3/31/2007

Does acne treatment actually work?


You always wanted to have your friend's clean skin, but unfortunately, when you look in a mirror all you see is red, ugly spots, which hide your nice features. Many people have to deal with the persistent acne that does not clear even after treatments with antibiotics or more sophisticated methods.

To get rid of acne you have to find out first what the cause of it is. Using a cleanser or ointment as an acne treatment when the acne is very serious will not improve your skin condition. Nevertheless, it might actually make it worse. If you see a doctor or a dermatologist, they will prescribe you drugs, topical treatments or antibiotics, which of course will not work, because they are not managing the root cause of the problem.

Women have the tendency to hide the acne with make-up but this is not a smart thing to do. Make-up will only clog the skin more and not allow it to breathe. You can find on the market such so-called acne remedy, consisting of all sorts of creams, cleansers, special formulas, but as most people with acne have noticed, they do not work. You only throw away thousand of dollars on things that can sometimes damage your skin even more.

Some of the products available as acne treatment claim that they can cure acne because they destroy acne bacteria. What most people do not know is that acne bacteria are not the cause of acne. It is only a symptom. These products do not work permanently because they only clear the bacteria from the surface of the skin and make the blemishes go away for a short period, but they do not actually treat the root of the problem.

People with face acne suffer for years, and this situation involves a lot of stress and insecurity. Self-esteem is very low and most of them hide themselves and do not enjoy the great things in life the way they should. The acne blemishes can be very stressful, but they are not the start of the problem but the end of it. The acne is actually an internal problem, and the skin is another way of eliminating toxic waste from our body.

For most people acne begins at puberty, when the body produces androgen hormones. Acne develops because such hormones over-stimulate and enlarge the sebaceous glands in people with acne. This is also the reason why pregnant women or the ones that have their menstrual cycle also get acne. There is no fixed acne treatment or acne remedy to get you rid of it miraculously. You have to start doing some basic changes in your diet and life style. An acne treatment will not work in stress conditions either, because your gut bacteria are not healthy. You can try any acne remedy but as long as your insides are not healthy, it will prove pointless.

For an acne remedy to work and have long-lasting effects, you need to have a healthy diet, with small quantities of refined sugars, drink plenty of water and try to use herbal supplements instead of artificial ones. Acne if often genetic, and in this case it is more difficult to get rid of it. Some astringent cleaners affect the skin as well, causing acne.

If you have scars produced by acne that are red, purple or even brown, you can use rosehip oil, which you can apply straight on them. As a rule, rosehip oil reduces scared tissue because of the high content of fatty acids, along with neem oil.

For adolescents it is good to go out in the sunshine and enjoy the fresh air, they should eat less fat foods and sweets and try to reduce the quantity of red meat. Fruits and vegetables are always a better choice to heavy meat meals, and deeds and nuts are a very good diet supplement.

3/30/2007

Does Eating Chocolate Really Give You Acne?


The myth of consuming chocolate and acne outbreak are closely related. So doctors and researchers had found that the myth is a hoax, but are we all sure?

Chocolate always get the blame for causing acne so as pizza, potato chips and dairy products. No food has been prove to be the cause of acne but if the person maintains a healthy diet by consuming vegetables and fruits, acne is not a problem. Chocolate is also blamed for many health problems include acne, tooth decay, obesity and lack in nutrient. It is also known to have an anti-depressant effect and causes hypertension.

Those who love chocolate will be pleased to hear that chocolate is considered as one of the balance diet in our food pyramid. Chocolate carry the fact that it is one of the diet that adults need as one third of antioxidants are sourced from chocolate. There are also a number of cosmetic products that are made from chocolate of contains chocolate extract. There are also some company that puts chocolate in their skin creams as softener and chocolate contains also anti-oxidant which can help to prevent wrinkles. This can be very good for our skin as our skin oxidize and form wrinkles thus this can help us to prevent or slow the process down.

Theoretically, cocoa might actually prevent skin damage by free radicals to collagen, elastin and also other protein which is important to our skin. This theory is yet to be proved by scientist that this theory works. With or without proof, there are at least 90 chocolate products that are for cosmetics are in the market and growing rapidly. As prove, Chocolate show which is in New York turned into a spa which used chocolate as the main product. Consumer that tried chocolate based products claimed that it has a healing effect thus this myth can be denied.

Thus, eating chocolate is not bad for our health but it is better to be consumed moderately. It might be a good future for chocolate based cosmetic product and more researched has to be done. Who knows that one day chocolate might turn out to be an acne treatment product.

3/29/2007

Acne Cure - Herbs and Ayurvedic Remedies and other Treatments


Acne is a very common skin ailment found mostly in the period of puberty. It is more common in women than in men. Acne is characterized by the presence of eruptions on the skin, which are commonly known as zits or pimples.

Acne is a sign of the impurity within the body. The impurity could be in the blood, which manifests itself externally as acne. If the blood is impure, then the sebaceous (sweat) glands will have to work harder in eliminating these wastes. This hyperactivity of the sweat glands causes acne.

Hormonal imbalances are very important causes of acne. During puberty there are major hormonal changes in the body, as also during each menstrual cycle of women. Therefore, these are important periods when acne can occur. People who consume steroids for any reason also stand a higher chance of getting acne.

In Ayurveda, acne is known as Yauvan pidika. It is classified as both a vataja and a kaphaja. Any increase in the dhaatus of rakta and medha are responsible in a major way for the formation of acne.

(1) Useful Herbs in the Treatment of Acne

1. Almond (Amygdalus communis)
The almond replenishes the lost nutrients from the skin. Thus it makes the skin healthier, which is an important step in reducing acne.

2. Aloe vera (Aloe vera)
Aloe vera is widely recognized to be one of the most effective herbs in the treatment of acne. It is an important ingredient in most cosmetic products also. Aloe vera can remove the marks that acne leaves behind, and it gives a moist shiny sheen to the skin.

3. Bergamot (Citrus bergamia)
Bergamot is an age-old Ayurvedic remedy to treat skin problems. On the face, it is especially useful in the treatment of rashes and acne.

4. Indian blackberry (Syzygium cumini)
Popularly known as jamun or jambula in India, this blackberry has a purple juice. The purple juice has an alkaline content which can reduce the pus formation in the pimples. Thus, jamun prevents the acne from spreading and also checks its further outbreaks.

5. Sandalwood (Santalum album)
The sandalwood is a fragrant herb which is looked upon with utmost reverence in Ayurveda. It has a religious significance. In the human body, it can produce a cooling effect and treat the blood of its impurities. Owing to this, sandalwood can treat acne among its many other uses.


(2) Dietary Treatments for Acne

Acne is directly dependent on the diet, since it is a blood impurity. It is absolutely necessary to keep the blood clean so that the facial skin does not become a victim of ungainly pimples.

Maintain a healthy dietary regime. Oily and spicy foods can aggravate the acne. Foods that are beneficial for acne are green leafy vegetables, salad vegetables and fruits that have good water content in them. Foods that are difficult to digest can aggravate the acne.


(3) Ayurvedic Treatment for Acne

Ayurvedic methods do not use any thick pastes for the treatment of acne for the simple reason that these pastes can clog the pores further, leading to aggravation of the pimples. Instead, mild and thin pastes of the following herbs are prescribed:-
1. Guduchi
2. Shatavari
3. Sarsaparilla

The preparation Arogyavardhini also has good effects in the treatment of pimples.

(4) Home Medications

There are many household remedies that can be used to control the condition. Most of these remedies are external applications, but some of them are also meant to be taken orally.

1. Mix the husk of mustard seeds in paste form with cow's milk. Apply this mixture on the affected areas every night and wash it off thoroughly in the morning. The eruptions should disappear within a week.

2. Application of buttermilk on the affected regions is also helpful.


3. Prepare a mixture of nutmeg and red sandalwood in water. Apply this mixture on the face.

4. Mix the pulp of the neem fruit in water and apply it on the face. This application provides quicker but temporary relief from the pimples.

5. Application of a paste of thorns of the semolina in milk for three consecutive nights will help reduce the eruptions.

6. A very simple and cheap remedy is to apply the paste of orange peels on the face.

7. Indian plum or jambola must be squeezed in water and this paste must be applied on the affected part. This is more effective in the pimples which appear in early youth.

8. One traditional method to keep acne away is to wash the face twice or thrice a day with buttermilk. This is also believed to increase the glow on the face.

9. Apart from this, the following points must be borne in mind:-

10. Maintain proper facial hygiene. This can be done by washing the face at least thrice a day. Use lemon soap for washing. It is very important to wash the face after returning home from outside.

11. Keep your mind stress-free. Stress can release more hormones, which would exacerbate the acne.

3/28/2007

Cure Your Acne Once and For All


Blackheads are not dirt. They are actually the result of oil &dead cells getting trapped in a pore, block the duct & mix with bacteria. Exposure to the air discolors them to black. Blackhead inflammation causes red pimples and it spreads when touched with dirty hands. When the pimple becomes infected, it develops a whitehead or pustule. These can break & cause scars.

