How does acne appear?

They appear as the mixture of dead skin and oils in your skin that clog your pores. Nevertheless, it may arise due to the hormonal imbalances and toxic substances in your body. Therefore, one of the effective ways of treating acne is to carry out the complete detoxification of your body. At the end of this article you will be shown the product which can help you get rid of your acne effectively and what’s more important, naturally.

Still, it is most essential to acquire proper hormonal balance, as it is the best  way to treat your acne. On the other hand, there are some herbs offered to you in acne treatment both for adults and teenagers alike. Some of them are made exclusively for male or female hormone imbalances. So, you can make your own ginger drink by buying ginger from the shop and blending it with water. Then, you can add a little honey to sweeten it up. Ginger is very helpful in cleaning your kidneys and bowels. This consequently makes your body get rid of excess toxins and increase blood circulation. Blood circulation will aid in removing toxins from your body and prevent further acne growth.

Apart from these herbs, it is necessary to wash your face, neck and chest zones at least twice a day with mild soap and then to rinse well. You can also use an acne cleanser. Don’t use cosmetics with oil. Instead, use those based on water. Ask a sales person to give you an advice, if you are not sure which product to choose.

In general, you can be sure that any cleansing and detoxifying product will be of great help in restoring hormonal balance and eliminating one of the major causes of acne.

Oily Skin

If you have oily skin, choose oil-free, non-comedogenic acne treatment products that will not clog your pores. Besides, search for treatments that are good in controlling sebum, which is your body’s natural oil production. In particular, it is better to use gels instead of creams for oily skin

Acidic Skin

It is likely that you would like to refrain from an acne treatment cream that will add acidic properties to your skin. So, avoid treatments that contain Azelaic acid and Salicylic acid since there is a great number of other medications offering similar acne-fighting properties.

Dry Skin

Clindamycin and Erythromycin are antimicrobials which have strong drying properties that may leave your dry skin irritated. It means that although you cleared acne with any of the antimicrobial medications, your skin may look wrinkled and old. Due to that, make sure you use some milder treatments, such as low-percentage benzoyl peroxide and gentle antiseptic washes. Yet, this could be a problem if the mildness of these products makes them ineffective. Generally, it is better to use creams instead of gels for moisturizing the skin.

Combination Skin

This kind of skin seems to be the most difficult to treat. It may appear that due to various products you need to use, your skin becomes saturated and too stressed to harness any of its healing abilities. Besides, it is not easy to deal with the treatment in just one part of your face. For example, some of the light antiseptic medications may give desirable effects for the area around your eyes, but they can be too mild for more severe and harsh acne cases.

What is the best treatment for Most Skin Types?

It is certain that the best acne treatment cream available in the market today is not the one that you have seen in ads, but the one that has passed actual clinical testing! In that sense, Acnessential which is a 4% Niacinamide cream, and topical niacinamide have proven to be great in healing acne because they are:

-Perfect for skin types that are prone to irritation by antimicrobials, retinoids, and acids.
-Applicable for all skin types as topical niacinamide is simply a derivative of Vitamin B;
-Highly effective for mild to inflamed acne

Besides, it has been found out that niacinamide reduces the amount of sebum in the skin, which if left unregulated, can contribute to harsh acne problems.

Namely, this natural fruit has vitamin C and potassium, both of which are responsible for improving the immune system. Moreover, the juice extracted from the lemon fruit contains citric acid, AHA or alpha hydroxyl acids, which contribute to effective protection against acne. It enables your skin to regenerate, and makes it look healthy and more elastic. Besides, lemon acne cure removes dead skin cells to reveal smoother skin, speeding up the process of new skin cells appearance. These qualities encourage your body’s capacity to protect itself against bacteria, virus and infections that render acne and other skin diseases.

This natural cure can be applied either by simply drinking lemon juice, or as topical application method.

The first option is to drink lemon juice for internal cleansing which will help your body get essential vitamins and nutrients. Make a freshly squeezed lemon juice and add it into 2 cups of water. You can drink it either warm or cold, and take this mixture two times a day for at least 2 weeks.

If you choose a topical treatment, start off by cleansing your face first. Then, squeeze a small amount of lemon juice into a bowl. Apply it on acne with a cotton ball which you have first soaked into the juice. You can dab the cotton directly onto the skin. However, if your skin is very sensitive experts suggest diluting it first with water in order to avoid burning or irritation. After you have put lemon juice on your skin, leave it on for at least 10 minutes. It would be best to do that during night in order to attain the finest effects. Keep on with this procedure for around 2 weeks to see the results.

