Who Are More Prone To Acne?
People, who have never needed to understand an acne problem, either for themselves, or for a friend or a child, are rare. Acne help may be required by anyone because acne does not differentiate on the basis of age, gender, race, or ethnicity.
Acne problem arises when skin pores get clogged with the extra skin oil trapped there, leading to a ruptured follicle and resultant bacterial infection in the area. And the extra skin oil generation is aided by hormones called androgens, which increase substantially during adolescence and later teens.
As it is extra hormone production that creates an atmosphere conducive to acne eruption, it is mainly pubescent boys and girls who become a victim to it. In girls, an acne problem is perceived around the age of 11, and in boys around the age of 13. Though boys tend to get it later, once they get it, the acne problem is more severe and persistent in boys, as their bodies produce more of the androgen hormones.
In USA about 85% of the people, comprising the teenage group and early twenties group, become victims of acne and are in need of acne control. And though many cases of acne are mild enough to respond to home remedies for acne or over the counter acne medication, about 40% of teenagers are in need of best acne treatment by a qualified professional.
During teenage, boys and girls have the same chance of developing an acne problem. But once they are young adults, acne is found to be more common among women than men. Acne is restricted to face in the case of most people. But it can spread to the back and neck areas as they are close to the face and then people become more in need of acne help.
Women who have an acne problem find it invariably connected to their monthly menstrual cycle as there is a direct connection between increased hormonal activity and acne growth. About 44% of women in their twenties and early thirties have a premenstrual acne problem. And studies show that the incidence of premenstrual acne problem is more among the age group above it, that is, women past 33.
Acne does not distinguish on the basis of age. Though it is definitely more prevalent among adolescents, even babies can have an acne problem. Baby acne disappears on its own, in less than 6 weeks. On the other hand, those who are on the wrong side of fifty can also get it, though in many cases this can be the after effect of drugs. The drugs that become the cause of acne are generally corticosteroids, lithium, and Phenobarbital.
And acne does not distinguish on the basis of race as well. Asians, Hispanics, Chinese, or Africans can have it, though an acne problem is found to be a little more common among Caucasians. Acne home remedies, natural acne remedies, over the counter acne medicines or best acne treatment from professionals may be required for all, based on the severity of the problem.
Ways and Means of Acne Control
Every problem, when it becomes chronic, demands an approach quite different from the one it demands when it is in an early stage. So treatment of a chronic acne problem can be quite different from a mild one. Or, some people, because of their psychological reaction to the condition, may require a different type of acne help. Or acne cure may be different based on the type of acne.
One of the common forms of acne cure, which has been in use for pretty long, is exposing the affected area to ultraviolent light. The light kills the acne-causing bacterium known as ‘propionibacterium acnes.’ The downside of this treatment is the purported carcinogenic properties of UV, which made people cautious of using it for acne cure.
There are other light sources like the blue light and LHE that are acne remedies and these do not have the carcinogenic problem.
Blue Light for acne cure
Exposure to blue light is considered comparatively safe because it contains very little of UV light. Blue light also works by killing the acne-causing bacterium. Its negative effect as acne cure is that it makes the skin dry.
Complete acne cure was reported in some cases by the use of the blue light, and inflammatory lesions came down in the case of 59% to 67% of users. There was an overall 40% decrease of lesions. Blue light may not be the best acne treatment for chronic or sever acne, but is quite effective on the rest. Treatment period is generally a month with light exposure twice a week.
Light Heat Energy
LHE, or light heat energy, also affects acne cure by killing the bacteria. LHE also tends to make the skin dry by depleting the natural oil of the skin. Extra skin oil, or sebum, in the skin is believed to make a setting that is highly conducive to acne formation. LHE depletes oil secretion by shrinking sebaceous glands.
LHE, where the light is green colored, is an approved FDA treatment for acne cure. Like blue light, this too has a schedule of twice a week sittings for one month. Inflammatory acne and non-inflammatory acne were seen responding well to LHE treatment.