Acne can also be caused by genetics. Studies have shown that a family history of acne can affect whether you have acne and the severity of it. So if your mother or father had acne as a teen, chances are that it will be a contributory factor to the cause of your acne.

Organic Apple Cider Vinegar swabs and other astringent cleansers work to remove the oil buildup that may become blocked in the skin's glands. These products may cause dryness, itching, and redness, so be sure to use them only on problem areas.

There are quite a large variety of acne home remedy treatment techniques you can try. Some people claim to have success with orange paste applied on the irritated areas. The citric acid in the paste may work on reducing the size and irritation of the acne condition. Other things that can help with acne are cucumbers and garlic, which also have some curative properties. Acne home remedy treatments can also include a good and healthy diet. Fresh fruit and plenty of water should be consumed daily in order to get rid of pimples. Hygiene of the affected areas is also vital as a clean and healthy skin will have less irritation and, consequently, fewer pimples.

Unlike the small whitehead pustules that most people with acne experience on the surface of their skin, cystic acne appears as large irritated bumps, often with the pustule hidden deep beneath the skin's surface. These cysts are caused when hormonal shifts result in your skin glands overproducing oil (sebum) at an unnatural rate. The gland becomes swollen and eventually bursts, but not before the sebum has swelled and hardened into a clump too large to escape through your pores. The irritation from your gland bursting results in inflammation, and buried pustule can remain in your skin for a very long time.

Hormones are an option available to treat teenage girls and women with acne. They are usually taken in the form of a birth control pill. They work by increasing the level of female hormones in the bloodstream. This helps reduce the production of androgen, which will then reduce the production of sebum.

3/27/2007

Cure Acne Naturally In Just 3 Days


Home Acne Products The most common home acne product available is benzoyl peroxide. This is the active ingredient in many acne treatments including Clearasil, ABY, Acne Control, and Proactiv Solution. It works by killing the bacteria that causes acne, and it also has a mild peeling effect which can reduce breakout and inflammation. Some sources say the bacteria can actually buildup a resistance to benzoyl peroxide, making it less effective the longer you use it. Also, beware that a small percentage of people are allergic to benzoyl peroxide, and if you experience any excessive skin irritation when using it, you should stop using it immediately.

Herbs such as chamomile, lavender, juniper, bergamot, dandelion root, and burdock root can be used to reduce toxicity and improve the overall condition of the skin. Echinacea and poke root are often used for their anti-inflammatory properties and red clover may be beneficial for its estrogenic action. Witch hazel has excellent astringent properties and may be very effective on acne.

So how can you deal naturally with acne? First of all, cleanliness is vital, and you must always keep your skin washed and clean. Do not be tempted to apply any oils or moisturizers to the affected areas. Instead, use freshly-squeezed lemon juice 3 times a day as a natural antiseptic face wash. Grease from your hair can also exacerbate the problem, so shampoo your hair regularly. Diet also plays a role in acne, so stay off the junk (saturated fats in fried food, go carefully with dairy products, carbonated drinks, caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco). Instead, eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. Sleeping soundly will also help, as will regular exercise.

Should you take birth control pills to relieve your acne? Make your decision very carefully taking into account the risk factors which include heart attack, cancer of the breast, blood clots, fluid retention, dark skin patches, and bleeding in the vagina, just to name a few.

If you've already developed a problem with acne and need a solution, there are many natural ingredients that will work best with your healthy eating regimen without expensive medical treatments. A few drops of tea tree oil and lavender essential oils can be mixed into a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and applied directly to any spot where acne is present. This can be done twice daily with improvements in as little as a day. Cedarwood, chamomile and lemongrass are also essential oils that are easy to find, inexpensive, and somewhat effective.

Homeopathic treatment is made from minerals, herbs and other natural extracts that activate the body's natural defenses. Because these ingredients are in minute concentrations, they trigger the body to heal itself without side effects.

3/26/2007

Digestive Problems Cause Acne


We often blame that acne is caused by stress and the food that we eat. Well, it's true in a way but do take note that improper digestion could also cause acne. This is often caused by too little hydrochloric acid in the stomach. In such conditions, the body is unable to absorb important nutrients which results in a weak immune system that cannot fight the bacteria effectively. Thus acne gets a chance to spread unhindered even if you are eating proper food and taking enough nutrients in your diet.

Our stomach digests by using acid to break down the food into smaller particles so it can be easily absorbed by our intestines. The acid produced is hydrochloric acid (HCL) and it will break down protein, kill pathogens and microns, control absorption of B12, control absorption of nutrients, Vitamin C, created indigestion and prevents constipation. If our HCL level is low, this will contribute to acne growth. But the level of HCL can be increased by taking digestive enzyme that contains this acid.

The next part of our digestion is the pancreas which releases digesting enzymes and bicarbonate to help complete the digestion system. Bicarbonate reduces the strength of HCL from the stomach and enzymes in this part digest carbohydrates, fats and protein. When our pancreas loses its ability to produce the required enzyme, less food will be digested. Undigested food will flow to the colon and it will stay undigested, rot and produce toxic which flows to the blood. These toxic might harmful but it certainly can cause acne.

Therefore, when we have problems with our digestive system, then we will be more susceptible to getting acne. So the bottomline is, it is very important for us to maintain a healthy diet by reducing the intake of food which is hard to digest such as fried and oily food. When our digestion system is healthy, this will lead to a healthy and radiant skin free of acne.

3/24/2007

Get Rid Of The Acne Naturally


Natural acne treatment is simple. Changing your diet or taking herbs and vitamins to cleanse and provide additional nutrition could be enough to clear your skin up. You should eliminate sugars, oils, and fats from your diet as much as possible. They are not part of a good balanced diet and are all unhealthy to begin with.

The actual cause of acne is still not really understood. Some believe it lies in genetics. Others believe it is a combination of factors such as androgens, allergies, stress, or the use of certain mediations. Natural practitioners tend to believe it is a result of nutritional deficiencies, and toxins in the body that can cause the liver to dysfunction.

In the case of severer forms of acne, dermatologists may prescribe the less physically invasive route of oral medicine. Some common antibiotics, used to curb the development of the P. acnes bacteria and reduce inflammation are doxycycline, tetracycline and minocyclyine. The common topical, benzoyl peroxide, may be used with antibiotics such as sulfur, erythromycin or clindamycin. There can be disturbing side affects to antibiotics, depending on the drug and the individual's sensitivity. Changes in skin color, an increased propensity for sunburns, dizziness, and stomach problems can occur. Tetracycline is contra- indicated in children and pregnant women. The antibiotic route must be taken with caution and with awareness of problems. Substances such as minocycline and tetracycline can even affect the potency of oral birth control methods.

Another ingredient in a topical acne medication product is Azeilic acid. Azeilic acid is known for its diminishing effect like that of benzoyl peroxide, on the bacterial presence on the skin. This acne solution is also effective in evening out the darker complexions produced by the recent flare-ups of acne. The side effects of this acne solution are impermanent discoloration on the affected area and extreme dryness. In addition, Erythromycin in its topical form may reduce the acne inflammation. This acne solution is often combined with benzoyl peroxide to rigorously attack belligerent infection caused by the "Propionibacterium acnes".

Among popular alpha hydroxyl acids, glycolic acid is one of the most commonly used. It has similar results with a chemical peel. Even when used in strong concentrations, glycolic acid has only few negative side effects. Long-term day to day use may also have a beneficial effect on acne scars. Glycolic acid is also effective in increasing skin resistance to ultraviolet light, improving moisture retention, as well as the general skin condition. However, even though it is quite effective and has only minor side effects, it is better to use as part of a more complex skin care system.

Let's face it. Picking, squeezing, scratching, digging, and popping zits is irresistible. (Sometimes even fun if it's a juicy pus-filled whitehead). But performing acne surgery with your own fingers is going to lead to infection or permanent scars.

3/23/2007

Acne Prone Skin Treatment


Acne is a very common skin disorder. Acne may have started in your teen years. Acne Prone Skin characterized by pimples, whiteheads, blackheads, redness, inflammation and irritation. A specific acne skin care regime will help to reduce bacteria and therefore limit the outbreak of spots, it will also help to unblock congested pores and improve the health of the skin. Acne affects nearly 17 million people in the U.S., making it the most common skin disease in the country. Acne formation begins with excessive secretion of sebum that blocks the hair follicle, the passage that leads from the sebaceous gland to the surface of the skin. Inflammatory acne starts when the combination of excess skin cells and oil cause pore-aggravating bacteria to develop. Normally sebum helps in removing the dead cells from the lining of the hair follicle and in carrying them to the outer skin surface. Oil glands influenced by androgen hormones that elevate excess oil (sebum) production.

