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

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

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

Why Acne Treatments Don't Work

In life, when the truly important things seem to go wrong, it seems as if everything goes wrong. This certainly seems true when one’s only major hope in life is to have clear skin. In the pursuit of perfect skin, teenagers and adults may run through three to ten different acne treatments yet, seemingly never get a pimple reprieve.

Why does this happen and how can the people longing for clear skin finally get their just desires?

Not Exploring Multiple Acne Options
Could indolence be the answer? This February, a report in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology & Venereology found that acne treatments may not work because persons suffering with acne simply opt not to seek treatment. Researchers from England examined 594 adolescents between the ages 14-18 with acne lesions on their face and/or body.

The researchers found that only a quarter of the participants with 20 or more papules and/or pustules used a topical acne treatment and while just 10% sought systemic therapy.

Frustration with Acne Treatment Ineffectiveness
The effect of diminishing returns could also undermine the performance of an acne treatment. This means that as a patient has more negative experiences with an acne treatment, the less likely his is to believe that another acne product will prove effective.

For example, a study, from the above journal, examined the effect an acne treatment has on the quality of life of the patient. In Spain, researchers examined 1878 patients who received acne treatment with topical 4% erythromycin 0.2% zinc under clinical supervision.

After issuing quality of life questionnaires to the participants, the investigators found that if the treatment does not work, the quality of life of the patient goes down. Likewise, patients who reported their skin condition as “the same” or “worse” at the end of the study had significantly worse baseline scores on their symptoms and emotions scoring.

Having one bad experience with an acne treatment saddens the acne patient more and makes their acne condition seem worse that it actually is.

While the report from Spain illustrated what does not work in treating acne, an investigation issued in Journal of Dermatology back in October of 2006 shed light on how to improve a person’s quality of life with acne. The study involved 50 women with acne.

One half of the women receive a conventional acne treatment and instructions on how to use cosmetics with the acne prevention regime. The other half only received the acne treatment with no cosmetic instructions.

After four weeks of treatment, both groups experienced similar improvements in the condition of their skin. But, the group that received instructions from the dermatologist posted higher scores on the psychological quality of life test.

These findings suggest that patients using acne treatments should also receive instructions for using skin care and cosmetics.

Inadequate Instructions on Acne Product Usage
But in same cases, as pointed out in a study from the British Journal of Dermatology, sometimes acne treatments do not work simply because the patient did not use them correctly or long enough.

In May of 2005, researchers evaluated 687 patients from a dermatology outpatient clinic. The patients used isotretinoin or conventional acne therapies. Of the 687 patients 403 completed the study and the compliance questionnaires.

The researchers found that younger patients were less likely to adhere to the instructions for the acne treatment than older patients. On the other hand, being female, married, employed and not paying for prescriptions were associated with a higher medical adherence.

According to the researchers, the major reasons for missing treatment given by the patients were being fed up, forgetful or too busy. Smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol also reduced medical adherence.

It is noteworthy that medical adherence was greater for isotretinoin therapy (also sold under the name Accutane) and for first time usage of isotretinoin.

Perhaps correctly following the instructions for isotretinoin is not only related to the fact that using the drug requires pre-screening health tests, detailed instructions and monthly follow-ups, but the treatment itself is relatively expensive which can re-enforce the desire to get what one has paid for.

In short, medical studies suggest that acne treatments do not work for multiple reasons. It could be that the treatment was not used long enough, the patient is annoyed with searching for “the magic acne cure”, or that the patient did not receive adequate instructions regarding how to use the treatment and completely integrate it with her lifestyle.

Get More from Your Acne Treatment
Given these findings, people with acne can take steps to increase the chances that their treatment will work by doing the following:

1. Get complete information on how to correctly use the acne treatment;

2. Ask how long the product will needed to be used to see visible improvements and

3. Use the acne treatment consistently

Naweko Nicole Dial San-Joyz founded Noixia, a San Diego based research firm dedicated to helping people intelligently, safely and affordably enhance their image by offering custom skin solutions to people with acne scars on the face and body. San-Joyz She has appeared on radio stations, in newspapers and on TV shows across the United States promoting beauty through health consciousness. Anyone seeking to enhance their image and remove acne scarring can find custom, clinically proven solutions at Noixia.com

4 Simple Ways on How to Get Rid of Acne Fast

Acne can be a problem in many ways... it's painful, hard to bear, hard to look at, and very very uncomfortable.

Acne can come in many different forms.. it can be mild and in the form of spots, it can be red in the form of a rash and it can also be angry and swollen in the form of boils and lumps that are itchy.

Acne can put many people of their daily life, it can ruin all confidence and make everything seem difficult.

I have 4 SIMPLE TIPS ON HOW TO GET RID OF ACNE FAST

1. My first tip would be to DRINK plenty of water, drink more water and then drink some more water. Drinking water cleanse your skin by flushing away all of your toxins that cause acne. The more water you drink the more you go to the toilet and the more toxins you flush away. Drinking water will also increase moisture levels in your skin and thus keep it more supple.

2. Try not to use a soap when washing. In my opinion the best form of washing for anybody suffering with acne is with ordinary cold water. No soap should be used as this will dry the skin and cause acne eruptions in certain areas.

3. Try not to wash your face every time you look in a mirror. Many acne sufferers will look at their skin regularly and will want to wash more frequently. This extra washing will only flare up your acne and cause pain and red blotches.

4. LEAVE YOUR ACNE ALONE. Many acne sufferers touch their acne at every opportunity to see if it has went away. The more you touch your skin the dirtier it becomes and the more acne eruptions will form. I know it is hard as you constantly want it to go away, but do not touch it and it will go away in time.

