Identify The Best Acne Treatment

The definition of ‘Best acne treatment’ varies from person to person. Some people might have undergone a laser treatment and benefited from it. There must be others who swear by Botox injections. There may be some others who will owe their clear skin to anti-acne creams. There may be yet others who are indebted to herbal acne treatments. So, there is no as such one ‘Best acne treatment’. An acne treatment may work for one. The same may not work for another. The person on whom the treatment worked will definitely call such a treatment the ‘Best treatment’. As simple as that!

The working of the treatment depends on a lot many factors. One such factor is severity of acne. In the most intense acne cases, it is a skincare expert only who can suggest the best acne treatment. One must avoid going by hearsay and rush to see a dermatologist as soon as possible. For a person with chronic acne, a course of antibiotics or skin grafting may prove to be the ‘Best acne treatment’. Likewise, for somebody who has not had acne anytime in life but has developed it now, the problem may be solved by acne facials alone. Similarly some people may have benefitted from yoga. So, these people will undoubtedly consider yoga to be the ‘Best acne treatment’. Homeopathy also offers a solution to the problem. Some people vouch for the effects of homeopathy.

Facial masks are held to be very beneficial in treating bad skin. Herbal anti-acne creams are tried and tested ways to make the pimples disappear. There are many under-knife treatments to boot for instance zeno acne treatment, laser treatment, vacuum treatment etc.

Ultimately, it is a dermatologist who can suggest the ‘Best acne treatment’ to any person. A dermatologist can relate with the problem well, identify the cause and accordingly suggest a prescription.

Why Should I Look Out For Parabens and Sulfates? (Pt 2 of 2)

Acne Skin – Is There A Way Out?

Skin is one of the most important assets of one’s personality. It is essential to keep your skin clean and healthy to prevent outbreaks and other severe forms of acne. Acne can be of various forms and types. Pimples are a very common form of acne. They can send a chill down every young girl’s spine, such is the horror. You know what it means!

Acne is by far the most common type of skin trouble faced by youngsters all around the world. And why only the younger lot, there is something known as chronic acne that continues throughout one’s life. Acne would start as a result of hormonal imbalances in the body, but what does one do when they seem to continue forever? One has to face a lot of problems due to facial acne. They seem as a blot on one’s personality. They make you unconfident and shy from facing the people around. You might tend to feel a sort of inferiority complex because of these pimples. The wisest thing to do for as person encountering skin trouble like acne is to visit a dermatologist. People somehow consider this to be a bad option for them. They would rather prefer to use lots of creams and lotions than to sensibly visit a doctor and get a proper treatment. This is what would tend to make the situation worst in most cases. Delaying your visit to a dermatologist would only result in a more severe acne trouble. There are a number of treatments available to face skin problems. Delaying or putting off the visit to a doctor alone might result in further aggravating skin issues. One must swear by the daily cleanse, tone, moisturize routine to keep the skin free from acne and other problems. Using home made products like, neem and mud packs of sandal can help in curing acne.

See A Dermatologist Immediately To Treat Severe Acne

A normal pimple turns into acne when not treated in time. The problems of acne can occur in both males and females equally. The tendency of the people is to try out every product on which they can lay their hands on and it is not sensible to do so. It is very depressing to have acne scars which are tough and prominent on the face. It is essential to pay attention to the skin on regular basis. It is better to prevent it than looking for a cure. The regular upkeep of the skin takes care of most of the problems but acne is one which needs special attention.

The acne skin needs extra attention. This can occur anywhere on the body but are usually on the face often. There are numerous treatments which can be used after consulting a dermatologist. There are many light treatments like facials, masks and massages. It is not good to touch, squeeze or pinch acne as it may leave a permanent acne scar on the face.

The acne treatment is suggested by usage of mild soaps and lotions for people suffering from acne skin. Locating the cause of the trouble is very important for effective treatment. Dandruff is one of the major causes for acne in adults. It has to be treated immediately to control both the dandruff and acne simultaneously. The use of acne products has to be done regularly and at times specified by the doctor. Most of these products would find salicylic acid as an ingredient. In case of severe acne it is a must to meet a proper dermatologist and take his advice and not try anything funny. There are numerous reasons for their occurrence and their control is absolutely necessary. Unless the root cause is determined it is not possible to have an effective treatment.

How To Treat Your Acne Skin?

Treating an acne skin is a really trying task!  Treating sensitive acne skin is all the more challenging because extra sensitive skin leaves no room for experimentation. People with such a skin must see a doctor so that the acne treatment does not backfire.

