Monday, September 17, 2007

Acne Breakouts – What Causes Acne Skin Care Problems?

It is a special day. No matter what “special” day it is, you can always count on that one thing to always be right there with you. I didn’t say it was a good thing! No, it is the unwanted and hated pimple! Why does it seem that those pimples only pop up on those special days that you want to look especially nice? You know, you always break out on picture day, or the day of your interview for a great job, or prom night, or your wedding day! Whatever the occasion, you can be sure it is going to happen! At least, that is how it seems!

Here’s the good news. There are some steps you can take to help prevent this from happening on those special days! There doesn’t seem to be a miracle acne treatment, however, there are things you can do to help keep those unwanted pests away!

What is Acne?
Acne is a term used for a few different skin irritations. When you have acne, you could have plugged pores (blackheads and whiteheads), pimples, and even deeper lumps (cysts or nodules) that can be found on the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders, and upper arms. Acne tends to affect tween and teens due to their hormonal changes. However, anyone can have acne. Whether you are in your 20’s or 40’s, everyone can be a target. Acne can lead to emotional and physical scars.

What causes acne breakouts?
Acne is being linked to the hormonal changes a young person endures from childhood to adolescence. The hormones that cause puberty can also cause the sebaceous (oil) glands to produce more oil.
A sebaceous follicle is created when the sebaceous glands are found together with a hair shaft. When a person goes through puberty, the cells of the skin that line the follicle start to shed more quickly. When people develop acne, the cells shed and stick together more often than in people who do not get acne. When the cells mix with the extra amount of sebum (oil), they can plug the opening of the follicle. While this is happening, the sebaceous glands still produce sebum, and the follicle swells up with the oil causing an inflammation on the skin.

Is there a treatment for acne?
Although there are many preventative methods that can be taken to prevent acne, there does not seem to be a cure that will prevent acne forever. There are many different acne skin care medications and acne cream and acne cleanser products promising fast or overnight results. You should take caution when you hear these words. Mild or severe acne does not clear up overnight. It takes approximately 6 to 8 weeks to see the initial results. Once you have cleared up the acne. Continued preventative treatment is necessary to prevent acne from re-appearing.
Because a resolution is determined by the cause of your acne, your skin type and the kind of acne you have, what works for you may not work for another, and vice versa. You will need to research the methods, and determine what route you want to go. Then, all you can do is experiment, until you find something that will work for you!

When should you see a dermatologist?
If you feel the methods you choose are just not working, it may be time to see a dermatologist. While you may feel the expense may be too high, consider the amount of money spent on methods that do not work. A dermatologist will consider the severity of your acne, the type of acne you have, any medical conditions you currently have, and also, your age, skin type, and lifestyle before prescribing a treatment.

Sunday, September 2, 2007

How Can You Help Your Adolescent Teen With Acne?

Your child has just started Junior High. You would think he should be so excited to finally be able to have the freedom to make some of those little choices on his own. Such as, eating lunch with his friends or what class he wants to take. But no, he has completely thrown you off by his horrible attitude towards school and his family. And yes, usually the family members suffer the pre-teen or teen's attitudes the most. Not because they don't love you, but because this is where they feel safe enough to express their feelings.

So, WHAT is the problem? Of course, there are many reasons why an adolescent turns into the MONSTER of the household. And you should definitely talk to your child to get down to the bottom of the problem. But, many times, your child just does not have the answer. This could be because of hormones. Your adolescent boy or girl can be suffering from many different hormonal changes that they cannot pinpoint. But, one culprit they can pinpoint is Adolescent Acne.

To some parents, acne just should not be the reason for this behavior. Unfortunately, this is the time when appearance is just about everything. And those pimples are just the ammunition a bully needs to harass your child. Even friends tend to have something to say about acne. And when this happens, it really hurts. Acne really does lead to embarrassment which leads to low self-esteem which leads to depression which leads to your MONSTER! Please take your adolescent's feelings seriously. Let him know you understand and that he can come to you with whatever he needs. Communication is important to a happier family life. Help him find ways to control or eliminate acne.