Drugs are also used for acne control but drugs may take two to three months to show results. Sometimes drug treatment and light treatment are done side by side for acne control.
5-aminolevulinic acid
5-aminolevulinic acid, or ALA, has no effect as a direct acne cure, but it is applied on the affected area when a patient is undergoing light treatment because it increases the skin’s sensitivity to light. It can be applied for anything from 15 minutes to one hour, while the area is exposed to the required light source. Studies conducted so far has pronounced it to be effective and without side effects.
Laser treatment
Laser treatment is yet another method for acne control. There are laser beams of different wavelengths and those used for acne cure should ideally produce waves of 1450 nanometers, which is one billionth of one meter.
Laser treatment has been adjudged to be safe, and produces good results. One course of treatment was found to bring down acne lesions by 40% and two subsequent treatments brought down lesions to 60% and 80% respectively. Since the treatment can be slightly painful, some local anesthetic is used in this method of acne control.
The best way to get rid of acne is to use some effective acne cure creams that have been manufactured by specialized companies. You can buy these acne lotions online and use the cream in the comfort and privacy of your own home.
The Pros and Cons of Coping with Acne
An acne problem is more cosmetic than anything else. It never poses a big health threat. But it mars the beauty of the skin. If you have acne, the skin can become blotchy to appearance and bumpy to touch. This affects the way you look, and you will need to seek acne cure to get rid of this problem so that you can have a healthy, smooth and acne-free skin.
So, it is imperative that a person should seek acne remedies and the best acne treatment. There are acne home remedies and herbal remedies for acne. Most of these are purported to be safe and can be used without fear of side effects. Even so, it is always best to consult a dermatologist at least once, if not on a regular basis.
Since acne strikes the younger generation more than the older, its cosmetic aspect becomes important. Youngsters do not want the lesions and bumps to intrude into their party ambience or convivial get-togethers. So they would definitely like to get rid of acne.
There are herbal acne remedies and acne holistic treatment. And once the condition becomes chronic, acne cure might become more time consuming and acne scars might become another problem.
Another thing that an acne sufferer should understand is that severe cases of acne may not respond instantly to acne remedies, and that they may not go away soon even with the best acne treatment. However, some sort of acne cure has to be attempted and a reasonable time should be given for the acne remedy to show results.
Most teenagers, and those in their early twenties, are likely to have at least one acne experience. It has been found that 85% of those of this age group are bound to have it at one time or other. This knowledge brings about a sense of camaraderie because you feel as part of one big group of acne sufferers and it does have an ameliorating effect on the scenario.
Acne help is available in the form of acne home remedies and over the counter acne medication and prescription drugs. So, even while you accept an acne problem as a part of life, you should seek acne remedies and try to get rid of acne.
Prescription Drugs for Acne Treatment
Most people start acne cure with home remedies for acne. These work for many people, helping them to have beautiful and acne-free skin.
But those for whom these do not turn out to be effective, another alternative is to try over the counter acne medication. Over the counter acne remedies can also help many but again, for a certain percentage, these too may not help. Those thus left out might have to see a dermatologist, who may prescribe any of the following acne medication.
It is now very easy to banish acne because there some special acne cure lotions that can be purchased online that can help you to get rid of acne.
Accutane
Accutane, also known as Isotretinoin, is a time tested acne medication for a wide range of acne problems. It has been proven to be effective even in some severe cases of acne, including cystic acne. Similar to some over the counter acne medicines, this too works by killing the acne-causing bacterium, and preventing the clogging of skin pores, and reducing sebum production.
This acne medication, however, can have some side effects like headache, diarrhea etc. It may also cause excessive skin dryness. When used by pregnant women, it has been found to affect the fetus negatively, resulting in birth defects. As such, pregnant women are strictly banned from taking it. Even in the case of others, the effect of the medication has to be regularly monitored by a physician.
Accutane is a retinoid which is a derivative of Vitamin A and is available as a pill. To see results, this acne remedy has to be used for four to five months, twice a day.