Acne Prone is a not curable though it is manageable and controllable. Acne, particularly the one, caused by internal factors as above can be easily prevented. Good skin care plays an important role in treating acne. Drink 8-10 glasses of water daily. Apply mixture of 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder. Apply Nutmeg (Indian: Jaiphal) powder with un-boiled milk on the affected area. Garlic has antibiotic properties that help destroying the bacteria thus containing the growth of acne. Make a paste of neem leaves with turmeric powder. Apply this paste on the affected area. Tomato is known to have anti-oxidants and contains vitamins A & C. Vitamin C in tomatoes can rejuvenate the dull skin and vitamin A is involved in formation of healthy skin. Apply a paste of orange peel powder with water on affected area. Wash it off after 30 minutes with lukewarm water.

Acne Prone Skin Treatment Tips

1. Use medicated, oil-free cosmetics.

2. Do not wash your face excessively.

3. Use scrubs cautiously, as they may irritate skin.

4. Do not manipulate pimples with your fingers or touch your face excessively, as they heal better and faster without touching.

5. Use a mild cleanser or medicated cleansers with either salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide in the morning and before bedtime.

6. Do not wash excessively or scrub too hard.

7. Avoid cream-based cleansers if you have oily skin.

8. Garlic has antibiotic properties that help destroying the bacteria thus containing the growth of acne.

]9. Make a paste of neem leaves with turmeric powder. Apply this paste on the affected area.

10. Tomato is known to have anti-oxidants and contains vitamins A & C.

11. Vitamin C in tomatoes can rejuvenate the dull skin and vitamin A is involved in formation of healthy skin.

12. Apply a paste of orange peel powder with water on affected area. Wash it off after 30 minutes with lukewarm water.

13. Neem has got antibacterial properties making it effective in controlling epidermal dysfunctions such as acne.

14. Apply juice of raw papaya on affected area.

15. Apply cucumber juice on the face.

3/22/2007

Can Vitamins Cure Acne?


Blackheads are not dirt. They are actually the result of oil &dead cells getting trapped in a pore, block the duct & mix with bacteria. Exposure to the air discolors them to black. Blackhead inflammation causes red pimples and it spreads when touched with dirty hands. When the pimple becomes infected, it develops a whitehead or pustule. These can break & cause scars.

Now that B5 has become more popular, there is some debate over just what is the best way to take the vitamin in order to maximize effectiveness and decrease the chances of side effects. The possible side effects for B5 are mild compared to other acne treatments, but include stomach irritation and diarrhea.

It makes sense to cleanse and nourish from both the INSIDE and OUT. Your face and body do not need more clogging, synthetic oils and lotions. They need real nutrition that can make a difference when applied topically as well as nutrition internally to enhance detoxification and a healthy blood supply to the vessels beneath the skin's surface.

There are quite a large variety of acne home remedy treatment techniques you can try. Some people claim to have success with orange paste applied on the irritated areas. The citric acid in the paste may work on reducing the size and irritation of the acne condition. Other things that can help with acne are cucumbers and garlic, which also have some curative properties. Acne home remedy treatments can also include a good and healthy diet. Fresh fruit and plenty of water should be consumed daily in order to get rid of pimples. Hygiene of the affected areas is also vital as a clean and healthy skin will have less irritation and, consequently, fewer pimples.

While, benzoyl peroxide can be used for short-term treatment of mild acne in the US, its long-term use has the potential to damage skin. On the whole, safer options that allow natural resolution of acne are recommended. Natural alternatives to benzoyl peroxide are calendula or tea tree oil. Psidium guajava and Juglans regia leaf extracts were found to be beneficial in treating acne. Granulysin peptides were also found to be effective against P.acne and may form an alternative therapy against acne in future.

The first step an Acne sufferer must take is to come to terms with his or her condition. It will have a negative impact on your life because our society judges us by our appearance. The trick is that an acne sufferer does not need to face this alone. Think about the numbers mentioned in the home page "Acne affects about 80% of all adolescents". That means that eight out of every ten people around you is or has had to battle with acne and its negative social impacts. So don't be shy to inform and involve people you come into contact with to prevent the psychological scarring from becoming permanent.

3/21/2007

Acne and the use of cosmetics


Acne is only a minor disorder in our life but the social embarrassment caused by it is much more severe than many other serious ailments. Both adults and teenagers are equally afflicted by acne, but the depression and mental trauma of teenagers is always higher. As such, it would be in their interest to have a few tips and tricks under their sleeve to get rid of acne.

Your sensitive skin can actually be more acne prone compared to normal or even oily skin. This is because sensitive skin reacts to the slightest change in the body. Hormonal changes, stress and other factors can cause sensitive skin to break out. Environmental influences such as pollution, extreme heat or cold and other factors can also cause your skin to erupt with acne. Then, when you treat the acne, your skin becomes dry or scaly. It may even become red and inflamed. It is very difficult, at times, to walk that fine line between sensitive skin and acne prone skin.

Normal acne medicines that are used include face cleanser that contains either benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. Benzoyl peroxide is an antiseptic that removes the bacteria and yeasts on the skin over a period. This medicine is available in the form of cream or lotion or gel, with the concentration varying for brand to brand. Salicylic acid slows down the shedding of skin cells resulting in unclogging of pores. It also reduces whiteheads and blackheads. However, for effective acne removal, most of the time, a combination of these medications is needed. The process becomes not only costly but also time consuming, with the treatment lasting several weeks or months. Normally, these medications do not cure acne totally but only decrease acne breakouts. Further, in several cases, side effects like itching, irritation and swelling of the skin occur. Such trial and error methods do more harm than cure. Kamille Zinci is one medicine without such side effects.

When you do have breakouts, you can spot treat your acne with a product such as Kamille Zinci. You can find Kamille Zinci at www.med-acne.com. Kamille Zinci is a gentle anti acne medication. Its anti inflammatory properties help to calm the redness and swelling that is often associated with acne. It is also gentle on your sensitive skin. Use Kamille Zinci in addition to your regular skin care routine when you get a blemish. Just dab a little on your blemish a couple of times a day and you will soon see that your acne fades. So take care of your skin, eat a balanced, healthy diet, get plenty of rest and drink lots of water. Soon you will see the glowing, beautiful skin that you were born to have.

3/20/2007

The Truth About Your Acne Problem


There are many forms of acne, which would explain why it is so difficult to treat. I have listed several causes of acne and many of those may surprise you, but I also hope that they will help you discover what causes your acne. For instance, a great many people would likely be surprised to learn that acne is not caused by stress, as they may think, but more likely can be attributed to their fancy new perfume or cologne.

Acne is a severe skin disease that affects millions of people. It can lead to depression, leave you with a low self-esteem, and keep you from doing things you want to do. If you currently have acne, it`s not the end of the world. You need to sit down and think what you are going to do to fight. You need to take one day at a time and not get upset when you`re not seeing the results you want right away. You also shouldn`t pick at them either because picking at them can make the clearing process take longer and can even leave scars when you`re older.

It is important to exfoliate. This helps remove the dead skin cells, to maintain a healthy and glowing skin. A mild cleanser will help exfoliate the face after washing. Scrubbing will also help exfoliate the face, which can be done once or twice a week. This procedure will aid in reducing dead layers skin cells that clog the pores, reason why more pimples or acne.

Topical retinoid acid, a modified form of vitamin A has been a great improvement. Improved versions of this medicine greatly reduce the irritation it can cause. Other acne treatments are sometimes used in combination. Such acne treatments include Azelaic acid cream, Benzoyl peroxide, Alpha-hydroxy acids (such as lactic acid, glycolic acid and gluconic acid), antibiotic pills (of used unwisely, they can lead to antibiotic resistance), topical antibiotics (gels, lotions and solutions), contraceptive pills for women, and Sotret or Accutane for severe acne. Accutane and Sotret have several side effects, including birth defects. Women with severe acne problems that choose these treatments should use alternative birth control.

Herbal Remedies: Herbs such as chamomile, lavender, juniper, bergamot, dandelion root, and burdock root can be used to reduce toxicity and improve the overall condition of the skin. Echinacea and poke root are often used for their anti-inflammatory properties and red clover may be beneficial for its estrogenic action. Witch hazel has excellent astringent properties and may be very effective on acne. Here are a few natural herbal recipes to cure acne.

Laser acne treatments for severe forms of acne work by the laser killing off the bacteria responsible for causing the acne. Lasers used for mild acne treatments like simple blackheads and whiteheads targets the serum producing glands to simply unplug the follicle to release the serum trapped inside by heating the top layer and shrinking the oil gland. This affects the top area of the skin leaving the deeper layers virtually unaffected and able to heal without incident.