Still, the best results will be noticeable if you combine both of these methods.

Is Acne contagious?

A great number of people are worried about whether or not acne is contagious, meaning whether they can spread among people if they are too near a person who suffers from it. Well, the fact is that for any disease or condition to become contagious, it is necessary to have a medium or an agent. As acne has no such mediating elements through which it can carry itself from person to person, there is no need to worry of becoming infected.

Causes of Acne

Most often, acne appears due to hormonal changes causing the sebaceous glands to enlarge and produce excessive sebum. As the sebum is unable to come out, it becomes clogged within the gland and expands it. In addition, P.Acnes bacterium, which is found on everybody’s skin, triggers inflammation within the acne. Therefore, the conclusion is that acne can never be contagious.

How to prevent it?

Although there is no way to heal acne permanently, it can be prevented to a large extent if you follow some necessary steps. Well, you can consult your dermatologist who will best regard the effects on acne, before going for any hormonal medication. It is advisable to wash your face regularly and use Alpha Hydroxy acids frequently to make your skin healthy and clean.

Associated With Certain Foods

First of all, in order to understand acne you have to distinguish facts from myths. The most common myth about acne is that they appear because we eat too much chocolate and greasy food. Yet, there is no evidence that this is completely true. However, it has been noticed that in some people the acne breakout worsens after eating, so if you are one of these people, you should better avoid it. As you can see, there is no any general rule about eating this or avoiding that kind of food in order to get rid of acne.

Squeezing The Pimples Will Make Them Go Away

A great number of people think that popping the pimples will make them disappear. Yes, it is true that in the beginning you will see fewer pimples, but there is something that you must be aware of. When you pop pimples you are actually pushing the bacteria, dead skin cells and oil deeper into the skin, in this manner causing more swelling and redness. Besides, popping pimples also contributes to getting scars.

Frequent Washing Clears Up Acne

Another common myth about acne is that if you wash your face regularly, you will reduce them, which is not true at all. Namely, frequent washing causes irritation and makes your skin dry, which in turn can cause acne breakouts. It will be absolutely enough to wash your face twice a day with a mild soap.

No Makeup Is Clear Skin

You have already heard that putting makeup leads to acne breakouts. It implies that if you would like to have a clear skin you should avoid makeup. However, choosing non-acnegenic or noncomedogenic makeup does not have any bad effects on your acne. If you already have this problem, you should better consult a dermatologist who will best advise what makeup to use.

Take More Medication For Continuous Breakouts

Another common myth about acne is that you are required to use more acne medication if you constantly get breakouts. As a matter of fact, most of the acne medicines contain benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, both of which can dry skin and cause more blemishes. If your acne medication is not helping, you should visit a dermatologist.

Tanning Clears Up The Skin

And the last of the most popular myths about acne is that tanning helps clear up the skin. However, the truth is that exposing your skin to sun can lead to premature aging, skin cancer and skin irritation. It will never help clear up the acne. While you get out in the sun, always take a sunscreen to protect your skin from the harmful influence of the sunrays.

Giving concrete details on common myths about acne will certainly be of great help to understand this condition.

No After-pains

You can probably guess that this implies you will not suffer from any sort of pain after the acne laser treatment and you will feel the same as you normally do.

Quick and fast treatment

The results of acne laser treating will be obvious relatively quickly after the procedure. What’s more, you will realize that the whole process is done faster than any other normal treatments for which you would just have to pay a small sum of money.

It is effective

You can be sure that you will be back very soon to your normal way of living once you take up the treatment.

Completely safe and secure process

As the researches show, treating acne by laser methodology is totally safe, due to the latest and most effective technologies incorporated in the whole procedure. Furthermore, the customers are completely satisfied without any kind of pain or difficulty after the treatment.

No side effects

The whole process is contact-free and it guarantees that you would not experience any kind of side effects upon undergoing the laser treatment.

If you are desperately trying to find the best way to get rid of acne, than acne laser treatment is the perfect solution for you! Even though it requires of you to pay a considerable sum of money, you should not be disappointed, as you will forget about the money immediately upon seeing the results. The only problem that may appear is the existence of bruises and small swellings, which is completely normal and would fade away very soon.