Basically a person with acne skin needs to keep a great of patience. Sometimes an acne treatment works, sometimes it does not. If the person loses hope, it will be very difficult for him to cope up with the problem. If on the contrary, an acne affected person remains determined all along, it will not be very hard for him to get rid of the nasty problem.

People with acne skin must also unfailingly adhere to special acne diet. Depending from person to person, there are many acne triggering foods and situations. Situations of extreme fear and stress also sometimes cause acne. Likewise there are many foods which set off acne. These may differ from one person to another. It is important that a person identifies such situations and foods and then stays away from them as far as possible.

People with acne skin are basically very desperate to get rid of their problem and in this desperation; they sometimes fall in the trap of worthless and futile creams and other acne treatments. This is the reason why the need to see a dermatologist is always stressed upon.

There are limitless anti acne products available world over. It is not only difficult but impossible for a layman to make a choice. You may undergo a research. Talk to family and friends. Talk to those who once had acne skin. All this will help you to understand your problem but this cannot substitute a visit to a doctor.

Stop behaving like a little kid who is afraid to see a doctor. Get up, make a call and fix an appointment.

Take Care of your Skin to Avert Acne Problems

Your skin needs lot of pampering and effectual care to make it healthy and glowing. Proper cleansing and moisturizing is a must to avoid various skin problems that are quite common like pimple and acne breakouts, dark circles and wrinkles. Young boys and girls at the time of their puberty are likely to develop facial acne outbursts. Sometimes severe acne problems may cause itching and irritation on the face. Besides the face, you are likely to have acne lesions on your back, neck, scalp and upper arm.

Your skin tends to develop pores that get clogged with dirt and impurities. These pores are popularly called as the blackheads that are one of the primary causes of acne outbreaks. It is therefore highly imperative to treat these blackheads using various facial masks and oil free cleansers to ensure removal of dirt, impurities and dead skin. Clay masks are highly beneficial to get rid of blackheads. Whiteheads also lead to acne formation. In order to treat whiteheads you must preferably use lotions and cleansers that contain salicylic acid or benzyl peroxide that tend to ensure effective cleansing of the face.

Many dermatologists may also provide adequate treatments for acne that can be highly effective and beneficial. Although acne is a skin condition which is more likely to affect the young, yet the grown ups can have these problems too. Adult acne can be an embarrassing condition that may affect your appearance adversely. However, nowadays there are plenty of acne treatments that are widely being provided. Herbal acne treatments are extremely effective that tends to cure acne problems using products made from natural and herbal ingredients. Natural oil extracts are a great way to keep your skin free from acne and other skin problems.

Acne is a serious skin problem that must not be taken casually and effective treatments should be tailored in order to cure such skin problems.

Acne Causes and Best Skin Treatments

Acne is a problem but not an insurmountable one. Today, there are fast, safe and effective acne treatments available online. The most effective ones are natural treatments.

What Is Acne?

There’s a reason it’s called “common acne” — nearly everyone suffers from outbreaks of pimples at some point in life.

It starts when greasy secretions from the skin’s sebaceous glands plug the tiny openings for hair follicles (plugged pores). If the openings are large, the clogs take the form of blackheads: small, flat spots with centers darkened by exposure to air. If the openings stay small, the clogs take the form of whiteheads: small, closed, flesh-colored bumps. Both types of plugged pores can develop into swollen, tender inflammations or pimples or deeper lumps or nodules. Cysts associated with severe cases of acne (cystic acne) are firm swellings below the skin’s surface that become inflamed and sometimes infected.

Although acne remains largely a curse of adolescence, about 20% of all cases occur in adults. Acne commonly starts during puberty between the ages of 10 and 13 and tends to be worse in people with oily skin. Teenage acne usually
lasts for five to 10 years, normally going away during the early 20s. It occurs in both sexes, although teenage boys tend to have the most severe cases.

Women are more likely than men to have mild to moderate forms into their 30s and beyond.  Acne lesions are most common on the face, but they can also occur on the neck, chest, back, shoulders, scalp, and upper arms.  Acne isn’t caused by a harmful diet, poor hygiene, or an uncontrolled sex drive. The simple truth is that heredity and hormones are behind most forms of acne. Swearing off chocolate or scrubbing your face 10 times a day won’t change your predisposition to this unsightly, sometimes painful, and often embarrassing skin problem.

What Causes Acne?

