rid of acne comes with selecting products with a hefty price tag.

So much money is spent on choosing the wrong options for acne, so much time is wasted on trialling out online advice. If you are cutting out carbohydrates or are increasing your fruit intake based on what you think I have said, please stop...this is not the key to clearing any types of acne.

If you need advice on acne, why not get in touch and hear what I have to say in person and in that way you will be sure of getting the right advice.

The acne milk connection

2011-09-30T04:17:00.000-07:00

I was recently contacted by a dermatologist in the states who has conducted a lot of research into the link between acne and milk. He very kindly emailed to me a host of articles for me to read. It made for an interesting read but in my 5 years of treating acne, I could not agree with the information that I was reading. Why?

It goes back to classing all spots as 'acne'. Cow's milk will only ever cause one type of spot. I can clearly identify a dairy spot when a client comes in for a consultation. Has the dairy spot appeared due to the hormones in the milk? No, in all cases where I have identified dairy as being a problem, by introducing certain enzymes, I am able to stop the appearance of these spots. If these spots were hormone related the introduction of enzymes would make no difference. This makes the cleverly written articles null and void as far as I am concerned. Sorry!

I find it fascinating when dermatologists get in contact with me. I love to hear how other people opt to treat acne but as soon as I find out that they use antibiotics or Roaccutane/Accutane to treat acne I know instantly that they still have a lot to learn about why the body produces spots. No one with a full understanding of acne would need to rely on these drugs...drugs that I may add can cause acne when used long-term.

I never recommend acne medication as I don't need to...I have spent 15 years researching acne and I know my subject. When I am asked then if I am a dermatologist my answer is normally "no, which is why I am able to clear acne...I opt to think differently."

I have my doubters...

2011-09-23T11:38:00.000-07:00

From time to time when I have a spare moment I pop onto google to see what is being said about me...now that always proves interesting.

First of all I have my doubters, they are not people who know me, or have read my book or have had a consultation, but there they are online commenting about the advice I give for acne when the truth is they haven't a clue how I run my clinic or care for my client's or the wonderful results that I get, but they feel that they need to comment anyway.

I know that I annoy a lot of people in the health profession. I do not associate myself with any 'bodys' or choose to write articles for peer magazines, you see that does not interest me. What interests me is helping people to get rid of acne to allow them to get on with enjoying their lives. For example, take doctors, they train for 7 years and think they know everything about health (and so they should after 7 years) and are sitting in their cosy surgeries writing out endless prescriptions for acne medication telling their patients that diet and acne are not linked. Here I come along and tell their patients that this is not true and in fact the medication prescribed by their GP could actually cause acne...I understand that most doctor's would not like that...and let me tell you they contact me and tell me so!

Then I have nutritionists who feel that they are far more qualified than I. I have noticed that some nutritionists have mentioned this online. That makes me laugh. What makes me qualified to treat acne is not my 'official qualification' it is the fact that I have spent 15 years researching and reading every book available as well as speaking to various doctors from around the world and then experimenting with my knowledge until I undid the puzzle which confuses so many health professionals. I agree that this is not conforming, but why should I conform when I spent countless years going ot health professionals who were deemed qualified and yet they were unable to clear my skin. Isn't it time that someone was brave enough to take a different look at this skin condition that continues to baffle most health professionals.

The interesting this about one of the comments by a nutritionist on one of the acne forums was that she had acne and yet here she was telling people to be careful about my advice; if she could be a little more open to suggestion she should be getting in touch and I would then help her to clear her skin and she too could use this information to help others. Sometimes it doesn't pay to be too critical. Isn't it sad when people judge you on what letters you have or haven't got after your name...in the world of health letters after your name can often mean very little.

I work very hard at my clinic to ensure that all of my clients get results. I only stop my check in service with my clients when they have seen results and know how to stop acne naturally. I suppose I will have to get used to negative comments but one thing is for sure, they do not come from my client's.

What a mad couple of weeks!

2011-09-12T05:44:00.001-07:00

I have had a really busy last couple of weeks what with a feature in the Sunday Post magazine in Scotland and a mention on the BBC News online on the back of a radio show, I am lucky to have had time to do anything other than work....but I am not complaining.

I have the most delightful clients all with different stories to tell, all with various types of spots appearing on various parts of their body and most having exhausted everything their GP and dermatolgist have had to offer.

One of my clients was told by her dermatoloigist "you just have bad skin, it is as simple as that, you will just have to live with it." Another client was told after visiting 3 different dermatologists "we don't know what is causing your acne." At least they were honest!

I have also had various doctors get in contact with me, one thinking that I was using information that he had written about the link between dairy and spots....nope...sorry you are on a different track altogether than me. He was nice though and is working hard to change things. It was refreshing to be contacted by a dermatologist who really was interested in changing things but he has been trying to do so for a number of years and is constantly up against trying to provide his counterparts with scientific evidence for his theories. Meanwhile, little old (or not quite so old) me will continue clearing skin whilst dermatologists around the world go from conference to conference patting each other on their backs talking endlessly about how to cure acne, trying to raise their profile, when a perfectly natural solution already exists. It truly is a funny old world!!

On another note a delightful friend of mine Arina Gibson got back in touch last week, she was the girl that introduced me to organic skincare products many years ago. She now has her own website and has lots of information on organic make-up. I will do a blog about this later this week. Meanwhile the website address is: http://purenaturalmakeup.com/
This girl really does know her stuff!

A beautiful complexion is like a flourishing garden

2011-08-18T08:00:00.001-07:00

'A beautiful complexion is like a flourishing garden', I read recently from a book about how to retain a youthful complexion. It continued 'There isn't a quick-fix cream or a fountain-of-youth fluid that will erase years of abuse; you need to make logical, healthy choices day to day, and each of these choices has obvious consequences.' I couldn't agree more but the problem we have is that skincare companies spend £££$$$ telling us that these creams and fluids do exist.

The book continues 'You'll sleep better, you'll have more energy, your moods will become more consistently elevated, and before you know it, you will see a whole new face looking back at you from the mirror.' Now creams and fluids cannot offer you this hope...but the fact is, to attain a youthful and spotless complexion it takes effort and for many people this can be asking too much; they have been sold the idea of creams,lotions and pills and that is what they want.

At my clinic the majority of my clients come to me looking for immediate results, and if I can see a client before they take all the acne medications and use all the acne lotions, then I can provide immediate results however for other clients whilst I can tell them the cause of their acne, the only way they can change their skin condition is to make deliberate and healthy choices when it comes to eating.