Here are some helpful pieces of advice on how to treat acne fast and tips about acne prevention, treatment and skin maintenance:

First of all, you have to try to get rid of stress since it triggers some internal chemicals response which results in acne. In order to do that, there are some very useful alternatives such as yoga classes for meditation or doing exercises.

It would be best to keep your skin clean by washing it two times a day; however, do not over wash or over scrub your acne. It can cause dry skin and more oil, which are responsible for blocked pores and more acne flare-ups.

Besides, your skin needs vitamin D in order to keep it healthy. For that reason, you can go for a sunbath in an open air but you must not overdo it. If you are planning to stay longer in the sun, make sure you use sun protection or tanning lotions. They will protect you from being sunburn.

Don’t forget to drink much water, as it is a natural cleanser. Try to consume at least 8 to 10 glasses of filtered water everyday in order to avoid dehydration. Dehydration can make dead skin cells causing blocked pores and acne.

Try to eat healthy food and lead a healthy lifestyle. So, stick to a balanced and healthy diet which includes lots of veggies, seeds, nuts, and fruits and stick to aforementioned basics to treat acne fast.

Get Dermabrasion-You should not mix this with micro-dermabrasion which removes the top layer of dead surface skin cells from the face, as this coarser method removes deeper layers. It would be almost as if you were to rub sandpaper on your face (which you shouldn’t!). But, it is actually perceived as the sandpaper imagery. First, the dermatologist will numb your face after which he will start removing layers through the “sanding” process. The process of getting recovered is usually several weeks when your skin will eventually scab. Finally, new skin will appear with a fresh youthful glow. The best results are achieved with the patients who have very light or very dark skin. Patients in between might want to find another alternative.

Try Laser Resurfacing. This is yet another way to get rid of acne scars. This is rather a new procedure and it should be stressed that not a lot of trials have been done on its lasting effects. This procedure is carried out by the use of laser to eradicate acne scarring. The two lasers in use are the CO2 laser and the YAG laser. Both are great, so it is your doctor’s preference over which they like to use. Still, it is ultimately up to you which of these two you will select in order to get rid of acne scars. The laser works in a similar fashion as dermabrasion. It eliminates the surface of the skin which has been damaged so that new healthy skin can grow. A couple of weeks are needed to recover. However, just in order to speed up the recovery process, the dermatologist can prescribe some topical ointment. Sometimes bandages are necessary, too, depending on how deep the scar is.

Perform a chemical peel. This kind of treatment to get rid of acne scars can be very beneficial for light acne scarring. Different types of acid are used for the top layer of the skin, which is removed 15 minutes later. Commonly, redness and swelling might appear. Depending on how much of acid was applied, recovery time can take from a day to a couple of weeks.

Receive the Punch Technique. This technique to get rid of acne scars applies to people who have deep-pitted acne scars. Similar to a hair transplant, a piece of scarred skin is “punched” then removed after which the skin graft is taken, usually from behind the ear, and placed where the scarred skin was removed. When the treatment is done, it can also be combined with Laser Resurfacing or Dermabrasion. If the area on the skin is small enough, it might be unnecessary to replace it. Besides, if the scarring is not deep into the skin, your dermatologist can just punch away the top layers of the skin and let the underlying layers heal. Usually, a recovery time will take a couple of weeks or longer.

Consider Augmentation. This process to get rid of acne scars entails injecting fillers, usually collagen, under the skin in order to help smooth the acne scars. Also, the doctor may take fat from other places in your body and inject that instead of collagen. Recovery time lasts very shortly, a day at most, as it’s just like getting any other shot. Besides, you must know that this is a temporary fix lasting for about six months. Still, in the future as different “fillers” are found out, it may last longer.

Acne is a disease which skin oil glands make. It may leave skin scars, but it isn’t dangerous. Our skin has a lot of pores (tiny holes) which are connected to oil glands located under it. Also, the glands are connected to the pores via follicles, small canals. These glands produce an oily liquid, sebum, which carries dead skin cells through the follicles to the surface of the skin. Then, a small hair grows through the follicle blocking it and making pimples grow. Most often pimples appear on people’s face, back, chest, shoulders and neck. Acne comes out when follicles are blocked and infected. Skin cells, sebum and hair being clump together form a clogg which turns into a swelling if it is infected with bacteria. A pimple starts to develop after the plug begins to break down.