The cause of acne is not fully understood. Though stress can aggravate acne,  it clearly does not cause it.  Hormones. Common acne in teenagers starts with an increase in hormone production. During puberty, both boys and girls produce high levels of  androgens, the male sex hormones that include testosterone. Testosterone signals the body to make more sebum, a waxy substance that helps the skin retain moisture.

Bacteria. Excess sebum clogs the openings to hair follicles — especially those on the face, neck, chest, and back. Bacteria grow in these clogged follicles. This makes blackheads or whiteheads form on the skin’s surface — a condition called non-inflammatory acne. Sometimes the follicle wall breaks under the pressure of this buildup. When this happens, sebum leaks into nearby tissues and forms a pustule — this is called inflammatory acne. This can create cysts.

Ruptured cysts can leave temporary or permanent scars.  Depending on the type of pill, oral contraceptives may trigger acne in some women but suppress it in others. Steroids taken by some bodybuilders and other athletes can also lead to severe outbreaks.

Acne has many subtypes. Acne neonatorum and acne infantum occasionally affect newborns and infants, usually boys. A pimply rash appears on the face but usually clears within weeks with no lasting effect. People who escaped their teen years almost pimple free may develop persistent adult-onset acne as they get older. Despite the normal increase in androgen levels during puberty, some doctors believe that flare-ups of acne have less to do with androgen levels than with how a person’s skin responds to an increase in sebum production. The bacteria Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis occur naturally in healthy hair follicles. If too many of them accumulate in plugged follicles, they may secrete enzymes that break down sebum and cause inflammation. Some people are simply more sensitive than others to this reaction. Sebum levels that might cause a pimple or two in one person may result in widespread outbreaks — or even acute cystic acne — in another person.

What causes acne?

No one factor causes acne. Acne happens when oil (sebaceous) glands come to life around puberty stimulated by male hormones from the adrenal glands of both boys and girls. Oil is a natural substance which lubricates and protects the skin, and under certain circumstances, cells that are close to the surface block the openings of sebaceous glands and cause a buildup of oil underneath. This oil stimulates bacteria, (which live in everyone’s skin and generally cause no problems), to multiply and cause surrounding tissues to become inflamed.

If the inflammation is right near the surface, you get a pustule; if it’s deeper, a papule (pimple); deeper still and it’s a cyst. If the oil breaks though to the surface, the result is a “whitehead.” If the oil becomes oxidized (that is, acted on by oxygen in the air), the oil changes from white to black, and the result is a “blackhead.”

Some factors that don’t usually cause acne, at least by themselves are:

* Heredity: With the exception of very severe acne, most people do not have the problem exactly as their parents did. Almost everyone has some acne at some point in their life.
* Food: All over the world, parents tell teens to avoid pizza, chocolate, greasy and fried foods, and junk food. While these foods may not be good for overall health, they don’t cause acne or make it worse.
* Dirt: Some individuals have more “oily” skin than others (as mentioned above, “Blackheads” are oxidized oil, not dirt). Sweat does not cause acne, therefore, it is not necessary to shower instantly after exercise for fear that sweat will clog pores. On the other hand, excessive washing can dry and irritate the skin.
* Stress: Some people get so upset by their pimples that they pick at them and make them last longer. Stress, however, does not play much of a direct role in causing acne.
* Hormones: Some women break out cyclically, but most women (and men) don’t. Some oral contraceptive pills may help relieve acne, but unless a woman has abnormal menstrual periods and excessive hair growth, it’s unlikely that hormones play much of a role in causing acne.
* Cosmetics: Most cosmetic and skin care products are not pore-clogging (“comedogenic.”) Of the many available brands, those which are listed as “water-based” or “oil-free” are generally a better choice.

In occasional patients, contributing factors may be:

* Pressure: In some patients, pressure from helmets, chinstraps, collars, and the like can aggravate acne.
* Drugs: Some medications may cause or worsen acne, such as those containing iodides, bromides, or oral or injected steroids (either the medically prescribed prednisone or the steroids bodybuilders or athletes take.) Most cases of acne, however, are not drug-related.
* Occupations: In some jobs, exposure to industrial products like cutting oils may produce acne.

Natural anti-acne treatments can include topical tropical treatments, such as cleansers, creams and facial masks. Facial masks can be used once or twice a week. Anti-acne masks will contain natural ingredients with astringent properties like rosemary, tea tree or lavender and can control excess sebum and inflammation. Look for a product that is close to natural or herbal as possible.

