Friday, August 28, 2009

The Truth About Acne Skin Care

Let's face it, you are engaged in an ongoing battle when you are afflicted with acne. While acne treatments for a mild case of acne are usually successful, moderate acne is a greater problem. Even dermatologists cannot cure a severe case of acne but can only provide an acne treatment regimen.

However, you can support your acne treatment efforts with proper acne skin care in order to reduce the recurrence of acne flare-ups and not aggravate existing acne.

Knowing What You're Doing

One of the first pieces of advice is to make sure that you understand and follow the directions for any acne remedy that you are using. If you are taking a prescription acne medicine, read the patient leaflet that accompanies the medication carefully. Typically for moderate to severe acne a dermatologist may prescribe several acne medicines, each with its own treatment protocol and directions.

In order to achieve the acne free skin that you desire, it is important to use all the acne treatments properly and in the correct order. Consider bringing a tablet of paper, a pen, and a friend or relative with you to your appointment with your dermatologist. Simply jot down some notes about the order and time of day for applying each acne medicine and what its purpose is.

Remember, just because the acne clears with the use of your acne medicines doesn’t necessarily mean that you have succeeded in curing acne. Most people with moderate to severe acne must continue to use their acne medicine long-term to prevent any recurrence of their acne problem. Using the acne treatments properly should translate to clear skin and freedom from acne scars.

What About Over-the-Counter Remedies?

Besides using medications prescribed by a doctor, there are a large number of products on the market labeled as skin cleansers, facial cleansers, pore cleansers, and facial pore cleaners that can be used in curing acne.

When cleansing skin that is afflicted with acne, an important point to remember is not to scrub the skin; never scrub your face with a washcloth. It is a misconception that acne is caused by dirt clogging the pores of the skin. You don’t scrub away the offending dirt; you can’t scrub away the offensive acne and achieve acne free skin.

Over-washing or scrubbing skin afflicted with acne only serves to aggravate the condition. Rather use only a gentle skin cleanser, lukewarm water, and a gentle motion with your fingertips as your primary acne skin care regime. When you wash your face with your hands, be sure to first thoroughly wash your hands.

Do Natural Treatments Really Work?

Look for gentle cleansers that are sold as acne solutions. When you're evaluating skin cleansers for acne, include natural acne treatments in your search as well. 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.

Oily skin is implicated as a one of the causes of acne. It doesn’t necessarily make sense to use a moisturizer on oily skin as a means of achieving clear skin. But many of the acne treatments, whether they are prescribed or available as over-the-counter products, have a tendency to irritate the skin while curing acne.

A moisturizer is a boost to irritated skin and keeps skin from becoming overly dry due to the acne treatments that have been applied. Look for a moisturizer with the following properties:

- oil-free

- won’t clog pores (non-comodogenic)

- containing a sun-screen

Besides a great desire to just scrub away the acne, many people try to remove the acne pimples by hand as a way to get clear skin. People who are afflicted with acne should avoid touching their face except to gently wash it with mild cleanser as already discussed.

By trying to remove pimples by hand you run the risk of creating acne scars that will last for a lifetime. Instead, have patience and rely on your prescription or over-the-counter acne treatment to work. Acne remedies usually take 6 to 8 weeks before curing acne.

For male acne sufferers, the daily ritual of shaving can be a problem. One acne sufferer has recommended the Gillette Sensor Excel as a gentle and effective razor to use. Other males prefer to try an electric razor. The advice is to shave delicately to avoid nicking the skin and to shave only as often as necessary. Finding a moisturizing shave gel may be one way to enhance your acne skin care program.

Female acne sufferers have their unique problems too, in finding the right cosmetic products to use. Females who are accustomed to using a foundation product may find that the foundation is difficult to apply smoothly if the facial skin becomes irritated due to the acne treatments being applied.

You may have to abandon the use of some cosmetics during the acne treatment period. Be sure to select only oil-free cosmetics and ones that are labeled as non-comodogenic (won’t clog pores) to use on your road to clear skin.

Proper acne skin care is a necessary addition to your arsenal for fighting your battle with acne and achieving clear skin once again.

