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Acne Prevention – How to prevent new acne outbreaks
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Achieving acne improvement is a great success but your job is far from over. Once having acne under control you need to keep it that way by following the acne prevention measures otherwise all your efforts to ged rid of acne will go to waste. Prevention of new acne outbreaks and maintenance of clear and beautiful skin greatly varies from person to person. Some people need to continue using acne medications (for example taking oral contraceptives or/and applying topical medication to acne-prone areas), while the others need to repeat acne treatment periodically (for example phototherapy). However, all need to follow the standard self-care measures.
Acne prevention self-care measures base on avoidance of factors which are also recommended as basic self-care measures in acne treatment. Hygiene and skin care is very important but you are highly advised against excessive washing and scrubbing. Washing acne-prone areas twice a day using a gentle cleanser or non-greasy soap is enough. If you use a moisturizer make sure it is oil-free. Other self-care acne preventive measures foresee keeping hair off the face, avoidance of touching or picking acne-prone areas and showering after exercising.
Scientific studies have shown that there is little connection between diet and acne but a healthy diet high in vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients and low in saturated fats and trans fats might be very helpful for keeping your skin beautiful and acne-free.
Acne Medication – Prescription medications for acne, their efficiency and side effects
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Many people report achieving improvement of acne by using various home remedies and different over-the-counter acne products but sometimes are required more powerful treatments available only by prescription. Dermatologists usually avoid prescribing medications for mild to moderate acne because like all other prescription drugs, acne medications might cause different side effect ranging from temporary skin irritation to liver damage. For that reason you should consult about pros and cons of particular acne medication with your dermatologist before the use.
If not responding to the over-the-counter treatment dermatologist will probably prescribe you one or more of the following medications depending on acne severity:
- topical or/and oral antibiotics
- hormonal treatment
- topical retinoids (tretinoin, adapalene, tazarotene)
- isotretinoin
Oral antibiotics are the oldest form of moderate to severe acne treatment but they are becoming less effective due to increased antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic treatment usually includes both oral and topical antibiotics, while some dermatologists prefer a combination of topical benzoyl peroxide and oral antibiotics. Hormonal treatment involves taking oral contraceptives which might improve acne in women. Isotretinoin is reserved only for the severest cases not responding to any other treatment because of potentially severe side effects. Like isotretinoin, topical retinoids are also related to vitamin A but they generally have milder side effects than isotretinoin which is associated with severe birth defects and liver damage. For that reason, people who take isotretinoin must be closely monitored by their dermatologist.
Acne and Diet – The connection between acne and diet
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There has been a lot of debate about the connection between acne and diet. The popular believe that excess consumption of chocolate and greasy foods causes acne has been shown incorrect, while the majority of scientific researches indicate that diet has little effect on acne. Despite that many people claim that their acne worsens after eating certain foods. Thus one gets easily confused and faces great difficulties with whom to trust.
Many studies concerning connection between certain foods and acne are still ongoing and many theories require further researches. Although it seems that there is little connection between diet and acne it might be very helpful to write a diary of consumed foods to determine whether particular foods worsen acne or trigger its occurrence. If finding out your acne worsens or occurs after eating certain foods you should try avoiding them for a while to determine if there is a connection. It also might be helpful to increase the intake of foods high in vitamin A such as liver, carrot, broccoli, sweet potato, spinach and some other foods because the researches have shown that people with acne have lower levels of vitamin A in the bloodstream. However, you are highly recommended not exceed the recommended daily allowance nor to use vitamin A supplements unless prescribed by your doctor because vitamin A in high doses is toxic.
Acne Scars – Types of acne scars and available treatments
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As if blackheads, whiteheads, pustules, nodules and cysts would not be bothersome enough all can result in acne scars which like all other scars do not diminish. The best way to avoid acne scars is to prevent acne from occurring which is not particularly easy. On the other hand, the preventive measures are of no use once already having acne scars.
There are several treatments which can improve the skin texture by removing the scars or making them less noticeable. Which treatment to choose greatly depends on severity and type of the scars which can be divided into depressed and raised scars. Most people have depressed types of acne scars:
- ice pick scars characterized by deep pits are the most common type of acne scaring.