Acne sufferers from day one, are sold the idea that their spots can be eliminated by using creams and lotions, when that fails to work they are told to try pills in the form or antibiotics, contraceptive pill and roaccutane. When these fail to bring about results they are left stranded and start at this point to consider if there is a link between diet and acne. By this time a lot of damage can have occurred and the type of spots may now have changed. There may be other health problems to deal with and this acne sufferer is still looking for an immediate result. When I see a client at this stage, I know that I can reduce their breakouts and clear large spots very quickly but it may take weeks/months at times for my client to see a completely spotless complexion. The original cause of acne may still exist but this is now complicated by additional problems such as a poorly functioning liver or no good bacteria in the intestines.

The book I read continued 'Success comes from nourishing your roots with the right food and activities' Yes, successfully getting rid of acne comes from nourishing the inside by eating the right foods that work well with your body. Clear skin comes from drinking good quality water, exercising, getting the acid/alkaline balance right, eating foods your body can digest, getting sufficient sleep, eating foods that contain essential vitamins and minerals to allow your body to function as it should, consuming probiotics and avoiding all medication that destroys good bacteria.

Quite simply, clear skin can be achieved by everyone but how much effort are you willing to put in?

Tremendous Response to Radio Show

2011-08-12T10:41:00.001-07:00

What an interesting week!! I personally was not happy with how the discussion went recently on the Call Kaye Radio Show on BBC Radio Scotland, I had so much information I wanted to share with the nation to help them to alleviate spots but the show decided to go in favour of the GP...who ended up promoting Roaccutane, I was not a happy bunny!

The response however has been fantastic. It would seem that despite not being allowed to say much, I got my point across, and the point was that there is a natural way to tackle acne and that acne medication can cause considerable damage to the body. As do other drugs pumped out by the pharmaceutical companies...in fact one doctor on twitter recently said "most problems people go to their GP with they could sort themselves added to the fact that GPs often do not have a solution".

The GP on the show was defending the use of acne medication and insisting that the drugs he prescribes works. I on the other hand see the people who have given up on GPs and need another solution. I saw a lady this week who had used Roaccutane for over 3 years plus 15 years using antibiotics to treat her acne...she still had acne, but very shortly it will be gone and I am working with her now over the next 2 weeks to ensure that is going to be the case. I am not a nutritionist who takes your money and insists that you keep coming back to see me, this just doesn't work for acne, if an immediate result does not happen an acne sufferer will just give up and go elsewhere why? because they are used to building up their hopes time and time again only to have them dashed time and time again. If I am asked to clear acne, I stick with my clients until they do.

It was refreshing too this week to have a number of clients, varying in age, who had a clear understanding of acne medication prior to visiting my clinic and had refused to take anything prescribed to them by their GP. They knew the dangers of these drugs and it wasn't me that told them, they just understood that with pharmaceutical drugs comes the risk of side effects. I was delighted to hear that this message is getting through to people. Just because your GP says it is safe to take doesn't mean that it is.

There is a really good website somewhere (I will twitter this) written by a GP who fully understands that there are good doctors who understand health and those that are no more than drug dispensing puppets worked by the pharmaceutical companies (those are my words and not his). His message was clear, when prescribed a pharmaceutical drug, ask your GP "are these drugs safe", "is there any natural alternative", "Is there anything I can personally change in my life to help my condition such as diet etc", "what are the side effects to these drugs". Another pointer, when GPs start quoting statistics and studies have shown etc to promote their drugs, these studies and statistics are normally provided by the drug companies, the same ones that make the drugs. Whether these studies are to be believed is up for debate.

None the less a hugely positive and enjoyable week at the clinic.

The continual denial of the link between diet and acne

2011-08-10T09:42:00.000-07:00

One of my clients emailed me this week alerting me to an article in The Sun newspaper denying any link that existed between diet and acne. It is of no coincidence that this has come out after the subject was raised in a recent radio discussion I took part in recently on BBC Radio Scotland. When I started shouting people would start shouting louder...that I predicted!

I am fully aware that many health professionals simply refuse to believe that there is a link between acne and diet. The question is why do they deny it? This goes back to a doctor's training. They spend their training studying pharmacology, disease and surgery. How much time do they spend studying nutrition? Very little in fact one doctor I spoke to recently said that what he learned about nutrition at medical school could be "written on a postage stamp".

When a doctor comes out of medical school he is told that he knows everything about health and he/she generally believes that they do, which can often come across in the condescending manner in which they discuss health with other health practitioners. These doctors really do believe they understand health better than homeopaths, herbalists etc who have been using tried and tested natural methods of treatment for 1,000's of years. Yet according to many GP's there is simply no 'scientific evidence' to show how these methods can work, and yet they do work for millions of people.

Does it therefore matter that there is no 'scientific evidence' to prove if a herb or a technique works, surely if a natural treatment consistently proves to work and there are no dangerous side effects, then it works. Yes there is plenty scientific evidence to back up pharmaceutical drugs but these tests have been conducted by the same companies that make the drugs, therefore can these studies and tests be trusted? The fact that there is a link between diet and acne is clearly shown by the change of thinking by many doctors such as Dr Goodless, MD based in Central Florida who opts to treat his acne patients naturally through diet and supplementation rather than use prescription medication, why? because he had a far higher success rate in treating his patients in this manner.

Acne is not the only so called condition that doctors are divided on. Cancer is a subject that is slowly dividing doctors between those that believe the invented statistics released from the cancer industry and other doctors who are opening up their own private practices to treat cancer naturally. When you start looking into the medical establishment one thing is always glaringly obvious...the need to make money and lots of it.

A flea up against an elephant!

2011-08-04T03:33:00.000-07:00

"You are a little flea up against an elephant", is how a close family relative described my appearance on the Radio Scotland Show yesterday when I was discussing acne with a GP, "why are you so confrontational?" I was asked.

If I appeared angry and confrontational then there is a good reason for this. Every day at my clinic I see people who have had the condition of their skin ruined by the use of harsh chemical based lotions prescribed to them by their GP, they often have other side effects such as chronic fatigue, crawling skin, sore joints, migraines, bloating, to name but a few and often these are the side effects from using antibiotics and the well known acne drug Roaccutane.

If I am honest I get tired of undoing the damage that GPs are doing to their clients. If a safer and natural way to clear skin exists, why aren't doctors looking into this? The problem we have here is that doctors are not trained in nutrition, their training resides in their knowledge of pharmaceutical drugs. Why are they not trained in nutrition? because a natural solution without the use of pharmaceutical drugs does not generate an income.

