Think about this: what causes acne? Well, acne comes from excess oil buildup due to a clogged pore. Okay, that's all we need to know.

Now, let's think. There are certain things that we know cause oil buildup. The main thing is overdrying the skin. If the skin gets too dry, the body's natural defense it to produce more oil. Well, how does the skin get too dry? One of the main causes of dry skin comes from cleansers and chemicals that strip the natural oils from your face. When these cleansers and chemicals are used, the body produces more oil, thus causing a production of too much oil, thus causing acne breakouts.

Also, the oil has to be trapped in the skin to form a breakout, which happens when the pore is clogged. As we all know, clogged pores come from things we put on our skin such as makeup and other cosmetics. We also know that dirt from our hands touching our faces cause clogged pores.

So, let's put two and two together here. Based on what I have just said, (all are things that are scientifically proven), if we were to stop drying out our skin with harsh chemicals and cleansers, and stop clogging our pores by touching our faces and applying makeup, then our acne would go away. Right?

Now for some anecdotal evidence to support this theory:

1. I went through the stage of having puberty breakouts, and didn't like it, so I began washing with soaps on my face for the first time in my life. Well, gradually the acne got worse, so the soaps got harsher. This, I feel, only caused my acne to become even worse, and it got to the point where I was so self-consious about it that I had to start wearing makeup (I am a guy). This worsened the problem further by clogging my pores, thus the acne got worse. Then, as more breakouts appeared, the more I started touching and picking my face. Also, the makeup application became more intense, until last weekend, I looked at myself in the mirror and started crying. Obviously, what I am doing to my face is not right for it to look this bad.

2. My best friend does not have acne. His face is absolutely beautiful, and he is my age. He knows about my problem and he knows that I wear makeup (one of two people that do) and he has told me that the makeup is only making it worse. Today, I asked him how he washes his face, and how often he washes his face. His response: "I don't, I just shower." Then I said, well do you put any soap at all on your face when you shower? His response: "No, I don't even think about my face when I am in the shower." Keep in mind, he has perfect skin.

What does all of this tell us? It tells me that if we stop abusing our faces with chemicals and cleansers, and start letting our skin work naturally, like it was designed to do, then our acne problems would go away. Also, we need to stop touching our skin, this is a must. This clogs pores and causes blockage that results in breakouts.

I need to add that this is not for acne that is hormonal, as this acne is caused by factors yet to be determined. Also, I need to say that I realize how difficult it is to go without makeup, as I am on my second day without makeup and have not left my house yet.

Finally, if anyone has had any success by stopping cleansers and chemicals on their faces, I'd love to hear about it. Good luck! I hope you found this interesting.