Anti-acne masks will reduce the amount of inflammation and pimples and help prevent future outbreaks. Simply find the mask that is best for your skin type, apply it in a thin layer to cover the face and neck area – wait the allotted amount of time – 10 to 15 minutes, then rinse off with lukewarm water.

Psoriasis 101 Information on Skin Disease

Top Five Psoriasis Myths

1. Myth: Psoriasis is contagious.

Fact: Psoriasis is not contagious. It is a life-long, immune mediated skin disease.

2. Myth: Psoriasis is caused by poor hygiene.

Fact: There is no link between hygiene and psoriasis. Psoriasis is a disease that no amount of washing or scrubbing can remove the scaly areas, or ensure they don’t come back.

3. Myth: Psoriasis is just an annoying skin rash.

Fact: Once thought to be a skin condition, research has shown that psoriasis is actually a disease of the immune system that causes abnormal growth in skin cells.

4. Myth: Psoriasis can be cured.

Fact: Psoriasis is a chronic disease for which there is currently no cure. Once symptoms appear, patients have psoriasis for life.

5. Myth: Psoriasis only affects patients physically.

Fact: There is a significant emotional impact experienced by psoriasis sufferers including feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, anger, frustration and even depression.

Several factors are thought to aggravate psoriasis. These include stress and excessive alcohol consumption. Individuals with psoriasis may also suffer from depression and loss of self-esteem. As such, quality of life is an important factor in evaluating the severity of the disease. There are many treatments available but because of its chronic recurrent nature psoriasis is a challenge to treat.

Plaque Psoriasis

About 80% of people living with psoriasis have plaque psoriasis, which also is called “psoriasis vulgaris.” “Vulgaris” means “common.”

How to recognize Plaque Psoriasis:

1. Raised and thickened patches of reddish skin, called “plaques,” which are covered by silvery-white scales.

2. Plaques most often appear on the elbows, knees, scalp, chest, and lower back. However, they can appear anywhere on the body, including the genitals.

3. Plaques vary in size and can appear as distinct patches or join together to cover a large area.

In the early stages, the psoriasis may be unnoticeable. The skin may itch and/or a burning sensation may be present.

Plaque psoriasis usually first appears as small red bumps. Bumps gradually enlarge, and scales form. While the top scales flake off easily and often, scales below the surface stick together. The small red bumps develop into plaques (reddish areas of raised and thickened skin).

Now that you know abit more about psoriasis, we urge you to find out more about this!

About the author: Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin condition and CAN be cured! We urge you to find out more about Psoriasis at http://Psoriasis.eask.info

Psoriasis by Camry James

Understanding Hormones and Your Skin

“How to achieve beautiful, supple and young-looking skin”. You almost can’t avoid it – splashed on magazine covers, reported in newspapers and marketed on television and radio, the message to improve our skin would appear paramount to how we and others view our looks.
How does our skin age?  Skin aging is influenced by:

* Genetic differences
* Hormonal changes, e.g. estrogen and thyroxin
* Chronic sun exposure
* Wind, pollution

Blame it on hormones

Hormones are mostly to blame for skin changes as we age. Hormones are chemical messengers produced in organs such as the ovaries, adrenal glands, and thyroid glands, and all have an effect on other tissues.

Much of the reason why our skin begins to suffer is primarily due to hormones — and there is a massive industry manufacturing products to try to alleviate the results of these hormonal changes, notably as women reach menopause in their 40s and 50s.

As menopause occurs, estrogen is reduced and while it has a direct effect on thinning bones, it also creates significant changes in the skin. Women find:

* their skin becomes drier with increased wrinkles
* skin becomes more fragile, loses some of its elasticity, and is looser because the production of collagen is reduced
* older skin appears paler as the lack of estrogen reduces the number of blood vessels in the skin
* menopause also causes a reduction in the level of testosterone but not as significant a drop as in estrogen

Hormones and dry skin

Another hormone we have is thyroxin, produced by the thyroid gland, which influences skin appearance. Too much thyroxin shows a warm, smooth, sweaty, flushed skin. Under-activity of thyroxin produces a dry, coarse thickening of skin with reduced ability to sweat.

Hormones affect acne

The oil glands of the skin are in part controlled by the level and activity of the hormone testosterone in the skin. Testosterone is required to produce acne. This outcome can be seen in conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome, which produce some elevation in testosterone, which in turn causes increased facial hair, irregular periods and acne. It has also been found that some birth control pills can block testosterone skin reactors to improve some of the consequences of increasing hormone levels. (See Acne Guide for more acne information)
Thinning hair

Hair will thin after menopause. In some women, genetic factors produce significant thinning. Abnormalities in the level of a thyroid hormone, in addition to the amount of iron stored in the body, can influence the volume of hair.

