Posts Tagged ‘Blackheads And Whiteheads’

The Truth About Acne and Blemishes

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011
zits
Acne and blemishes affect a person’s quality of life more than we would like to admit. Parents hope and pray that their teens won’t be plagued by these problems, adolescents who have problem skin can’t help being stressed about it, and the scars from difficult cases can last a lifetime. No one likes acne.

So what can be done about acne and blemishes? Blemishes may be upsetting for a young lass on the morning of her prom when she wakes up with a zit on her otherwise perfect face. But these can be treated topically with ease and covered up before she slips on her stunning gown. Most of the products sold over the counter in drug stores work better in clearing up blemishes than with more severe forms of acne. (Americans spend well over $100 million on over-the-counter acne treatments each year.) It’s really the heavy-duty acne that causes the heartbreak.

Acne includes pimples, blocked pores (blackheads and whiteheads) and cysts and nodules that are deeper in the skin. While it occurs mostly in teenagers, adults can be plagued by it too, even into their 40s. Interestingly, young men tend to have more severe cases of acne than do young women, but it’s the women who seek help from the dermatologist to clear things up. Often for females the acne is hormonally related. Sometimes just taking birth control pills can help clear it up. Of course, the long term effects of taking birth control pills are really unknown, so it’s a good idea to check think carefully about the possible side effects before you use birth control to clear up acne and blemishes.

Some people think that acne and blemishes are caused by poor hygiene, but this is not the case. And often, washing more frequently just exacerbates the problem, causing your oil producing glands to work harder, producing even more oil than your skin can handle. Also, if you wash too vigorously, thinking this will help, it will do the opposite. It will irritate your skin, compounding the problem.

Some people say that acne is caused by diet. Mainstream medicine says this is hogwash for the most part. But M.D.s, dermatologists included, have minimal training in nutrition for maintaining health. They’re trained in treating disease. People who have studied lternative healing modalities say that diet can be a big factor in whether you get blemishes and acne, and it can be a big factor in clearing up the skin. The link between diet and skin problems is something that will be further explored as time goes on, and more information is likely to be available on just how much our diet plays a role in our skin’s health.

By: Keith Londrie

About the Author:

Keith Londrie II has put up two web sites delaing with acne and blemishes. Please visit these two web sites for more information. Living with acne doesn’t have to be hard. http://acne-solution-treatments.info and http://acneinformation.info/

Looking for an Acne Medication Solution? Here’s a Quick Otc Acne Treatment Comparison

Monday, February 14th, 2011
acne treatment
If you are looking for an acne medication solution, there are many over the counter treatments to choose from. But what is the best acne treatment? This gives you a quick OTC acne treatment comparison, so you can choose the OTC acne skin care product that works best for you.

Over the counter acne products should be used for mild, or Grade I acne. If you treat acne during this stage, you have a better chance of controlling it before it progresses to the next stage.

It is typical to find blackheads and whiteheads with mild acne. There may be some papules and pustules at this stage, but they are more infrequent. Mild acne can improve quite a bit by the application of over the counter topical treatments.

Benzoyl Peroxide

Benzoyl Peroxide is probably the most common acne medication. It works by killing the bacteria that causes breakouts. It also unclogs pores and can reduce inflammation. You can purchase Benzoyl Peroxide over the counter in strengths from 2.5% to 10%. It is the main ingredient in many popular acne treatments, including Proactiv.

Benzoyl Peroxide is extremely drying to the skin, so you should always use it along with acne face moisturizer. It is always best to get your skin used to it gradually by using lower strengths, and applying very small amounts to begin with. You may even want to only use it every other day in beginning. Over a few weeks time, you should be able to build up to using it more frequently and can opt for a strength that is stronger, if you think you need it.

Resorcinol and Sulfer

Recorcinol and sulfer are typically found together in acne products. Resorcinol helps remove dead skin cell buildup. Sulfer has been used for a number of years to prevent acne. Resorcinol usually comes in strengths of 2% and surfer usually comes in strengths of 5% to 8%. These ingredients are found in some Clearasil products.

Salicylic Acid

Salicylic Acid corrects abnormal shedding of skin cells that block pore openings to reduce breakouts. This product works very well for those who have blackheads and whiteheads. The typical strength is .5 to 2%. Some Oxy, Noxema and Stridex products contain salicylic acid.

Alcohol and Acetone

Alcohol and acetone are typically found together in many treatments for oily skin. Alcohol helps reduce bacteria and acetone removes excess oil in your skin. You typically will find these two ingredients in astringents, toners and cleansers.