- box car scars greatly resembling the chickenpox scars most often occur on cheeks and the temple and can be deep or superficial
- rolling scars are notable for creating a wave-like appearance on the skin
The hypertrophic scars are raised scars which occur on the site of an original wound and commonly reduce in size with time. Severer form of acne can also result in keloid scars which expand beyond the site of an original wound.
Depending on type and severity of acne scars your dermatologist will probably recommend you one of the following treatments majority of which are repeated periodically:
- soft tissue filling involving injections of collagen or fat under the skin making the scars less noticeable
- chemical peel for mild scars
- dermabrasion involving the removal of the top skin layer is commonly recommended for severe scaring
- microdermabrasion is a less invasive form of dermabrasion abrading only the skin’s surface
- laser treatment and phototherapy
- acne scar surgery for the severest cases and patients with cystic acne
Acne Products – Efficacy and safety of acne products
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All who want to get rid of or at least reduce the severity of acne face a great challenge when choosing between countless acne products which are available over-the-counter and even at the supermarkets. The majority of acne products promise significant improvement within a week or two but unfortunately, the improvement cannot be noticed earlier than after four to six weeks, while many acne products even the most expensive ones might not result in any improvement at all.
Generally speaking, the best acne products are those which have the best reviews of other people although there is no guarantee that the product which worked for other people will work for you as well. Talk with someone who managed to achieve great improvement or read some reviews of acne products which you consider using before purchasing. Very important is also to be very well informed about the mode of action and potential side effects of particular product as well as to be patient. Do not expect fast improvement because the improvement usually occurs after four to six weeks even if the manufacturer promises otherwise. In addition, you might also experience worsening of acne before the skin is starting to get better. Besides using the chosen acne product according to the directions of the manufacturer you should maintain a proper hygiene and follow the standard acne control measures discussed in the article Natural Acne Treatments. If your skin does not improve or if you suspect your acne might be a side effect of medications you should consult with your health care provider.
Acne Home Remedies – Popular acne home remedies which are reported being helpful for acne
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Acne might be very stressful and bothersome but it does not cause any major problems except for aesthetic nor health risks. Thus you can easily try out different natural treatments and home remedies which are reported being very effective and have no side effects before starting to use the standard acne treatment products.
There is no guarantee that home remedies which worked for others will work for you as well but considering that even acne treatments available by prescription are not always effective it is worth to try with acne home remedies which are said to be helpful for acne. The following home remedies are among the most popular acne home remedies but please keep in mind that none of them is scientifically proven being effective:
- Lemon juice. Apply lemon juice to a cotton ball and use it as a cleanser. It is very acidic and is believed to help to remove the excess oil, opening the pores and killing the bacteria.
- Apple cider vinegar. Like lemon juice, apple cinder vinegar is used as a cleanser.
- Cucumber juice. It is used as a cleanser but some versions recommend to drink it as well.
- Garlic has antibacterial properties and is said to be very helpful for acne. Rub the affected areas with raw garlic.
- Basil tea. Apply cooled basil tea to the affected area with a cotton ball.
- Sugar. Mix sugar with a small amount of water and use it as a peeling.
- Egg white. Apply it on a throughly washed skin and leave it sit for several hours.
Acne Natural Treatment – Effective acne natural treatments
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Acne can cause a lot of stress severely affecting one’s self-esteem and even lead to depression, while all over-the-counter and prescription treatments might not be necessarily effective and can cause series of side effects ranging from skin irritation and dryness to liver damage. You are highly advised against using potential chemicals and prescription medications if suffering from mild to moderate acne before trying completely natural and safe acne treatments which have been reported very effective.
The very basic in acne treatment is to avoid the temptation of picking and squeezing the blemishes because it can cause scaring of the skin or infection. Mild to moderate acne can be successfully controlled with proper skin cleansing and care. However, avoid excessive scrubbing and washing and use a gentle cleanser or non-greasy soap which does not dry and irritate your skin. If you need a moisturizer make sure it is non-greasy and light. Avoid touching you face and keep you hair off face. Very helpful for acne is also exposure to the sun but half of an hour per day is enough (avoid sun exposure between 10 am and 3 pm). Many people also report experiencing worsening of acne after excessive sweating and thus it might be very helpful to avoid sweating as much as possible and to take a shower after exercise.