"These acne drugs have been tested and have been scientifically shown to work" said the GP yesterday (or something to that effect) but who tested the drugs and who claim that they work? The same people who make them, the pharmaceutical companies. Yes, Roaccutane may offer some people a solution but what damage is it doing to their liver in the long-term? It isn't just alcohol that damages the liver, pharmaceutical drugs can also cause serious damage as is the case with Roaccutane. Should our GPs really be recommending a drug that damages peoples liver just to allow them to have clear skin? Shouldn't they instead take the time to look an alternative solution for their patients?

I am not the only person that can cure acne naturally but I am the only one that is willing to make a song and dance about it and the only one who seems willing to confront GPs in their handling of acne. If my approach to this subject offends some people then so be it, my interest solely lies in helping acne sufferers, if I offend a few GPs on the way or people who think everything a GP has to be right, then so be it...I make no apologies.

My appearance on the call Kaye show BBC Radio Scotland

2011-08-03T05:23:00.000-07:00

I was delighted yesterday to have been invited onto the call Kaye show on BBC Radio Scotland. I was however disappointed this morning with how the discussion went as the item was more concerned with how acne made people feel rather than offering people a real solution to their skin problem. I don't think anyone needs enlightened as to the negative effect acne has on people's lives.

Every time I went to speak I was told not to and the only way in which I could end up speaking was to interrupt. My advice was quickly dismissed by Shereen which made me realise early on that she was not a believer in what I had to say which was quickly confirmed by how often she approached the doctor for advice (that is my take on it, so apologies if this was not the case). The doctor has obviously been asked on numerous occasions to give advice on this show.

So instead of popping on the radio this morning to offer some much needed new advice on how acne should be treated, instead we had a doctor on ,along with a few callers, promoting the liver damaging drug Roaccutane! The pharmaceutical companies must have loved Dr Hamilton today...doing his job well by promoting drugs. Well done him.

It was quite low though for him to start questioning my qualifications. I do not hide the fact that I am only a nutritionist, Dr Hamilton has far more qualifications than me, that is not up for debate, but the fact is, I can through my own research and experience clear acne without any of the drugs he was promoting. If I can do this with my few qualifications, why can't he?

The truth is my job should not exist, it only exists because there are countless acne sufferers out there who have tried all the treatments Doctors have to offer and are still fighting to get rid of acne. Dr Hamilton today called acne an 'illness'. The truth is acne is not an illness, it is the body's way of telling you something is wrong and with the right nutritional advice it can be put right.

Yes, my way of treating acne is completely different from what most GP's have to say. Yes, I am not as qualified as Dr Hamilton...he was quick to point this out (how sad to sink that low!) but the fact is I can, and do clear acne day in, day out and have done so for the last 5 years at my clinic.

But my goodness there must be a better way to earn a living for sanity reasons!! :-)

To help or not to help?

2011-08-01T03:12:00.001-07:00

I find it difficult at times to hold back from helping other people with acne. Take for example, I am in a shop and the person serving me has acne, do I mention that I could help them or do I ignore the fact and carry on with my daily life? As a former acne sufferer, I had plenty of people comment on my skin but none of these people really knew what they were talking about, they did not own an acne clinic they just thought they could help by suggesting some creams and lotions they saw advertised, this did not help and to be honest someone commenting on my skin was thoroughly embarrassing.

That leaves me with what should I do? I must admit sometimes I cannot help myself and if I feel the shop/area is quiet I have a quiet word. This is sometimes welcomed and other times I think I just end up embarassing both parties.

It is sad that acne is deemed to be an embarassing condition. It is even sadder that the general public believe that their GP or dermatologist has the solution to their problem. This leaves acne sufferers in an awkward situation as when the drugs fail to work, what do they do? Who else do they talk to? I must admit that when I was in that situation many years ago it did not enter my mind to visit a nutritionist, what an earth would a nutritionist know about acne when the GP was quite clear that acne and diet were not related? I am not saying that all nutritionists understand the reason why all spots appear but most could at least partially help.

Mention the problem or ignore the problem...there probably isn't a right or a wrong...but one thing is for sure, if I had met someone who owned an acne clinic when I was younger, I would have jumped for joy...but then that is just me...

School Campaign - £50 worth of Living Nature products to be won

2011-07-28T10:35:00.000-07:00

If you have been keeping up with my blogging and have flicked through my website enough times, you will realise that I am passionate about helping people to avoid acne...especially teenagers who often think that acne is something that cannot be avoided. I am now taking my 'show on the road' and will be speaking to teenagers throughout Scotland within secondary schools to help them to learn how teenage acne can be avoided.

This is where I need your help. I am looking for a punchy title for my campaign. Suggestions so far have been:

Pop the causes of teenage spots

Teenage acne: bursting the myths and curing the problem

Teenage spots - the clear skin formula

Acne me? No chance!

If your suggestion is selected you will win £50 worth of Living Nature skincare products stocked at the Elaine Mummery Acne Clinic and selected for your skin type or alternatively you can select £50 worth of supplements.

If you have a suggestion that you feel would make teenagers sit up and take note of this campaign, please email your suggestions to info@clinicforacne.com

Many thanks

Elaine Mummery

What causes cystic acne?

2011-06-29T01:37:00.000-07:00

I have been reading a book about acne this morning written by a dermatologist, a book entitled '30 days to clearer skin'. It is not the easiest book to read and at no point does he mention types of spots, but instead he focuses on what most dermatologists focus on... hormones and what causes inflammation. I admire this dermatologist however as he has been willing to embrace the diet v acne link and admits that he gets much better results treating his clients using diet than he ever did with using pharmaceutical drugs. His ideas on acne however are up for debate?

A standard day at the clinic, I can see a client who has red pimples, no cysts, no deep pus spots just red pimples. Another client can come in with deep pus filled spots covering their face and their back, no red pimples and no cysts. Yet another client will come in with cysts on the chin, no pus filled spots, no pimples, no blackheads and no spots on any other part of their body. My clients' ages range from 13 to 50. According to this dermatologist this all relates to hormones to some degree or other. But does it? That is not my finding at all.

Take cysts* for example. Many people are bothered with cysts on their chin. Why their chin? What does this signify? This tells me that this client's liver is unable to digest the fat that they are consuming. I provide them with the right supplements and low and behold these spots never appear ever again. What has caused the liver to stop digesting the fat? Some of my clients who have had these cystic spots had a very low fat diet so why was their liver not functioning properly?

