Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Zap Blemishes

Though commonly thought of as a problem for teenagers, blemishes don't always disappear when you get older. Unfortunately, adults can and do have blemishes too. Whatever your age, it’s wise to be careful what you put on your skin since it will be absorbed into your body.

Gentle Washing Is Key.

If you have blemishes, scrubbing your face isn’t going to get rid of them. It turns out it does the opposite. If you rub your skin too roughly, it’s more likely to stir up more blemishes and aggravate ones you already have. It’s better to gently clean your face.

Washing your face gently will help avoid irritation that will make acne worse. Don’t even use a washcloth. It's better to just splash some water on your face, then lather up your hands with the mild cleansing wash or mild soap. 

Once you’ve washed your face, use a clean washcloth to gently pat the water off the skin until it’s dry.

Control Blemishes With Benzoyl Peroxide.

Be sure your skin is completely dry, then use an over-the-counter medication with benzoyl peroxide. This is the best active ingredient in non-prescription medication you can use to control blemishes. Peroxide has long been used to cleanse skin, and benzoyl peroxide is also a mild drying agent.

Use 2.5% benzoyl peroxide as it has been shown to be just as effective as 5% or 10%, and doesn't irritate your skin as much. It wouldn't make sense to irritate your skin and make acne worse instead of better.

It's quite important to start with a SMALL amount of medication. Because this medication is a drying agent and can cause redness and itchiness, so don’t slather on a bunch right from the beginning. For starters, just enough medication to very lightly cover your skin the first time, then gradually increase the amount you’re using. By the time a couple of weeks have passed, you should be giving your skin a good coating of medication.

Be certain to stay away from the tender skin under your eyes. This skin is thinner and more easier irritated that the rest of the skin on your face, and not likely to break-out anyway.

Moisturizer.

Benzoyl peroxide dries out your skin, so it’s important to apply moisturizer. Allow the medicine to soak in and wait for your skin to completely dry, then lightly apply moisturizer to your face. Once the moisturizer is completely dry, if you skin still appears dry or flaky, add some more.

Be careful to apply the moisturizer even when first beginning to use benzoyl peroxide. This prevents your skin from drying out too much.

Is Diet Important?

Opinions vary in the scientific community as to whether diet has any effect on acne. It's known that too much iodine will aggravate blemishes, so don’t go overboard with the salt shaker if you’re using iodized salt. Also, dont eat too many iodine rich foods like beef liver, or clams, crabs or other shellfish.

Don't pay attention to scientific theories, however, and if you notice that your skin tends to break out more after eating certain foods, quit eating them. There are so many factors since body chemistry and the effects of foods and other substances on our skin is so complex, that scientists don't always know the answer. (How many drugs have been considered safe, only to discover later they have bad side effects?)

More Quick Tips.

When you have a blemish and need help quick, try one of the following:

  • If you run out of benzoyl peroxide and have a blemish, try using a little calamine lotion. This will soak up the excess oil and get rid of the blemish.
  • Once you've washed your face, use an ice cube for 60 seconds on any blemishes. The cold from the ice cube helps reduce the inflammation and make them less noticeable.
  • No, don't squeeze! That may seem to make it heal more quickly, but will irritate the surrounding skin and may cause more blemishes.
  • Don't use oil based make-up. An oil based make-up is especially bad for acne prone skin. If you want to wear make-up, make sure to use types meant for people with sensitive or acne prone skin.

The Desire Is For Clear Skin.

Considering no one wants acne, it's helpful that but a good skin care regimen can usually help or totally eradicate the problem. 

Clear skin is the clear goal.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Successful Acne Solutions

Life is tough enough without having to deal with zits and pimples on a daily basis. Unfortunately a good three fourths of us are still burdened by this common skin affliction. The day may begin with you sliding out of bed, and shuffling to the bathroom. As you gaze up into the mirror, you sadly catch sight of several new blemishes. OUCH! This is a horrible start to a new day. At this point you need to focus on acne solutions. What will curb your nasty skin condition and prevent it from coming right back? Well, you're in luck! There are effective acne treatments at your fingertips.

We all have varying skin types. Some have dry, some have normal, others have oily and a few are even stuck with sensitive skin. Therefore your battle with acne blemishes will likely vary from someone else's. This is why there are so many potential acne solutions available these days. Different products work for different individuals. Now it's time to figure out which product works well for you. What is your specific skin type? If your breakouts are severe and your facial pores fairly large, I'm going to guess that you have oily skin. One of the more successful products on the market to treat oily skin is Proactive Solution. This is a three-step acne skincare system that battles zits 24/7. It comes with a cleanser, toner, and acne moisturizer. All three steps are used twice each day to ensure that breakouts will be minimal. An important aspect of this popular three-step system is to make certain you're using the products as directed.