A New Look at Natural Acne Treatments

There’s a confusing array of product claims and treatment methods for acne that make it difficult for acne sufferers to determine their best course of action. The fact that there are several forms of acne, including cystic acne and the common acne vulgaris, complicates the picture. While the medical community does not have a cure for severe acne, there are a variety of products that will subdue moderate cases of acne and provide the sufferer with clear skin once again. Among these effective products are natural acne treatments that provide viable alternatives to the use of antibiotic medicines and ointments.

Natural remedies are derived from plants that have been used for generations because of their medicinal properties. The prestigious National Institutes of Health recently formed the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Health to evaluate the efficacy of herbal remedies by funding controlled scientific studies. Herbal remedies can be effective natural acne treatments.

Antibiotics are frequently prescribed for acne because there is a known bacterial component to cases of acne but certain herbs like Echinacea (Echinacea angustifolio) have known antibacterial properties as well. A soap made from Echinacea and other herbal ingredients is a viable antibiotic facial cleanser that helps fight and clear acne. This type of soap is also used for eczema, psoriasis, and acne rosacea. Scientific studies show that Echinacea helps the body provide the proper enzymes at the cellular level to protect cells against invasion by bacteria. Echinacea’s ability to aid in wound healing is beneficial not only for acne but also for insect bites and burns.

Echinacea is the hardy purple coneflower that is a staple of roadside plantings and home gardens. A more exotic and expensive herbal acne treatment is tea tree oil. There are over 300 species of tea tree but only one species (Melaleuca Alteronifolia) found in New South Wales, Australia is known to have antibacterial properties.

What is Tea Tree Oil?

Tea tree oil is derived from the leaves of the tree and is four to five times stronger than household disinfectants in killing bacteria. At the same time, tea tree oil is gentle to the skin. Tea tree oil is effective in killing the bacteria even in pus and will cause the body to eliminate pus from inside a pimple.

Tea tree oil also acts as a mild local anesthetic which reduces discomfort and also helps to eliminate the red irritation from the skin, improving appearance and reducing acne social problems. Tea tree oil is readily available from herbal suppliers and is simply applied to the affected area with a Q-tip. Tea tree oil is used sparingly.

Witch hazel is not just a brand name but an actual herb (Hamamelis virginiana) that is still recommended as a topical astringent and natural acne remedy. When using these topical acne treatments it is important to be gentle. While it seems to make sense to attempt to vigorously scrub away the offending acne, both medical doctors and herbalists recommend a gentle face washing with even just the fingers as the best approach. Scrubbing merely dries the skin and causes it to produce more oils that are implicated as one of the causes of acne. Don’t over-wash either; specialists recommend washing the face just twice a day.

Along with topical products, herbal dietary supplements can be beneficial as a natural acne treatment as well. Burdock root (Arctium lappa) has long been used to treat boils and abscesses and is an acne treatment. One of the reported properties of burdock root is that it will bring problem-causing agents out of the bloodstream, thus potentially making a condition seem to worsen rather than improve. However, the theory behind its use states that it is simply eliminating toxic elements from the body and providing healing properties.

When used as an acne treatment, herbalists recommend that topical burdock root be applied as well as taking a supplement that contains burdock. Burdock is typically combined with dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale) and golden seal root (Hydrastis Canadensis). Golden seal root was once used to prevent pitting of the skin caused by smallpox. Herbalists also recommend red clover (Trifolium pratense). All of these ingredients are implicated in improving skin conditions. Be sure to take these supplements only in the dosage indicated by the manufacturer or your herbalist.

Diet plays an important role in overall health and maintenance of healthy skin. A balanced diet that is rich in vegetables and fruits provides the necessary vitamins and minerals to support clear skin. A diet containing lots of vitamin A may lower sebum production and excessive sebum is one of the contributing causes of acne. The various B vitamins, especially vitamin B-6, can be beneficial as it is needed for proper metabolism of steroid hormones and sexual hormones are implicated in acne. Zinc is promoted as a cure for acne but there seem to be as many studies against zinc supplements as there are ones that promote zinc as an acne treatment. These vitamins are available as supplements but again, more isn’t always better; follow label dosing instructions.

