Acne Vulgaris – Definition, Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

August 7, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Diseases And Conditions




Acne vulgaris and acne is a skin problem. Some people call it blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, or zits. Acne vulgaris is an inflammatory disease of the skin.. Acne has been implicated in psychiatric and psychological processes more than most other dermatological conditions. Most young people get at least mild acne. It usually gets better after the teen years. But many adult women do have acne in the days before their menstrual periods. Acne is most common in teenagers, but it can happen at an age, even as an infant. Three out of four teenagers have acne to some extent, probably caused by hormonal changes that stimulate oil production. However, people in their 30s and 40s may also have acne. Acne vulgaris affects the areas of skin with the densest population of sebaceous follicles; these areas include the face, the upper part of the chest, and the back The condition is most common in puberty. It is considered an abnormal response to normal levels of the male hormone testosterone. The response for most people diminishes over time and acne thus tends to disappear, or at least decrease, after one reaches his or her early twenties. There is, however, no way to predict how long it will take for it to disappear entirely, and some individuals will continue to suffer from acne decades later, into their thirties and forties and even beyond.

Inflammatory acne is the result of the host response to the follicular inhabitant Propionibacterium acnes. Symptoms of Acne Vulgaris include whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples. Redness around the skin eruptions and Scarring of the skin. Pimples that are large and deep are called cystic lesions. These can be painful if they get infected. Acne vulgaris affects 85-100% of people at some time during their lives. Acne vulgaris may be present in the first few weeks and months of life when a newborn is still under the influence of maternal hormones and when the androgen-producing portion of the adrenal gland is disproportionately large. This neonatal acne resolves spontaneously. Acne starts when oil and dead skin cells clog the skin’s pores. If germs get into the pores, the result can be swelling, redness, and pus. See a picture of how pimples form. Adolescent acne usually begins prior to the onset of puberty, when the adrenal gland begins to produce and release more androgen hormone.

Acne vulgaris is caused oil and dead skin cells clog the skin’s pores. Acne vulgaris may also be influenced by genetic factors. Hormone-driven over-production of sebum as the main contributing factor of acne. Some cosmetic agents and hair pomades may worsen acne. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, polycystic ovary syndrome, and other endocrine disorders with excess androgens may trigger the development of acne vulgaris. Medications that can promote acne include steroids, lithium, some antiepileptics, and iodides. Seafood often contains relatively high levels of iodine. Iodine is known to make existing acne worse but there is probably not enough to cause an acne outbreak. Still, people who are prone to acne may want to avoid excessive consumption of foods high in iodine. Chocolate, french fries, potato chips and sugar, among others, affect acne. A high GI (glycemic index) diet that causes sharp rises in blood sugar worsens acne. Masturbation causes acne and, conversely, that celibacy can cure it. True acne vulgaris in adults may be a feature of an underlying condition such as pregnancy and disorders such as polycystic ovary syndrome or the rare Cushing’s syndrome.

Acne treatment depends on whether you have a mild, moderate or severe form. There are many treatment of Acne vulgaris. Azelaic acid was originally used to treat brown spots/hyperpigmentation. It is useful for comedonal acne as well as mild to moderate inflammatory acne. Erythromycin and clindamycin are excellent topical antibacterial medications that are available as pads, solutions, lotions, and gels. Benzoy peroxide products are also effective against P acnes. Oral antibiotics (taken by mouth) such as minocycline, doxycycline, and tetracycline and hormonal therapies including oral contraceptives are also be used effectively. Speaking successful treatments give little improvement within the first week or two; and then the acne decreases over approximately 3 months, after which the improvement starts to flatten out. Treatments that promise improvements within 2 weeks are likely to be largely disappointing. Short bursts of cortisone, quick bursts of antibiotics and many of the laser therapies offer a quick reduction in the redness, swelling and inflammation when used correctly, but none of these empty the pore of all the materials that trigger the inflammation.



Are You Acne Pregnant

August 4, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Skin Care




nant is a common symptom of pregnancy. Women might be exposed to acne rash during the time of pregnancy. The causes for pregnancy acne are much the same as they at other times in a woman\’s life. While some members of the with-child set are blessed with nine months of the “pregnancy glow,” most of us are not so lucky. Effective and Safe Skincare during Pregnancy is needed; Let`s be honest, pregnancy can wreak havoc on your skin. Acne pregnancy can trigger acne or make existing acne worse. During pregnancy, acne can vary from moderate to severe and cystic. But there is no need to be disheartened and gloomy. Acne pimples that occur when pregnant decrease and sometimes even go away completely with the passage of time. It is not possible to avoid acne when pregnant. Having said all this, what are the options?

If you are acne pregnant, Consult your doctor about which over-the-counter acne products are pregnancy safe.

