The problem of acne may seem cosmetic at the first glance but it can have deep roots in the psychology and may cause significant harm. Acne and scars due to it can lead to several psychological problems which can drastically alter the quality of one’s life. The possible complications are:

• Low self esteem
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Insecurity due to facial appearance
• Social withdrawal

What causes acne?

The word comes from the Greek word “acme” meaning point or spot and at some point in time started being miss pelt as acne. All types of acne like blackheads, whiteheads, pimples and cysts develop when our skin pores become clogged. This happens due to sebum, the oil in our skin. Excess sebum breaks down the cellular wall of skin pores allowing bacteria to grow.

Who is affected by it?

Our bodies produce more sebum with surge of hormones hence teens are more acne prone although it is not an unheard phenomena in adults also. Breakouts are seen among women before periods and during the years leading up to menopause.

How do we treat it?

• You may start by trying some home made remedies like a mint face pack, orange peel, honey etc. If these do not work or you do not have the time for them then you can go ahead with the next method;
• Acne treatment has been made easy by the variety of products available in the market. The most common active ingredients in over the counter products are: alcohol and acetone, benzoyil peroxide, resorcinol, salicylic acid and sulfur. All the products have been proven effective against acne but it might not work for you if it is not right for you. So even if you are going to use an off-the-shelf treatment consulting a skin specialist may be a wise decision since only he/she can correctly judge the severity of the problem. Once you have chosen the right product use it sincerely for a minimum of six to eight weeks to actually start seeing results.
• In cases of severe acne, treatment by a dermatologist is a must since it might be required to follow an aggressive regime which sometimes can be of a few years! However do not panic as almost every case of acne can be treated. Acne should not be squeezed or picked as it can lead to infections. If needed the dermatologist will perform an “acne surgery” in sterile conditions using the proper technique. Oral antibiotics may also be prescribed.
• The latest in acne treatment is therapy using laser which may have a longer and lasting effect but is not accessible by everybody due to economical constraints.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mateo_Martins

Acne – You Can’t Wish it Away! You Need Acne Treatment is a post from: How To Treat Acne Now

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When I was a teenager, I used to hide myself from the crowd because I was literally embarrassed of my face. It was not that I was ugly, but during that time, I was suffering from acne bursts and I thought that it was the most horrible thing that can happen to a person. It was frustrating to be the centre of other people’s fun! If you had the same experience and shared the same angst towards this condition, then let’s join forces to help others dealing with acne.

To start with, the fact that this occurrence is tremendously normal at any age. Just like other matters in life, it would be a great help to approach any problem with quick mind and without any idea of surprise. Next would be identifying the acne on your face based on severity. Some forms of acne are manageable while others are too stubborn. Acne may come as blackheads, whiteheads or pimples in solitary or groups. These can also reoccur as well as be present in other parts of the body such as the neck and back.

I would not blame you if you are envious of other people that deal with less than you have. So why is that possible? The reason is because one person is completely different from another in genetic make-up, daily routines and environment to name some. The thriving bacteria and skin condition also play major roles on the formation of acne. If you have oily skin, you have a greater chance of acquiring this condition than those that have normal skin. Other risk factors include age, hormone levels, stressful situations, hot weather, vitamin deficiency and food choices.

To prevent aggravating the situation, refrain from continuous touching and picking on your face as well as maintain good hygiene and a proper diet. According to studies, women have greater incidence rate of having acne than men. So what can be done? Aside from the above-mentioned advices, skip cooking chores as well as be selective with cosmetics and hair products because these have known negative effects on the skin. Relax and try available over-the-counter products like benzoyl peroxide and sulfur if necessary. Take note that whatever drug you will use, test for allergic reactions for your safety. A once in a while visit on your trusted dermatologist is not bad either.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Liam_Edmenson

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Medical treatment for acne vulgaris can take several forms. The first stage is to try applying certain topical treatments. You can try each of these in turn for a month to six weeks. If the acne improves, continue. If not, move on to the next option.

1. Benzoyl Peroxide

This can dry up acne vulgaris for many people. Products containing benzoyl peroxide include Brevoxyl and Benzac.

2. Salicylic Acid

This is another option which many people find helps their acne. Products containing salicylic acid include Propa pH and Stridex.