These tips are the basics on How to Get Rid of Acne Fast

I have one final tip and this is the biggest of them all.. Believe in yourself because the chances are that you are the only one that notices your acne!!

Thanks for your time

If you want to get rid of your acne please read more about it here. http://www.skincare.e-bookincome.co.uk

Preventing Acne Breakouts is Not about Medicating But about Educating

Are you struggling with facial and body acne? Do you want to get your acne under control? Are you tired of ugly pimples and blemishes? Do you wish for a clearer, healthier complexion, with smooth, shiny looking skin?. Well then definitely keep reading because you don't need prescribed medication to achieve healthy, blemish-free skin. There are a few simple things that you can do that will have you on your way to achieving clean looking skin. In trying to prevent acne it is not just about medicating the symptoms but more about understanding the cause of your acne breakouts and then making a few simple changes.

In most cases, acne is caused by an over-production of oil from the body. Changes in hormones cause the body's production of oil to fluctuate. The dead skin cells and bacteria on the skins surface cause pores to become clogged with oil and debris which create an inviting environment for acne to grow.

Many people don't recognize the importance of washing their face on a daily basis. If you are one of these individuals who has yet to start a daily skincare regime, now is the time. If you are sincere about controlling acne then start by washing your face, once in the morning and once in the evening. Use a gentle soap and a soft wash cloth. Resist the urge to wash your face in hot water as this opens the pores of the skin and leaves them vulnerable to oil and debris. Use lukewarm water and start washing in a gentle circular motion. Do Not Scrub. When you are almost finished, rinse your face with cold water to help close the pores and tighten the surface of the skin. If your skin type tends to be dry and flaky, you may want to use a moisturizer at this point in time.

When you are in the shower, it is recommended that you shampoo and condition your hair, and then move on to washing your face and body. The shampoo and conditioner leave a residue on your skins surface and if you wash your face and body first you are opening up your pores and allowing this residue to penetrate the skins surface, whereas if you wash your face and skin after, you are washing away the residue left behind from the shampoo and conditioner.

When it comes time to purchase a new cosmetic product our suggestion is to look for products that are "non-comedogenic". Non-comedogenic products do not promote the growth of acne and will not irritate the skin like other cosmetics on the market. They do not encourage acne blemishes or future outbreaks and do not contain, greasy oils and other ingredients that tend to do more harm to your skin than good.

If your blemished skins appearance is so bad that no facial cleanser or soap seems to be working, then to prevent future acne breakouts and facial blemishes, you might need to consider other alternatives like a medicated product. There are even organic, hypo-allergenic skincare products for people with sensitive skin. But before you try something new, you'll first need a better understanding of your skin type, the degree of your skin problem and what type of acne treatment will fit with your lifestyle.

To find out more information on acne prevention and acne treatment, or if you just want to learn what skin type you are then visit our site Guidetoclearskin.com today.

Acne Free in Three Days

To be acne free in three days is a large request! But there are definitely steps you can take to significantly reduce your acne in three days and within a week or so be acne free.

Here is some advice and some tips to assist in acne prevention and treatment and general skin care.

- Get lots of fresh air & sunshine for the vitamin D; this vitamin is essential for healthy skin and not only will your skin appreciate this vitamin but your body & mind will receive the oxygen and provided by a regular, daily outdoor activity. Remember to use sun block protection lotion if you are out in the sun as the sun is the single most skin damaging part of nature. Sunburn is simply dead skin cells which will block the skin pores resulting in more acne.

- Stress can trigger internal chemical responses that result in acne so plan ahead to deal with extra stress that can foresee. Plan some extra rest time leading up to the event and use relaxation or meditation aids such as cd's,, dvd's and cassettes to help you relax. Take time off for exercise or to simply have some quiet moments.

- Drink lots of water daily. Too little water can lead to dehydration which can lead to the dead skin cells not being shed properly, leading to more blocked pores and more acne.

- Acne has nothing to do with uncleanliness generally so there is no need to wash and scrub your face excessively as this will simply result in dry skin, and then the body comes to rectify the situation by creating more oil (sebum). It's a cycle!

- Add lots more fruit, vegetables, seeds & nuts to your daily diet. Salads, dried fruits and nuts, juices and other healthy treats need to be including in your daily food intake planning.

So, to be acne free in three days, you need to specifically follow the following pattern and you will see a marked improvement in three days :

First: gently wash your face each morning and each evening using a skin / facial cleanser. This will clear off the dead skin cells and the excess oil the body builds up over a period of hours. If the cleanser is anti-bacterial all the better because this will kill of any bacteria on your face. Pat your face dry and gently apply some hydrogen peroxide to the inflamed area/s which will help dry them out.

Do not touch you face at any time as your hands carry bacteria that you will spread to your susceptible face. Use a tissue when you have an urge to scratch.

Second: Each evening sleep on a clean pillow case and this will ensure none of the dead skin cells are there to block up the pores of your skin, forcing the cycle to start all over again.

Third: eat lots of fruit, vegetables and drink and a lot of fresh water; the water will assist the body to expel the toxins in the your body.

Fourth: Take some exercise in the fresh air each day.

Following the above guidelines you will see a marked improvement very quickly; continue with the treatment and you will be virtually acne free in three days or a few more at the most!

Dr Nathalie Fiset is a family doctor and a certified hypnotherapist. For more information go to: http://www.blastacne.com/Acne-Free-in-3-Day.html, http://www.aperfectharmony.com, or http://www.a-1hypnosis.com