In addition to the mentioned measures you can also try with some home remedies. Among of the most popular acne treatments are various essential oils such as tea tree oil and lavender oil, basil tea, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, carrot juice and many others which are commonly applied to the affected areas.
Safety note: If and when using essential oils never applied them directly to the skin undiluted.
Acne Treatment – Available acne treatments
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Acne is a common skin condition affecting nearly 90% of all teenagers which fades away or at least decreases in the majority of people on its own after a certain time period. However, puberty is a very sensitive stage of life when the external appearance is of great importance. Thus waiting for time to do its job is not an option for the majority of teenagers and young adults especially because acne usually affects the most visible parts of the body – the face and neck.
There are many acne treatments promising fast and effective acne decrease. Unfortunately, the vast majority of acne treatment products are ineffective and can make acne even worse. For that reason it is very important to be well informed about different acne treatments, their overall efficacy and potential side effects as well as to be patient because even the treatments which are effective in the majority of people do not result in fast improvement and the skin might even get worse before starting to get better. Mild acne usually does not require any special treatment and can be successfully controlled with proper cleansing and skin care, home remedies, over-the-counter topical treatments ( topical bactericidals containing benzoyl peroxide), laser and light therapy, chemical peels and microdermabrasion. If not responding to the over-the-counter treatment the dermatologists usually prescribe antibiotics or hormonal treatment. Very effective is also isotretinoin which is reserved only for the severest cases not responding to other treatments or having deep cysts because potentially severe side effects.
Acne Causes – The primary causes of acne and factors linked with excess production of sebum
By admin
In contrary to the popular believe, acne is not caused by excess consumption of chocolate and greasy foods nor dirt. Acne occurs when the hair follicles become blocked by naturally occurring oily substance or sebum and dead skin cells forming a soft plug which causes blackheads and/or white heads as well as inflammatory papules. It is not exactly known why the body produces excess sebum and dead skin cells but there are several factors which are believed to major contributors to acne.
The occurrence of acne is linked to the following factors:
- Hormonal activity. During puberty occur major hormonal changes which are believed to stimulate the sebaceous gland to produce excess amounts of sebum which in turn stimulates buildup of dead skin cells blocking the hair follicle. Hormonal activity resulting in acne can be also caused by menstrual cycle and use of oral contraception pills in women.
- Genetic predisposition. Individuals with a family history of acne are more prone to acne.
- Stress. There are no scientific evidence for the impact of stress on acne development but it seems that increased stress levels worsen the severity of acne.
- Buildup of bacteria in the pores.
- Certain medications. Acne can be also a side effect of certain drugs.
- Cosmetic products blocking the pores.
There has been a lot of debate about the connection between acne and diet. The studies conducted so far have shown that diet has little effect on acne. The scientific researches also proved that acne is not caused by dirt and that excess scrubbing and cleansing of the skin can make acne even worse.
Acne Facts – Acne definition
By admin
Acne is a common skin condition characterized by comedones or blackheads (noninflammatory follicular papules) and inflammatory papules – pustules, nodules and cysts which affect nearly 90% of all teenagers as well as many young adults. Acne occurs when the hair follicles are blocked because of excess production of oil and dead skin cells. The cause of the excess production of the oily substance known as the sebum and dead skin cells is not exactly known but it seems to be related with hormonal changes during puberty, menstrual cycle, pregnancy, genetic predisposition as well as with certain medications. The popular believe that acne is related to increased chocolate intake and dirt (blackheads) is false.
Acne can occur on virtually all parts of the body but it most commonly affecting the face, upper neck, chest, back and shoulders. In most cases acne disappears or at least decreases on its own after a certain time. Depending on the severity acne can cause a severe psychological stress and reduced self-esteem sometimes even depression as well as scaring of the skin. There are several treatments which help to reduce or/and prevent acne with varying success. The efficacy of a particular acne treatment greatly varies from person to person and finding the one that works for you might be a great challenge but it is a lot easier if being well informed about the causes of acne, its prevention, and benefits and potential side effects of different acne treatments and control.
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