Aspirin is a derivative of salicylic acid and that is why some people treat pimples at home with soluble aspirin dissolved in a few drops of water to make a paste. However, it is more convenient to buy a commercial acne treatment. It looks pretty weird walking around with white aspirin paste on your face!

If neither benzoyl peroxide nor salicylic acid works for you, you will need to have a prescription medication.

3. Topical Antibiotics

The first step for a medical practitioner is often to prescribe antibiotic creams, gels or lotions which are applied directly to the pimples. These are for external use only.

4. Oral Antibiotics

In some cases you may be prescribed a course of oral antibiotics that you take internally. This treatment often helps acne scars to heal so it is more likely to be used where the acne is deep or is producing scarring.

If you take oral antibiotics, be sure to follow up with a course of probiotics afterward. You can buy probiotics from any health food store. This repopulates the healthy bacteria in the stomach. These can be killed off by antibiotics and the result can be an overgrowth of candida, leading to yeast infections.

If you think that you already have an overgrowth of candida, it is better not to take antibiotics for your acne but treat the candidiasis first. You may find that acne improves or even disappears when the yeast is under control. Candidiasis is not so likely to be a problem for teenagers, but is sometimes involved in adult acne.

5. Prescription Retinoids

Retinoids are related to vitamin A and they have many applications in medicine, one of which is treating acne. As with antibiotics, you can get topical retinoids in the form of creams or gels which are applied directly to pimples (e.g. Retin-A, Differin, Tazorac). Retinoids can irritate the skin so in some cases the acne gets worse before it gets better.

There are also oral retinoids that you take internally, such as Accutane. These usually take several months to have an effect. Oral retinoids should only be taken under medical supervision. There can be side effects and overdose is dangerous. Women taking retinoids must not get pregnant because they can cause birth defects, so oral retinoids are more likely to be prescribed for men as a medical treatment for acne vulgaris.

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What Is A Laser?

Lasers were developed in the 20th century after Albert Einstein outlined the theoretical basis for them. The word ‘laser’ was formed from the initial letters of its description: Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. This is not radiation in the sense of radioactivity. All light radiates, as does heat (that is why we call some heaters ‘radiators’.) So a laser is just a highly focused beam of light.

Lasers have many applications including munitions and defence, recording CDs, laser printing, bloodless medical surgery, and skin treatments including acne. They cut by burning within a very closely defined area. That is why we talk about ‘burning a CD’.

Laser Acne Treatments

Lasers have three main applications in the treatment of acne itself.

First, they can be used to burn away the hair follicle. Most pimples form when sebum clogs up a hair follicle, so destroying the follicle will prevent any more acne on that site. This is good for any area on the face where we do not want hair, but there are a huge number of hair follicles in the skin so it can take a while.

Second, they can be used to burn away the sebaceous gland, where the sebum is formed. Many people produce excess sebum, especially during adolescence and young adulthood, so the removal of some of the sebaceous glands can help to prevent acne in many people. There might be a possibility of this causing dry skin later in life, however.

Third, they can be used to oxidize the bacteria in an infected pimple. This kills the bacteria, but does not prevent other pimples forming later.

Laser Acne Scar Treatments

Lasers are also used in the treatment of acne scars, in two different ways. First, there is laser resurfacing. This removes the top (scarred) layer of skin and at the same time, tightens the middle layer so that new healthy skin forms. This is usually done in the doctor’s or dermatologist’s office with just a local anesthetic. The procedure can take anything up to an hour depending on the size of the area to be treated. Skin will take from 3 to 10 days to heal.

Second, there is a new form of acne scar treatment called fractional laser therapy. This works at a deeper level and does not damage the top layer of skin. It is an expensive procedure and is not usually covered on health insurance, unlike some other laser acne treatments.

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Acne Pimples In The Genital Area

A common cause of pimples in the genital area is acne. Just as acne can form on the face, back and chest, it can form here too. This type of pimple can be caused by sebum from the sebaceous glands blocking a follicle in the skin, which is also the cause of most pimples on the face. It may also be caused by an ingrown hair that has become infected. You may see this happening on your legs and arms too from time to time.

