7/07/2007

Adult Acne - Are You Too Old For Acne?


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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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