3/19/2007

How to have beautiful Face Skin Free of Acne


To have beautiful, soft, radiant skin you need to eat plenty of the right fresh fruits, vegetables, fiber, and water. Water and fiber are critical because it helps to move out toxins using the regular channels of elimination rather than using the skin as an exit point.

A word of Caution: Sudden face or body eruptions can indicate a potentially serious medical condition. If your blemishes look large and like welts, this could be caused by a serious medical condition and you would need to see your doctor immediately.

You can deal with you acne or skin problems by, also applying known nutritional and herbal remedies that give you better health and give your skin the nutrients it needs.

The beauty of your skin is a reflection of the health of your organs and upon your psychological condition. The way the inside of your body looks like is reflected on your face, physical appearance and your thoughts.

The amount of work you put into clearing your acne will determine how quickly you clear your face. By being consistent in following good health practices, you will be able to get rid of your acne.

If your acne is heredity, it is not true that you cannot do anything about it. If you know that other members of the family have had acne and previous generations also, then you are susceptible to acne. Knowing this, you can now arm yourself with some powerful nutritional and hygiene habits that will prevent acne from taking hold.

Traditional Medical Acne Treatments

I do not recommend using medications for acne, such as,

" Benzoyl peroxide - opens pores to kill bacteria

" Antibiotics - erythromycin, tetracycline - kill bacteria everywhere it goes in your body and skin.

" Retin A - helps to break open plugged pores, prevents new plugged pores, and helps to prevent scarring.

" Topical steroid, cortisone derivative, drug

These drugs and many others have serious side effects that you will want to avoid. If you are dark skinned and are using Benzoyl Peroxide, you can end up spotting your face as a side effect.

Most of these medications take three to ten weeks to provide results.

All my recommendations are for natural methods to relieve acne.

Different Remedies

In future articles, I will be outlining some of the remedies and steps you need to take to clear your acne. These remedies and natural foods that you use will not only help beatify your skin but will also help you to get rid of acne.

You may have to experiment to determine what works for you. By providing you with many choices, this gives you the best possible chance of you succeeding in gaining better health for your face. Also, not all remedies provide the same benefits to each person.

So this is where your experimental skills come in. You may have to test a few things, but in the process you will be learning about how to take care of your body. This information will stay with you a lifetime.

3/18/2007

Treating and Preventing Acne


Natural acne treatment is simple. Changing your diet or taking herbs and vitamins to cleanse and provide additional nutrition could be enough to clear your skin up. You should eliminate sugars, oils, and fats from your diet as much as possible. They are not part of a good balanced diet and are all unhealthy to begin with.

Water is by far the most effective treatment for acne. The main support for this claim is the fact that water is alkaline (pH 7.3) and can be considered as a natural treatment or an almost free acne treatment. Thus, it is best that you drink at least eight glasses of water per day (10 to 12 is better). This will help your body in getting rid of oil, waste and toxins, and water even helps to moisten your skin as it keeps your pores from clogging. Perhaps what is most important is that, water helps to relieve stress and relax your body in the end, so you can have a better sleep. Note that water and sleep are factors that help reduce stress. Along with this, try to lessen your coffees, sodas, teas and alcohols intake as much as possible. The reason behind this is that they are partial diuretics that they drive more water out of the cells of the body than they put in.

Acne skin care products performance can greatly depend on how an individual's skin type reacts to it. It must conform to the skin's characteristics, which may include skin sensitivity, tone, ethnicity and gender. There are many acne skin care products in the market with different active ingredients and solutions for different skin types. Acne prone skin can be very sensitive to different chemicals and must be very careful in using different products. There are different tips and techniques for mild to severe cases of acnes. Some acne skin care products may not work for some people in helping them improve the look and condition of their skin.

The only time your body expels product wastes through your lungs and skin is when your bowels and kidneys are overloaded with product wastes and toxins. This can happen when you're not drinking enough water. Water is the main carrier of nutrients throughout your body and is quite possibly the single most important contributor to healing and preventing acne flare-ups. Drinking enough water will dissolve waste products in your system so it can be easily remove and flush out. Without enough water, there won't be much to dissolve these product wastes and toxins...causing it to build up in your system and causing your body to expel these product wastes and toxics through your lungs and skin.

Chances are that many of the same acne treatments that work on your face will work on your back and body, but they may not be quite as potent on the thicker skin of your back. Reading the reviews for some acne skincare products may help you learn which one is right for you. However, if you really want to prevent acne from forming, you need to prevent your oil glands from over-producing. Internalacne treatments are the best choice for this, as they are the only treatments that can really prevent acne, and it's also just easier to take a pill rather than trying to apply a cream in a place such as your back. There are a few vitamin supplements that can help with acne prevention.

There are many medicines and cream that are used to fight acne. But so far, maintains a healthy lifestyle is the easiest way to go. It is important to say that by leading a healthy lifestyle, you will not only get healthier skin, but also a healthier body. Changing habits will be hard at first, but in the long run you will have a better general health, and more energy, and clearer, healthier skin.

3/17/2007

All Natural Cure For Acne


There are a number of vitamins and minerals that can be used to improve the look and condition of your skin. The mineral zinc, and vitamins A, C, and E, and B-complex vitamins like vitamin B6 are often used to support acne treatment, as these vitamins are very important for the health of your skin. Eating foods that are rich in sulphur may also be helpful as sulphur helps to cure acne. Garlic and onions both contain a good supply of sulphur. Your health care provider may also recommend that you avoid eating sugar, fried foods, or foods that have a high fat content. Also eliminate any sugar based carbonated beverages.

There are two dermatologist tested ways to facilitate the healing of acne, one is the use of Tretinoin, it's a form of vitamin A, which speeds up the skin's healing and renovation process shortening the inflammation period, thus preventing acne scars. The other treatment used by most dermatologists for acne scar prevention is the use of Aplpha-Hydroxy Acids of AHA's and Beta-Hydroxy Acids or BHA's. These help the skins remodeling process, with the right concentration and proper application; these can also prevent acne scars.

In addition to choosing a proper cleansing product as part of your acne treatment regimen, you also need to keep in mind that the cleansing component of an acne treatment program depends upon regularity. In other words, in most cases, you need to fully cleanse the effected areas of the skin at least two times a day. A failure to cleanse the effective areas of skin with such regularity will end up defeating the effectiveness of the treatment regimen itself.

There seems to be a growing number of different treatments but usually over the counter products come in the form of topical cleansers, soaps, washes, lotions, creams, gels or even pads and patches that are applied onto the skin. When using these kinds of preparations it is important, that you cover all of the area where you have acne because then you will also be treating the hidden blemishes that you can't yet see as well as the acne breakouts that you can. Expect some trials and errors as you experiment with the different treatments available, it may take you a while before you find the right type or combination of products that work for you. Whatever you do, don't use more than one treatment at a time, particularly with medicated products, discontinue one before you try out another.

Sometimes puberty and stress can combine to make acne even worse. Find the causes of stress and work on reducing or eliminating it. The acne itself can lead to stress and then you have a vicious cycle.

In general, over-the-counter acne treatments and traditional prescription medications have not proven effective in the reduction and elimination of acne. There are other less traditional ways to approach the treatment of acne. When delving into non-traditional medicine most are dealing with approaches such as acupuncture, herbal medicines, homeopathic medicine, mind/body medicine, Ayurveda and Kampo as well as dietary and nutritional considerations.

3/16/2007

What To Do When You Have Acne


Acne light therapy is a safe, completely natural method of treatment that you can do on your own, in the privacy of your own home. Simply set up blue and red lamps and 'bathe' in the light just as you would in a tanning booth. You can use both colored lamps at the same time and it only requires 15 minutes each day.

Individuals that are prone to acne and are being treated for it should use oil free cosmetic products. Benzoyl peroxide and other acne skin care treatment can redden the skin so applying regular cosmetics products might be difficult. Regular cosmetic products usually contain more fatty acids that are harmful to acne prone individuals. Looking for organic and acne skin care products that will match your skin tone can help avoid more infections.

The most common form of acne is known as "acne vulgaris", which means common acne. Excessive secretion of oils from the glands combines with naturally occurring dead skin cells to block the hair follicles. Oil secretions build up beneath the blocked pore, providing a perfect environment for the skin bacteria Propioni bacterium acne to multiply uncontrolled. In response, the skin inflames, producing the visible lesion. The face, chest, back, shoulders and upper arms are especially affected. The typical acne lesions are comedones,papules, pustules, nodules and inflammatory cysts. These are the more inflamed forms of pus-filled or reddish bumps, even boil-like tender swellings. Non-inflamed 'sebaceous cysts', more properly called epidermoid cysts, occur either in association with acne or alone but are not a constant feature.

You need to eat at least 5 servings of fresh fruit and vegetables each day. Fresh fruit and vegetables are full of nutrients that your body needs. They boost the immune system and are good antioxidants. They can work towards helping you get rid of the acne. Try to avoid refined sugars and fatty foods which have are not good for you or your skin. You also need to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to flush your system of toxins.