For treatment, just wash the area regularly. Wearing loose underwear made of natural fibers like cotton will help the area to stay cool, so that sweat does not add to the problem of pimples on genitals.

Acne is not dangerous wherever you get it, but you should see your doctor to be sure that the cause really is acne and not something more serious.

Genital Warts

Genital warts will generally last much longer than acne pimples. They can be round and smooth, either pink or white in color, or they can have a rough surface like the head of a cauliflower. Genital warts are usually sexually transmitted, although warts on other parts of the body are not. You are unlikely to have genital warts if you have not been sexually active.

Warts are caused by Human papillomavirus or HPV. There are many different strains of this virus. Some have no symptoms and some produce warts in different areas of the body. A very large number of people are believed to be infected with some form of HPV (up to 80% of Americans, at some time in their lives) but often, they do not have symptoms. Whether warts form or not may depend on the person’s general health.

HPV has been linked with cervical cancer in women. It is important for women to have pap smears at regular intervals to identify any warts or precancerous cells internally. Girls are now being vaccinated against some strains of HPV to reduce the incidence of cervical cancer.

More rarely, HPV related cancer can form in the anus of either men or women, or on the penis for men. So if you think you have genital warts or have had them in the past, tell your doctor.

Herpes

The Herpes simplex virus produces sores in the genital area. These sores are like blisters and can be mistaken for acne pimples. However, there are often additional symptoms such as itching, or the sores may be painful.

This virus is related to the virus that causes fever blisters or cold sores around the mouth, although it is not the same strain. Like genital warts, genital herpes is usually sexually transmitted, and the sores will tend to appear any time that your immune system is running on low.

A visit to the doctor’s office is important if you have any of these problems. Pimples on genitals can cause a lot of anxiety and it is important to know exactly what you have.

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The truth is that a lot depends on what you do and when and how you do it. It is possible to spread the infection over a greater area of your face or body, but it is also possible that squeezing may help the pimple to heal up faster.

As we all know, there are a lot of different types of pimple and the answers are not the same for all of them.

1. Whiteheads

Whiteheads are the most tempting kind of pimple to pop. In many cases you can extract all of the pus, wash the area, swab with antiseptic and have a good chance of the pimple healing very fast. However, sometimes the infection remains and grows, and there is a risk of scarring.

2. Blackheads

A blackhead is basically a clog of sebum and keratin (natural products of the skin and hair) blocking a follicle in the skin. They may be come infected but usually they are not. They are not black from dirt but from the sebum oxidizing where it meets the air. The blockage can sometimes be pushed out easily and if you treat the area with antiseptic and toner, it will help the follicle to close up. There is a risk of scarring if you are not careful, but not a great risk of infection.

However, blackheads will usually recur as long as the body continues to produce a lot of sebum, which is common in adolescence. The best treatment is not squeezing but a wash or lotion based on salicylic acid which can remove the sebum. Repeated blackheads will eventually stretch the follicle, leading to visibly open pores.

3. Cystic acne and boils

Never try to squeeze red pimples that have no sharp white head. Cystic acne pimples, where the lump is often deep, cannot easily be squeezed and even if you do succeed in extracting some pus it will not help it to heal. You may drive the infection deeper and very likely cause scarring. Both cystic acne and boils, which are skin abscesses, should be treated by a doctor or dermatologist.

If you do decide to pop your pimples (or a friend’s), be sure to follow these golden rules:

1. Wait until the pimple is ripe and ready. Never squeeze a pimple that is just a red lump.

2. Wash your hands thoroughly before and after. Collect any pus on a clean tissue and put it straight in the garbage. Clean the area with antiseptic.

3. To avoid scarring when popping pimples, always squeeze with the side of the fingers, never with fingernails.

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Blackheads are formed when a tiny hair follicle becomes clogged with excess sebum (the natural oil that keeps the skin soft) mixed with keratin and dead skin cells. This forms a waxy plug in the follicle. It is naturally a yellowish color but when exposed to the air it oxidizes, and the surface becomes dark brown.

How To Get Rid Of Blackheads Temporarily

If you just have a few blackheads you can get rid of them using the following method.