There are various types of pimples:

- Blackheads – appear on the surface of the skin, clearly visible, black in colour. Remember that dirt doesn’t make blackheads, so scrubbing your face vigorously in order to remove them will not help.

- Whiteheads – are very small and remain under the skin

- Nobules – large, solid pimples which are clearly visible on the surface of the skin. They can be very painful and are rooted deep in the skin.

- Papules – small bumps, visible on the surface of the skin, usually pink.

- Pustules – clearly viewable on the surface of the skin, red at their base and have pus at the top.

- Cysts – very painful, and are filled with pus. They are clearly visible on the surface of the skin and they can easily cause scars.

How often does acne appear?

Specialists for skin, dermatologists, say that approximately three-quarters of  people aged between 11 and 30 get acne at some moment in their life. However, there is no rule, as they can affect people of all races and all ages. Most commonly, adolescents and young adults are affected. But, it is found out that some people even in their fifties can get acne. Despite the fact that acne affects both men and women, men suffer from acne more often. This is because they have more of testosterone, which can aggravate the problem.

What causes acne?

Nobody can definitely say what causes acne. Experts think that this primarily happens in the adolescence period when the level of the hormone androgen rises. As it rises, the oil glands under your skin grow producing more oil. Excessive sebum can break down cellular walls in the pores causing the growth of bacteria. According to some researches, the susceptibility to acne could also be genetic. Thus,  hormone changes during pregnancy, greasy cosmetics or medications which contain androgen and lithium may be the reasons why acne appear.

Acne treatment

The way you treat acne depends on how severe and persistent the condition is.

Treating mild acne

Most people usually suffer from mild acne. They are commonly treated with OTC (over-the-counter) medicines which can be bought at a drugstore without the doctor’s prescription. They are usually applied to the skin and are known as topical medicines.

Most OTC products for treating acne may contain the following active ingredients:

- Benzoyl Peroxide – a white crystalline peroxide used in bleaching (flour or oils or fats) and as a catalyst for free radical reactions. It destroys bacteria and slows down your glands’ production of oil. It works as a peeling factor, which clears pores and speeds up skin turnover thus reducing the amount of bacteria in the affected area.

- Resorcinol - helps in breaking down blackheads and whiteheads. It is a crystalline phenol and comes from various resins. Resorcinol is also used against dandruff, eczema and psoriasis.

- Sulfur – Sulfur has been used over centuries for acne treatment, psoriasis and eczema although scientists are not sure how sulfur helps in healing skin diseases. We do know that elemental sulfur does oxidize slowly to sulfurous acid which is a mild reducing and antibacterial agent.

- Salicylic Acid –  Salicylic acid is a white crystalline substance very effective in treating inflammation and swelling. It  breaks down blackheads and whiteheads, preventing pores from becoming blocked, while at the same time making space for new cells to grow. Besides, it is also used as a fungicide, for making aspirin, dyes or perfumes and can be added to shampoos for the treatment of  dandruff.

- Azelaic Acid – It is a saturated dicarboxylic acid found naturally in wheat, rye, and barley which helps reducing bacteria growth, strengthening cells that line the follicles, and stopping oil eruptions.. Azelaic acid also wipes up free radicals thus reducing inflammation. It is recommended to patients with darker skin who have dark patches on their face (melasma), or whose acne spots make brown marks.

- Retin-A – helps unplugging blocked pores. It contains Tretinoin, an acid form of vitamin A, also known as all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA). Also, it is used in treating acute promyelocytic leukemia. Retin-A has been mostly used as a substance against skin aging, and as a chemical peeling.

Acne medications could appear in forms of gels, pads, soaps, lotions and creams. If you have a sensitive skin, perhaps you would rather use a cream or lotion. Gels, mostly containing some percents of alcohol may dry the skin, so it is better for people with oily skin type to use it. OTC medicines have these ingredients in different concentrations. Having that in mind you are recommended to start with the lowest quantity. In the beginning you may experience skin irritation, redness, and/or burning which gradually disappear. However, if this does not happen,  go and visit your  doctor.