Acne fulminans (Too Much Testosterone Acne) is an acute and severe form of acne accompanied by symptoms like fever and joint pain. This acne is common among males. Traits include: abrupt onset of acne, inflammatory and ulcerated nodular acne on the chest and back, severe acne scarring, fluctuating fever, painful joints, loss of appetite or weight, and high white blood cell count. This acne is caused by use of testosterone, used legally or illegally to enhance muscle growth. Over the counter treatments are not effective. If you don't need the extra testosterone for your health, don't take it.

Hormones are an option available to treat teenage girls and women with acne. They are usually taken in the form of a birth control pill. They work by increasing the level of female hormones in the bloodstream. This helps reduce the production of androgen, which will then reduce the production of sebum.

3/15/2007

New Cures That Rid Acne Forever


If you're suffering with acne there is hope. Science is working all the time to find new treatments. New acne cures and remedies are always being researched. This is good for anyone who suffers with this terrible affliction, because with science perusing what causes acne and how to get rid of it...you'll be happy knowing that there will be new treatments coming out all the time.


Acne is truly the single most problem faced and most feared by teenagers anywhere around the globe. For most, it is a nightmare to have acne that truly gives very dissatisfied effects.

It irrevocably lowers a teenager's confidence to express themselves whenever they like to their families, friends, partners or to anyone. It certainly carries in conjunction with it physical, as well as, deep emotive scars made by self-consciousness and embarrassment that made some not even want to get out of their rooms!!

Anyone with or who has had acne can tell you, how many times a day they've cleaned their faces with anti-bacterial facial wash and still faced new pimples the next day.

Acne, regardless, just occurs commonly and naturally in conjunction with teenagers like you so you shouldn't feel so bad and anxious about it.

According to latest statistics, 9 out of 10 teens and about 25% of the adult population are afflicted from acne. Nonetheless, acne is just a skin problem that can actually be treated.

Doctors and health companies, these days, are looking forward to giving us the first-class acne treatments for teenagers. Health tips are also worth to follow and put into practice.

You have to know that prohibiting is better than a cure! As the saying goes, the best cure for your acne problems is making the rigorous effort of preventing it to occur in the first place.

Home made remedies

There are so many acne treatments for teenagers like you that can actually be found inside your home or just right in your garden. Fruits and other herbs are known to men as cure to almost any health problems, one of these is acne.

The same goes for all the other topical creams for acne available in the market, which kills germs and open up blocked pores. These may provide temporary relief, but you will never experience acne free skin by only focusing on acne from the outside.

You will surely find it fun to make your own proven acne treatment for teenagers. Making a paste or a mask is actually one of the common procedure teenagers do to treat their acne.

You can actually make one with ground orange peel or fresh lemon juice. Another compelling acne treatment for teenagers is actually a mixture of tea tree and sweet fennel essential oils added in conjunction with witch hazel.

Cures...

When you see a dermatologist, he may prescribe an acne treatment with either vitamin A ( retinol ) or benzoyl peroxide. These two ingredients own been proven effective in reducing the effects of acne in multiple laboratory and human tests. They each work in different ways to offices control fashionable acne lesions and stop other. In order to cure your acne you must to be able to get your hormones into synchronism by feeding your body the key nutrients that aid hormone adjustment in the glands and also bolster the liver which is the other hormone regulatory system.

Remedies...

You may then be wondering what are non-allergenic acne treatment products and what will they do for me?

The answer is simple: non-allergenic acne treatment products are acne treatment products that will not make you have a break out. If your goal is to clear up your
skin, why wouldn't you want to break out in the first place--right? When you buy acne treatment products, you often aren't aware of whether they will cure your acne, or further induce it by making your skin red and dry, or cause you to break
out with an allergic reaction.

This is thought here's how to get rid of too much oil and grime on your face and kill the bacteria that cause the unwanted acne. Corn flour mixed with egg white is another great option that you can try to clear that acne in your face. Cucumber, a beloved acne treatment for teenagers, is tested to prevent the appearance of acne. It also refreshes your tired and unhealthy skin.

Over the counter cures

When you think home-made preparations are not the acne treatments for teenagers like you, then �over-the-counter' products are more recommended for you.

Anytime at the nearest store in your neighborhood, you can buy these non-prescription products that are truly great acne treatments for teenagers.

The real and main causes of acne are hormone imbalance, water retention and toxins. Let's talk about hormones. Hormones are chemicals that are produced by glands in the body and circulate in the bloodstream that control numerous body functions including sebum (skin oil) production and regulation. The hormones that are responsible for acne are called androgens. This is because androgens stimulate the sebaceous glands (glands in the skin that secrete oil to the surface of the skin.)

Boys all the more prefer these products for it is really awkward for them to put on a facial mask. Benzoyl peroxide is actually the best known acne treatment for teenagers that is available in stores. It works as to dry the skin and eventually encourage it to peel off and form a new, healthier skin surface. It also has antibacterial effects, very good in killing that irritable acne-causing bacteria.

Physician's advice

Not all cases of acne problems can be treated by self-made applications or "over-the-counter" drugs.

These actually only treats mild to moderate acne problems. Thus, a consultation in conjunction with your doctor is advisable, chiefly when you have a severe case of acne problem.

Your doctor will surely give you more potent acne treatments for teenagers which are actually divided between topical and oral solutions.

Topical acne treatments prescribed to teenagers are applied directly on the skin include antibiotic lotions and azelaic acid which is described as a benzoyl peroxide alternative. While, oral antibiotics that you have to take in are just some of the recommended acne treatments for teenagers.

Many dermatologist now join both retinol and benzoyl peroxide when treating acne. Most often, they'll prescribe one acne treatment to be worn in the morning and the other at night. In order to cure your acne you must to be able to get your hormones into synchronism by feeding your body the key nutrients that aid hormone adjustment in the glands and also bolster the liver which is the other hormone regulatory system.

3/14/2007

The search for the perfect acne remedy


Any company or individual that offers help against acne will be keen on persuading you that their acne remedy is the best of the best. However, objectively speaking, there is a set of simple rules regarding acne treatment. Failing to follow these will make even the most effective acne remedy utterly ineffective.

First of all, it's crucial that you resist the temptation of squeezing at your face. It may look like a good short-term solution, and like the way to get rid of those pestering pimples, but things are not always as they appear. First of all, the pus inside the pimples spreads on the surrounding area quite easily. This only means more acne yet to come, when you least expect it.

Furthermore, you may unwillingly push the pus deeper inside the skin layers. Obviously, this leads to an even more serious infection. Needless to say, the final and worst effect that picking at your face may have is permanent scarring. And, sadly enough, there is no such thing as an acne treatment for that.

An amazing myth uses the sun as an alternative acne treatment. It is said that the oil glands that cause acne dry up this way. Even if that may be partly true, there are more downsides to staying in the sun for a long time than benefits.

The sun causes the follicles to become blocked. The follicular walls are extremely sensitive and the sun harms them in such a way that more irritation and more acne are caused. Furthermore, free radicals are released within the skin as a result of prolonged solar exposure. This leaves the skin (particularly sensitive skin) unable to heal at the same rate as it once did, thus annihilating the effects of any acne remedy.
When it comes to diet as part of acne treatment, it is definitely one aspect that should not be ignored. First, try to eliminate the possibility of an allergy (although, generally, the differences between the symptoms of an allergy and those of acne are quite easy to spot) so as to be able to go for the right acne remedy.

Treating your diet seriously as part of the treatment is extremely important. It has been clinically proven that eating a large quantity of fresh vegetables and fruit greatly diminishes the chances of acne bursting out on your face. However, sweets, even in small quantities, if you're the possessor of sensitive skin, together with too fat foods, alcohol and smoking will have immediate and visible effects.

The best thing you can do is try to be a vegetarian for about a week. The effects will be absolutely amazing, because this sort of approach to acne treatment implies tackling the problem from its very source.

Highly refined sugars are not the only ones that can cause this issue. You should also try to keep away as much as possible from things such as seafood, most types of mushrooms and excessively salty foods. Salt makes your body retain liquids, which is extremely unhealthy. Fried foods are also to be avoided. Not only are they generally undesirable since they are extremely fat, but most of them also affect your skin. Also, remember to drink at least 8 glasses of water every day. This will help your body cleanse itself.

3/13/2007

Knowing Your Acne


As many of you might not realize, there are many different types of acne. Before you do anything else to treat your acne, it is necessary to understand and know what type of acne that you are having. Different types of acne will show different symptoms and you will need to treat them accordingly.

Acne vulgaris is one of the common types of acne that strikes the teens. This kind of acne will also affect adults which have oily skin. It commonly occurs on the face, chest and back of the body. It can be in the form of blackheads, whiteheads, papules and pustules. Papules are usually small, red, solid and usually conical elevation of the skin. Papules do not contain pus. Pustules on the other hand are small, inflamed, pus-filled, blister-like lesions on the skin surface and they can be in white or yellow color.

