How To Alleviate Your Acne Problem

September 2nd, 2011

How To Alleviate Your Acne Problem
by: Charlene J. Nuble

Acne brings huge problems to teenagers. Teenagers who have acne feel isolated, ugly, and insecure. Who wouldn’t when everywhere you look, only clear skinned people are put on the pedestal.

You tried every acne product out in the market but nothing seems to work. At this point, you feel that your social life is doomed but fret not because acne won’t stay forever if you take the proper actions early.

First step to take is to understand what acne really is and from there you can take the necessary actions in curing or at least reducing your acne problem.

Acne is the term for plugged pores (whiteheads and blackheads), pimples, and deeper lumps (nodules) that happens in the face, neck, chest, back and upper arms. Acne is caused by build up of excess oil and dead skin in a pore. The causes of this are natural hormones, clogged skin and bacteria.

The onset of acne happens between the ages of twelve to seventeen. Almost all teenagers had acne. Many of them used non-prescription treatments to alleviate acne but more than 40% of teenagers in their mid-teens have severe acne cases. Normally, it goes away in the early twenties. Then again, there are many cases wherein acne starts or continues into adulthood.

It is interesting to note though that young men who are more likely to have severe acne, don’t consult dermatologists as much as young women do. But then again, young women are more likely to have irregular acne due to hormonal changes during menstrual cycle or due to the cosmetic products they use. This kind of acne may afflict women even into adulthood.

The ultimate question now is how do you reduce acne?

Knowing the facts that debunk the myths and misconceptions about acne may help you alleviate your acne problem.

Myth 1: Acne is caused by poor hygiene.

This may be true if you don’t wash your face at all. But if you resort to frequent and vigorous washing, it will definitely cause scarring which will worsen acne. The best approach is to gently wash face twice a day with mild soap and use appropriate acne treatment after.

Myth 2: Acne is caused by diet.

Scientific studies debunked this having found that there is no connection between food and acne.

Myth 3: Acne is caused by stress.

Stressors are not important factors in acne. Only severe stress that needs medication can cause acne as side effects.

Myth 4: Acne is just a cosmetic disease.

Acne does affect how people look but there’s no serious threat to physical health. However, acne can result to serious scarring which can affect how these people live their lives.

Myth 5: You just have to let acne run its course.

The truth is, acne can be cleared up using acne products available in the market today. If they don’t work for you, then try seeing a dermatologist.

According to Thiboutot (2000), cure of acne lies in knowing three things:

* That resolution to cure acne takes time;
* That what works for one may not work for another;
* and that a dermatologist’s help may be needed if all actions you take to cure your acne fail.

Remember that acne responds well to early treatment. So to prevent scarring have your acne treated as soon as acne starts showing up on your face.

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Why Don’t Acne Cures Work?

September 2nd, 2011

Why Don’t Acne Cures Work?
by: GSET Publishing
Quite a bit of money can be spent searching for acne cures that work. There are so many products available, that it is hard to know which one’s to try. You try one product, only to be disappointed, and then spend a lot of money on another system that claims it will cure your acne, only to be disappointed again. It seems to be a never ending cycle of looking for a cure, thinking you’ve found an acne cure, then being disappointed all over again.

The biggest problem is that people don’t give the acne cures enough time to actually work, switching from one product to the next on a weekly basis. It can take up to three months for an acne treatment to cure your acne, and you may even notice that your acne appears to be getting worse before it starts to get better. Failure to follow the product directions is another common problem. Using too much of the acne medication can be just as much of a problem as not using it enough, causing your skin to become irritated.

The problem may not be the acne cures. Too often, people depend solely on the acne medication to cure acne, when in fact other lifestyle changes are needed. In many cases, medicinal acne treatments are not even required if you find that something else in your life is causing the acne. Most people don’t think in terms of what is causing the acne in the first place, concentrating solely on curing the existing acne. But, in order to cure it for good, you must first determine what is causing it. Then, you will have your acne cure.

Science has shown us that acne is caused by excessive sebum production. With that proven, it is up to you, and possibly your health care provider, to determine exactly what is causing your body to produce excess sebum.

