acne, skin disease
pimple, zits, breakouts
What is Acne
Causes of Acne
Symptoms of Acne
Home remedies for Acne
Nutrition for Acne
Supplements for Acne
Herbal remedy for Acne
Over The Counter
Drugs for Acne
Homeopathy for Acne
Chinese Medicine for Acne
Naturopathy for Acne
Medical Measures for Acne
Word of Wisdom
What is Acne
Acne is a common skin disorder normally found on the face and the upper torso. This is a cause of embarrassment to most people but it is seldom serious. Acne is caused by an interaction between hormones, skin oils, and bacteria that results in the inflammation of the hair follicles.
Majority of the cases responds pretty well with personal care. With combination of personal hygiene, over-the-counter acne treatments and alternative remedies, you may have a clearer and fairer skin
Acne is in the form of pimples, cysts and sometimes abscesses. Cysts and abscesses are pus-filled pockets of skin where the hair follicles grow. Hair follicles are connected to the sebaceous gland that are located in the middle layer of the skin or the dermis, these glands secretes an oily substance called sebum that the body uses to keep the skin from drying.
Symptoms of Acne
There are 2 major categorization of symptoms of acne
Mild acnes. This is one of the symptoms of acne and are mostly superficial, these symptoms of acne are characterized with the development of few noninflammed blackheads or a moderate number of small mildly irritated pimples. Symptoms of acne includes blackheads which appear as tiny black dots at the center of the small swelling of normal colored skin. Other symptoms of acne are called pimples. Pimples on the other hand have white centers surrounded with moderately reddened skin. Pimples are moderately uncomfortable and irritating. Mild acnes rarely leaves scars on the skin.
Severe acne. Symptoms of acne that is categorized as severe acne include several large, red, painful pus-filled lumps (nodules) that develops on the skin. These symptoms of acne are usually deep and cystic. At times these lumps join together under the skin forming a giant lump where it ruptures and oozes abscesses. Severe acnes usually leaves scar in the skin depending on the depth of the acne. Scars maybe tiny deep holes (ice pick scars), wide pits of varying depths or large irregular identations. Scars resulting from severe acnes lasts a lifetime. To some people this is cosmetically disturbing and a source of psychologic stress.
Cause of Acne
Skin Pore Blockage: as cause of acne.
One cause of acne is the blockage of skin oil secretions (sebum) that normally pass out of the skin through the hair follicles and then through the skin pores together with dead skin cells.
The clogged skin pore is one of the primary cause of acne, this is when the pore of the skin is clogged with dried sebum, dead skin cells and bacteria.
There are two types of blockage that is the cause of acne;
- Black Head (open comedone)- this is a cause of acne as black head develops as the dried sebum, dead skin cells and bacteria partially blocks the pore of the skin.
- White Head (closed comedone)- this is a cause of acne as white heads develop when the dried sebum, dead skin cells and bacteria completely blocks the pore of the skin.
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In both instances, the blockage of the skin pore promotes the growth of bacteria propionibacterium acne which is normally present in the hair follicles and a cause of acne. When this happens the bacterial growth breaks down the sebum creating a substance irritating the skin. The resulting irritation inflames the skin resulting to skin eruptions called acne pimples. When irritation worsens, an abscess will form causing skin rupture, resulting to more inflammation.
Cosmetic use can also be the cause of acne. Cosmetics blocks the skin pores preventing the flow of oils and dead skin cells from the skin. This becomes the cause of acne.
Hormones as cause of acne
Increase in hormone levels is also considered as a cause of acne. Hormone imbalance aggravate the development of acne. That is why most teenagers suffer more from acne. But as the hormone level stabilizes by mid 20's acne usually disappears. Other conditions that involves hormonal changes such as menstrual periods and during pregnancies may also be the cause of acne. The taking of oral contraceptives and menopausal hormone replacement therapy may also be a cause of acne.
Drugs can also be a cause of acne
Certain drugs such as corticosteroids and anabolic steroids can also be a cause of acne pimples. These drugs stimulate the sebaceous glands secreting more oil or sebum. When these oil or sebum are blocked this may be the cause of acne.
