5/01/2007

Naturopathic Acne Treatments


Before we dwell upon various ways and methods of getting rid of acne, we need to understand what they are and how they are caused. Although all factors and causes of acne are yet to be ascertained and understood, the most well known cause of acne is the secretion of an oily substance which promotes hair growth and keeps it healthy. This oily substance keeps hair and skin soft, so the secretion is not without a reason. This oily substance is also called Sebum. Sebum is produce din a human body in large quantities during adolescence.

Although sebum in itself is not harmful, it comes in contact with dust particles and tends to block hair follicles. These hair follicles thus blocked turn into acne lesions. Apart form this, since sebum is an oily substance it forms a conducive environment in the acne lesion thus formed for bacterial growth. The bacterium thus grows into what we normally call a Pimple.

Effective Acne Treatments

Acne treatments are varied and wide spread. Probably my grandmother will suggest a cure and your grandmother would suggest another and both might work effectively or neither might. This essentially implies that acne treatments go a long way back, probably to the beginning of civilization and none of them are concrete.

Acne treatments depend on various factors like skin type, environment, hygiene and of course the primary cause of acne. However, people suffering from acne have a common symptom, they keep worrying about them incessantly. Let alone treatment, they worry about scars that may come up after they are treated. Be assured, the scars go away all by themselves after proper treatment has been done.

With a plethora of acne treatment products available across the globe, it is not so difficult to choose the right one. Dermatologists across the globe have also developed ways of healing scars that do not go away automatically. Some procedures like dermabrasion, microdermabrasion are popular where the external layer of the skin is removed using lasers.

Acne treatment can be very simple. Before acne take over and run amok, it is necessary that we take some preventive care to reduce the chances of acne.

We could begin with cleansing the face. Cleaning and washing the face removes only the surface dirt and does not remove any dirt accumulated in hair follicles filled with sebum. Cleansing the face is important so to prevent further accumulation. While cleaning the face, make sure never to

1. Scrub: Scrubbing will only worsen the acne situation.
2. Over-wash: Washing too often upsets the pH balance resulting in dry skin.
3. Use strong soaps: Strong and harsh soaps remove the oil, thus misbalancing your skin configuration.
4. Use heavy make up: Oil content in heavy makeup clogs skin pores which will increment the acne problem.

The next best option to maintain a healthy and glowing skin is to have proper diet and exercise regularly. Diets should be full of fruits and vegetables and other nutritious food. Avoiding oily food and fattening food is recommended. Exercising regularly helps maintain the water balance in the skin. Exercise also helps control stress level helping maintain a hormonal balance in the body. It is however, very important to remember that drinking lots of water, while exercising or otherwise is very essential to the body and helps the skin heal fast.

Sleep is another essential factor that contributes towards health and acne treatment. Sleep removes stress and thus the body's hormonal balance does not get disturbed. A minimum of eight hours is recommended.

Acne treatment is a wide ranges science. However, traditional treatments of acne are basically oral and topical. Topical creams like Retin-A, benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid help open up pores and prevent development of blackheads and whiteheads. Exfoliation procedures are also available and help in reduction of discolored pigmentation.

For adults, oral antibiotics are a preferred form of acne treatment. Tetracycline family based antibiotics can help reduce bacteria on the skin, thus fighting inflammation to prevent redness of skin.

Although acne treatments are wide and varied, localized treatments are available and the most effective since these acne treatments are formulated as per the local environmental conditions and effects.

Despite all kinds of acne treatments available, naturopathic treatments are recommended to be the best.

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