Acne affects almost every one of us in some point of our life. It is not only a problem for teens. You can face acne problems at any time during adulthood, related to pregnancy or any other hormonal changes in your body. The best way to fight against acne is to take a proactive approach, taking daily care of your skin and your whole body.
What Are The Factors That Lead To Acne?
Acne occurs whenever secretions of the sebaceous glands, that normally lubricate the skin, are blocked. There are many factors that contribute to the developing of acne, such as genetic inheritance and over stimulated oil producing hormones. Many people whose parents have suffered from acne problems develop acne themselves as well. However, there’s no scientific proof for genetic inheritance of acne.
Many doctors claim that some substances, such as aggressive make-up, steroids, certain medicines or birth control pills contribute to the developing of acne. Others believe that acne is also connected to certain food types.
What Is A Proactive Acne Treatment?
A proactive behavior in general is acting against a problem that might occur in the future. If you fit some of the conditions that generally lead to acne, following a proactive Acne Treatment is the best way to go. A *proactive Acne Treatment* is a day-to-day care of your skin and body. There are several measures you can take in order to reduce the risk of acne or prevent the breakouts that do appear from getting too bad.
Proactive Acne Treatment Measures
Physical Exercise
Physical exercise is not only a proactive Acne Treatment, but also a great way to keep in shape and reduce the stress level. A high stress level is also a factor that contributes to the aggravation of acne. When exercising you sweat a lot and thus eliminate bacteria and oils out of your body. However, it is important to wear lightweight and breathable fabrics, because synthetic fabrics keep the perspiration on the skin and this can lead to acne.
Eating Behavior
A proper diet is also an effective proactive Acne Treatment. A well-balanced diet, rich in vitamins such as A, B, C and E will not only give you a healthy body, but also help with preventing and reducing acne. Drinking a lot of water will also help.
Reducing Stress
Stress has a huge impact not only on the way we feel and act, but also on the way we look. It sometimes develops dark circles on our face, wrinkles and even acne. Internal stress factors include anxiety, depression, low self esteem and other negative mental states. External stress factors include things such as oil-ridden make-up, overexposure to the sun and poor diet.
Participating to activities that you enjoy, physical exercise and a reasonable sleep period are things that help reducing internal stress levels. You can reduce external stress by using only oil-free cosmetics; gently wash your face twice a day with an exfoliating product and keeping a balanced diet.
A proactive approach is definitely the best way to avoid embarrassing and painful breakouts on your face as well as more complicated acne treatments. By following a proactive Acne Treatment you will not only have a healthier and better looking skin, but you will also achieve a general mental state of well being and a good physical condition.
Treat Acne Naturally with a Natural Acne Treatment
Conventional treatments for acne are many times successful. These treatments include cleansing lotions made with benzoyl peroxide, creams or gels made with vitamin A, and antibiotic medications taken orally or applied to the skin. However, it is very important to consider the risk of scarring when choosing a certain treatment. Natural acne treatments are both efficient and cost effective and they reduce the risk of scarring. These treatments include a balanced diet, vitamins and nutritional supplements, herbs and bodywork.
Diet
A died based mostly on whole and unprocessed food is often beneficial for people who suffer from acne. Try to eat vegetables at least five times a day and fruits at least once. Refined sugar should be avoided. You should also avoid fried foods, trans fats, such as milk or margarine and hydrogenated vegetable oils. It is recommended to consume foods that contain omega-3 oils, such as sardines or flax seeds. There are also some opinions claiming that chocolate, coffee, salt, shellfish, wheat products and carbonated drinks increase acne.
It is also important to drink a lot of water. You should try to have at list 8 glasses of water each day. Fiber intake is also recommended. In addition to fruits and vegetables, you should also eat whole grain. Some people claim that a liver detox diet from one to four weeks based on fruits and vegetables helps with acne.
Vitamins & Nutritional Supplements
Vitamin A can help with reducing sebum production. However, you should be careful not to exaggerate, as high doses of vitamin A can lead to a decreased bone density, headache, muscle and joint pain and birth defects. Sexually active women of childbearing age shouldn’t take more than 5,000 IU per day unless they are guided by a professional and are using at least two birth control methods. It’s not necessary to take vitamin A if there’s an adequate intake of vitamin E, zinc and beta-carotene, which contribute to vitamin A formation.
Zinc gluconate or zinc sulfate is also effective natural acne treatments. Two studies comparing zinc to antibiotic tetracycline have found that zinc is as effective as tetracycline. Zinc helps with healing blemishes, reducing inflammation as well as reducing androgenic hormonal effects on skin. This is why you should increase the intake of foods that contain zinc gluconate or zinc sulfate, such as seafood, red meat or poultry.