There are plenty of old wives tales surrounding diet and acne outbreaks. Chocolate and fried foods have long been blamed for acne but there is no evidence to support this. However, the link between acne and dairy products is being subjected to scientific studies. A study published in the medical journal Dermatology in early 2005 found a link between teen acne and consumption of dairy products. For those whose acne is aggravated by dairy consumption, eliminating dairy products promotes clear skin. Another misconception is that acne is caused by dirt because the pores are clogged. Thinking that dirt is a cause of acne prompts sufferers to possibly over-wash the face and further aggravate the acne condition. Wearing make-up doesn’t cause acne either. Look for modern cosmetics that are:

* non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores)
* oil-free (water-based)
* hypoallergenic (no added fragrance)

Acne isn’t just a teen-age condition and adults suffer from acne as well. The natural acne remedies have provided relief from acne symptoms for people of all ages.

Monday, November 3, 2008

DO YOU NEED A PERMANENT SOLUTION TO YOUR ACNE?

Acne is simply the medical condition that results from clogged pores. That is a simple statement, but acne is more than a medical condition. For sufferers of acne, it's more like a disease or even a scourge. It affects your social life and can even affect your health. Because of the damage acne causes, many people have been looking for a permanent cure for acne.
No one really knows why your body produces excess oil, but it does. It's also not known why it affects some people more than others. The evidence points to raging hormones. There is also a lot of good evidence that hormonal changes result in an increase in oil production and a resulting increase in visible acne. Any permanent cure of acne would need to get at the heart of the problem and slow down the body's production of excess oil.
Oil is not the only acne cause. There are other causes. Acne has so many interconnecting causes and this makes it very difficult to have a permanent cure for acne. Luckily, there are ways to control some of the causes of acne so well that it appears as though acne is permanently cured.
New alternative remedies with all natural ingredients have burst onto the scene. Using proven natural remedies, acne is not only controlled but disappears. For all intent and purposes, your acne problem has been cured. Imagine that, freedom from the scourge of acne.
If you are looking for a permanent cure for acne, you should be looking at all natural remedies. There are some very good remedies that can make you feel as though your acne problem is permanently cured.
Acne can be a beast to get rid of but there are natural products to cure acne and they can work just as well or better than prescribed medications. If you would like to know more about acne prevention and get a review of the natural acne medication.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

THE RIGHT SOLUTION TO YOUR ACNE PROBLEMS

Most people are annoyed and aggravated at the sight of acne on their faces. Most teenagers would want to look good and charming but the annoying pimples makes it impossible and only add to their skin problems. Are you one of the people who would like to get rid of this annoying acne? Do you want to know what causes acne? Have you longed for the right acne treatment that would work for you? Then read through our article and be equipped with the defensive tools that you need for your battle against acne.
How Can You Face your Facial Problems? The sight of pimples on your face would most likely make you jump just to look for an acne remedy and treatment. Can you distinguish the different causes of acne? There are skin glands that produce oil so as to lubricate the skin and hair. Now when the natural oil mix with the dust that are present in the air, the pores on the face start to get clogged and this produces acne. Now that you are aware why acne is developed, you should also be familiar with the important factors that can worsen your acne.
Reasons Why Acne Show Up With the use of proper medication, you can now lessen the effects of acne but it is important to know the specific cause first. In view of the fact that not everyone has the same body chemistry, the root of acne may be different as well. Although in most cases it is caused by clogged pores, you still have to make sure so that you can use the best remedy. Below are the three most common acne causes:
1. The Natural Stage of Growth and the Hormones Produced Naturally by our Body 2. Bacteria and germs 3. Family History
The Medication and Treatment Available to Treat Acne Looking for the most excellent acne medication is easier now that you already know your acne problem cause. Urgent medical attention is most needed especially if your acne problem is really bad. If you want a safe way to improve your skin, you can use oral antibiotics that could heal acne blemishes in as early as six months. Apart from these antibiotics you can also take advantage of antibacterial cream and ointments which are able to kill the acne causing bacteria. Nonetheless, if your skin is just starting to build up acne, here are ways of preventing severe inflammation:
1. Never touch your skin without washing your hands. In addition to that, you also have to avoid unnecessary rubbing and scratching of your skin. 2. You have to be cautious with what you eat. 3. Do not think too much especially of stressful matters. 4. Always be hygienic and clean. 5. Just use gentle skin care products on your skin and be sure to rinse it off with a lot of water.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