Treating more severe acne cases

If your problem with acne is more serious, you should think of  seeing a dermatologist. He may prescribe a medicine which has some of the active ingredients mentioned above, such as azelaic acid, benzoyl peroxide, as well as adabalene. Depending on your case, you will be given the right treatment. You may be prescribed an oral or topical antibiotic. Antibiotics are excellent against the growth of bacteria and inflammation. Erythromyocin and Tetracycline are most commonly prescribed.

Treating a cyst with interlesional corticosteroid injection

If it comes that an acne cyst is severely inflammed, there is a high risk of rupturing which often results in making scars. As a prevention, a dermatologist may inject a diluted corticosteroid. It will lower the inflammation and speed up healing. In just a few days the cyst will “melt” .

Isotretinoin

Isotretinoin is a strong oral retinoid, used for the treatment of severe acne cysts, as well as severe acne that has not given desirable results to other medications and treatments.

Oral contraceptives

A great number of women with acne have found out that taking certain oral contraceptives can clear it, as they suppress the overactive gland. But, if the woman smokes, has a period disorder, suffers long from migraines, or is over 35, she should consult her gynecologist  first before she starts taking this medication.

Oral antibiotics

In case a patient suffers from a severe or moderate acne, he or she is prescribed oral antibiotics. These oral antibiotics are used to lower the population of Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), a kind of a  bacterium usually found on the skin which is multiplied rapidly in blocked follicles. In the beginning the dosage will be given in high amounts, and then as the acne reduces so will the dosage. Antibiotics are not taken for more than six months. However, as time passes the P. acnes can become resistant to the antibiotic in which case another antibiotic should be given.

Topical antimicrobials (topical = applied to the skin or mucus membranes)

The aim of topical antimicrobials for the treatment of acne is to reduce P. acnes populations. Some of them are clindamycin, erythromycin, and sodium sulfacetamide. They are used in treating severe and moderate acne. You may be prescribed a topical retinoid by the specialist. They prevent whiteheads and blackheads from increasing and unclog the pores. Topical retinoids are a derivative of Vitamin A and are very popular for the treatment of acne. Examples of topical retinoids prescribed in the USA are adapalene, tazarotene, and tretinoin.

Taking care of your skin if you have acne (or are prone to acne):

- Don’t burst the pimples. If you do that, it may spread the infection, causing more blocking and worse swelling and redness. Popping pimples causes scarring.

- Wash your face about two times a day. Do not wash it more than that. Use a mild soap made especially for people with acne, and warm water. Avoid scrubbing the skin. Experts recommend the use of an OTC lotion which has benzoyl peroxide.

- If you have to get rid of a pimple quickly because you have to go to some event, such as a wedding, or occasions which involve public appearance, ask a dermatologist to treat it for you.

- Keep your hands from touching the face. When you speak on the telephone do not  let the receiver touch your face – there might be sebum and skin residue on it.

- Always wash your hands before touching your face. This means wash them before you apply lotions, creams or makeup.

- Glasses may collect sebum and skin residue so make sure to keep them cleaned regularly.

- Clean the makeup from your face before you go to sleep. Use only makeup that is nonceomedogenic or nonacnegenic which does not have oil and does not clog up the pores.

- You should allow your skin to breathe. If you have acne on your back, shoulders or chest wear loose clothing. Avid wearing tight garments, such as headbands, caps and scarves, but if you have to wear them they should be cleaned regularly.

- Too much sun makes your skin produce more sebum. Several acne medications make it more likely that you will get sunburnt.

- Keep your hair clean and away from your face as it collects sebum and skin residue.

- If you shave your face, you should be very careful. Use either an electric shaver or safety razors and make sure the blade is sharp. Soften your skin or beard with warm   water and soup before applying the shaving cream.

- Anxiety and stress – due to mental stress that affects the levels of some hormones, like cortisol and adrenaline, the problem with acne can become worse.

- Menstrual cycle – girls and women’s problem with acne tends to become worse one or two weeks before their menstrual period. This probably happens because of hormonal changes in the body. Some people say that during this period they eat more chocolate and think that getting more acne is connected with that. However, experts believe that is not the main reason.

- Oil based makeups – makeup containing oil, moisturizing creams, lubricating lotions, can speed up the blocking of your pores.

- Hot and humid climates – people sweat more when it is hot and this can make the acne worse.

- Greasy hair – some hair products may be very greasy and they can produce similar  effects as oil based makeup. Such are hair products with cocoa butter or coconut butter.