Wednesday, March 28, 2007

What Is Acne? Why Am I Affected? How To Treat It?

Acne is a result of the over activity of the sebaceous glands which are the oil producing glands of our body. This over activity results in excess oil production which together with hair follicles and germs create a suitable environment for the acne breakout to take shelter. Acne can appear in various forms like whiteheads , blackheads, pustules and cysts. It can appear virtually anywhere- on your cheeks, nose, back, chest and, in some cases, over the whole body as well.

It is a chronic skin disorder which has troubled around 80% of the people around the world. The small kids- as young as infants, the adults and the old people- all could be attacked with acne. It seems quite amazing as how can an ailment attack so many people- of different ages and races.

What is the exact cause of acne is not known as yet. Still, we have some substantial explanation for the emergence of acne.

Puberty is identified as the main cause of acne breakout. During puberty, tremendous changes to the hormones bring in, which affects the production of sebum in your body. And together with hair follicles and bacteria, they create the requisite shelter for the occurrence of acne. Our bodies are natural shelter to this acne producing bacteria. But only when the growth of these bacteria multiplies and other acne inducing factors home in, we get acne attack.

Genetics are also found related to acne. That is, if your father or mother had this problem in the past you have very good chances of its meeting with it in your life phases like puberty or pregnancy.

Next identified cause of acne is stress. Stress indeed is an additive factor. Your pimple condition can get worse if you also suffer from stress, depression or anxiety.

As exact cause of acne is not known, many myths have taken a natural shelter. Acne is not caused by junk food, chocolates, chips pizza or soda. However you should not indulge in too much of these foods as they may disrupt your digestion process which may induce acne causing factors in you.

Many of us believe that acne condition is associated with teens only. But this is not true. Age is not a defining trait to get or not to get acne. As you see a pimple popping up on your skin, you should strictly take a restrictive step to mollify the attack. Benozyl peroxide is one of the main ingredients to fight acne.

Some people would say acne is a normal part of growing up in a child. This is a false belief and such myths are real culprits for increasing army of acne among the kids. Apart from taking help from your dermatologist, you should also adopt some good habits to cure acne.

To keep acne away, learn to stay clean and healthy. Keep your surroundings and yourself very clean. Wash your face with a mild face wash or soap 2 to 3 times a day.

Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and drink lots and lots of water.

You should avoid squeezing or pricking a pimple as it can lead to infection which may worsen your condition.

People with long hair should not allow hair to fall on their face. Hair sprays, gels should be kept at a bay from the face.

To know more about how to treat acne and what is best acne medication visit http://www.acnetalks.com/pimple/magazine/edition/Acne-Skincare.htm

Friday, March 23, 2007

Are You Using Anti-Freeze To Treat Your Acne?

If your reading this I will assume that your life has some how been impacted my the highly irritating disease called acne. It is not surprising that you have been affected by it in some way seeing as though it is the most common of the skin diseases and affects close to 17 million people in the United States. It is most common among young adults ranging from 12-14, nearly 85 percent have acne; however acne still occurs among people who are below and above this age group. Acne will seize to exist for some by age 30, however for many it lasts until they are in their fifties.

Many people use products on their faces and other areas of their body that prevent acne. What many people neglect to investigate is exactly what they are putting on their skin. The answer is harmful chemicals. Your acne products may contain chemicals that, in high doses, are banned because they are so lethal. Some of these chemicals include Propylene Glycol which is a cosmetic form of mineral oil that is found in automatic brake fluid, hydraulic fluid and industrial antifreeze. According to the Material Safety Data Sheet users are warned to avoid skin contact as it is a strong skin irritant and can cause liver abnormalities and kidney damage. Alcohol is commonly used in acne products as well. Take note that it is not the same as the alcohol that is found in alcoholic drinks, it is much more dangerous. Alcohol can make your bodies tissue more vulnerable to carcinogens, an agent directly involved in the promotion of caner. Glycerine, which is a syrupy liquid chemically produced by combining water and fats, is also very commonly used in acne products. Most products with glycerine in their ingredients claim to be "replenishing" or "moisturizing" when in fact using glycerine on your skin only makes your skin progressively worse by drying your skin from the inside out. Other products this chemical is found in are insect repellent, car glaze and paint cleaner.

After reading these facts I hope you are as disgusted and, above all, worried as I am. You may be cleaning your skin with the same chemicals you use in your cars engine. you may be putting a chemical on your skin that you can also use to polish your floors.

The best method for curing acne is naturally whether it is a home remedy or a natural face washing product. Also, to prevent the cause of acne it is best to use natural cosmetics and lotions/moisturizers on your skin.

For More Information Visit My Blog: http://acnefree3days.blogspot.com

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Many Treatments For Acne Go From Mild To Severe

The treatments for acne will be varying according to the stage. Acne is a skin condition when blackheads and even painful red nodules are noticed on your skin, especially on your face, chest, back and arms. Acne can be basically divided into three categories - mild, moderate and severe. Each category requires different treatments.

Treatment for Mild Acne

Mild acne is generally treated by washing the acne affected area with warm water and soap twice everyday. Proper skin care is very important. You have to keep in mind that acne takes time to heal and that significant changes cannot be detected overnight.

Treatment for Moderate Acne

When pimples cover almost half of your face, then you are suffering from moderate acne. In such a situation, it will be best for you to consult a dermatologist. Combination therapies are used for the treatment of moderate acne, which includes physical treatment and prescription treatment. Oral contraceptives and oral acne treatments have also proved effective in some cases. Most acne problems, according to doctors are completely treatable.

Treatment for Severe Acne

When acne is severe, the pimples and the zits become inflamed, deep and like cysts. In this case, a lot of scars and damage to the skin occurs. This may arouse feelings of depression among the affected people. Dermatologists use aggressive treatment for stopping further growth of acne and simultaneously try to prevent the permanent scarring due to the acne. The treatment can be with injection of corticosteroid, medications such as accutane and even a surgical incision may be required depending upon the severity of one’s condition.

Acne treatments require your patience, as it is a time consuming process. You should be well-informed regarding the various treatments available. Any mistake on your part can make your acne stay longer.

Adult acne care will be quite different to the acne care for adolescents, because the hormones going through the bodies of adults are different from the adolescents. In most cases, the acne that appears during one’s puberty, seem to disappear after some time automatically with the body being gradually accustomed to the hormonal changes.

Various other treatments

Benzoyl Peroxide is the most common of all the acne treatments. It diminishes the activity of the sebaceous glands and helps to unplug the blocked pores of the skin.

Vitamin A derivatives, retinoids are effective in the cure of white heads, black heads ad comedonal acne. They remove the clogged material in the hair follicle and increase the turn over of the skin cells causing the disappearance of the spots.

There are also acne treatments available, which are prescribed by doctors.

Some over the counter acne treatments can be bought from pharmacies without a doctor’s prescription. However, if you have severe acne, then this should not be your choice for treating your acne.

Natural acne treatment requires you to maintain a clean diet and exercise regularly. There is indeed a reduction in acne breakouts if the intake of fatty and oily foods is considerably lowered or avoided altogether. You should actually treat the causes of acne for treating your acne.

Acne can also be treated by a chemical peel procedure which removes the top layer of the skin to get rid of the acne spots.

Laser acne treatment is a successful one. Though it is mainly used for the treatment of acne scars. Lasers are effective for treating superficial acne. In this case, high-energy light is used to vaporize the skin’s topmost layer, thus removing the scars caused by acne.

Robert Sheehan is a freelance writer and co-owner of http://www.myacneskintreatments.com Visit Robert and read more about treating acne at http://www.myacneskintreatments.com/Acne-Treatments.html