Vitamin B6 helps with pre-menstrual or mid-cycle acne and is essential for the metabolism of steroid hormones. It can also reduce skin sensitivity to testosterone effects.
Herbs
An effective natural Acne Treatment is obtained by mixing equal parts of sarsaparilla, burdock, yellow dock and cleavers extracts. It is believed that these herbs are blood and lymph cleansers. Half a teaspoon of this mixture should be taken three times a day. The treatment has best effects if combined with a healthy diet.
Tea tree oil also helps with reducing acne. If applied to erupted blemishes, it helps eliminating the bacteria and reducing inflammation.
Bodywork
Massage is another natural treatment recommended for people with acne problems. Bodywork helps increasing blood circulation and lymphatic drainage, thus fastening the blemish healing process.
Stress Reduction
Generally, stress is an important factor in many health problems, including acne. Reducing stress can be seen as a natural Acne Treatment. Some of the most common ways to reduce stress include yoga, physical exercise, meditation and breathing techniques. Doing things that you enjoy and avoiding stress factors is also very helpful.
Light to moderate acne is easy to treat and usually does not require prescription medication. In most cases, a proactive approach and topical treatment is all it needs to cure it. A healthy and balanced lifestyle is also important to fight against acne and prevent other lesions from appearing. When deciding which light Acne Treatment is best for you, it is very important to consider your skin type. Treatment made with more alcohol, such as solutions and some gels, are more appropriate for oily skin, while individuals with dry skin benefit more form a cream, ointment or lotion to moisturize it. Most over-the counter light Acne Treatment products contain benzoyl peroxide, glycolic acid or salicylic acid.
Benzoyl Peroxide
Benzoyl peroxide is the most frequently used ingredient in light Acne Treatment products. It has an antimicrobial action and fights against Pacnes, the bacteria that develops acne. It also decreases the concentration of free-fatty acid, reducing the development of microcomedones. Benzoyl peroxide also has an anti-inflammatory effect. For mild acne, it can be used alone and should be applied daily to the affected skin. Its main side effect is skin irritation, which can be progressively eliminated by frequent application.
Topical retinoids
Topical retinoids are highly effective and have a strong anticomedogenic action. They also have indirect antibacterial activity. The most commonly used medicine that contains topical retinoids is tretinoin. It normalizes the dequamation of follicular epithelium, helps with the drainage of comedones and prevents new ones from developing. It comes in gels, liquid and cream. Topical retinoids should be applied daily before going to bed. Common side effects are dryness and burning, but they can be reduced by applying the treatment to dried skin, just after washing and only in small amounts.
Topical antibiotics
Topical antibiotics applied to skin are an effective light Acne Treatment, reducing the number of P acnes on the skin surface and within hair follicles. They sometimes have anti-inflammatory effects as well. However, they do not have comedolytic results, so they work best as part of a more complex skin care program. They should be applied twice a day to affected skin surface. The most common types of topical antibiotics used in light Acne Treatment are clindamycin, salicylic acid, erythromycin, and sulfonamides.
Topical Clindamycin comes as ointment, solution, gel or pads. It helps reduce P acnes and free-fatty acids.
Benzaclin is a combination of topical clidamycin and benzoyl peroxide and gives better results than any of the two alone. It has two be applied to affected skin once or twice a day. Common side effects include dryness and irritation.
Sulfonamides are available in lotions and can be combined with retinoids, oral antibiotics or hormonal therapies to treat more severe acne cases.
Azelaic Acid is helpful for reducing P acnes and fighting against the developing of microcomedones. For light Acne Treatment, it gives good results even when used alone, but it is more effective as a systemic antibiotic therapy. It has to be applied twice a day.
Light acne can be cured easily and there are a lot of skin care products available on the market that can be used for this purpose. However, light acne should not be ignored or treated poorly, as it can develop in more severe acne forms which may lead to more visible lesions and scarring.
Acne is nowadays less frustrating than it used to be. Most acne cases can be generally treated successfully using a wide range of medications and skin care products. More severe acne can sometimes require the use of antibiotics. Laser Acne Treatment is a new and efficient technique for treating inflammatory acne cases, as well as acne scars. A laser Acne Treatment often leads to reducing the necessary amount of antibiotics for severe acne.
What Type Of Lasers Are Used For Acne Treatment?
There are two types of lasers and light based techniques used for treating acne. The first type is based on inhibiting the growth of the bacteria within acne lesions. The other type of laser acne treatments is based on shrinking the sebaceous glands. Both these methods are also used for treating acne scars.