Comedonal acne refers to the pattern of acne in which most lesions are comedones (blackheads and whiteheads). Comedonal acne most often affects the forehead and chin. Comedones form because plugs of sebum and keratin (old skin cells) block the skin pores (follicles).

Conglobata acne is a kind of acne that will cause fever and pain at the joints. This type of acne is considered severe and affects the face, back and chest. Strange but true, acne conglobata usually affects men but rarely women. This shows inflamed and un-inflamed nodule and scars.

Acne fulminans is a more severe case of acne Conglobata which is very rare and very severe. It usually associated with systemic symptoms and always attack males rather than females. Characterized by an abruption of inflammatory and ulcerated nodular acne on the body producing severe scars. The symptom of a person affected by the acne fulminans are fluctuation of fever, painful joints, white blood cell count is higher than red blood cell and not feeling healthy.

Acne medicamentosa is acne that is caused or aggravated by medication. Because acne is generally a disorder of the pilosebaceous units caused by hormones, the medications that trigger acne medicamentosa most frequently are hormones. Drugs that are often relate to medicamentosa acne are anabolic steroids, oral steroids, contraceptives and testosterone. These drugs are usually administrated to athletes for enhancing their performance. Other medications include halogens, antiepileptics, antituberculous and antidepressants.

Lastly, acne excoriee, this kind of acne is due to scratching. It might sound dumb but it is. People are used to prick or squeeze acne off their face which is not advisable. This course of action may cause infection and scars that will end up looking worse than before. Don't make yourself embarrassed but stop pricking it and use some medication to treat the acne.

3/12/2007

Six Tips To Help You Cure Your Acne With At Home Remedies


Although there are some at home acne solutions that work very well, you'll need to know "fact" from "fiction"
and be thorough in your research in order to determine what really will work and what could make your acne
potentially worse than it already is.

Let's dispell a couple of myths right off the bat. Myth #1. Having acne means that you're "dirty" or a "dirty
person". This is absolutely untrue. If anyone has ever said this to you before than they're a complete,
uninformed idiot that needs to keep their mouth closed until they have something nice to say!

Myth #2. Chocolate causes acne. This is not based on fact.

Let's focus on some things that will help you to cure or prevent acne that you can use from home.


#1. Let's start in the refrigerator. You really need to watch your diet. Although chocolate hasn't been proven
as a cause of acne, packaged, processed foods ARE bad for you period! You need to include lots of fresh
fruits and vegetables in your diet. Citrus fruits are extremely helpful for battling acne. Limes, lemons and
oranges will help you to naturally clear your skin.

#2. Drink lots of water. Water will help to flush toxins that build up in your system. You should be drinking
a lot of water anyway as part of a good health routine, but it is especially important for those individuals
with skin problems. Six to eight tall glasses per day will help you a lot. No soda pop substitute!

#3. You can try applying an oatmeal mask. This is done similarly to the ladies you see on television
with the avacado all over their faces and the cucumber slices on their eyes. I'm teasing, but you do
want to apply it on your face and let it dry before removing it. Make certain that it's at room temperature
before applying. Afterward, rinse your face with warm water as this will open your pores and help to
clean them out.

#4. Drink a lot of green tea. Green tea is natures natural antitoxin and is one of the best things that
you can do to clear the toxins from your body. It doesn't taste bad either.

#5. Exercise regularly. This will help you to sweat out more toxins in your system and burn off stress.
It helps a lot, but you need to make time to do it on a regular basis.

#6. Get plenty of rest. Your body is ill and needs the proper rest in order to heal.


That does it for now. This short list is not intended to be a cure all solution to your acne, but tips that
have helped others. You need to apply them and then decide if the at home acne solutions worked out
for you. Good luck!

3/10/2007

Myths About Acne


Acne is one of the common conditions that teenagers and even adults face nowadays. Do we blame pollution, food and even environment as the cause of acne? Modern science has improved dramatically to help us battle acne and might also discover truth of these myths.

Hygiene is considered as one of the most important aspects to ensure good health. One of the myths says �Poor hygiene causes acne' which has been accepted widely in the society. However, it is not the main reason for the outbreak of acne which is due to �sebum' and dead cells that are hidden under the skin and it is hard to cleanse. To minimize the outbreak, a gentle wash can be done easily on a daily basis.

What kind of food that will cause acne? As we believe, chocolate, junk food and greasy food can cause acne. How true is this? Some scientific research had been done to verify this myth in which the data from the experiment is not solid enough to prove this myth is true. However, iodine can cause acne outbreak and it is mostly found in seafood that we love to eat. Good health is the basic to reduce acne outbreak; thus, lessen the intake of the food mentioned above to ensure an acne free face.

Generally, medicine nowadays can either help or worsen the problem of acne. Many people think that applying more topical medication can cause acne to become worse. This myth is not true and people should not believe it but continue the medication prescribed. In some cases, acne ointments will cause inflammation of the skin. Professional consultation is needed in order to quantify the amount of medication to be taken.

We often hear that acne is common among teenagers but how about people in their 30's? Acne can strike anyone at any age. But, acne usually clears up when a person reaches early stage of their 20's. However, some may also have acne outbreak in their 30's which is not common.

As we know, acne can be seen clearly through someone's physical appearance but does the damage stops there? Patients of acne will tell you otherwise, acne can cause emotional stress which can last for a long time. It can also cause emotional outbreak such as low self esteem, self centered, seclusion from community and depression.

Some of the myths are carried down from generation to generation and some are created just for the sake of comfort and beliefs. Therefore, it is always a good idea to seek professional consultation for an effective acne treatment instead of believing the myths that could have make things even worse.

3/09/2007

Create Your Own Effective Acne Cure


Some cosmetics irritate the skin and can cause acne by plugging up your pores on your face. The cosmetics chemicals that can cause you the most skin and pore irritation and inflammation are: mineral oil, lanolin, parabens, propylene, and glycol Look at the label of the cosmetics you use. You will find that many cosmetics, soaps, and sunscreens contain these chemicals. Find a water base make up, not an oil base. Find one that does not irritate your face and use it sparingly.

It is believed that hormones, diet, stress and vitamin deficiency may play a role in the development of acne. While acne includes both whiteheads and blackheads, there are a variety of types of acne that range in severity. Acne Vulgaris is the most common form of acne and includes everything from whiteheads and black heads to cysts. Acne Vulgaris may be either mild or moderate as well as severe. The mild and moderate forms of Acne Vulgaris include common pimples with inflammation apparent below the surface of the skin as well as blackheads. Small red bumps that have no head may also be present and are known as papules.

Removing excess oil from the surface of the skin, and kill the bacteria on the skin. To do this, we will need a gentle, non-allergenic, non-irritating antibacterial cleanser. These are few and far between, and I have only found one cleanser that can do the job: Noxzema "Triple Clean" Cleanser. This is a gentle cleanser that contains an antibacterial ingredient called "triclosan".

Some women never have a pimple until they hit their thirties. Talk about a real shock. This usually occurs when they decide it's time to go off the pill. Birth control helps balance hormones and for many it keeps acne at bay. So it may not be that they were ever immune to acne just that it's been so long they never realized they would have pimples.

Acne fulminans (Too Much Testosterone Acne) is an acute and severe form of acne accompanied by symptoms like fever and joint pain. This acne is common among males. Traits include: abrupt onset of acne, inflammatory and ulcerated nodular acne on the chest and back, severe acne scarring, fluctuating fever, painful joints, loss of appetite or weight, and high white blood cell count. This acne is caused by use of testosterone, used legally or illegally to enhance muscle growth. Over the counter treatments are not effective. If you don't need the extra testosterone for your health, don't take it.

Homeopathic treatment is made from minerals, herbs and other natural extracts that activate the body's natural defenses. Because these ingredients are in minute concentrations, they trigger the body to heal itself without side effects.

3/08/2007

Can Your Diet Affect Your Acne?


There are a number of vitamins and minerals that can be used to improve the look and condition of your skin. The mineral zinc, and vitamins A, C, and E, and B-complex vitamins like vitamin B6 are often used to support acne treatment, as these vitamins are very important for the health of your skin. Eating foods that are rich in sulphur may also be helpful as sulphur helps to cure acne. Garlic and onions both contain a good supply of sulphur. Your health care provider may also recommend that you avoid eating sugar, fried foods, or foods that have a high fat content. Also eliminate any sugar based carbonated beverages.

Does chocolate really cause pimples? How about oily foods? Do French fries bring on the acne? The latest reports show that although scientific evidence is not 100% accurate in this area, your diet does not directly cause acne. And by diet, this means not only chocolate and French fries, but also any other dietary combinations with sugar and oil or other ingredients.