Estrogen encourages hair to stay in its growing phase (Anagen hair). This is seen in the significant thickening of hair towards the end of pregnancy. After menopause, however, the lower estrogen amount allows the scalp hair to grow towards the falling out stage (Telogen hair).
HRT and skin

Post menopausal women will notice that unlike their scalp, facial hairs increase. This is thought to be because estrogen — which opposes the effect of testosterone — drops relatively more after menopause than testosterone.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been used over the last 20 years to combat the signs of aging. HRT can promote a fuller-looking skin because the skin then becomes thicker with less loss of subcutaneous fat. Thinning and drying of vaginal surfaces is also minimized. This can also be achieved by using topical estrogen. The use of estrogen creams has been shown to maintain the elasticity and fullness of skin after menopause, although at this time it is not used extensively because of concerns about side effects and the variability of absorption into the body.

See your doctor or dermatologist to determine which solutions best suits your experience with aging skin.
By Richard Thomas, MD

Acne or Rosacea – What is the Difference?

What Is Rosacea?

Rosacea is a long lasting, non-scarring skin condition of the face that is often misdiagnosed as adult acne. It varies in severity and does not always worsen with time. Typically, you will experience inappropriate facial flushing that is not usually associated with sweating and/or persistent redness of the face. It is common to have broken blood vessels (telangiectasias) on your cheeks. You may also experience bouts of inflammation that cause red papules (small bumps) or pustules. However, comedones (blackheads and whiteheads) are not part of rosacea.

About 50% of those with rosacea suffer eye involvement, including such conditions as conjunctivitis, blepharitis, dry gritty eyes and recurrent sties. Nose enlargement (rhinophyma) is uncommon and mostly seen in men. It is only very rarely seen in women.

Key Features:

• Facial flushing
• Background redness of the central face
• Blanchable redness
• Cheeks are not warm
• Telangectasias
• Pimples
• Eye symptoms
• Growing, knobbly nose (mostly seen in men)

What Else Looks Like Rosacea?

• Acne – AcneGuide.com
• Perioral dermatitis – PerioralDermatitis.com
• Seborrheic dermatitis – SeborrheicDermatitis.com
• Lupus erythematosus – Lupuserythematosus.com
• Photosensitivity reactions
• Drug reactions
• Contact dermatitis – ContactDermatitis.com

Who Gets Rosacea?

This condition is most commonly seen in those who have fair skin and is sometimes referred to as the “Curse of the Celts” or a “Peaches and cream“ complexion.

Where Does Rosacea Occur On The Skin?

You will usually see rosacea around the central area of your face. It may occasionally be isolated to one patch.

When Does Rosacea Usually Start?

Usually onset of rosacea occurs between the ages of 20 and 50.

What Causes Rosacea?

The cause is poorly understood. Flushing is an essential part of the condition, so experts believe that blood vessels are a significant component to the cause.

H. pylori is a bacteria from the gastrointestinal tract, particularly the stomach that has been suggested as a cause of rosacea in some because there is a hormone that the stomach produces which encourages skin flushing. H. pylori is the same bug thought to cause stomach ulcers.

It is possible to clear the infection with a combination of antibiotics taken by mouth, but its eradication has not been conclusively effective. Demodex are mites found in the follicles of about half of those with rosacea. Doctors and clinical investigators who have been studying rosacea are debating their role as a possible cause of rosacea.

The use of stronger cortisone creams can certainly produce rosacea, but it usually does not persist for very long after discontinuing the creams.

What Other Factors Aggravate Rosacea?

Certain medications that cause flushing can flare your skin. Vasodilating drugs (ones that cause your blood vessels to enlarge) such as ACE-inhibitors and some cholesterol lowering agents may play a part. You should avoid Niacin. In addition, perfumed cosmetics can aggravate your skin. You should also avoid other topical irritants such as scrubs, toners, acetone and alcohols.

If you have flushing because of menopause, you should be treated, as long as there are no contradictions (that is, if there is no risk to you because of other health concerns or medications you may be taking).

Sun protection is a must and we recommend sunscreens that have broad spectrum protection.

How Does Rosacea Affect Us?

• Rosacea can be very embarrassing, the flushing can be a source of social discomfort, and many may feel that they are perceived as heavy drinkers
• Eyes can be gritty and uncomfortable

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