I am often asked, why can't you just put up all the information on your site like other sites do? The fact is, it is near impossible to do this. What causes acne differs from person to person. Most acne sites have been set up simply to promote products and if they are not selling products they are using their site to sell advertising. Whilst I can stop acne for most clients within the week, it is important to sort out why the acne first appeared and repair the damage whether it be to the liver, the stomach, small intestines or bowel. Acne is a sign that the body is not functioning properly, when I take on a client it is my aim not only to clear their skin but also to get their body well again.

*Cysts are hard and very painful spots that come up very quickly. They never come to a head and can remain on the skin for many months. Without the right advice cystic acne can cause scarring.

Acne advice in magazines

2011-06-28T04:48:00.001-07:00

With summer upon us (or supposedly??) there are lots of articles in magazines at the moment on how to tackle adult acne. The problem with most of these articles is that they focus on tackling the acne problem from the outside. This is great news for the manufacturers of medicated acne products and I am sure this is their best time of year for selling their products, but it is not the advice acne sufferers need to clear their skin.

Medicated acne products contain either salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, if used constantly these products will damage the overall condition of your skin. Some of these products may help a bit with breakouts but they will not stop breakouts completely. Many of these products simply do not work at all and only sell the idea that they do, with users feeling 'well if it didn't work for me, it must be working for someone else', when in fact they don't work for anyone and yet people keep buying them...as is the case with most of the medicated acne products stocked on the shelves of our chemists shops.

You may already have tried to tackle acne naturally with advice that you have read online or in a magazine? You may already have tried everything your GP has had to offer? You may have tried every medicated acne product on the market? You may then feel that you have tried 'everything' and that you are never going to find a solution?

I have been clearing acne for 5 years at my clinic. Many of my clients have thought that they have already tried 'everything' but upon speaking to me and understanding the problem they have quickly realised that without the help of an acne specialist they would never have uncovered the real reason why their acne existed. Many of these clients have cleared their skin in less than a week.

If you think that you have tried everything and still have acne...why not get in touch and I will show you how to get rid of acne for good.

How to get rid of acne...online advice.

2011-06-24T06:35:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I had 15 minutes to spare and thought I would just pop into google 'how to get rid of acne'. As usual a whole lot of people/companies trying to sell all sorts of lotions and potions, You Tube advice from doctors advising people to use chemical based acne lotions, and then I stumbled upon this advice.

'See a dermatologist. You can't always get rid of acne by yourself. Get help from someone who knows what they are doing and can prescribe powerful treatments if needed. Looking for acne tips on the net is fine but you can find out so much more with one trip to a good dermatologist'.

This is the mistake that people are making up and down the country, they are assuming that their dermatologist understands acne and has a cure for it. Whilst dermatologists should understand acne, most don't and the only medication they are able to provide, that your GP isn't able to, is roaccutane. Roaccutane can seriously damage your liver and in the majority of cases will not provide the user with a lasting solution to acne...I should know I treat people every day who have used roaccutane, some on 2 or 3 different occasions.

A little bit of knowledge on a subject can sometimes be a dangerous thing...and the net is full of people who have a little bit of knowledge about acne. Only one part of this quoted statement was correct and that is 'Get help from someone who knows what they are doing'.

If you want to get rid of acne, why not give me a call as I most certainly 'know what I am doing'.

One medication for every type of skin rash?

2011-06-23T02:07:00.000-07:00

Part of a doctor's training is the study of rashes. They know what type of disease/infection causes what type of rash. They know the difference for example between the rash that appears with Lymes disease to the rash that appears with each type of meningitis and prescribe a different medication for each condition; anyone that has suffered from any of these diseases are extremely grateful to our doctor's for having learned this skill. Why then is acne not treated in the same way?

For some reason, somewhere down the line in the medical world, someone or some group of people decided to class blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, nodules and cysts under the term 'acne'. Yes, they did group them into types of acne such as 'acne vulgaris', 'cystic acne' and 'acne rosacea' but were you aware that they use the same medicated lotions and acne drugs for them all, why?

The problem is, and this surprises a lot of people, our doctor's do not know what triggers blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, nodules and cysts. They think that all of these spots appear due to 'too many hormones'. Why then does the body produce such a variation of spots if it was all caused by the one thing...hormones? It doesn't make sense, which is why doctor's (unless they have an understanding of nutrition) are unable to give their patients a lasting solution to acne. In fact their way of dealing with acne and their 'one drug/one cream suits all' approach is making the acne problem worse for thousands of acne sufferers.

So whilst the majority of acne patients continue with good faith to seek advice from their GP, and spend the following months/years trying everything their GP has to offer, I am helping my client's to deal with the acne problem quickly allowing my clients to see visibly clearer skin within just 7 days. My way of treating acne ensures that my clients achieve good health as well as clear skin. The use of medication on the other hand will damage the patients liver and digestive system normally resulting in the unexpected return of acne and poor health later in life.

Acne can be treated quickly and safely or drawn out with long-term side effects - what option are you taking?

My job sometimes makes me sad

2011-06-21T08:45:00.001-07:00

I struggled to get into my clinic this morning. The rain was pouring again...and this did nothing for my spirits. I dragged myself in however and was glad that I did, I am always glad that I do, as I meet delightful people who have really got themselves lost in the world of medicine and supplements.

In many respects I have a wonderful job, it makes me so happy to see my clients achieve clear skin, I really do feel that I am contributing something truly worthwhile during my time on this planet, however what makes me sad each day is that I come face to face with the damage that our doctors keep creating with their overuse of antibiotics.

I recently had a client who had been using antibiotics for 18 years! Another client who was prescribed antibiotics every 6 months and was even prescribed antibiotics for thrush even though the antibitoics caused the thrush!

I see only a small proportion of the UK population and I shudder to think the damage our doctor's keep doing with their use of antibiotics. Is it any wonder that we have superbugs in our hospitals. Constant use of these drugs and it 'gooses' our immune system, we contract viruses, go into hospital, contract MRSA (or some other super bug) they give us antibiotics to kill it and they don't work...why? because our bodies are so used to antibiotics? When we really do need them...they don't work...a very dangerous situation to be in.

Who is regulating our doctors? It seems that doctors can just prescribe whatever they want and keep on prescribing them regardless of the damage they are doing to their patients. For most of their patients the list of symptoms they suffer from, due to taking these drugs, would probably take the patient so long to describe that their 10 minutes would be up...so they get to symptom one and low and behold they get another course of antibiotic!

We have to start questioning our doctor's, other doctor's too agree with this. Next time you are prescribed with some medication ask:

1) Do I really need to use this?
2) What are the side effects?
3) Do you know of a natural solution to my symptom?