There are basically four types of acne: whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, and nodules. Whiteheads are when the sebum (oil) and resulting bacteria are trapped below the skin's surface and you can actually see a white head appear above (or near popping out of) the skin. Blackheads are when the sebum and resulting bacteria are only partially trapped, slowly draining out the surface and turning black because of your skin's melanin or pigmentation. In the absence of either white or blackhead are generally (but not always) smaller pimples. And the often deeper, boil-like lesions are referred to as nodules.

Hygiene helps to control it, yet acne is not caused by a lack of hygeine, it comes about because of bacteria already present in the skin. The only true combatant, it seems, is to use a multitude of acne prevention methods at the same time or to find a permanent natural cure.

Unlike the small whitehead pustules that most people with acne experience on the surface of their skin, cystic acne appears as large irritated bumps, often with the pustule hidden deep beneath the skin's surface. These cysts are caused when hormonal shifts result in your skin glands overproducing oil (sebum) at an unnatural rate. The gland becomes swollen and eventually bursts, but not before the sebum has swelled and hardened into a clump too large to escape through your pores. The irritation from your gland bursting results in inflammation, and buried pustule can remain in your skin for a very long time.

While laser skin resurfacing, Dermabrasion, and chemical peels are the most popular methods for acne scar removal, injection methods are also used. The injections may contain collagen, or fat taken from other parts of the body. While these injections work well, they do have to be repeated often, and they can be quite expensive. The injections do not actually remove or heal the scars - it simply hides them by filling them up.

3/07/2007

Acne - Pimples - Zits - The simple facts and the cure I discovered


What is Acne - Pimples - Zits: The skin has numerous pores in it, sometimes oil's, dirt or other things can cause these pores to become clogged, swollen, and red, this condition is called pimples.

What causes Acne in some people: Some folks get plastered with acne as a teen, while others carry some right into adult years, and yet others seem to hardly even get one pimple. Some folks swear that drinking a lot of soda causes outbreaks, while others blame chocolate. These may be more likely skin reactions or allergies to the products, instead of real acne. Because, How can drinking soda or eating chocolate cause ones pores to become clogged and infected ? Some folks say acne is also hereditary, I found out this may not be true also, since I have known parents who had very little acne problems growing up, but their children seemed to be covered with them as teens.

My secret discovery that stopped Acne - Pimples - Zits: I want to start right away by saying when I was a child and teen I started getting acne like most of us did. I tried the major brands of medicated pads and creams, they all helped a little but not much. Then I stumbled upon something that made almost all of my pimples go away for good. I stopped using all soaps on my face. Once I stopped using soaps my skin soon cleared up and I was never really plagued by acne again. Of course I would get one once in awhile or a rare boil someplace, but the acne never came back like it had done before. I often wondered how many teens and even adults that are plagued by acne, constantly wash their faces using soap, to clean their pores, not knowing that the soap may be the real cause of the acne. Of course this may not work for everyone, but when I stopped washing my face with soap, my acne stopped. If soap does not appear to be the cause of your acne, there are several products to try, such as: zeno, acnease, accutane, stridex, zenmed, triclear, tetrasil, astara, phytome, neutrogena, biore, phisoderm, and others.

Should you Pop Acne - Pimples - Zits: Everyone is different when it comes to this. I myself have popped the occasional ones I get, and when I did it always seemed to make them go away much faster then letting them do it themselves, and I have never had a scar form from doing so. But this is up to each of you, if you want to pop then pop, if you fear it, then let it alone. I also have had the occasional hard boils on my face over the years, these I have jabbed with the point of a clean needle then squeezed the junk out of them, once I did this they seemed to go away rapidly also.

How to make Acne - Pimples - Zits invisible or a lot less visible: First of all let me say I am a guy and not a girl, probably the strangest thing in my medicine cabinet is a small body of womans cover-up cream. I use it for hiding any rare pimples, boils, red skin areas or bites I may get on my face or forehead area. If you have fair colored skin, like I do, then you know how much a red sore or pimple stands out, it's almost like a flashing neon sign saying 'look at me!'. I found out when I was married, that a little dab of cover-up cream rubbed on the pimple or red spot, makes them almost disappear. Now the hard part is, finding a female to buy a bottle of the stuff for you in the store, so you don't feel embarassed if your a man like I am, of course when I was married, I bought worse things at times.

There is a website that provides cures, facts and other great information on Acne and numerous medical conditions, the website is called: All About Health, and can be found at this url:

http://www.rb59.com/medical-health-info

By Robert W. Benjamin

Copyright � 2007

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter, or on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.

3/06/2007

Are You Too Old For Acne?


Natural acne treatment is simple. Changing your diet or taking herbs and vitamins to cleanse and provide additional nutrition could be enough to clear your skin up. You should eliminate sugars, oils, and fats from your diet as much as possible. They are not part of a good balanced diet and are all unhealthy to begin with.

Instead of using medicine that may have side effects, try using natural methods to cure Acne. For example, a soap made from Echinacea and other herbal ingredients is an effective antibiotic facial cleanser that helps fight acne and restore clear skin. Tea tree oil also has known antibiotic properties and serves as a mild anesthetic that will soothe the irritated skin. There are also other natural skin care products available that have been proven being effective in improving acne.

Makeup conceals acne, it doesn't cure it! But you already knew that, right? Using makeup to conceal acne isn't difficult, but there are some basic rules that you should always follow. Your three acne hiding weapons will be a concealer, a foundation and a finishing powder. Stay away from the dollar store and use only brand names that you can trust. Choose only oil-free makeup products that match your skin tone. Oil-free is the key to success here so read the labels carefully. You don't want to aggravate your existing acne problem by layering a fresh coat of oil on skin that already has too much to begin with. Choose a hypoallergenic brand while you're at it.

The Nlite Laser treatment is a possible help for those who are very troubled by their acne scars. Although the cost of this treatment is not yet definite, expect that this acne scar removal will be very costly. But if you have the money to spend on this kind of treatment, then why not try it! There have not been any reports for any harsh side effect of this acne scar removal. If you are the kind of person who will go through anything just to have that flawless skin you've been wanting , this may be the answer to that dream. But if you are doubtful of this treatment and a little afraid in undergoing medical processes, there are still acne scar removal products that are available for whatever type of acne problem you are having. Acne scar removal treatments may be very expensive

Unlike the small whitehead pustules that most people with acne experience on the surface of their skin, cystic acne appears as large irritated bumps, often with the pustule hidden deep beneath the skin's surface. These cysts are caused when hormonal shifts result in your skin glands overproducing oil (sebum) at an unnatural rate. The gland becomes swollen and eventually bursts, but not before the sebum has swelled and hardened into a clump too large to escape through your pores. The irritation from your gland bursting results in inflammation, and buried pustule can remain in your skin for a very long time.

The first step an Acne sufferer must take is to come to terms with his or her condition. It will have a negative impact on your life because our society judges us by our appearance. The trick is that an acne sufferer does not need to face this alone. Think about the numbers mentioned in the home page "Acne affects about 80% of all adolescents". That means that eight out of every ten people around you is or has had to battle with acne and its negative social impacts. So don't be shy to inform and involve people you come into contact with to prevent the psychological scarring from becoming permanent.

3/04/2007

Acne Medication - Beware of the Side Effects


Azelaic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Resorcinol, sulphur, and Adapalene are products that approach acne skin care with the intent to reduce clogged pores by peeling or sloughing off dead skins cells. Salicylic Acid is found in over-the-counter acne care products, such as Stridex, as are Resorcinol and sulphur. While most acne skin care treatments in this group target the surface of the skin, Adapalene, a prescription-only medication, reduces the build-up of dead skin cells inside the pore itself. Also a prescription-only skin care product, Azelaic Acid has the added benefit of killing P. acnes bacteria.

Here's a quick listing of the most common products used to treat acne � click on the links that interest you for more information on that course of acne treatment. Benzoyl Peroxide kills the bacteria that causes acne. Proactiv Solution is a dermatologist formulated Combination Therapy acne management system. Salicylic Acid unclogs your pores and encourages skin renewal. Tretinoin (Retin-A)promotes healthy sloughing. Antibiotics kill bacteria and reduces inflammation. Oral Contraceptives help regulate hormone levels. Anti-Androgens inhibit the body's production of acne-causing hormones. Isotretinoin (Accutane) is a treatment for severe cystic or nodular acne.

The most common form of acne is known as "acne vulgaris", which means common acne. Excessive secretion of oils from the glands combines with naturally occurring dead skin cells to block the hair follicles. Oil secretions build up beneath the blocked pore, providing a perfect environment for the skin bacteria Propioni bacterium acne to multiply uncontrolled. In response, the skin inflames, producing the visible lesion. The face, chest, back, shoulders and upper arms are especially affected. The typical acne lesions are comedones,papules, pustules, nodules and inflammatory cysts. These are the more inflamed forms of pus-filled or reddish bumps, even boil-like tender swellings. Non-inflamed 'sebaceous cysts', more properly called epidermoid cysts, occur either in association with acne or alone but are not a constant feature.

