The Daily Battle Against Adult Acne

August 24th, 2010

The prevalence of acne and pimples is generally thought to be problems of the teenage and prepubescent strata of the population, but it is not unusual to see minor cases of adult acne.

And this is normally the situation faced by many adults who scaled through their teenage period without any visible sign of acne that plagued their mates, only to discover to discover that they have been afflicted by adult acne at a stage in they assumed they are free from acne foe ever.

For these set of people, the embarrassment and confusion that results from this is better left unsaid, and the recurring question they keep asking themselves is isn’t acne supposed to be an adolescent problem.

Established facts however points otherwise, adult acne is more common than what people imagined. Statistics show that nearly 40% of acne medications in America are bought and used by a class we thought are free from the condition- adults.

There are several reasons why acne occurs, and the most common one many associated as the primary reason- poor hygiene- is nothing but a myth. The main causative agent for almost all acne, and that includes adult acne is as a result of hormonal imbalances or blockages of pores on the skin.

Though an additional reason why adult acne occurs may be due to the oil of the sebaceous glands, or faulty closing of the hair ducts on the body, especially the face.

The good news however is that almost all cases of acne can be treated. This should serve as a soothing balm to most adults, who embarrassed by the onset of adult acne, use any medication they can lay their hands on at the local drug store.

This has been proved in several cases to worse the situation, because most of the medications were produced solely to combat acne in young people. Thus they may not have the ability to act on adult acne.

While there might be no significant difference in form and appearance between adult acne and the regular one, if you are afflicted with adult acne, a smart move will be to consult a dermatologist.

This skin physician will be able to explain what caused the adult acne in the first place. Once the diagnosis has been made, the physician can then suggest a prescription drug that can eliminate the condition permanently. But in reality, any adult that is afflicted by adult acne need not be embarrassed by the problem.

As stated earlier, the prevalence of adult acne is more common than imagined, so the best option still remain going to a dermatologist to eliminate the condition instead of resorting to self medication and spending a fortune in the process, nor forgetting the anxiety and fear that are sure to happen when you discover the onset signs of acne.

Taking Birth Control Pills to Fight Acne

August 24th, 2010

Anybody who’s ever had a run-in with acne probably knows that there’s a vast array of products out there that all claim to get rid of zits fast and effectively. Unfortunately, there’s just not that one miracle product out there that will cure everybody’s acne ailments. More often than not, a person who suffers from acne has to try and test out a variety of products before they find anything that really works with them. It can be a long and frustrating road to travel down at times.

There are really a lot of factors when it comes to determining what causes acne in certain people. Cleanliness of the skin is one factor that is important but not the main cause. When experiencing acne breakouts, a clean, well moisturized face is essential to help prevent further attacks, but having a completely clean face at all times does not guarantee that it will be free of acne for all of that time. Diet is another widely ignored factor that is important when it comes to a clear complexion. The foods and drink a person consumes does have a direct effect on what is secreted through the skin. If someone has a diet that is high in fat, sugars, and preservatives, they have a much greater chance of experiencing acne breakouts.

Another major factor that causes acne is an imbalance of hormones in the human body. Hormonal imbalances that cause acne in humans are primarily because of the bodies over or under production of sebum. Sebum is a substance found in the sebaceous glands that the body normally produces to lubricate and protect the skin from the environment. When there is either too much or too little of this sebum being produced, the pores and hair follicles can become dry and irritated, leading to acne breakouts. Acne problems happen for women when there is either an overproduction of androgens or they are overly sensitive to the body’s natural level of those androgens. Another imbalance can be an underproduction of estrogen; the chemical found in females that counteracts the effects of androgens. Birth control pills contain two chemicals- estrogen and progestin, which are known agents in maintaining a normal hormonal balance.