Melasma: The Pregnancy Mask Skin becomes more susceptible to pigmentation during pregnancy. If you still end up with the dreaded “pregnancy mask,” you will need to wait to use bleaching products and lighteners until you`re done nursing. Many women manifest adult acne during periods of hormonal changes, like pregnancy, stick-pregnancy, menopause or even when stopping family control pills. During pregnancy acne is allowed to be treated with medications based on benzyl. Women, who face this problem during pregnancy, should use a very mild soap with which they must wash their faces two times a day. Treating acne during pregnancy should be done with care.

Pregnant women\’s efforts to combat acne with treatments, especially since some are unsafe which acne medications are innocuous to ingest during maternity and which ones should be avoided. What to Avoid : It`s well known that the acne medication, Accutane, is completely off limits for pregnant women (and those trying to conceive) because it causes birth defects. Having said this, Accutane is a powerful drug used in the treatment of acne. Accutane is particularly effective in mid-range severity cases of acne, which have not responded to treatments such as ointments or oral antibiotics. Because of this risk, female patients should take care not to conceive while using Accutane and for at least three months following the end of treatment. Due to this danger, it is absolutely prohibited to conceive during Roaccutane treatment and for at least three months thereafter. Because pregnant women are also cautioned against taking aspirin, it`s best to not use products that contain BHA. So, it goes without saying that one needs to select a treatment with extreme care when the patient is pregnant. Of course, no one wants to have to deal with acne whether they are pregnant or not, but acne treatment in pregnancy is not as easy as some would think. Treatments are based on each individual case. The good news for acne sufferers is that with today\’s methods of treatment, bad scarring can almost always be avoided.

Nourishing the skin in a proper manner will help to avoid acne when pregnant. Use good cleanser along with moisturizer to avoid acne when pregnant. * There are some home based herbal remedies which are very effective and safe to be used on acne when pregnant. I have found that an easy and cheap acne treatment is to dab Hydrogen Peroxide on your pimples after cleaning your face with gentle cleanser. If you are searching for cheap, natural and effective home remedies to treat your acne green tea may be exactly what you are looking for.

Everyday, we are lured by the world of advertisements enticing us to buy cosmetics and skin care products for every bit of our face. Besides, you will waste a lot of time and money in the process by buying the wrong products. While these people are busy squeezing and scratching, others will run to the drugstore, buy a couple of acne treatments and skin creams. So it doesn\’t matter how much you squeeze, or what acne medications you buy; you will not get rid of your acne.

Combat Acne With Effective Acne Treatment And Acne Products

August 2, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Research




“Oh no, is that a pimple on my face? Icky, it’s so gross! Oh I cannot face anyone ever again — I look hideous!”

Many teenagers around the world probably share this sentiment as they discover with horror their first pimple on their freshly scrubbed face. As teenagers enter into puberty, they are faced with new and exciting discoveries and challenges. Puberty though is also fraught with frustrations and changes, including physical changes in their bodies that often leave the teenagers with less than desirable pimples on the face.

Acne commonly occurs during the adolescence period. It is often caused by excessive secretion of oil from the glands. The typical acne lesions that appear on the face and body are comedones, papules, pustules and pimples.

Aside from the physical scar that acne leaves on your skin, it also inflicts an emotional toll, negatively affecting teenagers’ self-esteem and confidence. For some, acne can become so severe that they shun social contact, leading to social insecurity and sometimes even depression.

With the advanced acne treatments and acne products available today, acne need no longer have such a crippling impact on the sufferers’ life. Once the outward symptom of acne first becomes apparent, that is, inflammation and lesion on the skin, it is important that you treat it right away so as to slow down or stop further inflammation.

It is a good idea to pay the dermatologist a visit and to have the doctor recommend the best acne treatment for you. The treatment recommended will vary on skin type and also your age.

Acne can be treated much more effectively if it is treated along with acne products, be they over the counter or prescribed. There are numerous acne products sold over the counter currently for the prevention and treatment of acne, with many of these products scientifically proven to be effective in the treatment of acne.

In severe cases, it is best that you consult the dermatologist for advice and get a prescription for stronger acne products. These acne treatments and products require a higher degree of monitoring, as they tend to have more side effects.

The acne product recommended depends on the type and severity of the acne. There are acne ointments and acne creams containing benzyl peroxide to treat both mild and moderate acne. For more serious acne, there are topical antibiotics that kill the bacteria in the blocked follicles. For even more serious cases, oral antibiotics are effective. And for extremely severe cases, laser surgery can cut the root of the acne.

Aside from treating acne with products, a proper diet is also very important. Teens should avoid eating foods that are too oily, too spicy or too acidic.

So with all these acne treatment options available, you can rest assured that acne will never be an ugly and permanent fixture on your face. When acne rears its ugly head, do not let it ruin your life. With the right acne treatment and right acne products you can get rid of acne for good!



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