Acne vulgaris (commonly called acne) is a skin disease caused by changes in the pilosebaceous units (skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland). Acne happens when oil (sebaceous) glands come to life around puberty stimulated by male hormones from the adrenal glands of both boys and girls.

Acne is most common during adolescence, affecting more than 85% of teenagers, and frequently continues into adulthood. It develops as a result of blockages in follicles and occurs on the face, as well as the neck, chest, back, shoulders, and upper arms. Acne can be disfiguring and upsetting to the patient.

Acne has nothing to do with not washing your face. Although it is not curable, it is controllable; proper treatments can help you to feel and look better and may prevent scars. Acne is a common skin disease that causes pimples. However it is not just a problem for teenagers, it can affect people from ages 10 through 40. One myth is that eating greasy foods like french fries or pizza, chomping on chocolate, or drinking sodas causes acne. Rather it develops when the hair follicle of skin gets plugged by over production of sebum, dead cells and become infected by bacteria. Acne can have a short-term, potentially lasting psychological effect. It may cause you considerable emotional distress but there is a range of treatment options to help you tackle the problem. Acne in young women tends to be more random and linked to hormone changes, such as the menstrual cycle.

Treatment

Treatments for acne include medicines and creams. Treatment choice depends upon whether the acne is mild, moderate, or severe. Generally the treatment will last about 6 months.

Treatment is aimed at reducing the production of excess amounts of sebum, preventing the development of comedowns and killing the bacteria responsible for the infection. There are many products available for the treatment of acne, many of which are without any scientifically proven effects. Generally speaking, successful treatments show little improvement within the first two weeks, instead taking a period of approximately three months to improve and start flattening out.

Acne will generally reappear quite soon after the end of treatment—days later in the case of topical applications, and weeks later in the case of oral antibiotics. No matter what special treatments your dermatologist may use, remember that you must continue proper skin care. Acne treatment for mild cases usually involves self-care measures, such as washing your skin daily with a gentle cleanser and using an over-the-counter acne cream.

Acne treatment for severe cases usually includes one or more prescription medications. Acne treatments work by reducing oil production, speeding up skin cell turnover, fighting bacterial infection, reducing the inflammation or doing all four. With most prescription acne treatments, you may not see results for four to eight weeks, and your skin may get worse before it gets better.

Types of acne treatments include: Topical treatments. If your acne doesn’t respond to these treatments, you may want to see a doctor or dermatologist to get a stronger prescription lotion. Alternative treatments for acne focus on self care: proper cleansing to keep the skin oil-free; eating a well-balanced diet high in fiber, zinc, and raw foods; and avoiding alcohol, dairy products, tobacco, caffeine, sugar, processed foods, and foods high in iodine, such as salt.

The aims of treatment are to prevent new spots forming, to improve those already present, and to prevent scarring. Antibiotics do not prevent pores from becoming blocked so treatment to prevent blackheads, such as benzoyl peroxide, is often also prescribed at the same time. Some types of oral contraceptive tablets help women who have acne. It tends to be prescribed to people with severe forms of acne that have proved resistant to other treatments. Expect to use your treatments for at least two months before you see much improvement. Some topical treatments may dry or irritate the skin when you start using them. An oil-free moisturizer should help, but you may also have to cut down on the frequency with which you apply the treatments. Safe, effective treatments are out there, but sometimes it can be a little tricky working out what’s going to work for you.

Conclusion

Acne seems to affect men and women in different ways. Young men are more likely to have a more serious form of acne. As women get older, acne often gets better. For many women, acne can be an upsetting illness. But you don’t have to wait to outgrow acne or to let it run its course.

Today, almost every case of acne can be resolved. You should never try to drain or remove your acne by squeezing or picking. This can lead to infection, worsen your acne, and cause scarring.

At present there is no cure for acne, although the available treatments can be very effective in preventing the formation of new spots and scarring. For some, acne can be a bit of hassle but for others it can be devastating.

The important thing to remember is that all types of acne can be well controlled by safe and effective treatment. So, whether it’s a few annoying pimples or more severe acne that is getting you down, face up to acne with the right information and you’ll be on the road to recovery getting the treatment you need.

For more information please visit

The Shoppbox Ebook Reviews

It is the bane of a person’s existence. Everybody gets it; everybody hates it. And once you have it, prepare to be tormented, embarrassed and humiliated. Such a small bump, so much at stake. So what is this little bundle of horror? What else but the dreaded pimple!

A pimple, or acne as some people calls it, is a dreaded red, swollen bump in the face. Nobody is spared from having it. Male or female, American, Chinese or Puerto Rican, they all have gotten it at some points of their lives and may even still have it. It is like a universal language; it is like a right of passage in a person’s life. Acne is a result of the hormones action on the skin’s oil glands (the sebaceous gland) which leads to clogged pores and outbreak of lesions like pimples, blemishes or acne. Acne commonly occurs in the neck, face, back, shoulders and chest because the sebaceous glands are most abundant in these locations. But the important question we should be asking to be able to avoid this dreaded “disease” is, “What causes this pain in the neck called acne?”

Unfortunately, the causes of acne cannot really be determined (unless your parents or their parents are acne infested too then there’s a big, big chance you’ll be called acne face by your peers and classmates) thus the acne myths are born! These myths claim to be the cause of acne. We shall enumerate them here.

Acne Myth Number 1

Acne is caused by not washing your face often and not scrubbing it hard enough. Many believed that acne is caused by dirt and dust in the face and by washing your face two-three even four times a day or even by scrubbing your face hard can prevent acne. Wrong, wrong, wrong! It is true that dirt and dust is unsightly to the face and washing the face is the way to eradicate them but washing often can actually irritate the skin more. Washing should not be done more than twice a day. More than twice is enough to strip the face of its natural oils making it dry. Also, scrubbing can cause inflammations. Washing the face should be done as gently as possible with the gentlest facial scrub.

Acne Myth Number 2

Improper Diet can cause acne. Certain foods that are oily like French fries and junk food can cause acne to erupt in our face. But scientific studies have not discovered any connection between these two. So this means that food does not cause acne. Though a proper and healthy diet is always good for our system, eating like a pig won’t make pimples a permanent resident in your face. So feel free to eat your favorite Lay’s, French fries and chocolates anytime.

Acne Myth Number 3

When you’re stressed acne tends to pop on your face like popcorn pops from a kernel. Not true. Stress is a part of our daily lives and believe it or not it is not a contributing factor to the acne residing in your face. Only severe stress treated by the doctor MAY cause acne to erupt only as a side effect of the drugs a person may be taking. If this is the case, consult your doctor immediately.

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.