leviate Your Acne Problem by: Charlene J. Nuble

Acne brings huge problems to teenagers. Teenagers who have acne feel isolated, ugly, and insecure. Who wouldn’t when everywhere you look, only clear skinned people are put on the pedestal.

You tried every acne product out in the market but nothing seems to work. At this point, you feel that your social life is doomed but fret not because acne won’t stay forever if you take the proper actions early.

First step to take is to understand what acne really is and from there you can take the necessary actions in curing or at least reducing your acne problem.

Acne is the term for plugged pores (whiteheads and blackheads), pimples, and deeper lumps (nodules) that happens in the face, neck, chest, back and upper arms. Acne is caused by build up of excess oil and dead skin in a pore. The causes of this are natural hormones, clogged skin and bacteria.

The onset of acne happens between the ages of twelve to seventeen. Almost all teenagers had acne. Many of them used non-prescription treatments to alleviate acne but more than 40% of teenagers in their mid-teens have severe acne cases. Normally, it goes away in the early twenties. Then again, there are many cases wherein acne starts or continues into adulthood.

It is interesting to note though that young men who are more likely to have severe acne, don’t consult dermatologists as much as young women do. But then again, young women are more likely to have irregular acne due to hormonal changes during menstrual cycle or due to the cosmetic products they use. This kind of acne may afflict women even into adulthood.

The ultimate question now is how do you reduce acne?

Knowing the facts that debunk the myths and misconceptions about acne may help you alleviate your acne problem.

Myth 1: Acne is caused by poor hygiene.

This may be true if you don’t wash your face at all. But if you resort to frequent and vigorous washing, it will definitely cause scarring which will worsen acne. The best approach is to gently wash face twice a day with mild soap and use appropriate acne treatment after.

Myth 2: Acne is caused by diet.

Scientific studies debunked this having found that there is no connection between food and acne.

Myth 3: Acne is caused by stress.

Stressors are not important factors in acne. Only severe stress that needs medication can cause acne as side effects.

Myth 4: Acne is just a cosmetic disease.

Acne does affect how people look but there’s no serious threat to physical health. However, acne can result to serious scarring which can affect how these people live their lives.

Myth 5: You just have to let acne run its course.

The truth is, acne can be cleared up using acne products available in the market today. If they don’t work for you, then try seeing a dermatologist.

According to Thiboutot (2000), cure of acne lies in knowing three things:

* That resolution to cure acne takes time;

* That what works for one may not work for another;

* and that a dermatologist’s help may be needed if all actions you take to cure your acne fail.

Remember that acne responds well to early treatment. So to prevent scarring have your acne treated as soon as acne starts showing up on your face.

————————-

Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR’S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.

————————-

©Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information about acne, please go to: http://acne.besthealthlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/

Eighty percent of the people suffered from some form of acne in their life, People between the ages of 11 and 30 have acne outbreaks at some point. Close to 100% of people between the ages of twelve and seventeen have at least an occasional whitehead, blackhead or pimple, regardless of race and ethnicity. More than 40% of adolescents have acne severe enough to require some treatment. In most cases, acne starts between the ages of ten and thirteen and usually lasts for five to ten years. Acne normally goes away on its own sometime in the early twenties but, acne can persist into the late twenties or thirties even beyond. Some people get acne for the first time as adults. Acne lesions are most common on the face, the neck, chest, back,shoulders and upper arms and legs. Acne affects young men and women about equally. Americans spend over a hundred million dollars a year only for over-the-counter acne treatments. Acne is the most commonly diagnosed skin disorder in the United States.

CAUSES OF ACNE AND ACNE MYTHS

Acne treatments are developed every day, but a cure for acne has not yet been discovered. No one knows exactly what causes acne. Hormones stimulating the sebaceous or oil glands of the pores by dead skin cells, bacteria living in the pores breaking down the oil and causing inflammation probably play a role. Another factor could be genetics, family history with acne. If other people in your family had acne, you may be more likely to develop it too. There are many myths about what causes acne. Contrary to what you may have heard, acne is not caused by dirty skin .According to studies conducted at Stanford University, washing the face once or four times daily did not change the condition of acne. Also, based on the finding of those studies,, regular exercise can be encouraged for patients with acne. There is no evidence that stress causes acne, but it can make it worse. The Stanford survey also found that poor diet and decreased sleep can negatively affect acne and that drinking more water could improve the quality of the skin.

ACNE IS CURABLE AND TREATABLE

Having acne isn’t a pleasant experience. Are there any ways to get rid of acne naturally that actually work? In fact, using natural products can be a quick and easy way to reduce your acne or even eliminate it altogether. Eating a balanced diet always make sense. Nutritious foods can help keep you healthy, and your skin will benefit from getting enough vitamins and minerals. Acne, eczema, dry skin can be healed through healthful foods and supplements. Vitamins A, B, C, E and zinc are all necessary for healthy skin. Excessive amounts of processed. fatty and fried foods, fatty red meat . junk foods and sugar contribute to acne. It is important here to mention that acne could indicate an acidic condition in the blood. If this acid is flushed from the system, the skin will start looking and feeling better. A diet rich in whole foods like fruits, vegetables, healthy oils and grains along with more water intake could reduce acne outbreaks. Best is to filter your water and it is as pure as bottled water.