Oral Antibiotics
Since acne is caused by the bacterium ‘propionibacterium acnes,’ antibiotics are used to kill the bacteria. Tetracycline or doxycycline or minocycline are the commonly used antibiotic acne medicines and have been found to work well on inflammatory acne. The results are though, not instant, and it may be several months before there is some perceivable difference. Starting dose can be 5 to 10 grams, but the dosage gets consistently reduced.
One side effect found in this set of antibiotics is increased skin sensitivity in the user. Another antibiotic acne medicine, erythromycin, also works by killing the acne-causing bacterium ‘propionibacterium acnes.’ The side effect in this case is gastrointestinal irritation.
Local application
Some retinoids, which are vitamin A containing creams, are used for local application to kill the acne-causing bacterium ‘propionibacterium acnes,’ and for unclogging skin pores. Certain retinoids are available as over the counter acne medicines also. The difference with prescription drugs is that in these they are used in larger doses. Even as prescription drugs, they are used as acne cure only for milder forms of acne like acne vulgaris.
Acne cure is available in one form or other. One way or other you are sure to find the acne medication that is suitable to solve your acne problem.
Potential Causes of Acne
In every disease, new variations occur due to altered lifestyle or climatic patterns that warrant new researches. Acne problem is also susceptible to these but acne problem and acne control are by and large a well-researched areas.
Acne connection with teens
Acne problem is the continuing problem of generations of teenagers. About 85% of teenagers or those in their early twenties have the problem during any of their growing-up stages. This is the direct result of increased hormonal activity during that period in both sexes.
Another cause of acne is the increased secretion of skin oil or sebum of the hair follicles on the face, upper chest, and the back. Increased sebum secretion may not always pose a problem, especially if skin is washed with necessary frequency with soap and water. But sometimes oil may accumulate and give rise to blackheads.
Many acne problems have been traced directly to increased oil secretion by sebaceous glands. While blackheads may be a mild type of acne, the skin pores might get closed with excess oil, leading to the growth of whiteheads. The condition may worsen with the follicles rupturing and getting infected. The white blood cells unleashed by the body’s immune system and the bacteria and dead skin cells all would then join together to give rise to inflamed acne that make acne control difficult.
Psychological factors may not lead directly to an acne problem but it can aid or worsen an existing condition, making acne control difficult. For example, stress can lead to hormonal imbalances that can cause an acne outbreak. Stress and anxiety can also weaken the immune system, thereby making the ruptured follicles more prone to attack by bacteria, and thus bringing about a fresh acne eruption or worsening an existing acne problem.
Drugs as acne cause
Continued use of drugs like barbiturates and tetracycline can lead to acne problems. Use of anabolic steroids can also have the same effect. For better acne control, a person should ideally keep off these drugs except during unavoidable circumstances.
Heredity causes
Researches have not fully established the extent to which hereditary factors can create acne problems. Acne is definitely seen to be prevalent in some families. But whether the factors promoting acne are actually located in the genes, or whether the deciding factor is climate or eating patterns, is yet to be established.
The importance of diet and skin care
Oily food need not necessarily cause increased sebum production and cause acne. A balanced and nutritious diet is necessary for overall health and skin care and this can translate as acne help as well, by balancing body’s fat content and hormones. Other than that, nothing like chocolates or soft drinks have been found to positively or negatively affect acne control.
In the same way, proper hygiene is also required for acne control by promoting the overall health of the body. Though it is not surface dirt that causes acne, regularly cleansing the skin and using proper skin care products will translate as acne help. Skin should not be too oily, or too dry, and exposure to air can also be reduced, since it can aid the eruption of blackheads. Whether acne is hereditary or not hereditary, acne control to a certain extent is possible with proper hygiene and a balanced diet.
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Over the Counter Acne Medication
There are home remedies for acne and natural acne treatment. Both these could be good acne cures. But to use these, you may require some guidance from those who have the knowledge of these home remedies.