Progestin is a pill that contains a synthetic version of the hormone progesterone. It is both helpful and harmful when it comes to acne on the skin. It is beneficial in that it bonds with the progesterone to maintain normal sebum production but is also known to cause the body to retain more water than usual, which can lead to bloating and blocked pores and hair follicles. The birth control pill helps to prevent excess androgen formation by reducing the amount found in the bloodstream and blocking them from the receptors or the sebaceous glands. This is why birth control pills are so effective in helping to prevent acne in so many women.
Just like acne products, there are a multitude of birth control pills that are produced and manufactured for a variety of physical body types. In order to get on birth control pills, a woman must first consult a physician in order to find out what will be the best type for her personal needs. Pills come in a variety of brand names and ingredients and range in a number of strengths. A physician will be the most helpful in determining which is the appropriate type. If you are a woman who is suffering from acne, you may benefit from looking into the use of contraceptive pills to help fight off future acne breakouts.

What Is Acne Laser Treatment?

August 24th, 2010

Acne laser treatment is a method that has helped millions to get rid of acne. Each year, individuals find out that the over the counter medications that they get at their local drug store just do not provide enough help to them. They have likely tried several products and can not find method to get rid of acne. Acne laser treatment can actually help to stop acne once and for all for many individuals.

How Does It Work?

Acne laser treatment is just what it sounds like. The technician will use a very powerful and small laser to effectively trigger the acne. Usually, the procedure will be done because the acne is being caused, at least in part, by over producing oils in the skin. The laser will get to these glands that are under the skin and causing the oils and destroy them. While this seems harsh, laser acne treatment is virtually painless. There are no ramifications to having these glands destroyed either. Once the glands stop producing oils, the bacteria that cause acne will not have an optimal place to grow. This in turn effectively stops acne.

It is important to know that in most causes acne treatments will not necessary cure the acne that is already on your face or body. This will usually be done with antibiotics. Once the oils slow or stop though, there will be fewer outbreaks of acne on the face or body once these heal.

Scar Treatment

Another option for the use of acne laser treatment is that in which the acne scars can be removed. This very powerful laser can actually remove the top layers of your skin near and on the scar. When new skin grows back, it will be healthy and scars are either gone or they are not as visible. Acne scar laser treatment is fast becoming a way to get rid of acne scars that have been on a person’s body for years.

In either treatment, laser acne treatment can be quite effective. In some cases, there will be the need for several treatments to be done, though. The only bad part of acne laser treatment is that it is not necessarily cheap. With the several treatments that may be necessary, it may be quite expensive. Yet, even with that said, the results for laser treatments are amazing for many.

Acne, The Bane Of High School

August 24th, 2010

If you had acne problems, I feel sorry for you. I mean there is nothing worse than the social rejection suffered by those with less than average complexions. The especially sad part is that there was nothing that they could do to prevent it. And on top of that some people suffer from the indirect consequences of acne that can go with a person for the rest of his life.

Now because the problem is so important in so many ways it is easy to see why there has been so much effort put into learning about the problem and trying to solve it. There are a ton of different ways offered to cure acne and some are a lot more worthwhile than others. These cures range from spreading disgusting mixtures of organically produced potions to ultrasonic technology that “zaps” the gland that is producing the offending inflammation.

That is what acne is by the way, inflammation that starts deep down in the dermal layer, that attracts all sorts of different immune competent cells to make the pain, redness, swelling, and pus that you find with acnes. It would be great if we new what turned the “switch” on to this inflammation– but the fact is that we do not. We know that several factors bring it on, a major one being puberty and all of the changes especially the hormonal ones that start circulating through the body. Another major focus is the dirt and oil that get on your face during the day and that you grind in on your pillow at night that is clogging the pores and producing the crops of zits. Another think is the foods that we eat namely foods high in oils, sugars, and chocolate.

The trouble with all of these ideas is that as much as you work to change these factors the chances are that you will not get rid of the painful and unsightly red pus filled pimples. You can wash until the take off the first layer of skin but you won’t get rid of them all. You can also stop eating anything good, trying to avoid the foods that supposedly cause acne but if you have any success it will only be partial.

So obviously we haven’t found what is at the root of the problem but that doesn’t mean the effort isn’t there. So my recommendation at this point is to get a doctor that will take the time to get to understand who you are and what methods would be most effective for your particular strain of acne. They have access to the best training and information and they are in the best spot to start working with your individual case and hopefully make your life a lot better.