Start by increasing the amount of water you drink. This will help to detoxify your body. With the state of tap water nowadays, it’s probably best to filter your water. This is cheaper than buying bottled water and it is at least as pure. Jug style water filters are easy to use and many are designed to be kept in your fridge so that your drink is cool as well. Water helps rehydrate your body, which is around 50 to 60 percent water depending on your age. Water also helps flush away the different toxins that accumulate in your body and helps your body to naturally carry out detoxification.

Next up, start taking flax seed oil on a regular basis. Although it’s not technically an acne cure, it helps heal your skin and many people have reported having less acne symptoms once they’ve started adding flax seed oil to their regime. It’s also a great natural moisturizer. Don’t pick at your acne! This is easier said than done, but resisting the temptation to pop your pimples as much as possible is a good move in order to avoid scarring and spread the infection. There are many natural supplements that can help you out . Those natural remedies are enhanced with selected herbs and nutrients including multi-vitamin with vitamin A and Zinc. Those homeopathic Acne formula can heal existing pimples and prevent the emergence of new pimples. Take action now in order to control, prevent and enhance your skin.

Gilles Coulombe B.A. B.LL D.S.A.

For more information, go to My Site

The first thing that we must understand is that acne breakouts occur due to an imbalance in our body’s function. An acne bacterium does not cause acne but is responsible for the inflammation in and around the acne. Medication applied to the acne kills the bacteria superficially thereby reducing the inflammation but does not assure you of acne free skin permanently. For that we need to tackle the problem from within.

Acne is not just a skin problem.

Dermatologists refer to acne as an inflammatory disease of the skin. Superficial factors like an oily skin due to excessive production of keratin and sebum by the oil-producing sebaceous glands results in inflammation.

This results in blocked pores which facilitate the growth of acne bacteria causing inflammation visible as blackheads on the skin’s surface or whiteheads which are below the surface of the skin.

However, acne formation is due to a combination of various factors like overactive sebum glands, skin type, blocked pores and acne bacteria together with malfunctions inside our body which makes the skin susceptible to acne breakouts. That is why medical practitioners refer to it as a disease of the skin.

Is Acne a skin disease?

Acne is the body’s way of telling us that all is not right with the internal functioning of our various organs. Always bear in mind that acne is the result or symptom of a malfunction of our system and is not a disease of the skin as most medical experts would like us to believe.

However, if you go along with the doctors views then you will fail to look for the root cause of the problem which is causing the acne. You will not understand that your body is giving you signals via the acne to look for the inner imbalance.

The inner natural balance needs to be restored so that your skin becomes acne free and your health returns to its normal state. You will not need to use the creams, ointments or antibiotics that the skin specialist prescribes.

This naturally will make you wonder why doctors insist on treating acne and acne bacteria as a skin problem. It suits them to have a captive patient who will continue buying the antibiotics and lotions. The specialists will also earn brownie points from the manufacturers of the medications since their sales are increasing at your expense.

The usefulness of the acne bacteria

Yes acne bacteria, like all other types of bacteria are there for a purpose. These organisms or p acne bacteria as they are called are found on everybody’s skin. Their job is to attack other more virulent bacteria and to protect and maintain the natural balance of our skin.

Even if you don’t suffer from acne you will find that the acne bacterium is present on your skin. It has a very important role as guardian of our skin and also in ensuring the skin’s elasticity.

In the normal biological function these acne bacteria feed on the oil from the sebum glands and on perspiration. That is why they were created to protect the skin.

An acne bacterium does not spread and since it is not infectious it does not cause an acne breakout. Which brings us to the question that if all of us have acne bacteria then why don’t all of us suffer from acne?

The reason is that for a bout of acne to occur everything has to come together including low internal immunity to create conditions that will encourage acne to strike with all its attendant symptoms.

Conditions that assist Acne

Certain pre-conditions are necessary for acne to develop. Whenever the natural balance of our system, like an imbalance in our hormonal profile for example, gets upset, the sebaceous glands produce excess oil. This oil combines with the toxins that the body has not been able to flush out because of the blocked skin pores. This condition helps the acne bacteria to increase at an alarming rate resulting in an acne breakout with all its side effects.

To get rid of acne and its recurrence you must ensure that such a condition is not allowed to develop. The acne cannot be stopped by trying to destroy the bacteria with superficial medication. This will only put a temporary halt in the proliferation of acne bacteria unless you treat the root cause.

Antibiotics like benzoyl peroxide, monocycline or tetracycline only destroys the acne bacteria but does not treat the condition that is causing the bacteria to increase.

How to tackle Acne

We know what conditions cause the acne bacteria to flourish superficially on the skin. Now we need to find out what causes hormonal imbalance or the build up of toxins in our body. Only then can we get rid of the acne permanently.

The combination of excessive oil production and toxin build up helps the bacteria to thrive and multiply on the skin. But within our body biological changes, nutritional deficiencies, psychological or hormonal imbalances are the culprits responsible for the acne eruptions on the skin.

To ensure that your skin remains acne free permanently you need to restore the internal balance of your system. Simultaneously, the bacteria on the surface of the skin should be maintained at the normal level so that your complexion becomes radiant once again.