You may find successful acne solutions in your corner drugstore. Now days there are countless cleansers, astringents, moisturizers and on-the-spot treatments available to fight acne. One thing you'll probably notice is that less is more. It's not about using every product available. It's about choosing the ones that truly assist your complexion. Maybe all you really need is a good mild cleanser and an acne toner. Or, you might find success with an acne cleanser and oil-free moisturizer containing salycidic acid, which helps exfoliate dead skin and prevent future breakouts. There are acne solutions out there for you! Don't spend another day in agony with nasty breakouts.

Monday, December 29, 2008

Chinese Herbs : Your Solution To Treat Your Acne Problem

When conventional medications fail to cure your health related problems you start looking of alternate medications. While treating skin diseases like acne it is always preferrable to go for natural treatments as they are believed to be free from harmful effects. Fearing the unpleasant side effects of using conventional medications people are forced to keep away from conventional medications.

 

Chinese Thinking

 

Traditional Chinese herbs are a result of the Chinese way of thinking in which it is believed that there is a pressing need to possess both sound mind and soul and of course, a sound body as well. Having already given the world acupuncture, Chinese people are in a good position to provide further relief to the world through their wonderful traditional Chinese herbs.

 

Acne Treating Herbs

 

In fact, studies have shown that traditional Chinese herbs can effectively cure acne and among the more useful herbs that you need to check out as far as treating acne are Neem, honeysuckle, chaste tree berry and yellow dock.

 

 

Neem

 

With regard to different traditional Chinese herbs, Neem is one of the better such herbs that are known to possess anti-inflammatory properties which are definitely going to help people that happen to be suffering from acne, which is characterized by inflammation.

 

 

Chaste Tree Berry

Another useful traditional Chinese herb is the Chaste tree berry, which has the particular property of being able to stimulate pituitary glands that produce oil.

 

 

Honeysuckle

 

Honeysuckle is another one of the better traditional Chinese herbs, which has the ability to detoxify the body and this it does through making a person perspire.

 

Burdock Root Seed

 

One herb that requires special mention is Burdock root seed, which has the ability to cleanse out the blood and it is also able to detoxify the body and provides anti-inflammatory benefits as well.

 

The list of traditional Chinese herbs can go on and on. Among other traditional Chinese herbs that need to be mentioned are

·        dandelion root

·        chamomile

·        sarsaparilla

·        milk thistle

These herbs will certainly prove to be the right option when you need to treat an acne problem and are worth checking out.

 

The differences between the herbs and species may be subtle, nevertheless it is necessary that you are able to differentiate between them. Once you have decided to use traditional Chinese herbs for your acne condition, it is then necessary for you to use them with extreme caution and to choose particular herbs after having done some research beforehand.

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Acne Scar Removal

Have you ever met a computer geek? I am not talking about the professionals that are hired on the geek squad to go out and help people with computer problems; I am talking about a geek that sits in a room filled with computer equipment and runs his life. My sister’s son fits into this category. In some ways his life is a bit sad and in others he is a bit scary. He was a normal healthy child who developed a bad case of acne when he was fourteen. He was so embarrassed and self conscious about the acne that he started communicating with others in chat rooms rather than facing them. Through this he spent a great deal of time on computers and found that he had great computer skills. He began making money off the internet by age eighteen and basically lived his life in his parent’s basement.

My sister knows that I am a therapist and so she asked me to intervene with her son. He claims to be happy with his life; however he spends almost no time outside the basement. My son, his cousin, is the same age. My son has invited him to many activities through the years, but he is always turned down. I told my sister that I thought the key was to start with the acne scar removal and to work from there. It was the acne that caused him to go into his shell in the first place so I thought this needed to be address. If he would go through the acne scar removal then he may gain the confidence to face people and start to live a more normal life. He was extremely successful at making money on the internet. At the age of twenty he was making over five thousand dollars a month. My sister wanted him to enjoy spending his money off the internet and out of the basement. I told my sister that in addition to arranging the acne scar removal she should also tell him that he needed to move out of the basement. Forcing him to find a different place to live would help him have new surroundings around other people. He could afford an apartment or to buy a home of his own if he wished.

My nephew was very upset when he was told that he needed to move. He agreed to go to the appointment to discuss the acne scar removal, but he insisted this was not why he spent time alone. Once he started the laser procedures on his face he was a different person. His skin improve drastically and so did his self esteem. He is still working on the internet and doing very well; however he is also socializing and getting out more.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Getting Those Acne Scars Removed Improved My Looks

Many forms of cosmetic surgery are designed simply for the purposes of indulging your vanity. Breast augmentation surgery, face lifts, tummy tucks, and many other procedures are routinely used to make cosmetic changes that are not strictly necessary. Sometimes, however, cosmetic surgical procedures are so crucial that they are really necessary for your social well-being. When I was a teenager, I had terrible scarring acne. My whole face was pockmarked like the surface of the moon! Getting  acne scar removal was crucial to my well-being. People would make fun of me all the time, and I would get looks everywhere that I went. Although my job performance was good, I did not get the promotions that I deserved. Whether or not we like to face it, people judge you by your looks. Getting those acne scars removed improved my looks, and that made my life better.

