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Hi and welcome, Farfett.

I'm sorry you are having troubles with your skin. Having good skin is not only healthier, but certainly better for your self-esteem. I know how acne or oily skin can make a person feel and the self-consciousness it can bring.

My advice to you would be to see a dermatologist. He or she can do a full evaluation of your skin and your history. I take a topical antibiotic twice a day on my face and it helps enormously with acne. If I didn't take it, I'd have spots everywhere. It is called Cleocin and I roll it on my face in liquid form morning and night and my skin is great.

However, to improve my skin, I had to see my doctor who referred me to a great dermatologist and he began my treatment. I was also put on strong medication for 10 days to cure an infection in my scalp (and you face is a continuation of your scalp) that was causing terrible itchy bumps on my forehead. I was only sorry I took so long to see a dermatologist, because my problems cleared quickly once I got the right treatment.

My suggestion to you would be to do the same. All the over-the-counter methods in the world will not help you if you have a bacterial infection or some other cause that will require more in-depth attention.

I hope this helps and please keep us updated.

There could be many reasons for your breakout. It's difficult to make suggestions without actually seeing you, but I understand how frustrated you must feel....so I'll do my best to offer some suggestions in accordance with your concerns:

• Use the fact that you live in a high humidity climate to your advantage....it could actually help keep your skin clear! Just make sure you keep it clean.

• That said, Tea Tree and Salicylic Acid may be too strong for you. Drying the skin too much could cause the sebaceous glands to produce more oil to compensate. You mentioned that you've been using these products since February....what changes have you noticed? Have you had any improvement?

• Use what you learned in school about the zones on the face. The skin is just a reflection of what's going on inside the body. So ask yourself how are your lifestyle choices impacting your health? What can you do to clear your lungs? And teeth--are you flossing regularly? Also, bumps on the forehead could mean hormonal imbalance and/or digestive issues. Keep your food intake in check, ensuring you feed yourself clean, organic raw produce and avoid the 'junk'.

• Keeping the colon clean is imperative to good health and glowing skin, so 'take out the trash' via colonics/colon cleansing or other suitable detoxification program teamed with good food intake.

• Drink lots of pure water, too---keep it all hydrated. (1/2 body weight in ounces per day)

• As for one side of your face breaking out more than the other....do you talk on the phone on that side? or sleep on that side? Track your habits that impact the affected side of your face, so that you can make adjustments (clean the phone, change the pillowcase, etc.) Also, does your hair sweep down on that side of your face? In other words, take note of what is touching the affected area.

• Exercise is good, too. Oxygenate the body...even if you only breathe deeply for 10-20 minutes at a time. It'll help clear things out and lower your stress levels. Prayer, meditation and good rest are helpful to reduce stress as well as laughter.

There are a few obvious no-no's that I'm sure you're aware of (no soda, ciggies, fried foods, etc.). Let us know how you go.

Kristin Mills, Traditional Naturopath, CNHP
lagunanaturalhealth.com