In many cases seeking the help of a nutritionist or a naturopath is far the better option.

If acne is diet related, why do people with healthy diets still get spots?

2011-06-14T03:45:00.000-07:00

There is huge debate online as to whether acne and diet are linked. I also recently listened to Dr Sarah Jarvis last week on the Jeremy Vine Show on Radio 2 when as usual she was unable to explain acne or to provide any listener with any concrete information that would allow them to successfully stop spots. Most GPs and dermatologists have written off the diet and acne link as nonsense and continue with their drugs, but is this where the problem lies? Are the drugs causing the problem?

We all know that teenagers are more likely to get acne but the mistake people make is to assume that this is always hormone related. Yes, doctors are starting to realise that by encouraging a low GI diet that acne can subside and yes this can stop the production of the hormone insulin needed to lower blood sugar levels and yes this in turn stops the production of sebum, but this will only be a solution for some acne sufferers. You may have tried this and still have acne?

If you have acne, have you noticed that there are different types of spots? There can be blackheads, whiteheads, small red pimples, large deep spots with a white head and painful cysts. Were you aware that there is a different reason as to why all of these spots appear. Why then do GPs and dermatologists class them all as 'acne'. Why is there no research to look into the cause of each type of spot. Why are all acne sufferers regardless of the type of acne they have, given the same drugs?

As you may be aware I have undertaken a great deal of research that has allowed me to discover what triggers each type of spot. This is the key to getting rid of acne.

If acne is solely hormone related, why do some teenagers grow out of acne and others take it with them into adulthood. Could it be that acne is not always hormone related? That is certainly my findings.

My extensive experience in successfully clearing acne has also established time and time again that acne is often the side effect of using acne medication. So whilst you may have a healthy diet fully of fresh fruit and vegetables and cannot relate your breakouts to what you are eating, your breakouts may solely have been caused by your use of medication either to treat your acne or to treat some other condition that you may once have had. These medications, albeit unbeknown to you, will have wiped out your good bacteria. It is suffice to say that without good bacteria an acne sufferer has no hope of clearing their skin.

What about milk? Does milk cause acne? Yes for some people it does however this can often point out the lack of good bacteria within the intestines as it is the good bacteria that produce the enzyme that digests the lactose in the milk.

The fact is there are so many different reasons why spots appear but one thing is for sure...the clue is in the spot!

Chocolate Lumpy Bumpy Cake

2011-05-31T02:35:00.001-07:00

I was in my local cafe recently in Glasgow and whilst waiting on my lunch noticed they were selling a delicious looking chocolate cake which was aptly named 'chocolate lumpy bumpy cake'. You see having just popped out from my acne clinic, I know that this cake would indeed cause a lumpy bumpy reaction for some of my clients. It is not the fact that it is chocolate...it is the fact that it is high in fat which can cause cysts to appear for people who cannot tolerate fat, high in sugar which is hugely problematic for some acne sufferers and it contains cow's milk which will make sure that if the customer is lactose intolerant, they will have lumpy bumpy skin to remind them of their indulgence for the following week.

There is a rumour circulating, with help from pharmaceutical companies (who tell doctors what to believe) and manufacturers of medicated acne products and pills, that acne has got nothing to do with diet. Let's be honest...who really wants to change their diet when there is so much tasty food about...that is the message that these companies keep putting out "eat what you like as we will sell you a solution".

That would be okay if they indeed had a solution, but working in my acne clinic over the last 5 years, I know that there is no solution to be had from all of these drugs and lotions and in fact the majority of these products do more harm than good. Added to that the longer you go without treating the root cause of the problem, the higher the chances that acne will stay with you forever...these companies know full well what they are doing....they don't want to give people the solution to acne, they do however want to sell the idea that their products works to keep you buying them meanwhile your skin continues to break out.

If you are an acne sufferer, start to pay more attention to what you are eating and take a food diary to see if there is anything that you are eating that could be linked to the appearance of spots.

Cysts on the side of the chin, large deep spots in the middle of the cheek, small whiteheads sprinkled over the chin area, little pimples that seem to appear every day for no reason. There is a different reason why all of these spots appear. The biggest mistake that is made is calling it all 'acne'.

If you need a solution to your acne problem...why not get in touch?

But all my friends are using antibiotics!

2011-04-18T03:56:00.001-07:00

"But all my friends are using antibiotics". I have heard this said to me on numerous occasions by some of my younger clients over the years when I have suggested that there is a much better and safer way to get rid of acne than taking prescription medication.

There seems to be some sort of unspoken belief that just because the drugs are prescribed by the doctor they are safe to take. All prescription medication comes with the risk of side effects and there are side effects to all acne medication. Just because doctors hand out antibiotics for any old health problem doesn't mean to say that they are right to do so. In fact on many occasions the misuse of antibiotics has hit the headlines. Doctors are told by the government time and time again to only use antibiotics if absolutely necessary and yet all I see at my clinic is the result of the misuse of antibiotics.

Antibiotics should never ever be used to treat acne. Blackheads, whiteheads, nodules, pustules and small red pimples are all different signs that the body is giving us to alert us to something that is wrong. Doctors unfortunately put a blanket label across all of these different type of spots and call it acne. Spots appear and everyone seems to go racing down to their doctor as they have heard other people taking acne drugs and they too want drugs.

What type of spots do you have? Do you have recurring pimples on your chin? Do you have nodules appearing over your cheeks and under your chin? Do you have small whiteheads that continue to appear on your chin and around your mouth? There is a different reason why all of these spots appear. If you choose to use acne medication you are ignoring what your body is telling you. Ignoring a sign from your body can have very serious consequences and by using acne medication you are significantly increasing the risk of acne re-appearing.

It has been so refreshing recently to have some younger clients in that have only just taken antibiotics. I can undo the damage very quickly when antibiotics have recently been prescribed and can stop acne within 7 days. For clients that have taken antibiotics to treat their acne on and off for years, they are now suffering from a whole lot more health problems than just acne and on average it takes 12-16 weeks to eliminate acne.

Antibiotics at best will only ever provide a minority of acne sufferers with a temporary solution to acne. If your friends want to continue to use them and trust their doctors, they are going to be in for a nasty shock. Stand up be different and choose to treat acne naturally as it is the only way that you will ever get rid of acne for good.

Acne Campaign

2011-03-25T03:27:00.000-07:00

This morning I am working on a new advertising campaign to alert acne sufferers to the fact that doctors to not have a solution to acne. It is a pretty weird campaign when you think about it as doctors are supposed to understand how the body works and therefore should be able to understand acne and have thought up a solution.