However, there is over the counter acne medication that is quite effective in most cases. You can acquire any of these without prescription and they are likely to be available at every pharmacy. There are also a few highly effective acne cure lotions that you can buy online.
The following is a list of over the counter acne medications and the effectiveness of each as an acne cure.
Benzoyl Peroxide
Benzoyl Peroxide is a very effective acne remedy for acne that is not severe or chronic. The medicine works by fighting the bacterium ‘propionibacterium acnes’ that promotes acne eruption and also by removing dead skin cells. Removing dead skin cells aids acne cure because when dead cell accumulate on the skin, it is making the ambience conducive to more acne growth.
Benzoyl Peroxide tends to dry the skin, and that is the main side effect of the medicine. Negative fallout can be minimized by not making this over the counter acne medication too strong. A 2.5% should suffice for good results. Benzoyl Peroxide has also got fabric bleaching properties. So clothes should be kept protected while using it.
Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid works by causing the cells of the epidermis to be removed and thereby cleaning up the surface. This prevents the skin pores from getting clogged. Clogged pores, which helps to build up skin oil inside the pores is one of the conditions that promote acne growth. This acne medication is effective on both whiteheads and blackheads.
Unlike some of the other acne remedies, salicylic acid does not dry the skin, though sometimes a little skin irritation is possible. The medicine is available as soaked pads, and its chief ingredient is aspirin. It is considered safe and too few side effects have been noticed. Unless as guided by the physician, salicylic acid should not be used in combination with other acne treatments.
Resorcinol
Resorcinol is yet another acne cure that has been found to work. This can be used in combination with sulfur compounds. Resorcinol also, like salicylic acid, helps to prevent the pores getting clogged up. It has also the ability to break down the hard skin and remove the dead skin cells. Resorcinol cannot be used along with any astringents.
Alcohol and Acetone
Minimal side effects have been reported in the case of both alcohol and acetone. Alcohol has got antibacterial properties and can also remove excess oil from the skin surface. Acetone too has a similar oil-removing property. Both these work as acne medication though the effectiveness is low with both, mainly because it does not penetrate deep down into the skin where the sebum, or the skin oil that clogs the pore and contribute to acne formation, is situated. As a general skin care product both are good.
The acne medications that are bought over the counter should be used correctly according to instructions. Many of these work as a good acne cure. But they may not work for everyone and if the acne problem persists, the patient should seek other forms of acne help like prescription drugs or light treatment or laser treatment as suggested by a physician.
For the fastest and most effective acne cure, use some special acne cures that have been manufactured by specialized companies and that are designed to treat all types of acne. You can buy these online.
How to Get Rid Of Acne Scars
Acne is bad enough when it is reigning over your face, but it is worse because of the acne scar that it can leave. Acne can be difficult to get rid of it.
Even with the best acne treatment, the reddishness may persist even for a year after treatment, though it disappears after that. Sometimes bumps and macules may remain, but even these are not permanent. Some acne scars may remain after the acne has been eliminated.
Though acne scar is an eyesore, every scar is the aftermath of body’s healing process. When the white blood cells attack the bacteria, they create fibrous tissue in the area and that is what becomes an acne scar.
An acne scar may be an icepick scar, boxcar scar, or keloid scar. Icepick scars appear as tiny holes or punctures on the surface, as if the skin has been prodded by an icepicks, and hence the name. Boxcar scars are also basically the same. The difference is only in that they are a little flatter compared to the pointed nature of icepick scars. Keloid scars are firmer and larger, spreading out from the point of the damage.
Of the three, boxcar scars are comparatively shallow and an acne scar of this type can be removed by techniques like resurfacing. Icepick scars are deeper and acne scar treatment for it will be difficult with resurfacing or dermabrasion. Keloid scars are the firmest and most entrenched, resulting from extra collagen production. An acne scar of this type will have a red or pink hue.