THE BEST WAYS TO AVOID ACNE

In many cases acne can be avoided. There are lots of ways to avoid acne. Ways to avoid acne include dietary changes, skin care and home treatments.
This article will have information that explores ways to avoid acne.
Ways to avoid acne #1: Use a cleansing diet to get rid of the impurities in your system.
Ways to avoid acne #2: Clean your skin everyday.
Ways to avoid acne #3: Use a benzyl peroxide lotion to keep blemishes at bay.
Ways to avoid acne #4: Check your cosmetics, foods and other products to make sure you are not having a problem with allergies that can be mistaken for acne.
Ways to avoid acne #5: If you eat a high-fiber, low-fat diet you are less likely to have problems with acne.
Ways to avoid acne #6: Some vitamins will decrease your chances of acne. Check with your doctor to see what she suggests.
Ways to avoid acne #7: Drink six to eight glasses of water a day. Water is important for the health of your skin.
Ways to avoid acne #8: Some people feel that cutting down on sugar, flour and caffeine is one of the ways to avoid acne.
Ways to avoid acne #9: If you have small blackheads or pimples do not pop them. This can lead to even more skin problems.
Ways to avoid acne #10: Don’t use greasy lotions and cosmetics as they contain oils that can promote acne.
Ways to avoid acne #11: Try not to take any medications that contain iodides or bromides.
The above information should help you find ways to avoid acne.

Friday, October 10, 2008

GET RID OF ACNE IN LESS THAN ONE WEEK

No longer do you have to have low self esteem due to acne problems. Join the rest of America and get rid of acne fast. Are you one of the many people in this world that wake up every morning only to be disgusted with the acne on your face? There are now many solutions for you to get rid of acne in a quick amount of time.

The biggest problem of acne is the affect it has on someone's self esteem. Did you ever want to ask a person on a date or even apply for a job but didn't because of the acne problem you have? If so, then you are no different than most people with acne problems. Unfortunately we live in a world where appearance means everything. Although it shouldn't; it does. This is all the more reason that we must get rid of all our acne blemishes.

Usually you would have to buy some sort of "over the counter" product. The problem with "over the counter" treatments is that most of your "over the counter" acne treatments will only get rid of acne. It will not prevent the acne from coming back. In order to get any kind of prevention medicine; you would have to see a doctor for a prescription. Unfortunately those solutions can be very expensive.

Lucky for you, with today's technology, you are now able to find acne treatments that can be bought "over the counter" but have the effectiveness of a doctor's prescription.

So get back your self esteem today by getting rid of all your acne problem fast.

THE BEST SOLUTION FOR YOUR SKIN PROBLEM

Acne is a skin disease, which is created by the clogged pores on the skin. It is a major problem for millions of teenagers, both male and female. It makes a person depressed and so proper treatment is necessary.
An acne problem can be due to many reasons. Mainly an increased secretion of male sex hormone Androgen creates the problem. There are many acne remedies for the treatment. These acne remedies are effective along with a parallel treatment procedure of medicines. Nothing can stop acne totally, because it is a natural process. Acne remedies can be two types, Home acne remedies and herbal acne remedies. Let us discuss both:
Home acne remedies: Wash the face thoroughly with a non-oily face wash twice a day. After wiping off the water from the face apply tea-tree oil on the face. This can reduce the acne chances. Don’t apply any oily or chemical cosmetics on the face. Apart from this basic acne remedy you can also use natural cleansers for better results.
Herbal acne remedies: For making herbal acne remedies lavender, chamomile, juniper, dandelion root, burdock and bergamot are instrumental. These herbal acne remedies can improve the skin condition considerably. Other herbs like hazel an excellent astringent, red clover an estrogen, and pokeroot an anti-inflammatory are herbal acne remedies.