Sometimes people get quite taken aback when I say that dermatologists (unless they have studied nutrition) are the worst people to seek advice for acne, I just know they are thinking "who does she think she is, she is only a nutritionist". The fact is I only became a nutritionist to allow me to open my clinic; my knowledge of why acne appears did not come from my professional study of nutrition, as helpful and informative as it was.

I spent 15 years independently researching the cause of acne because my GP and a host of other alternative practitioners were unable to give me the solution to acne that I so desperately sought. Their limited knowledge of why the body chooses to produce spots never ceased to amaze me and the fact is, many years later at the year 2011, the situation out there regarding acne remains virtually the same. A host of health practitioners claiming to know how to cure acne when in reality they have not got a clue!

The really sad part about all of this is that we are dealing with peoples lives. If a doctor decides to specialise in skin and call themselves a dermatologist, they are announcing to the public that they have been taught EVERYTHING there is to know about skin conditions and diseases. We should feel safe in the knowledge that we are attending the right doctor for our skin complaint. And yet, the reality is that most dermatologists do not understand acne and have only ever been taught to treat the 'condition' with pharmaceutical drugs. The fact is acne is not a 'condition' it is a symptom and the reality is that the drugs they choose to use are actually damaging the health of their patient and causing acne to continue.

Such a gorgeous sunny day to work on such a serious campaign...but hey someone has to do it!

Another delighted client!

2011-03-14T06:52:00.000-07:00

Oh I am a happy bunny today! Sometimes getting rid of acne can be pretty easy and other times it can be a challenge especially when my advice completely contradicts the advice doctors continue to hand out. My clients therefore have to have faith that I do indeed know what I am talking about.

A recent client of mine was completely intolerant to sugar, even the smallest amount of sugar caused a breakout, I have never experienced a client having such a sensitive reaction before. I worked with this client for five months, and now after a lot of hard work by us both, we have got there and my client last week had a slice of chocolate cake and some ice cream without experiencing any outbreaks! For this client getting rid of acne took a bit longer than they had originally anticipated but they now realise that by fixing the root cause of the problem they can avoid acne for good. Now that is what I call a REAL solution.

In fact there is something else you need to know about my client and that is that prior to my client making contact with my clinic, my client was informed by their GP that their acne was caused by their 'body's reaction to sebum' and was subsequently put on a course of antibiotics. These antibiotics actually caused my client more harm than good, and if my client was to have continued on this course of treatment my client's health would have deteriorated rapidly and their acne would have got worse. Thankfully my client realised the doctor's solution was never going to clear their skin and thankfully my client got in contact with my clinic.

Yet another very rewarding result!

Acne - The desperate search for the 'magic pill' !

2011-03-04T07:43:00.000-08:00

It never ceases to amaze me the pills that people will invent and how gullible people are to be taken in by them. It seems that the greatest majority of the british public has been brain washed into believing that a pill truly does exist for everything.

Take slimming for example. Why on earth do you need a pill? And yet, slimming pills make the manufacturers millions of pounds each year. Everyone is looking for the easy answer and companies are setting up all over the place fulfilling the needs of this pill popping nation.

Have you seen how many acne pills are now on the market. Products such as Vilantae, Pantothen and SkinB5 all claiming to cure all types of acne? Really? If they are right and all it takes is a toxic dose of Vitamin B5 to cure acne, I have to ask myself what have I been doing these past years treating people at my clinic when it seems that all I needed to give them was a pill! Is a toxic dose of vitamin B5 really going to heal a leaky gut, sort out food intolerance issues, constipation, hormonal issues caused by diet, etc etc. No it isn't. I can guarantee you one thing, Vilante, Pantothen and SkinB5 will sell and they will sell because we are a pill popping nation, with the majority of us believing that somewhere there will be a pill that will cure acne!

The makers of these acne pills are also very clever because many offer a money back guarantee knowing full well that very few people will take them up on it. You see the thing about acne is this, 90% of what is being sold online, and in the shops for acne do not work, the makers just sell the idea that they do. This is enough to get people to buy them. When they don't work (and they won't work) the buyer, despite feeling let down, is reluctant to complain because they feel 'they obviously work for other people, or they wouldn't sell'. Hence the reason why offering a 'money back guarantee' works, because few people will take advantage of it.

I am going to suggest this to you. If you buy an acne product that claims to cure acne and it does not work for you - send it back to the company and ask for your money back. These companies need to be challenged with their claims.

Acne gone within the week...job done!

2011-02-23T03:25:00.000-08:00

Everyone that makes contact with my clinic are hoping for one thing...and that is that they want a quick and easy solution to their acne problem.

We are a society that are used to pill popping and we are encouraged to do so by our doctors. Our doctors you see are not trained in nutrition so they have little idea of how else to treat illnesses other than prescribing...your guessed it, a pill!

Many of my client's unfortunately, before they contacted my clinic, believed that there was a pill that could cure their acne. Acne is therefore set up as some kind of 'condition' rather than a symptom. If you ask a doctor if he can cure acne with pills, he will undoubtedly say yes, as he believes that his drugs work. It is interesting then when the majority of my client's have tried everything their doctor has to offer and still have acne!

The point I am trying to make my way to is that if you choose to use acne medication, you are only making the acne situation worse. The majority of my client's only have acne because they used acne medication to treat teenage acne. The use of acne medication is ruining people's lives and it is also making my job a lot harder to do!

I was delighted therefore when recently I had some client's who came to see me who had never used pharmaceutical drugs to treat their acne, I very nearly gave them a hug I was that delighted to see them! I gave them the advice they required, made a few changes to their diet and their acne was gone within the week...job done!

My message that I am trying my very best to get across today is this...the only way you can truly eliminate acne is to tackle it at its source. Whilst products like Vilantae are sold as the solution to acne, it may only be the solution for a minority and you may have subsequently poured your money down the drain. Whilst laser treatment is sold as the solution to acne, it may not work for you (the majority of my clients have had multiple courses of laser treatment that failed to work for them). Whilst Roaccutane is touted as the cure for acne, 90% of my client's have already tried it prior to visiting my clinic and it has never worked for them.

By sourcing the cause of the acne, my clinic can offer you a real and lasting solution to your acne problem. You never know, we may just be able to get rid of your acne within the week!!

Reliving a nightmare!

2011-01-24T09:46:00.001-08:00

I had a nightmare last night. I was invited to a party and was unable to go because my skin had broken out. Not just any old spots, no these were huge spots so big that there was no way I could step out of the house. Needless to say when I woke up this morning the first thing I did was to check my face in the mirror and to my relief there was not a spot in sight.