First, wash your face with an anti blackhead face wash. Many of these contain benzoyl peroxide and small beads for exfoliating. This type of face wash can be used once per week. It will dissolve the top of the plug of sebum. This takes off the black layer so that you may think that the blackhead is gone, but it is not. It is just smaller, paler colored and not so noticeable. It will soon turn dark brown again like a cut apple that is exposed to the air.

Next, prepare a steam bath for the face. Just put hot water in a bowl and bend your face over it, without touching the water. Put a towel over your head so that the steam is focused on your face. Remain like this for 5 minutes to open up all of the pores.

Then you can use one of the following methods to remove the blackheads:

1. A blackhead removing face mask. This will continue the work of dissolving the plug of sebum that is clogging the pore. It may contain salicylic acid and will probably need to be left on for 10-15 minutes.

2. A blackhead extractor. This should be sterilized in boiling water before and after use. Press its hole over the blackhead and the plug should pop out. Do not press too hard or you risk scarring the skin. Rotating the extractor can sometimes help with stubborn blackheads but again, be careful not to damage the skin.

3. Blackhead remover strips. These are adhesive strips that stick onto your nose or other affected areas. Make sure the skin is dry if you have just steamed. Follow directions on the package, but be aware that the adhesive can be an irritant if you have sensitive skin.

Do not squeeze the blackheads. The skin will have been softened by the steam and will be more sensitive than usual, so scarring is a real possibility.

After blackhead removal, apply an antiseptic liquid or wash. You can then close the pores by splashing plenty of cold water onto your face.

How To Get Rid Of Blackheads Permanently

The only way to get rid of blackheads for ever is removal of the follicle in which they form. This can be done as a laser acne treatment. Ask your dermatologist about it if you have persistent blackheads.

If blackheads return over and over in the same place, which is likely if you have very oily skin on the nose or elsewhere, they can cause the follicle to stretch. This creates open pores, leading eventually to a unsightly condition known as ’strawberry nose’ where the skin of the nose looks like it is full of small holes. This also makes the nose look bigger than it really is.

You can see this condition on some older people who have had oily skin for most of their lives. If this runs in your family, it is worth thinking about how to get rid of blackheads so that they never come back, before this happens to you.

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First there are what are known as early acne scars. These are not scars in the true sense but an inflammation that remains for a time after a pimple is gone. This is a red mark and possibly a slight swelling in a place where you had a pimple.

Because of the swelling, some people think that part of the pimple is still there in the form of a cyst, but this is not the case. There is no need to go on treating the area with anti acne creams. It is just inflammation which will pass naturally, although it can take anything from one week to 12 months depending on how the skin reacts at that site.

Using topical retinoids such as Retin-A can speed up the skin’s remodeling and healing. This can be a useful treatment for early acne scars. Antioxidant creams may also help this process.

12 months is the maximum time that the skin would take to heal. So if acne scars remain after one year, then these are true scars and may require surgical treatment. This usually takes the form of skin resurfacing, which is recommended to get rid of acne scars for many people.

Skin resurfacing can take several forms.

1. Collagen injections

These injections smooth the skin by plumping up the area right under the scar. This treatment is often used for boxcar type scars, the round or oval scars that have clear edges and are usually less than 0.5 mm deep. Collagen treatment is also used to smooth out wrinkles in older people.

2. Laser resurfacing

Here the scar tissue is burned away with a carefully targeted laser so that healthy skin can form in its place.

3. Dermabrasion

This treatment removes the scar tissue with a fast spinning wire brush.

4. Chemabrasion

This treatment uses a chemical peel to remove the top layers of skin. This is most useful for superficial scars.

All of the last three options will cause the skin to look red for a while until the new, healthy skin forms in place of the scar. Ask your dermatologist about the effects of each treatment.

There are a few acne scars that cannot be treated with skin resurfacing. Most of these are what are called icepick acne scars. These are narrow, sharp scars, usually less than 2 mm wide, that can go deep. They make the skin look like it has been punctured with a small icepick. These scars are often too deep for skin resurfacing or dermabrasion to be effective, so sometimes there is no treatment. The scar must be left to perhaps heal in time, or in some cases it can be hidden.