Prevention is always better than cure, but once an acne scar has formed, we have to get rid of it. There are different types of acne scar treatment.
Acne scar removal by dermabrasion
Acne scars of certain types are amenable to treatment by dermabrasion. In this process layers of skin are removed with a brush of high speed. The removed skin regenerates after a time, sans the acne scar. The treatment is given under local anesthesia. In a similar process known as microdermabrasion, the skin layers are removed by using aluminum oxide crystals discharged through a vacuum hose. It is less effective than dermabrasion for acne scar removal.
Laser treatment
For some patients laser treatment is extremely effective for acne scar removal. In this process CO2 lasers burn off acne scar tissue. Though reddishness may persist for quite a while after the procedure, it produces good result.
Surgical acne scar removal
Acne scars of the icepick type can be removed surgically by what is known as punching. The scar is simply excised off up to the subcutaneous fat layer. The resultant hole is sealed with a skin graft or with sutures. An acne scar can also be removed by subcision by completely removing the scar tissue from the skin. The result of subcision is mixed.
Drug therapy
A topical retinoid, which is a vitamin A cream, can be used for acne scar treatment if the scar is keloid. Sometimes scars are removed by injecting drugs to the area around it, though keloid scars are in general a little stubborn and not easily removable. An important thing to notice is that acne scar removal is something that has to be entrusted completely to professionals for proper diagnosis and cure.
How Much Can You Conceal Your Acne Problem?
Methods for acne control are available and work in most cases. There are safe and effective over the counter medicines for acne cure. There are prescription drugs, light treatment, and laser treatment, which are good acne remedies. There are also a few very effective acne cure lotions and solutions that you can buy online. With all these several possible ways to get rid of acne, there in no need for you to suffer from acne.
People, even those well past youth, simply love to look good and have a healthy, glowing and acne-free skin. Acne cure may be more necessary for women because gender stereotyping still continues to make appearance a yardstick by which she is evaluated.
Comedone is the general term used for referring to blackheads, which are open acne, and whiteheads, which are closed acne. So, those women who need acne help, should go in for makeup that is non-comedogenic. These may not be acne remedies, but it does affect some sort of acne control by hiding it.
Non-comedogenic make up is meant to reduce the clogging of pores that promote acne development. Then there are conealers available, specially designed to hide facial imperfections including marks, pimples, or acne scars. There are liquid conealers and solid concealers and the latter is better for acne help.
A good foundation will also be an acne help when used together with concelaer. Choose the color of the foundation and color of the conealer properly. Mismatched colors may sometimes make the acne more prominent and the acne control attempt might become counterproductive.
Foundation has the ability to soften the shadows and thereby becomes a great acne help by making the skin surface less reflective. It lessens the contrast with bumps and gives the face a more acne free appearance. The trick here is more or less the same that a photograph with a good lighting manages.
With proper foundation and a good concealer, substantial acne control can be achieved at least in appearance. A light coating of powder will give a finishing touch to the acne free appearance.
Men do not use makeup in daily life as women. So make up as a choice for acne help or acne control is limited to them. Nevertheless, there are some over the counter medications that contain some make up packages that help men also in concealing acne to a certain extent. Men’s make up is of a more subtle variety and will not be as conspicuous as that of women.
Once an acne problem has arisen, it is best to find acne remedies and get it treated, and Proactive acne treatment is one of the most effective treatments.
How Does An Acne Problem Start?
Acne problem and the connected acne care are as much a cosmetic problem as a medical problem and so proactive acne treatment will be beneficial.
Near the base of the skin pores, also known as hair follicles, are small glands known as sebaceous glands. These secrete the skin oil, or sebum, necessary to keep the skin smooth and guarded.
Cells on the surface of the skin routinely die and are removed when the skin is washed. And the sebum from the sebaceous glands normally seeps out of the follicles and moisten the skin. An acne problem arises when this normal process is interrupted by the pores getting choked with oil and bacteria breeds on it, and the dead skin cells collect there.
