Inform yourself About Acne and Clear Up That Skin!

August 2, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Health

There are few teenagers who don’t know what its like to have acne shatter their confidence. – And almost all of these teenagers know how difficult acne can be to get rid of. It is not known exactly what causes acne, but it is agreed that it begins with a clogged pore that fills with sebum. This pore then becomes enlarged from the excess oil, causing a perfectly moist environment for bacteria to grow. – Making a lot of pimples really just small infections. Acne usually ends by the time a person reaches adulthood, but it’s not uncommon for people to break out even in their thirties and forties! It is also the most common skin disease, with at least 17 million people in the US alone suffering from it.

“Acne” is actually a word that is used to classify several different skin conditions that feature pimples or pimple-like bumps. Most people with acne actually suffer the specific condition acne vulgaris. This kind of acne can produce several different forms of pimple, but some of the most common are papules, pustules, whiteheads, and blackheads. Pustules and papules are the exact same thing – a simple bump in the skin – but pustules actually contain a tiny amount of pus-like sebum, bacteria, and dead skin cells. These are the kind that most people tend to pop, believing that it will cause them to disappear sooner. This is not the case. A pustule will remain on the skin for only a few days is treated, and when it is popped only causes reddening of the skin and can potentially leave behind a scar. Whiteheads and blackheads, similarly, are also nearly identical. They are both slightly deeper in the skin, but with a blackhead, the pore is large enough for sufficient amounts of oxygen to mix with bacteria to cause a dark-colored mass. This eventually rises up to the surface of the skin, where it can be seen and easily removed.

Treating acne is as complicated as trying to find the true cause. This is because acne isn’t completely understood, and different people have different biological factors contributing to their acne. Because of this, different products have slightly different results for different people. When searching for an effective acne treatment, the only real way to find the best product is to try them one at a time, and try to research what type of acne the product is designed for. A good rule, however, is to always keep your skin clean and to cleanse it at least once a day. This will help to prevent clogged pores, reducing the likelihood of the formation of pimples. Make sure to avoid cleansers or cloths that are too rough, chemical, or abrasive. These will only aggravate your skin, prompting it to produce more sebum, which will likely cause more acne. Soft cleansers without many chemicals, used with warm water, are the best solution for clean, healthy skin.

Acne is most common on the shoulders, back and face, so make sure to clean these areas well. There is also another type of acne that typically occurs later than life called Rosacea. It is often more red and discolored, and consists of papules and pustules forming in the middle of the face. It is not understood what exactly causes this type of acne, but there is a lot of research indicating that the consumption of “warm” drinks such as alcohol and coffee may factor in. There is, as of yet, no way to completely get rid of this type of skin disease, but in combination with medications and personal awareness the symptoms can be fought and the signs can be greatly reduced.

Stop Acne Forever With These Acne Killer Secrets

May 17, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Acne

Do you suffer from acne? Is acne depriving you of your confidence?Acne can cause tremendous physical and emotional pain. It makes us look ugly!

I desperately tried various over the counter acne products and dermatologist prescribed acne cure treatments with limited success. Why? Because these topical creams & antibiotic treatments do not treat the ROOT cause of Acne problem! As a result, ugly acne kept coming back.

I have discovered that to effectively treat acne, you have to treat the root of the problem. Acne is not only a skin problem, but an internal problem as well.

So now, I will share with you 3 acne killer secrets that I have learned that have given me clear, healthy, and radiant skin.

The Causes of Acne

Your acne is caused when pores in your skin get clogged by dead skin cells and excessive sebum content. Sebum is an oily substance produced by the sebaceous gland.

The clogged pore is the perfect environment for the acne bacteria. This bacteria in the plugged follicle leads to inflammation of the skin. This leads to pimples or acnes. Acne can be either mild, moderate or severe. For severe cases of acne, you should go visit a doctor.

Thus, the contributors of acne are clogging of the pores by oil and dead skin cells and the presence of bacteria. To effectively fight acne, one must address it from both the outside of the body and inside of the body.