STEPS TO PREVENT OR TREAT ACNE

The best step he can take is to try to keep his skin as clean and oil free as possible. This is obviously not a cure, but will help to prevent future breakouts.

There are many acne treatments available. Usually, the medication includes some type of peroxide or acid, which can dry out the skin. So, be careful not to use it too much.

There are also natural options available. Tea tree oil is one that can be found in many health stores. It helps to kill bacteria.

Natural products right from the cupboard to apply on the outside of the skin:

Apple Cider Vinegar can be helpful in clearing up acne by killing off acne causing bacteria, balancing the skin's pH, and by absorbing extra oil on the skin.

Baking Soda
can be used as a scrub. A scrub exfoliates the skin, removing dead skin that can clog pores and lead to acne.

Egg Whites, which are rich in protein, can heal and rebuild the skin. It can help absorb excess oil from the skin.

Oatmeal
can absorb oil and draw out impurities that are deep in your skin.

The digestive system is a big part of skin's health. Eat healthy and drink lots of water. Water will help by keeping the body flushed and the skin hydrated. Some ideas to keep your digestive system functioning normally are to eat cucumbers, drink lemon or carrot juice, or take charcoal pills. Flax seed helps your skin to heal quicker.

Also, there are many natural supplements and vitamins to help with digestive health, which has a link to healthy skin.

On the bright side, your pre-teen or teen's hormones will eventually adjust to his body. In turn, he should see fewer breakouts. But, it is imperative for a parent to understand the devastation acne can have on a young person. If the behavior continues, or his acne just will not go away, seek professional help. Your child has enough frustrations and hurdles to conquer, without the devastation acne can and does cause. Give your child the support and love needed to live a healthier, happier life.

For more help on acne, visit our website at www.reducepimples.com

Acne: Reduce the pimples

Imagine it is the day of your wedding and you want to look the best you ever have. You go to the bathroom to wash your hands and while looking in the mirror, you notice a big zit on your nose. It is just a zit, and many people's worst nightmare. But, worse then just a zit is having tons of zits all over your face, in which you can't get rid of. Acne-many people deal with this on a daily basis and instead of it just being a single pimple and a one time thing. It is a condition-a skin condition that affects all aspects of their lives on a daily basis.

Every year, millions of dollars are spent on the research and development of new products to control and cure this condition. For the consumer with the acne, finding a solution to clear up the condition can be a never ending and expensive process. We see the infomercials on television promising to be the only solution that works and celebrities get endorsed to help sell those solutions. Many times, an individual will end up growing out of their acne condition before even finding a solution that works. Therefore, instead of trying to offer you a solution to the acne condition, I am going to provide some general tips that might help with controlling the acne.

Tip #1

Stay away from the greasy foods. Many times the foods that we eat contain ingredients that are not good for our skin. For example, eating to much McDonald's will eventually show up in your pores. Eating to much chocolate will not only add on the pounds but will add on the zits as well. Try to limit the number of bad foods to control the bad acne.

Tip #2

When wearing makeup, try to wear a limited amount and make sure that it is hypo-allergenic. Do not buy cheap makeup, because a lot of the times, the cheaper makeup has chemicals in it that are not meant to be put on our faces.

Tip #3

At least twice a day, once in the morning and once at night, use a facial cleaner that cleans out your pores. Try to purchase a cleaner that is for the oily skin, because most likely, the person with acne has oiler skin. Also, if you purchase an acne solution, make sure that it is dermatologist recommended and that it is used correctly according to its directions on the label. Do not expect your acne condition to clear up over night; these solutions could take a few months before really showing any results.

Tip #4

If nothing else works, you may want to speak with a dermatologist as well as an allergy specialist. The reason you may want to consult an allergy specialist, is because many times acne could be caused by the ingredients in either the food you are eating or an allergic reaction to chemicals you are putting on your skin.

These are just a few of the many important recommendations provided by www.reducepimples.com