Find Out What Really Causes Acne
All of the factors that affect acne are not completely understood. However the main cause of acne is well known. Excess production of an oily substance that helps keep the hair and skin soft is a prime ingredient. This oil is Sebum, during adolescence the amount of sebum produced by your body is greatly increased. This sebum when combined with naturally occurring dead skin cells can block hair follicles which then turn into an acne lesion.
Not only will this mixture block pores it also provides a growing environment for bacteria. It is the growth of bacterial that causes what is commonly called a pimple.
The male hormone testosterone is what causes your body to create excess sebum. Testosterone is produced by both males and females. During puberty the increase of testosterone causes the body to have an abnormal reaction which manifests itself with the excessive production of sebum. This excessive oil is commonly found on the facial skin, as well as back and shoulders. In most people the testosterone levels have normalized by the time they are 20 and any acne issues will clear up.
Recent studies seem to indicate that acne is at least partially hereditary. In many cases though it is not possible to determine why some people are susceptible to it and others are not. Other contributing factors can be; stress, diet, skin irritation, hormonal changes and some medications.
When it comes to diet skim milk seems to be a substantial contributing factor. Many people believe that chocolate, dark soft drinks and greasy foods will cause acne outbreaks. There is not statistical evidence supporting any of those beliefs. Acne can also be induced or aggravated by medications such as; lithium, barbiturates, anabolic steroids and androgens.
Recent studies of acne may have found another cause of acne, narrowing hair follicles. These narrower hair follicles can prevent dead skin cells from being expelled from the pore. These trapped skin cells then mix with sebum and bacteria on the skin to form the acne lesions. The are several different issues that can cause the narrowing of the hair follicle, excessive shedding of cells within the follicle, abnormal cell binding and water retention.
It is commonly believed that you should squeeze a pimple to remove the blocking sebum as well as the bacteria. This can actually make the problem worse by spreading the bacteria to other areas of your skin as well as possibly causing scarring. This scarring if severe enough can be permanent.
In reality touching the area that has acne can actually make it worse as you transfer some of the oil from your hands to an area that already has excessive skin oil. Your hands can also carry bacteria which will aid in the spread of the acne.
Your hair can also exacerbate the acne problem by adding oil to areas it touches. It is important to keep your hair clean so it will not contribute to the problems. You should also try to avoid wearing hats and sweatbands as they will help trap the skin oils and just cause more problems and make your acne control more difficult.
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Posted by admin on December 4th, 2008 filed in Acne Treatment | Comment now »
Effective Treatment Options Available for Moderate to Severe Acne
Suffering from even a minor acne flair up can wreck your week, but suffering from continual moderate to serious acne can ruin your self esteem. There are options that can help you if you have moderate to severe acne.
One of the most common treatments for acne is a topical cream. The primary ingredient in many acne creams is benzoyl peroxide. Benzoyl Peroxide helps acne by killing acne bacteria and by reducing oil production of the skin. You’ll find benzoil peroxide products available in creams,gels,and cleaning pads. There are also other topical acne applications with different active ingredients. You’ll find sulfur, salicylic acid, and
resorcinol products. These are all available as over the counter treatments at your local drugstore.
Other more potent topical acne treatments are available by perscription. These are generally antibiotic based. They help stop acne by keeping the pores open and uninfected.
Sometimes a topical treatment alone cannot do the job and your dermatologist may recommend an oral antibiotic as well as a topical treatment.
While there is no known cure for acne, there are a number of acne treatments and treatment combinations available today to help you keep your acne under control. In some cases acne prevention and treatment will be a life-long endeavor,for others it’s a problem only during the teenage and young adult years. Regardless of the severity or duration of your acne problem a trip to the dermatologist for proper diagnosis based on your skin type and circumstances is highly recommended. Your doctor will work with you to come up with the best acne prevention plan for you.
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Posted by admin on November 18th, 2008 filed in Acne Treatment | Comment now »
What is Acne - A Brief users Guide for Parents, Teens and the Rest of us
Acne is a disease in which the hair follicles on your skin become clogged and infected. This results in one of the three types of acne lesions to form.
The production of excess sebum is the culprit. It causes the follicles to become blocked. The medical community is still uncertain as to what triggers this excess production. Sebum is produced by the sebaceous oil gland and everybody needs a small amount to achieve healthy skin. Sebum helps protects the skin from harmful bacteria by washing it away.
Types of Acne Lesions:
The three types of acne lesions are whiteheads & blackheads (also known as closed and open comedones respectively), papules & pustules, and cysts.
Whiteheads as the name suggests, look like white bumps. They form under the skin and never reach the surface. This makes them very hard to eliminate. Blackheads grow upward and break the skins surface. This enlarged follicle and the oxidation of the dead cells, sebum, and bacteria have a black color, hence the name.
Papules form when a whitehead burst and the bacteria spreads to the surrounding tissues under the skin. This causes your body’s immune system to increase its fight on the infection making the inflammation worse. They appear as small, firm, red bumps. Pustules form as the body’s immune system continues to fight the infection by sending pus to the area. They appear similar to a papules with the addition of a yellowish white head.
Cysts are the third and final type of acne lesion. They form when a pustule worsens and expands further down under the skins surface. They appear red or purple and are very painful. This is the most serious of all types of acne lesions.
Types of Acne:
Acne can not only be classified by the types of acne lesions, but further broken down by acne type; depending on what types of lesions you have. People whose acne consists of whiteheads and blackheads would have what is called comedonal acne. A mix of blackheads, whiteheads, papules and pustules acne lesions is called acne vulgaris and is the most common type of acne. The third type of acne is called cystic acne and it is when someone has all three types of acne lesions with numerous cysts.
Who Can Get Acne:
While most people associate acne with teens, anybody can experience some type of acne at any age. That said certain groups of people are more likely to experience acne. They include teens, people under stress, people who have a family history of the disease, people taking certain drugs and adult women.
Mark MacKay is a researcher, marketer, and former Acne sufferer. For more information on Acne Myths, Causes, Types of Acne, Acne Treatments, Skin Care, Adult Acne, Teen Acne, Acne Discussion forum, latest research articles and much more visit Mark’s Acne Explained web site at http://www.acne-explained.info.
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Posted by admin on August 5th, 2008 filed in Acne Treatment | Comment now »