Acne Killer Secret #1 – Preventing acne by taking care of your skin

The basic things you can do to prevent acne is to follow basic hygiene and skin care regimen. Your basic skin care regimen should include cleansing of the skin, applying an alcohol-free toner, and finish with a moisturizer + sunscreen. Toning your skin restores skin pH back to it’s normal range and it closes the pores to your skin to prevent dust and the air borne particles from settling in your pores.

You should clean your skin with a gentle cleanser at least twice a day to remove your skin from oil, dead skin cells, dry skin – substances that can clog the pores. It is imperative for the pores of your skin to remain bacteria free. The presence of bacteria is something which contributes substantially to the growth of pimples. If you have overall cleanliness of the skin, you can lessen the chance of pimples.

Look for cleansing products that contain salicylic acid. Salicylic Acid is a naturally occurring organic acid and a gentle, effective exfoliator. It is very effective for acne and oily skin and helps to unclog pores by removing dead skin cells, loosen and remove blackheads and whiteheads, and prevent future outbreaks. Products should contain 1-2% concentration of salicylic acid in order for it to be effective. For sensitive skin types, a 1% concentration would be suitable and for stubborn acne, 2% concentration is recommended.

Note that Salicylic Acid also makes skin sensitive to the sun. Sunscreen should therefore be used while applying Salicylic Acid. Sunscreen also guard your skin from harmful rays of the sun and helps slow down aging of the skin. If you have oily skin, you should use an oil-free sunscreen product.

Acne Killer Secret #2- Fighting Acne from the inside

The main cause of acne is the concentration of toxins inside the body. The body expels toxins through excretion, sweating, or through the skin. If the body is not efficient in expelling the toxins through excretion or through sweating, some of the toxins go out through the skin. This causes inflammation of the skin and increases the bacteria level on the surface of the skin, leading to acne problem.

To effectively fight acne and achieve radiant, youthful, and healthy skin, one must take good care of the body by practicing the following healthy habits:

(1)Reduce Stress – Stress causes the body’s level of cortisol (stress hormone) to go up. This leads to increase of your blood sugar and produces more oil on the skin, which can lead to skin aging and acne prone skin. Stress can be controlled by getting adequate sleep and rest and doing meditation and practicing deep breathing. Deep breathing also helps to remove the toxins in the body.

(2)Get on an exercise program – Exercise reduces stress and helps improve blood circulation to the skin, making the skin more healthy and radiant. Also, the sweating from exercise also removes the toxins in the body.

(3)Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables each day – colorful fruits and vegetables, garlic, and onions are essential for clear, healthy skin. The more colors, the more they contain antioxidants and vitamins that help to nourish the skin. Carrots, tomatoes, romaine lettuces, spinachs, cantaloupes, berries, beets, cabbages, broccolis, and kales are excellent sources.

“Water intake also plays a big role in keeping your skin healthy and beautiful. It helps to keep the skin hydrated and get rids of toxins in the body. It is recommended to take at least 8-10 glasses of water a day.

(4)Consume these healthy fats – Omega-3 fatty acids and Omega-6 fatty acids are essential fats that the body cannot produce. They must be consumed through diet. These essential fats are responsible for reducing skin inflammation and improving blood circulation, giving you a clear, glowing skin and helping you to prevent premature aging. Food that are rich in these healthy fats include salmon, sardines, mackerels, nuts (walnuts, almonds), seeds (pumpkins, sunflower), and flaxseed and olive oil., especially wild salmon. You can also take fish oil supplements.

Acne Killer Secrets #3 – Use an acne treatment system that fights acne from inside and outside the body

By following the above steps, it goes a long way in preventing and controlling your acne problems. However, for some of us unfortunate acne victims, our acne problems are more serious. Therefore, tougher measures must be taken. In addition to following the above recommendations, it is recommended to use an acne curing system that fights acne bacteria both from inside the body as well as outside the body. Most over the counter acne products in the market such as Clearsil, Oxy-10, ProActiv only address acne problems at the skin level and that is not enough to effectively fight acne.