The combination of dead cells, bacteria, and the white blood cells fighting it, result in the formation of white pimples. When these get inflamed, aggravating the acne problem, the lesions become pus-filled and are known as pustules. Some pimples are called blackheads because of their black color. It gets the color from a mixture of dead cells of the skin surface, and the sebum that is oxidized.
Other types of acne problems are variously known as milia, whiteheads, etc. Whiteheads appear when the skin does not get broken, but the lesions just push up, creating bumps on the skin. These do not have the characteristic black color of blackheads. Milia form when the dead skin cells do not get washed off perfectly as it should, but get trapped in pockets of skin. Milia are very common in infants, though people of all ages are susceptible to it.
These different types of acne problems, formed of open pores and closed pores, come under a general acne umbrella knows as ‘comedones.’
Other acne conditions that demand an acne cure are cysts, nodules, and papules. A papule is formed when the walls of a hair follicle bursts. These are small and may be flat-topped or may have a central depression. They are distinct from each other and do not contain pus. In the case of a nodule, the rupture is at the base of the follicle and not on the walls. An acne cyst is similar in appearance to a nodule, but is pus-filled.
The acne problem comprises of a wide range of conditions. Acne help will be easier to avail if you know what type your acne could possibly be. And for best acne care, you should ideally know how acne is formed so that it will be easier to find an acne proactive solution and know how to get rid of acne once it is formed.
There are a few specialized acne treatments that you can buy online so you to can have a beautiful skin that is acne-free.
AAcne Types Galore
Acne is not a frightening or life-changing medical condition, though it is a bit of bother for the sufferer. Those skin-colored or red dots that spot the face look like a handful of grains that someone has strewn there. But doctors have names and grades for these dots, and acne remedies are often chosen based on these grades. For best acne treatment, the best knowledge of these acne types is also necessary.
In the medical manner of speaking, acne is divided into grades I, II, III, and IV. This division often becomes the deciding criteria for doctors to prescribe acne medication.
Grade I is the mildest form of acne and includes milia, whiteheads, and blackheads. These are generally non-inflamed. Acne vulgaris is a typical example of grade I acne. At this stage the acne problem is amenable to treatment by over the counter acne medicines.
Grade II consists of mildly inflamed variety and includes pustules and papules. Of these, pustules are small pus-filled bumps which are made up of dead cells and white blood cells and contain bacteria. Papules are less infected in comparison and are small bumps which are less than 5mm in size.
Grade III and IV are harsher and become a bigger acne problem for the sufferer. A grade III acne sufferer will have a denser sprinkling of pustules and papules on the face. The lesions will also be redder and larger in this stage. In grade IV the condition would be worse and there could be cysts and nodules and the acne problem may spread to areas other than the face.
Congoblata is a highly inflamed type of acne that can turn into abscesses, damaging the skin by acne scars. Even around milia and whiteheads, and blackheads collectively known as comedones pus-filled inflamed acne can grow and leave irremovable keloid scars even after they heal.
A really big acne problem can be created by acne fulminans, a painful form of ulcerated acne, which can even lead to fever or pains in the joints. This is a recurring type and not easily amenable to treatment. The acne medication commonly used for this is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs, which can control the symptoms.
One of the worst forms of acne is nodulocystic acne. Here the acne turn into inflamed cysts and are sometimes so numerous as to make a whole area inflamed, or it may spread the infection through tunnels beneath the skin. The acne medication used for this type of acne is Accutane.
Gram-negative folliculitis is a form of acne where the follicles, or hair shafts, of the face gets infected by bacteria of the gram-negative group. Most of the lesions here are pustules. It is caused by a very resistant variety of bacteria and can even result from antibiotic treatment for prolonged periods. Special attention and treatment by professionals is required to handle this acne problem.
Milder forms of acne may respond to homemade acne treatments or over the counter acne medication. But for advanced cases of acne problem a dermatologist has to be consulted. Timely acne help will make it easier to get rid of acne.