However, an icepick acne scar that never heals is unusual. Most acne scars heal by themselves and if they do not, surgical procedures are usually effective. Some patience is required but in the end it is almost always possible to get rid of acne scars.

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So left to itself, in ideal conditions, the body operates what is called homeostasis, where it prevents and cures its own diseases. It does this via the immune response, which identifies and deals with viruses, bacteria, toxins or foreign substances.

Imagine that you eat something like the worst kind of snack food made almost entirely of chemical additives and refined starches and fats. When that hits the stomach, the digestive system hits the panic button because there are a ton of things there that it does not recognize as food. The immune response rushes in and identifies a few nasty additives that might need neutralizing, and pulls them out for the liver to detoxify before they are passed out through the kidneys. The digestive system deals with the rest of the stuff as best it can, trying to extract any traces of vitamins and minerals that might be in the food, storing excess fat by filling the body’s fat cells or creating new ones so that the fat can be used for energy later if there is a famine, and excreting anything that is useless through the rear passage.

Now imagine that you eat a fresh apple. It’s even an organic apple so there are no pesticides. When that hits the stomach it is instantly recognized. No need for the immune system to rush to the rescue. Foods to prevent acne are foods like that apple.

So when you eat fresh food that is not refined or processed, and some of it preferably raw, the immune system can get on with its real job of ridding the body of infections and toxins that come in through the skin. So the body will become something closer to the natural self healing organism that it was designed to be. And one of the things that it will heal, of course, is acne.

That is why you will often be told that it is important to eat a healthy diet to prevent acne, but without naming any particular foods. Food should be as close to its natural state as possible but you can eat a wide range of whole, healthy foods.

Dairy foods can be included if they are organic, so that they do not contain the sex hormones that are fed to most cows. Sex hormones are the reason that the body starts producing excess sebum in puberty, causing acne, so we have enough of our own without adding to them by drinking them in our milk.

So the best foods to prevent acne include fresh fruit and vegetables, meat that is not blackened or fried (frying meats and fat can produce toxins), whole grains like corn, brown rice and whole grain pasta, nuts, seeds, beans etc.

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This article will look at scalp acne treatment, prevention and causes so that you can see what to do to solve the problem of pimples on the scalp.

Causes Of Common Scalp Acne

Most acne on the scalp has the same cause as acne on the face, that is, overproduction of sebum leading to blockages of hair follicles, which often become infected. In many cases, to go along with scalp acne you will have oily skin and a condition called seborrheic dermatitis which causes inflammation. The scalp will be itchy and red, and skin will flake off as dandruff.

Yeast has been associated with the condition of seborrheic dermatitis and so more serious cases are sometimes prescribed with an anti fungal agent. Topical steroids may be prescribed at the same time. These are in the form of solutions or ointments that are applied to the scalp.

Aloe vera gel has been suggested as an effective treatment for seborrheic dermatitis in some cases. This is a natural extract from the aloe vera plant.

Scalp Acne Treatment

The best scalp acne treatment is a shampoo that treats the seborrhea. This is usually marketed as dandruff shampoo. There are several different brands that contain different active ingredients. You may need to try more than one before you find the one that works best for you.

Prevention Of Acne On The Scalp

When you see a noticeable improvement in the condition of your scalp and your dandruff is gone, you can prevent further inflammation by continuing to use the shampoo from time to time. Start with once per week, increasing to once per fortnight and eventually once per month. Most people find this to be an effective scalp acne treatment after the condition is first brought under control.

Acne Keloidalis Nuchae

There is a more serious form of acne that mainly affects people of African descent, usually young men. This is called acne keloidalis nuchae and it is found mainly on the occipital scalp at the back of the head. The hair follicles become chronically infected. If untreated, disfiguring plaques form and hair will be lost.

Shaving the head or neck or clipping the hair very short makes the condition worse and may be a cause. It seems that when curly, coarse hair is shaved or cut close it can re-enter and irritate the follicle as it grows. Exercising in shirts with collars that rub against the neck, like a football shirt, can also contribute.

Therefore the condition is more likely in black athletes and men who have their hair shaved or cut short frequently. It is rare in women, perhaps because they usually have longer hair. See your doctor as soon as possible for scalp acne treatment if you think you may have acne keloidalis nuchae.

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