I suppose working in a busy acne clinic each day takes its toll. I talk about acne day in day out and sometimes my brain gets a bit fuddled with it all. My nightmare, that appears every now and again, reminds me of how devastating it can be to have acne and how it can be difficult to plan anything as you never know what you are going to look like to the outside world at any given point.

I remember only too well the hurtful comments people would make to me when I was younger. It saddens me that 25 years on I still hear the same hurtful comments being made about other acne sufferers. Acne has to be one of the most misunderstood health problems in the western world. People still have the belief that a well-known acne skin cleansing product that is constantly advertised on TV and in magazines, works! I even heard Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear telling a young man in the audience to "buy himself a bottle of C*******". Clever advertising at its best!

There are millions of people buying products such as these with the belief that 'they must work or the shops would not sell them'. The companies that produce these acne lotions rely on the fact that few people want to learn how their body works; they rely on the fact that most people want a quick fix; they rely of the fact that people are gullible and buy into clever advertising - if they sell the idea that the product works then people will buy it. Very few people question the writing on the label of a skincare product and very few people understand what they are reading, they just buy it in the sheer hope that it may end their misery.

Thankfully my acne was only in my nightmares...the people that come into see me each week at my clinic are living their nightmare as acne continues to appear day in day out making their lives a misery.

So whilst my brain does get a bit fuddled from time to time with the constant talk about acne...when a client gets in touch and tells me that their skin is now clear...it makes all the nightmares worthwhile!

Airy-Fairy Nonsense!

2011-01-13T01:24:00.000-08:00

I had to laugh this week as a client informed me that she discussed the contents of my book Spotless - The Essential Guide to Getting Rid of Spots and Acne with her GP. It was of no surprise to me to be told that her GP laughed when it was suggested that her acne could be caused by eating something that she may be intolerant to. In fact, he didn't just laugh, he told her that my book was "airy-fairy nonsense".

The definition of 'airy-fairy' is insubstantial, lacking substance, imaginary or unreal.

I thought it was pretty magnanimous of me to laugh at this insult considering that I spend most of my time at my clinic undoing all the damage resulting from the use of prescription medication given by GP's to treat acne.

Let me see, first there are the harsh medicated lotions that dry out my clients' skin making their skin super sensitive whilst spots continue to appear. Then there are the antibiotics that wipe out their good bacteria in their colon that my clients' need to complete digestion and to keep their immune systems working. Then of course once they have completed damaging their skin, killing off their good bacteria, they poison them with a drug called Roaccutane with the hope that one of the side effects of this drug may just shrink their pores to stop spots.

The majority of my clients have acne way past their teenage years due to the drugs given to them by their GP to treat their teenage acne!

The sad part is most GP's think they know everything about health and the even sadder truth is that the general public believe this too.

Many people are scared to take natural supplements as they believe that they may overdose on them and damage their body whilst they are happy to take prescription medication that can do a lot more damage. I do not know of any cases whereby someone has died using natural supplements however I personally know of many cases whereby people have died through the overuse of prescription medication. In fact a friend of mine died a few years back at the age of 40. At one stage she was taking 35 tablets a day, prescribed by her GP. Her body needless to say packed up!

Acne medication ruined my own health and it has taken me years to right the damage. I accept some of the responsibility as I did not know how my body worked, neither did my parents, we believed that acne had nothing to do with diet, as did our GP. I was raised by my parents to respect doctors therefore I believed what they told me about my skin. On reflection, my GP knew nothing about acne, all he was ever taught was the drugs to prescribe. The drugs that he prescribed made me very ill. I see similar cases to my own every week at my clinic.

Let me tell you a little bit more about my delightful client with the insulting GP. She stopped consuming milk for 2 weeks and her skin is much better. Acne and diet are not related....airy fairy nonsense!

Don't be taken in by acne e-books that cost ££££

2011-01-06T10:54:00.000-08:00

It never ceases to amaze me the amount of money that people will throw at acne in the hope that they will find the solution. Acne is a condition that makes people desperate, which is why I hear stories from my patients about applying nappy rash to their skin, or toothpaste or some other bizarre concoction that someone has come up with and posted online.

Then there are the people who write acne e-books. Now to be fair I have not read any acne e-book, I leave that to my patients. Many of them, previous to visiting my clinic, have purchased up to 4 acne e-books. With the average price of an acne e-book being £25.00!!! This is a lot of money just to receive an email that has cost the author virtually nothing at all. £25.00 straight profit for selling you what is normally a personal account of their life. Is it going to help you to achieve clear skin? Possibly, possibly not.

You see what causes acne for one person can be completely different to what can cause it for someone else. I have treated 100's of people since my clinic opened in October 2007. I have found that acne can be caused by stress, acidic blood, yeast overgrowth, hormones caused by a poor diet, allergy to engine oil, allergy to skincare products, allergy to make-up and food intolerance.

If I was to treat my patients solely with what cured my own acne, I would have cured less than half of my patients.

In this year of limited money and increased VAT (in the UK), it is more important than ever to look after your money wisely. By taking the steps early on to source the root cause of your acne, you will save yourself a fortune. In many cases acne can quite simply be stopped within a week by making some simple changes to your diet. The secret to getting rid of acne is to put a stop to it when it first shows up, the longer you leave it the more damage it will do to your skin and the higher the risk of scarring.

Sp before you part with a huge chunk of your spendable cash on an acne e-book, ask yourself, is this just a personal account of the author's life or has the author actually treated people professionally?

Is Roaccutane the only way to treat teenage acne?

2010-05-20T02:00:00.000-07:00

I recently joined an acne-blog website and was literally horrified to see that the website was recommending and supporting the use of the acne drug Roaccutane. This drug is a serious acne drug and GPs are only supposed to recommend it for serious acne, never for mild or moderate acne due to the harsh and dangerous side effects that can come from using it. As an acne specialist I thought I would pop onto the site to offer some help. The response I got blew me away. "Are you a dermatologist" they asked, "how dare you come onto this site", "we never asked for your help" etc. etc. And there was me thinking that they were going to be grateful for some free advice. I have after all been studying the cause of acne for 20 years therefore it is fair to say that I know a thing or two about it!!

It seems to me that there is a lot of confusion out there about acne. It is understandable as our own NHS website states "your diet does not cause spots or acne". Your GP or dermatologist will no doubt be telling you the same thing and of course we are all raised to believe that what our doctor tells us is true. What people are failing to realise is that our doctors are taught very little about nutrition hence they think that diet and acne are not related because the only way they know how to treat acne is by using prescription drugs. They do not know of any other way! Nutritionist's on the other hand study nutrition and learn very little if anything about prescription medication therefore they know that your diet can cause spots.

