The bane of youth and adults everywhere, acne is the result of excess oil secretions, compounded by microbial infection. While acne is hereditary to some degree, stress is also a major contributor. In addition, many women often suffer from acne during their menstrual periods as a result of hormonal changes. The underlying truth is that acne doesn't discriminate by age and gender.

So what can one do to fight the pestering and reoccurring acne? Some of the tried and tested home remedies include applying toothpaste on your acne before going to bed, which helps to reduce swelling overnight; dabbing egg white on your acne, as this is supposed to �Suck Out� the nasty stuff; washing your face twice a day in warm salty water, and icing down the acne before bed, thereby making it noticeably better by morning. Another good option is to apply strawberry leaves on the acne, as the alkalinity of the leaves helps reduce the swelling.

Some very important points should be kept in mind while treating acne outburst at home. These include: avoid scrubbing and squeezing acne; wash or bathe regularly to keep the skin bacteria-free; avoid agents, such as soap, which dry the skin; and follow a good balanced diet. A good option is to increase your vitamin C intake by eating plenty of raw fruits and vegetables. In addition, it is healthy to reduce intake of sugar and fat consumption.

A facial mask containing ingredients such as tea tree oil, fresh garlic cloves, bruised cabbage leaves and witch hazel helps by reducing the swelling and cleaning pores.

Though most of acne home remedies sound bizarre, they have helped some people and can help you as well. What�s even better? Acne home remedies cost you nothing!