However, in many situations, dermatological surgeons use more than one laser to treat acne lesions and scars. An appropriate laser Acne Treatment should be tailored on the particular condition of the patient, the type of acne lesions and the factors that have contributed to the development of acne problems. Different technologies can be combined to treat specific acne situations.
How Many Treatments Do You Need?
Laser acne treatments are generally performed 2-3 times a week. Most acne cases require an 8 week treatment before noticing significant improvement. It has been shown that after this period, the number of acne lesions decreases with approximately 65%. After the first 8 weeks, the patient must have periodic re-treatments.
What Does It Feel Like?
In most cases, laser acne treatments give a sensation similar to a rubber band. Some dermatological surgeons may choose to use a topical anesthetic cream to prevent the patient from feeling uncomfortable.
Can You Combine Laser Acne Treatment With Other Treatments?
A laser treatment doesn’t prevent you from taking your usual topical medication. Most patients continue with their regular acne medications during the laser treatment period. However, if you suffer from severe acne that requires the use of antibiotics, less medication will be required during the laser treatment.
Laser treatment is often efficiently combined with microdermabrasion. This can lead to even better results than the laser treatment alone. Some dermatological surgeons provide patients with home acne clearing devices to use during laser Acne Treatment. This can also lead to a faster clearance of newly formed lesions.
Laser treatment has helped many people fight against acne issues in an efficient way. Over 22 millions of people suffer from moderate or severe acne. Acne lesions can cause many social and emotional problems. If untreated, they can develop in permanent and unsightly scars. People dealing with severe acne problems often found in laser treatment the ultimate solution, after all other methods had failed. The results achieved with laser treatments last longer than the effects of topical or antibiotic treatment. In addition, unlike typical medications, laser Acne Treatment has proved to have few, if any side effects.
Most dermatologists agree that a healthy smooth skin requires keeping it clean, having a balanced diet and drinking a large amount of water. Even though these tips do help preventing acne, many teenagers are still stuck with it anyway. Topical medicines have encountered significant improvement in latest years and helped many people get rid of their acne. However, for some teenagers, they are too aggressive and can cause irritations or other skin problems, while for others they simply do not work.
Alcohol
Cleaning your face from oils, dirt and make-up does help. Wash your face twice a day and for better results, use a cotton ball dipped in alcohol to clean it thoroughly before you go to sleep. Alcohol not only dries your skin of oil, but also kills the bacteria that usually lead to acne and blemishes.
However, do not use alcohol to clean your skin more than once a day. If you overuse it, your skin can become irritated or peel. Alcohol can help a lot if put on a spot immediately after you feel a pimple is starting to develop. The skin surrounding a future pimple usually begins to sting. After you have noticed this condition, apply some alcohol only to the affected area three times a day.
Oatmeal
If you have a particularly oily skin, you are prone to developing blackheads. Oatmeal is an effective and very inexpensive method of dealing with oily skin. It is very dry and absorbs the oil from your skin. Prepare a thick paste by mixing oatmeal with water and apply it to your face twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. Leave it there for 10 to 20 minutes, and then wash your face with cool water.
Honey & Apples
Facial mask made of honey and apples is yet another effective homemade Acne Treatment to care for oily skin. Grate the apple into a fine pulp and then mix it with four tablespoons of honey. Apply the mask to your face and leave it there for ten minutes, then rinse with warm water.
Egg White, Witch Hazel & Lemon Juice
This is another homemade Acne Treatment that works for oily skin. Beat an egg white until it is stiff, and then add a few drops of witch hazel and lemon juice. Apply this mixture to your face and leave it on your skin for 15 minutes. Wash your face with warm water.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes help with oily skin also. Mash a ripe tomato and drain the juice on paper towels for 15 minutes. Then lie on your back and put the tomato pieces on your face, leaving them there for 20 minutes. Wash your face with warm water. Repeat the treatment each morning.
As experts also say, avoid handling your pimples much and do not try to squeeze them the bacteria under your fingernails will get into the pimple and develop the infection. If the medication you are currently using does not work, try a homemade Acne Treatment. If you don’t notice any improvement, go to a dermatologist to get a prescription.
There are lots of things you can do about acne on your own. A few changes in lifestyle, a daily care and keeping your skin clean and hydrated are useful tips that can help you get rid of pimples without going to a dermatological surgeon. Both home Acne Treatment and prescription therapy should focus on fighting against the three main factors that lead to acne: clogged pores, bacteria and excessive oil.