Hygiene helps to control it, yet acne is not caused by a lack of hygeine, it comes about because of bacteria already present in the skin. The only true combatant, it seems, is to use a multitude of acne prevention methods at the same time or to find a permanent natural cure.

There is a new form of EPA and DHA that is available in a product called Neptune Krill Oil (NKO) Neptune Krill Oil (NKO) NKO is the new EPA and DHA product, which maybe better to use than Borage Oil. NKO has the omega-3, EPA and DHA in the phospholipid form, which is easier for your cells to absorb compared with Borage oil. Borage oil contains the omega-3, EPA, and DHA in triglyceride form, which is more difficult for cells to absorb. One other good property of NKO is that is does not have to be refrigerated like Borage. It can be kept in a cool place in your cabinets. However, it does cost more than Borage oil.

Laser acne treatments for severe forms of acne work by the laser killing off the bacteria responsible for causing the acne. Lasers used for mild acne treatments like simple blackheads and whiteheads targets the serum producing glands to simply unplug the follicle to release the serum trapped inside by heating the top layer and shrinking the oil gland. This affects the top area of the skin leaving the deeper layers virtually unaffected and able to heal without incident.

3/03/2007

Winning the Skin War - Best Acne Skin Care


The best acne skin care begins with you. The right attitude should complement the proper treatment and preventive measures. If you content yourself with using anti-acne products sold commercially, you may not be in the right track to fight against it. Acne can happen to anyone even if they're way over puberty. The best acne skin care is treating acne from the inside out.

Must-eat fruits for acne

Begin with these must-eat fruits as part of your best acne skin care: eat at least 2 apples a day; consume as many apricots as you want; one banana a day helps your digestive system; blackberries, blueberries and cherries aid in ridding the blood of wastes; cantaloupes are high in vitamins A and C as well as other minerals that help in the treatment of skin problems. Figs contain high fibers that are good for digestion; grapefruits help eliminate toxins from drugs to improve liver function; grapes help in building new blood cells; mango neutralizes acid waste; strawberries contain anti-acne enzymes; while pineapples have papain that helps to metabolize protein.

Fruits in general have excellent cleansing agents and minerals that hasten the body's recovery against infections, including acne. So eating fruits many times a day should be part of a best acne skin care regimen.

Go herbal

The best acne skin care you can offer yourself is probably a herbal treatment. It is inexpensive and doesn't contain harsh substances that leave pollutants in your body in contrast to your doctor's prescription drugs. Plus, they are right over your kitchen!

Be among the thousands of people in the world who revere basil as a sacred herb. It's famous in the treatment of skin disorders, in case you don't know. Drink it (like tea) or apply it topically, use olive or virgin coconut oil as base. The results will tell you.

Sandalwood and neem are renowned as best acne skin care treatment. Both have antibacterial properties that treat acne before they develop. Use them as a paste and apply liberally on affected and surrounding areas.

Aside from the above mentioned best acne skin care treatments, combating acne means clearing your face of dirt and excess oil. Choose mild cleansers that contain a few percentages of benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. These help relieve sores and lesions. If it's necessary for you to use moisturizers, get the ones that are non-comedogenic. Use only oil-free make-up as these can block pores.

The best acne skin care treatment begins with you. Living a healthy lifestyle (bet you know what healthy is) and in harmony with nature (get enough sleep) will surely benefit you entirely.

3/02/2007

Must-Knows Concerning Acne


If you are a teenager, you are sure to have found yourself looking for solutions on your terribly irritating acne. Well, you are not alone. Most teenagers go through a stage when the proliferation of acne is on its peak. Sadly, acne flare-ups don't only occur during the teenage years. Some people may have even been spared during puberty yet the troubles of acne follows through the latter stages of life, more specifically during mid-years.

What causes this deviated variability on acne though during various stages of life is still not known. In fact, while acne has been studied even years before technologies for treatment had been devised, present day medicine cannot still answer issues concerning acne in a more comprehensive manner. Say, "why some people are more sensitive to the causes of acne while others have higher tolerance?"

Acne is caused by a skin bacteria called as propionibacterium acnes. Without this, acne is almost an impossibility. This is not the main culprit though. There must also be a suitable environment that would accommodate the accumulation of its growth.

Some people have excessively oily skin. These are those who are most prone to the development of acne since propionibacterium acnes thrive on sebum that accumulates on the follicles of the skin. The sebum, on the other hand, is an element of lubrication for the maintenance of healthy skin. Otherwise, the skin would be dull ad dry.

There are various misconceptions concerning acne. These may often provide logical claims yet it will always be good to verify information first before jumping to a conclusion that your acne is caused by another factor. Let us discuss in brief some of the common misconceptions related to acne.

Issues concerning foods

There are numerous studies which either claim that foods are related to acne or that there is no direct link between acne and foods. However, many stand on the account that some foods, especially those that contain excessively high content of oil can cause acne.

Because there is relatively high number of studies and many of them provide proofs on their claims, it is no longer certain whether such claims are fallacious or plain truths.

Nonetheless, there are a number of cases where proofs go deeper to concluding that while there may not be "direct" connections with regards to foods and acne, there are various instances when elements from certain foods can stimulate various hormones that ultimately cause acne. Well, it makes sense after all to refrain from eating foods that can excite the Pilosebaceous units to produce more sebum.

Hygiene and acne

This fact is as plain as the nose on your face- acne is not caused by dirt.

This may have been the belief since most people link acne with skin infections. Fair enough, acne has some relevance with some skin conditions but this truth is still not enough to conclude that dirt truly can cause acne. In fact, the blockages on the skin that lead to acne are found deep into the roots of the hair follicle. Thus, it is impossible to wash acne away if you are targeting to "clean" the inner sections of the pores.

These classic examples are only two of the many myths that are often associated with acne. Be sure to check on the actual causes of acne first before falling into the trap of believing in misconceptions. After all, you would not want to fall victim into exacerbated acne flare-ups, would you?

3/01/2007

The Truth About Acne Treatments


Acne is one of the most common skin problems affecting people around the world. At some point in their life, nearly everyone will battle problematic pimples that leave them feeling embarrassed, socially unacceptable or even depressed about their appearance. Acne, however, is only on the surface and a healthier skin is just waiting to be discovered underneath.

Acne treatments are one of the most effective ways to treat breakouts. When combined with a few natural home remedies, your skin can be on its way to a healthier and happier appearance. Cleansing your face at least twice each day, including both morning and night, will help to remove any buildup from your skin. Many acne sufferers may not realize this, but certain soaps may actually irritate the skin and add even more redness. Some commercial soaps have harsh ingredients that are thought to strip the skin of its natural moisture and, in some cases, may even cause mild to moderate itching. A moisturizing soap is a popular alternative and some even enjoy handmade soap products for the ultimate in skin care.

When most people begin to notice regular acne breakouts, they tend to stop by the local retail store in search of an affordable and effective treatment. While over-the-counter acne products can be just as effective as expensive prescription-only acne treatments, your search will be more successful if you focus on your individual problem and less on a product that guarantees immediate results. The truth is that your acne problem did not appear overnight and any product that promises to cure it as quickly is probably more than a little ambitious. Some popular over-the-counter acne treatments, such as Clearpores, DermaCleanse, and ProActiv offer 3-step programs with realistic expectations and do not require a doctor's prescription. Results in any form take time to appear and all acne products should be purchased with that in mind.

If and when acne fails to respond to conventional over-the-counter acne treatments, medical intervention may be needed. This is especially true with severe cases, which sometimes cannot be treated without prescription medication. Accutane is one of the possible acne treatments available to sufferers who have exhausted all other efforts to treat their breakouts. Although it has the potential for dangerous side effects, over two million users have tried Accutane and many have seen results where other acne products had otherwise failed. Because Accutane is available by prescription only, a physician can best explain both the benefits and risks associated with this 4-6 month aggressive treatment.

Whether you have an occasional acne breakout or are suffering with a constant discomfort, never disrupt the problem area by scratching, squeezing or aggravating your acne. Each of these actions may lead to infection or, at the very least, can worsen the redness and discomfort associated with acne. Caring for your skin properly and knowing when to seek medical help will result in healthier skin and a confident smile.

For more information on top performing acne treatments, including descriptions and comparative rankings, you can visit the Acne Treatment section of TopConsumerReviews.com at http://www.topconsumerreviews.com/acne.

The information contained in this article is designed to be used for reference purposes only. It should not be used in place of professional medical advice or recommendations relating to the use of acne products and/or acne treatments. If you believe that you have a problem with acne that requires medical attention, consult a physician or dermatologist for a professional evaluation and recommended treatment program.