Now when you are looking for an acne medication solution, you will be better prepared with this quick OTC acne treatment comparison.

By: Eileen Childs

About the Author:

Get rid of acne now with acne skin care products featured on
Acne Solutions Guide where
you will find acne fighting resources and information, rid of acne quick and remedies to eliminate pimples and zits.

Solve your acne & skincare problems at http://www.acnepimplezits.com

What to Look for the Best Acne Treatment

Thursday, February 10th, 2011
acne treatment
Acne affects millions of people every year. It does not just affect teenagers, as there are many adults who also suffer from the skin problem. Many of us are on a relentless search for the best acne treatment. There are so many different medications, creams, lotions, and cleansers on the market today that it can become a little bit confusing. Often people will buy so many different treatments and try them at once that they can actually counteract and make acne worse. When looking for the best acne treatment, it’s important to know about your skin first. The most common thing people use is benzoyl peroxide. This medication can be found in many over the counter acne treatment creams. Benzoyl peroxide is designed to help dry out the afflicted areas by killing the bacteria that causes acne in the first place. Many people often see results with benzoyl peroxide within a day or two. The key to using it is to be sure and apply it to the acne once the skin has been cleaned and dried. Overnight is often best. It is important to know that benzoyl peroxide can in some cases bleach fabric or even hair, so do a test on some material before applying it. Another treatment that has increased in popularity over the last few years is Salicylic Acid. Salicylic acid is also found in many over the counter applications, and is designed to help unclog the pores and break down both blackheads and whiteheads, resulting in clearer skin. Some treatments combine both benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid to help boost the clearing power of the medication, and perform two different tasks on the skin at once.

A little known fact is that people have been using sulfur on acne for thousands of years. Sulfur helps to peel and dry the skin, ridding it of the excess oil. It can be found in a variety of facial soaps, cleansers, and creams. It is important to note, however, that sulfur has a very unpleasant smell. In addition, it can sometimes irritate the skin and make it red and itchy. The sulfur may cause new cells that have been exposed to adhere to each other, causing more acne. If you choose a treatment containing sulfur, be sure it is a mild one that does not contain too much. Aside from the basic drugstore or over the counter acne treatments, there are also prescription options available that can be administered from your doctor or dermatologist. These include prescription creams and even pills. Which treatment you receive will be decided by your doctor. They often look at factors like age, and the severity of the acne before prescribing something. It can be a long and hard search to find the best acne treatment, but with some trial and error, you can usually find one that will work well with your skin and help give you back a clearer complexion and more confidence. Read up on the different treatments available and try one at a time until you find the perfect match for you.

Every acne treatment should deal with the cause of the problem rather than simply concealing blemishes. Some concealers contain active ingredients that are found in a standard acne treatment, but the concealer does not do the job of cleansing the area and ridding it of oil. A good wash may be the best acne treatment available, but if a pimple has already appeared, a good concealer can be a lifesaver for that date or the big event.

It is important to use a good acne treatment and not to squeeze pimples. One may be tempted to think that, since the pore is clogged with oil, one should squeeze the oil out, but this only aggravates the problem, and can cause scarring. Some people have the nervous habit of picking pimples, which should be avoided at all costs, since it can also cause scarring. One of the best acne treatments is washing one’s face properly. This does not involve intense scrubbing, which can aggravate the problem, but really cleansing the face with a good cleanser that flushes out oil. After the face is washed, you can treat the face with benzol peroxide or another acne treatment which will remove oil from the pores. Many people make the mistake of using rubbing alcohol, which is not an acne treatment, and can dry the pores excessively. The regimen can be completed with an oil-free moisturizer which will keep the skin soft without using substances that will clog the pores an make acne worse. If you wish to apply cover-up, do so after the moisturizer is applied, and make sure that your concealer does not contain oil.

For those with severe acne, it is possible to obtain special acne treatments with a prescription, but these should be purchased only if other avenues have been unsuccessful. Many people have found success with alternative acne treatments and remedies, such as tea tree oil, which works well with oily skin. Removing oil from the skin is the most important aspect of an acne treatment, and deep cleansing can ensure that the pores are not clogged.

By: Juliet Cohen

About the Author:

Juliet Cohen writes articles for Skin Care. She also writes articles for Hairstyles Advice and Hairstyles Photo.

Solve your acne & skincare problems at http://www.acnepimplezits.com