Others cause of acne
Other cause of acne maybe exposure to sunlight, stress and other skin irritants that continuously comes in contact with the skin.
Acne care through home remedy.
Home Acne Care 1: Stay Clean and fresh. Acne care may be done by washing gently your skin with mild soap. Avoid strong cleansers and heavy scrubbing, this causes the skin and acne to be further irritated leaving your skin more vulnerable to the side effects of topical acne treatments. Rather use soaps that do not contain moisturizing oils that may not be washed off by water and would clog your skin pores. For acne care, it is unnecessary to use special and more expensive facial cleansers that contain special medication against acne. Special facial cleansers used for acne care may be washed off by water anyway upon rinsing. Wash your face at least three times a day to remove excess oil and dirt for best acne care and prevention.
Home Acne Care 2: Another home remedy for acne care is to use minimal makeup and avoid those that are oil based cosmetics. Look at the labels and select those that are water-based. Some skins are easily irritated even with minimal make-ups that cause blemishes and acne breakouts. For best acne care, choose cosmetics that would not irritate your skin then remove makeup as soon as possible, most importantly before retiring to bed.
acne care picture
Home Acne Care 3: Avoid frequent and continous contact to your face. Try not to touch your face frequently with your hands as this may transfer germs to your face and may cause further infection of your acne. Also avoid prolonged contact with other things such as cradling telephone between your head and shoulder.
Home Acne Care 4: Poke prudently. Generally for proper acne care, dermatologists discourage the squeezing of blackheads and popping the whiteheads. These practices usually results to scarring. But who doesn't, most people can't simply resist to poke their acne or pimples, if you will do, make sure that your face and your hands are clean. Making sure that you will at least dab it with rubbing alcohol before and after to keep it disinfected.
Acne Care by Nutrition
Good Nutrition and eating a healthy diet is the key to effective acne care . Eating a healthy diet rich in fiber is commonly known to help maintain a clear and acne free skin. Although there is no medical study done as yet to prove the relation of diet and acne, eating a healthy diet rich in fiber brings more good to a person generally.
For best acne care and avoidance, do not eat too much meat and processed foods. Increase your intake of whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. Drink a lot of water.
Chololates can cause Acne - Myth busted. Chocolate has been blamed for acne. "The chocolate myth has been very persistent," says Alan P. Bauer, M.D. "After all these years I still hear it."
In fact, the chocolate myth about acne was debunked about a half-century ago. Back then, Albert M. Kligman, M.D, professor of dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, gave a group of teens either real chocolate bars of "placebo" bars that only tasted like chocolate. Later, Dr. Kligman photographed the teens' faces and counted the acne blemishes that had developed. The teens who had eaten the placebo bars got virtually the same number of acne blemishes as the teens who had eaten the real chocolate. (Excerpt from Blended Medicine-The Best Choices of Healing, Michael Castleman, 2000)
Acne Control by Vitamins and Minerals
Take your Vitamins and Mineral Supplements. Studies have suggested that a dose of zinc may help control the break-out of acne. Zinc works by reducing the levels of male sex hormone dihydrotestorone (DHT) in our body. By lowering the hormone androgen, acne breakouts are lessened. Check with your local doctor about the right dose of zinc suitable for you. Zinc intake more than 30mg per day should be under medical supervision.
Acne Control by Herbal Medicine
The use of herbal medicine for acne control has been used by native aborigines. Tea tree oil is used to remedy and treat skin infections including acne. Modern science has verified that tea tree oil indeed has some antiseptic effect and can be used for acne control.
You may try health and beauty products currently available in the market that contains tea tree oil. Look for products that contain 100% tea tree oil as its ingredient.
Tea tree oil is for topical use only and never intended for ingestion. If upon using products that contain tea tree oil and the condition of your acne persists or worsens, stop using the product.