Of course, I didn't start with acne scar removal surgery. Although acne scar laser removal is an outpatient surgical procedure, it is still surgery. For many people, simpler forms of acne scar removal work just fine. There are creams, light treatments, and other novel approaches the seem to work wonders for many people with mild to moderate acne scarring. They improved my condition somewhat, but did not do enough. If you have severe acne scars as I had, sometimes you have to go for the stronger stuff. Acne scar laser surgery is a pretty routine procedure, and not nearly as intimidating as I thought. You barely even feel it when it is happening, but the results are quite profound.

Of course, the best form of acne treatment is to make sure it doesn't happen in the first place. For some people this is harder than others, but there are many things that teenagers can do to prevent outbreaks from happening. After all, acne scar removal only does so much. It is much better to keep your acne under control my first place, thereby limiting the need for future procedures. One of the best ways to do this as it a healthy diet. A diet low in fats and high in vegetables can do wonders for your complexion, particularly during your teenage years. There are also many different kinds of facial acne treatment that can control your outbreaks. It is impossible to completely eliminate acne, but you can certainly do a lot to control it and stop it from becoming serious.

Friday, December 26, 2008

Effective Treatment of Retinol Acne

For the many millions of people worldwide who suffer with retinol acne, the fact that it is the most common of all skin complaints is no consolation and it is not solely a condition suffered by young people. The figures speak for themselves with a massive nine out of every ten people having the complaint at some time in their lives.

Retinol acne is the result of clogged hair follicles, caused by the overproduction of sebum, which is from the sebaceous glands but oil alone doesn't clog pores nor does oily skin necessarily equal retinol acne. The oil clogged inside the pore, not on the outside of the skin is what makes a pimple although retinol acne is more of a contemporary problem and not a condition people in the past generally had to worry about.

But the clogged pores which are the main cause of retinol acne can also be the result of contemporary substances like cosmetics, pollution and even the hormone adjustments many young people go through. Other factors can be responsible to, like the consumption of too much junk and reprocessed food, which is high in unhealthy sugars.

When people have more stubborn cases of retinol acne it is left to a dermatologist to prescribe a stronger remedy which may require a longer period of use. Having a dermatologist treat the condition is not such a bad idea as he or she will be able to better check on how well the treatment is he prescribed.

Cleanliness is important, especially beneath the fingernails where germs and bacteria can be found and infect the already sensitive skin condition by scratching.

Germs and bacteria are not normally seen by the naked eye so just because the fingernails look clean does not actually mean they are. It is for this very reason that anyone who suffers with retinol acne should not touch their retinol acne with their bare hands.

The chances of perfect skin are virtually zero and you are more likely to suffer with retinol acne if your parents also had the condition. By far the biggest reason for retinol acne is when a youth child enters into puberty and the change in hormone levels associated with that period.

If necessary, retinol acne sufferers should consult a dermatologist or qualified physician for retinol acne treatment. The information in this article is intended for informational purposes only and it should not be considered as, or used in place of, medical advice or professional recommendations for retinol acne diagnosis or treatment.

Find additional information on acne skin care visit Acne Anti Aging Skin Care also visit Effective Acne Treatment

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Facts about Acne Problems

Acne problems come from oil and oil clogging the pores. Acne problems are not just the jurisdiction of teenagers. A surprising number of adults develop acne at some point in their lives - up to 25% of men and 50% of women.

Diet, hormonal imbalance, or nervous system disorders can cause a person to be acne-prone. Premenstrual acne beginnings a couple of daylights ahead each period, when progesterone endocrines are highest. Diet is also one of the causes for acne problems in adults. The nutrients connected with acne are those that acquire sour in the abdomen. Diet is usually NOT the cause of acne. However, specific instances of patients flaring with increased consumption of seafood, iodized salt, or other foods have been reported.

Treatment of the most resistant cases of acne includes the use of isotretinoin (Accutane), a drug that decreases sebaceous secretions. Isotretinoin is a well-established teratogen (i.e., it causes birth defects) and is not given to women who are pregnant. Treatment from a dermatologist can help reduce the severity of lesions and scarring, however this condition is often resistant to adult acne home treatment and can remain for several years.

Hormonal problems can also cause acne related problems in adults too though, that's why acne prevention is so important now a days. Universal endocrine instabilities are a great deal the trouble, and these can be caused by a variety of life style or environmental factors, as advantageously assure medicaments too. Hormonal alterations are the more common campaign of acne breaks away in teens. The body during puberty begins to produce hormones called androgens.

Teenagers usually have relatively large amounts of androgen present in their bodies. This is why acne is often mistakenly thought of as only a "teenage condition". Teenagers should avoid oily and dairy foods while suffering from acne. Proper use of local medicaments, beneficial dietetic uses and asserting a beneficial personal hygienics will assist adolescents to relieve themselves from acne problems . Teenagers and adults alike who suffer from acne detest its presence. A case of acne can be mild or severe, which is called acne vulgaris , and can cause disfiguration and severe scarring.