I feel sad that the people blogging on the acne site had their ears closed to any advice, because they are truly missing out on an opportunity to learn the real reason why their spots are appearing and if they learn this information they will not need to risk their health by using this dangerous drug. Things need to change in this country. We need to stop relying on our doctors for health advice, we all need to start learning more about how our bodies work and stop relying on prescription medication every time we have a health problem.

So, is there a safer alternative to Roaccutane? Most definately. Is your dermatologist the best person to seek advice from for acne? Most definately not. For a safer alternative to prescription acne drugs why not make an appointment at my clinic. I offer virtual and telephone appointments if you are unable to come to my Glasgow clinic. Have a look at my website for more details. www.elainemummeryacneclinic.com.

Adult Acne - Why it can be so dfficult to find a solution

2010-05-17T04:51:00.000-07:00

Whilst there is a host of information on the web about acne, most of the information is written by people who have never experienced acne first hand, and are trying to cash in on an ever growing market, or have found a way of curing their own acne and assume that there findings will help everyone else. The truth is, that what causes acne for one person can be entirely different to what causes it for someone else, hence the reason why the acne debate over whether or not acne relates to diet continues.

I have been studying acne for 20 years. I am a fully qualified nutritionist and author of the UK's bestselling acne book Spotless - The Essential Guide to Getting Rid of Spots and Acne. I also run the Elaine Mummery Acne Clinic to be found at www.elainemummeryacneclinic.com. I think it is fair to say that I know a thing or two about acne!

The first thing you need to be aware of, is that what causes adult acne is normally entirely different as to what causes acne as a teenager. Teenage acne as a rule is quite easy to eliminate and to avoid but the problem lies with the use of acne prescription drugs. We have found from our experience at the clinic, that if a teenager takes prescription drugs to treat his/her acne, the risks of them getting acne later in life increase substantially. Why is this the case? Acne prescription drugs in the form of antibiotics, kill off the good bacteria as well as any bad bacteria. Whilst I have heard people talk about "killing the bad as well as the good", I do not think people really understand the seriousness of this. Your colon contains 80% good bacteria and 20% yeast. If a drug kills off the 80% good bacteria, this now allows the 20% of yeast to multiply. This yeast not only multiplies, it mutates and starts to attack the body. That is why if you are suffering from adult acne you may also be suffering from constant fatigue, depression, anxiety, sore joints, muscle aches, cracked heels and sinusitus.

Seeking advice from your GP is unfortunately likely to get you the results you are looking for when treating adult acne, as their knowledge lies in the use of prescription drugs and it is quite likely that the use of these drugs have caused you to have the problem in the first place.

The good news is that if you seek professional advice from a nutritionist qualifed in the treatment of acne, they will be able to offer you a solution to your skin problem and help you to get rid of acne for good.

Clearing up Acne without the use of prescription drugs and medicated skincare products

2009-08-14T12:52:00.000-07:00

When I was 13 I started to get acne. I did what most kids do and headed down to my GP only to be told that "it was my age" and that I "would grow out of it". My skin problem took over my whole life and when i as 16 and saw no end to it I went back to my GP and so began the taking of prescription drugs and the use of topical skin lotions. The only drug that worked for me was Tetracycline and my skin cleared up for 1 year then the acne returned and no matter what I was given from the doctor nothing worked for me again in fact my skin was worse than ever as the topical lotions given to me had removed the top protective layer of my skin. I started out with very oily skin and now I had very dry skin after using all the useless skin lotions and drugs given to me by my GP. I had always been told by my GP and the various other doctors and dermatologists that I visited over the years that acne had nothing to do with diet however when a family member told me to give up dairy products I had results within 1 week. I now had clear skin! I was now 26, I had suffered from acne for 13 years! When I went back to see my dermatologist she told me that she had never heard of acne being caused by dairy products and that it must be a coincidence, in fact she laughed at me! However, I continued to avoid dairy and my skin cleared up completely. I was able to take lactase enzymes to allow me to eat dairy now and again and this worked out fine.

My overall health however started to go down hill and during my 30's I was constantly fatigued, and every day I woke up feeling generally very unwell. I visited many doctors who could not find out anything wrong with me. My acne also returned and I was desperate for an answer. As no GP could offer me any help whatsoever, I decided to educate myself and started to study nutrition. What I discovered was that I had a condition called Candidiasis brought on by the constant use of prescription drugs that I took for my acne when I was a teenager. I treated my condition and now have healthy skin again.

What everyone suffering from acne must realise is that GP's do not have any cures for acne. Most GP's in the UK treat acne as a condition. My research, that has spanned over 15 years, clearly showed to me that acne is in fact a symptom and the root cause must be found and addressed before the skin can heal up naturally. What I also realised was that everyone is different and what can cause someone to have acne can be completely different to someone else.

I am now a Nutritionist and run my own acne clinic: Elaine Mummery Acne Clinic www.clincforacne.com. I have helped 100's of people to clear up their skin naturally and without the use of prescription drugs (that are dangerous and come with all sorts of side effects), medicated skincare products (most of which are a waste of time and none treat the root cause) and expensive skincare products.

The majority of people that visit me at my clinic in Glasgow are people in their 20's -40's. They have tried everything to cure their acne and have ended up going down the same road as myself and have health problems relating to the prescription drugs that that have taken over the years. Prescription drugs are not the answer!

I have written a book entitled Spotless - The Essential Guide to Getting Rid of Spots and Acne. This book is currently the best selling acne book in the UK. It is available from all good high street and online bookstores and is retailing at £10.00.

My youth was ruined by acne as was my 20's and early 30's. I do not want anyone to have to suffer like I did however the problem remains that people still have the belief that their GP has the answer. People still believe that acne is all part and parcel of being a teenager.

No-one has to suffer from acne and the key to getting rid of it is to treat it as early as possible. The longer you leave it the more chance you will get scarring and the greater risk of health problems later in life.

The problem with acne is that there are far too many people making far too much money out of other people's misery. My book will save you £££££ as you will not need to waste your money on silly products that offer you the world and disappoint each time.

If you are unable to buy my book then ask for it at your local library as most libraries within the UK now stock it. All I want to do is to help people to get rid of their acne.
If anyone has any questions concerning their acne then please contact me at info@clinicforacne.com and I will be more than happy to offer free advice.