Homeopathy for Acne Control
Want to try Hoemeopathy remedy for acne? Homeopathy is also used for acne control. If you would ask a practicing homeopath the following substances will be suggested for effective acne control, remedy and treatment;
* Salicea- acne control for white heads,
* Hepar Sulfuris- acne control for painful to touch
* Kali muriaticum- acne control for that acne that produce thick white pus,
* Graphite- acne cotrol for acne that produce yellowish pus.
To find out which of homeopahtic medicines would work for your acne control, consult a homeopath.
Chinese Medicine for Acne Control
Chinese medicine is also used for acne control, remedy, treatment. Chinese medicine attributes acne to excess Heat that contributes to inflammation and infection. Excess dampness is the cause of pus inside the pimple. Acne and other skin problems are closely linked to lungs and large intestine organ networks.
The typical Chinese medicine recommendation for acne control involves cooling Heat, drying dampness and supporting the Lung and Large intestine organ networks. In Chinese medicine, it is recommended to eat cooling foods such as fruits and vegetables. It is also advised to avoid heat-generating foods such as spices, meats, and anything fatty. It is widely believed that these cause acne. The following herbs may be used to remove the heat, honeysuckle, sarsaparilla, forsythia, rhubarb, and sophora. To find out which of these herbs best suit your acne problem, consult your oriental medical doctor.
Treatment for acne using Chinese medicine is endorsed by the World Health Organization. To know more about how acne treatment using acupuncture can help you, consult your acupuncturist.
For self acne treatment and remedy, you may try to use acupressure or by apply a steady penetrating finger pressures to the following points for 3 minutes,
* Large Intestine, located at the outer end of the elbow crease on the thumb side.
* Large Intestine, located on the back of the hand where the bones of the thumb and index finger meet.
Naturopathy for Acne
Naturopathy is also used for acne control, remedy, treatment. Naturopathy is the natural approach in the control and treatment of acne. Skin pores tends to open when heated. Apply warm water to your skin to open up the pores. This would allow oil and dead skin cells to flow out more freely. Ideally the application of warm compresses up to 3 or 4 times a day may help to remedy, treat and cotrol acne. However be aware that to some people, humidity can aggravate acne. So if you applied warm compresses to your pimple and it gets worse you are one of those few and it is recommended that you stop and look for another alternative treatment.
Acne Medicine: Over-the-coutner drugs
Acne medicines include over-the-counter drugs that are used as remedy for acne. Topical acne medicines (applied to the skin) that aare in the form of acne cream treatment abound in the medical market. They work either by killing the bacteria (antibacterial) that cause acne or drying up or unclogging the acne.
Acne treatment creams that are available as over-the-counter drugs mostly contain four active ingredients; benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, sulfur or resorcinol.
Acne treatment creams that contains benzoyl peroxide works as an effective antibacterial. The other three acne medicine work as plug removers that leads to black heads, pimples or acne. These acne cream treatment dries up the pimple and cause minor scaling.
An acne medicne that cures acne to one may not work to another. That is why the American Pharmaceutical Association suggests to try different acne products to remedy or treat your acne and know for your self which works best for you. Always follow the directions provided for proper use. If acne persists or further irritation or rashes develop, refrain from using it immediately.
Medical Measures
Ok, you have already done most of the things that has been discussed about treating acne or pimples with various alternative medicines and still you have that stubborn acne popping out on your skin. We now suggest that you see your dermatologist to give you a prescription drug to treat your acne. Normally the following acne medicine are prescribed;
* benzoyl peroxide gels,
* topical retinoids (tretinoin, Retinin-A),
* adapalene (Differin),
* isotretinoin (Accutane),
* antibiotics,
* alpha hydroxy acids,
* azelaic acid (Azelex), and
* triphasic oral contraceptives
Warning Signs
If you may experience a sudden eruption of severe acne it is best that you consult your physician immediately. This may already be an indication that you are experiencing a potentially serious medical condition that has affected your body's hormone production.
Also, when you may have noticed that your acne has become like welts and the surrounding skin has become red and irritated and that it is hot to the touch. You may already have a cystic acne. This requires professional treatment, go to your doctor immediately.