Lifestyle
Everyone agrees that a balanced and organized life, with 8 hours sleep, three meals and 8 glasses of water a day, is good for many things. Unfortunately, not everyone has the time and the ability to do it. However, a couple of things you can do is never try to squeeze your pimples and apply hot compresses on cysts and pustules.
Opening Pores
Despite all the advertisements you see on TV or read in fashion magazines, there’s no magic product that works wonders on everyone and in any situation.
Cleansing and Skin Care Products:
* Mild cleansers
* Exfoliating cleansers and masques
* Retinol
Killing Bacteria
Antibacterial cleansers
The most popular ingredient used in over-the-counter antibacterial cleanser is benzoyl peroxide.
Topical Applications
These external Acne Treatment products come in form of creams, lotions or gels and are applied on the affected skin surface. The active ingredients that kill the bacteria are sulfur, benzoyl peroxide and resorcinol.
Reducing Oil
You cannot stop your glands from producing oil. However, you can clean out the excessive oil on the surface of your skin.
Oil Cleaning Products:
* Mild toners
* Skin care products that contain glycolic acid
* Sulfur masques
* Antibacterial pads with benzoyl peroxide
What are other things you can do for acne?
Cosmetics
You shouldn’t hesitate to use cosmetics, such as cover-ups or foundation, to hide the blemish. Just make sure they are water-based and oil free and always choose high quality products rather than cheap ones.
Pore Strips
There are lots of such products available in drug stores under a variety of brand names. You are supposed to put them on your nose, chin or forehead and pull out blackheads and dirt accumulated in your pores. These strips are a cheaper equivalent for facials and they work well if you apply them properly. However, they don’t have the same effects as professional pore cleansing.
A Good Home Acne Treatment
1. Wash your face twice a day using a 5% benzoyl peroxide cleanser. If you are allergic to benzoyl peroxide, you can use a 2% salicylic solution.
2. Use a gel or cream with 5% benzoyl peroxide, sulfur or resorcinol.
3. In the evening, apply a cream containing sulfur to your spots.
4. Apply a light moisturizer to the skin.
Taking an assertive approach to treating your acne is very important. Unless you follow a daily skin care schedule, expensive acne treatments will only have short term effects. If you only have light or moderate acne, these simple guidelines might be all you need. However, for more serious skin problems, they must be use in conjunction with a professional treatment.
Acne is an inflammatory skin disease influenced by a wide variety of factors. Among the most important factors that lead to acne are the excessive production of sebum and keratin, the bacteria accumulated in the skin and the inflammatory response. Androgen also plays an important part because it causes the production of sebum. Most topical treatments focus on eliminating the main causes of acne: excessive sebum, dead cells and inflammation.
Cysts are blockages of oil glands that have burst open and led to inflammation of the surrounding tissue. They are also called nodules and, if untreated, they are a source of long-term unsightly scars. These infections usually develop deep in the skin and they take a large amount of time to heal.
When to Seek Professional Help
The majority of acne cases can be treated, including severe or cystic acne. However, sometimes you need the help of a dermatologist. There are several cystic Acne Treatment methods and there is no point in living with it until it leaves long-lasting scarring on your skin.
You should see a dermatologist for cystic Acne Treatment if you fit in one of the following criteria:
* Over-the-counter Acne Treatment products had no effect on you.
* Your acne is an important source of stress and poor satisfaction with life.
* You have persistent acne and already suffer from scarring.
* You have visible and painful pimples.
* Your have dark skin and the acne causes darker patches.
Cystic Acne Treatments
Most dermatologists agree with the fact that a three-step acne treating system is more effective and produces less harmful side effects than oral medicines. A 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide would make a good choice.
A dermatologist can provide you with a prescription for cystic Acne Treatment. In most cases, they prescribe Accutane, which is the product name for isotretinoin.
Isotretinoin is an oral medicine that should usually be taken once or twice a day for 4-5 months. It is known to have effective results on clearing up cystic acne forever. Isotretinoin does not have major disadvantages. However, it is best to consult a dermatologist. Among the main side effects are birth defects and depression.
Another cystic Acne Treatment is intralesional corticosteroid therapy. This is a pretty painless medical procedure, where an injection is given to each cyst to dilute cortisone solution. Injections are highly effective in reducing painful inflammations.
Acne surgery is yet another option for cystic Acne Treatment. It involves removing blackheads and whiteheads manually and gives fast results. Acne surgery should only be performed by a dermatological surgeon or under his strict supervision.
Acne is the most common and one of the most frustrating skin problems. However, nowadays any acne form can be treated. No one should suffer from acne and all the awful things that come with it, such as low self-esteem and self-confidence or poor social interaction.
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