Other than the medication, you have to look at how you care for your skin. You must wash your face well at least twice each day, stop wearing makeup – which only serves to clog your pores even more, drink plenty of water, eat fresh fruits and vegetables, and exercise at least three times a week. Many people don’t realize it, but exercise relieves stress and helps remove toxins from the body through sweat. Both stress and toxins contribute to acne, which is why exercising regularly can actually be an acne cure for you.

Furthermore, you must keep your hair and your hands off your face. Hair and hands contain oils that contribute to acne. Squeezing or popping acne pimples is another problem, because it spreads the bacteria, and often causes scarring as well.

You may have a food allergy that is causing your acne. If this is the case, a visit to an allergy specialist, determining what foods you are allergic to, and eliminating those foods from your diet will cure your acne in most cases. Many people don’t realize that they have food allergies, although most of us actually do, and in many cases, the only symptom that there is an allergy is, in fact, an acne breakout!

Making simple lifestyle changes may be the best acne cure available to you, and you may be pleasantly surprised at the results – especially considering how small the changes are. You should also increase your intake of vitamins A and E, as both of the vitamins promote healthy skin. You can take supplements, or eat foods that are rich in one or both of these vitamins. This small change can also help to cure or prevent acne.

However, if making these small lifestyle changes, and using over the counter acne treatments does not provide an acne cure for you, it may be necessary for you to visit a dermatologist to determine what will work. There are many different treatments available that have proven to be effective acne cures. While most of the acne cures your dermatologist will recommend can be expensive, they are usually well worth the cost. Again, make sure that you give the treatment time to work, and follow the directions of your dermatologist for use of the medication.

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Which are the best acne treatments? It depends.

September 2nd, 2011

Which are the best acne treatments? It depends.
by: Peter Crump
I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news but it’s not as simple as just listing the best acne treatments. That’s not because there’s no good acne treatments available, quite the opposite in fact, it’s just that there’s a few steps to take before deciding which are the best acne treatments for your acne.

Not everyone has the same acne problem and so the best acne cures for one person may not be the best acne cures for another. Acne attacks different people differently. For some, it’s just a mild attack which will be managed quite satisfactorily with some simple facial cleansing routines. No more required. No need to search out any acne treatments, certainly no need to investigate the best acne treatments.

For others acne can be a serious problem indeed. Acne can be serious enough to produce scars which, if left untreated, can be emotionally and psychologically distressing. These people certainly need active acne intervention, and the best acne treatments available.

How do you know which category you are in? Consult your doctor. It’s not always easy to know whether your acne is a simple passing phase which can be easily controlled, or something which needs serious intervention before it’s too late. And your doctor will tell you the best acne treatments for your individual needs. The best acne treatments for YOU.

And not all acne medications work the same way for everybody. The best acne medications for some people may not work at all for others. This is just the way it is, that’s not restricted to acne medications.

So, often, finding the best acne treatments can be a difficult process. The most highly recommended treatment may not work at all for you, but work well with your best friend. That’s life, you need to move on to try another one until you find the best acne medication that works for you.

And remember that acne isn’t a condition that is cured by a simple application of an acne medication. Acne isn’t cured, it’s controlled, it’s managed. Acne decides for itself when it is finished. Up to then you need to be active in managing it. Once you body says “enough” then it’s over. So the best acne treatments are treatments which need to be continued as necessary. Don’t expect to just apply a treatment and “hey presto” no more acne. Sorry, it’s not that simple.

And adult acne? Which are the best treatments for adult acne? Same answer. It depends. The best treatments for adult acne are the same as the best acne treatments for teenagers. They are the treatments that work for you. After you have seen your doctor, had your acne checked out, tried one or more until you find the one that works, and then settled on that one. Then you’ve found YOUR best acne cure.

And, one final suggestion, don’t purchase a suggested acne cure, apply it for a week and expect that your acne will be gone. It’s not that easy. Apply the product for at least 2 or 3 months, or longer as recommended, before you make any judgements. Acne takes a long time to develop, and a long time to control. Even the best acne treatments on the market take quite a while to work. And remember to apply them exactly as recommended.

So, in closing, what are the best acne treatments? See you doctor, then test and try until you find the one for you. Most of them work for some, and none of them work for everyone.

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