What Are The Best Acne Treatments?

What Are The Best Acne Treatments?
By Monica Nelson

What are some of the causes of acne, and what are the best acne treatments? First off, it is nice to know that if you are suffering from acne you are not alone. It is a very common condition that is believed to occur in up to 85% of people at one time or another. And it can affect anyone, male or female, teens or adults, and people of every ethnic group. Pimples, as acne is more commonly known, can first appear when a person reaches their teens. The scientific name for this skin condition is Acne Vulgaris, and is characterized by small lesions that pop up on the skin.

This condition is most obvious when it appears on the face. However it often appears on other, less visible parts of the body such as the neck and back. The appearance of pimples can cause embarrassment and social anxiety. Nobody should have to go through that, so lets look at some of the causes that might be eliminated, and some treatments that might help clear up the skin.

Two possible causes of acne are 1. Puberty, and 2. Fatty, oily and sugary foods. With the first cause, puberty, the body is going through some changes and creating extra follicle cells and sebum. The excess of these can block the pores of the skin and cause pimples. A good treatment for this is to carefully clean the skin every day. Some people use glycerin soap and a soft cloth or boar bristle shaving brush. The hairs of the brush get into the pores and clean them so they dont get clogged. They gently clean the skin in the morning and evening to keep their pores clean and their skin free of acne.

With the second cause, fatty, oily and sugary foods, the body has consumed too much of this hard to digest junk food and some of it shows up in the pores of the skin, causing pimples. There are some people who dont believe this but we dare them to test it the day before their next date. They can go ahead and eat a lot of fatty, oily and sugary foods like cheeseburgers, fries, soda pop, candy bars, milkshakes, ranch salad dressing, potato chips, peanut butter, etc. Watch what happens to their skin. The best treatment for this is to eat less junk, and instead eat more fruits and vegetables. If you dont want oily skin, dont eat oily foods. Instead of a cheeseburger and soda, try a Subway turkey sandwich and a glass of water. This change in diet has helped many people to reduce acne. It also helps them lose weight.

Simply eating right and carefully cleaning the skin can do wonders for clearing up acne. Also avoid touching your face with your hands. If you have acne on your back, get a soft brush with a long handle so you can scrub your back with glycerin soap every morning in the shower. If the condition persists after some weeks of a change in diet and careful cleaning of the skin, you may want to try some of the over-the-counter acne treatments. Be sure to try the change in diet first. Otherwise the treatments will only be trying to correct an endless problem, and you are the one doing it to yourself with bad foods.

Other causes of acne are bacterium and sebum. A good topical therapy would be one that offers anti-bacterial support, and also works to reduce the bodys sebum production.

Benzoyl Peroxide is a common ingredient in acne gels and ointments. It is useful in removing excess dead skin cells and sebum from the skin. It also works to remove and prevent bacterium from creating pimples. This ingredient can be somewhat harsh to delicate skin and can cause drying or redness, so it should be used with caution.

Salicylic acid is another ingredient in some acne products. This is more of a preventative for stopping new pimple from forming. Again caution should be used because this treatment can dry the skin and cause redness and irritation.

Resorcinol is an ingredient that causes what is known as a skin peel. This is where the top layer of skin to peel away, along with the dead skin cells and sebum. This treatment is a bit drastic and the same cleaning could be more safely achieved with glycerin soap and a soft boar bristle shaving brush.

Sulfur (sulphur) is a common topical therapy ingredient often included in skin cleansing creams and lotions and salves.

If a topical over-the-counter treatment does not work, please consult your doctor for input on the latest treatments for your individual skin type and acne condition.

Monica Nelson writes articles that offer helpful information on health topics such as the best Natural Acne Treatments and how to get a high paying new career, fast, through Online Nursing Schools.

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Medications for Acne

Medications for Acne
By Carl English

A well known medication for acne is Accutane, that is the brand name for a isotretinoin. It isn't for wimps. It's controversial. This medication for acne is only effective for some in acne skin care treatment, but you pretty much have to be desperate to try it. There can be side effects to all medication for acne. Serious side effects. If you're a parent, and your child's dermatologist is telling you that accutane is the next step in a series of treatments that haven't worked, think very carefully before you try it, and consider alternative approaches offered by non-traditional practitioners such as naturopaths.

Accutane has a very bad reputation in my books as an effective acne medicine. Acne home remedies are way safer forms for treatment. Naturapaths will offer alternative acne treatments such as they offer a regimen of high doses of vitamins, herbs, gentle topical acne treatments and changes in diets that can eliminate acne blemishes and pimples for some without harmful side effects of acne medicine like Accutane. An alternative acne natural treatment is not very expensive to try, and certainly worth a try if it means sparing your child the risks associated with acne medicines like Accutane. Natural acne alternative is the best acne treatment by far.

What are the side effects? The biggie, the really scary one is that there is a high risk of severe birth defects if you become pregnant while taking Accutane. Some teens are sexually active; some aren't. Some are responsible about birth control; some aren't. If you have a daughter who is not sexually active, she'll have to take birth control pills along with Accutane. What could this medication be doing to someone who takes it if it causes birth defects? Is it worth taking the risk?

Other side effects can include dry and itchy skin, chapped lips, muscle and joint pain, irritated eyelids, decreased night vision, nosebleeds, skin rashes, intestinal discomfort, urinary symptoms, headaches, increased susceptibility to sunburn, and depression-even thoughts of suicide.

Now, some people with very bad acne have suicidal thoughts too because it is such a difficult experience for a young person to be disfigured by acne blemishes.

Another potential side effect is liver damage. This is serious enough so that if you take Accutane, you have to get regular blood tests to monitor the level of fat in your blood to make sure your liver isn't failing.

Another thing. It might not work. And for some people, it will work only while you're taking it and as soon as you stop taking it, back comes the acne problem. It is a form of acne control only while on the medication. Not an acne cure at all. But you're only supposed to take Accutane for a limited time. So, for many it's taking a serious risk for an acne solution that's only temporary.

There are people who have had success with Accutane. Otherwise dermatologists wouldn't be subscribing it. It's just a good idea to make sure all less invasive options have been exhausted before stepping into an acne skin care treatment that has potential to do so much harm.

Carl English, who goes by alias William Reeves, is a male fashion model/ 3d Artist who also enjoys writing articles to let people in on the truth. He is year of the Metal Rooster so it is in his nature to wake people up. Check his site for more articles on Acne and skin care health. Acne Skin Care

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