The Practical Way of Curing Acne

Dermatologists explain that the various types of acne are caused mainly by irritated blackheads, pimples, and superficial sebaceous cysts on the skin. The areas that are usually affected include the forehead, the temples, the cheeks, the chin, the chest, and even the back. Some medical cases have also proven that acne can affect large areas of the body that result to extensive scarring.

Aside from hormonal imbalance and minor skin disorders, acne is also known to be caused by improper eating habits, chronic constipation and devitalized condition of skin resulted from unhygienic living habits, consumption of tea, coffee, alcohol or tobacco in large amounts, and inactive habits that lead to indigestion and weakness of the body.

Cheap But Effective Remedies

Regardless of age or race, millions of people suffer from dreadful acne breakouts. A visit to the dermatologist or physician would make you purchase topical medicines or oral treatment such as topical retinoids, hormonal antibiotics, or benzyl peroxide treatments. They might probably ask you to undergo minor treatments like laser or micro-dermabrasion.

Before trying all these chemical acne medications either topical or oral, you can try practical acne remedies. It is advisable for most people who suffer from acne to try common and natural remedies because these are chemical-free products that will greatly help in healing acne to avoid further skin irritation.

The following are common household products and items that can do wonders on cleaning and clearing up your skin:

– Baking soda. Most people would find it absurd but this very cheap household product is quite effective in exfoliating the skin. Used as a great scrub, the use of baking soda helps remove dead skin to prevent clogging of pores that may lead to the development of acne spots.

What you need to do is mix a small amount of baking soda then add some water to form a paste. Gently apply the mixture on your skin and massage it. After 5 or 15 minutes, rinse the baking soda off your skin and pat your face dry with a face towel.

– Apple cider vinegar. This is an effective product that is known to kill acne-causing bacteria. Apple cider vinegar is helpful in clearing up your skin. Aside from balancing your skins pH levels, the properties of vinegar absorb excess oils on your skin.

You have to dilute at least 8 parts of vinegar to one part of apple cider vinegar and apply it directly on clean, dry skin. Its up to you if you want to rinse the vinegar youre your skin or you leave it alone.

– Egg Whites. A product that is rich in protein, egg whites is popularly used as a facemask to heal and revitalize the affected skin. Aside from rebuilding your skin, egg whites also helps to absorb extra oil from the skin. After separating the egg white from the egg yolk, beat it and apply it directly on your face. After 10 to 15 minutes, rinse the egg white off your face.

– Oatmeal. Known for its quick absorbing properties, oatmeal is used by many people to absorb excess oil while drawing out impurities that exist deep in the skin. You can cook an ample amount of oatmeal and rub it over the affected area of your skin. After 10 to 15 minutes, rinse it off like a facemask.

– Tea Tree Oil. Used as a common household antiseptic, tea tree oil of (TTO) helps kill acne-causing bacteria when applied directly on skin.

– Lemon or limejuice. If you dont want to use vinegar, you can substitute lemon or lime juice for it. Known for containing citric acid properties, using this can exfoliate the skin well, thus preventing the possible development of acne.

After using any or all of these remedies and there hasnt been any noticeable improvement, it is best that you seek medical attention immediately.

Bidding Good Gye to Ugly Acne Scars

Aside from the humiliation caused by full-grown acne to a patient, more depression is brought by the skin disorder once it gets healed or dried up the wrong way because it results to ugly traces or scars.

According to dermatologists, acne scars have resulted from inflamed and infected pimples or blackheads that werent treated properly. They have also categorized the types of acne scars into two: the pigmented scars and the ice pick scars. The former is known to leave behind purplish-brown marks once the pimple blemish goes away while the latter is known to leave small depressions on the skin after the lesions have dried up.

Studies show that women are more prone to acne scarring compared to men because of heredity or lighter skin color.

Research has also proved that pigmented acne scars are more prominent to darker colored women because it has resulted from the bigger collection of pigment cells already present in their skin.

Treating Traces of Acne

Since acne is a common skin disorder, it is expected to heal all by themselves after the proper medication has been given. But sometimes, cases occur that persistent blackheads or pimple become infected which results to acne scars and pockmarks. Because of this, dermatologists and some medical experts have taken precautions and developed treatments to exterminate acne scars:

1. Dermabrasion. One of most popular acne scar treatment is dermabrasion. The treatment involves scraping off the top layer of skin physically. After a series of deep dermabrasion treatments, the patient has to take a time off from work or from school for the recovery period. This is known to be one of the most effective methods that remove deep acne scars for good.

2. Micro-dermabrasion. If you have lighter acne scars, experts recommend microdermabrasion, a less invasive approach that scrapes off a very thin layer of skin and doesnt require long recovery period. This treatment involves a medical sand blasting technique that cleans the pores.

3. Laser resurfacing. While dermabrasion using scrapping off layers of skin, laser resurfacing uses a highly concentrated light beam or laser to burn off skin cells.

4. Acid peels. Another way to remove acne scars is by using acids peels. The method usually takes a week or two to heal the skin. Although this treatment is known to be effective, you might want to consider other acne scar treatment because it causes discomfort and reddening of the skin during the healing process.

5. Collagen injections. The collagen injection is also one of the most scar removal approached recommended by doctors. The treatment uses a protein called collagen, which is also known as a natural component of human tissue.

The collagen is injected underneath the scar to raise it to the level of the surrounding skin to restore its normal appearance. Since collagen breaks eventually, the scar treatment has to be repeated over time.

6. Chemical peels. This treatment involves the use of a chemical in order to remove the top layer of the scarred skin. It is also used to smooth depressed acne scars to give the skin an even color. Thirty to 40 percent glycolic acids are used in these peelings that are applied to the skin.

7. ClearLight. This treatment involves a new therapeutic light that uses the innovative Acne PhotoClearingTM – APCTM technology. This targets and destroys the surface of the acne that quickly and easily repairs it. It is also known to be effective in clearing inflamed acne in one month.

Other fast-reduction scar treatments include the use of copper-peptide products like copper peptide serum and tri-reduction protect to exfoliate the skin.

The Latest In Skin Care Treatments

With people all worried about their appearances, the skin care treatment industry has become a worldwide moneymaker, earning billions of dollars each year from people across all demographics.

Microdermabrasion

This is one of the most popular surgical and laser treatment in the country. It improves the skin tone of the body and brings back its luster. Microdermabrasion also helps in getting rid of superficial scars from acne.

For some, a total of six peelings are needed to achieve the best results. Others can get away with less depending on the condition of the skin. Often the procedure is done every one to two weeks. It makes use of aluminum crystals that create a micro-dermabrasion effect that helps peel the skin.

Although the skin is the most common area treated by the procedure, it is also done on the neck, chest, arms, hands or any area that are damaged by the sun. It is also used for skins with irregular pigmentation such as sun spots and melasma; those with irregular and rough skin; and even those with some wrinkles and stretch marks.

Effects of the procedure is said to better than those seen in glycolic acid peels. Another advantage is the longer healing and recovery time compared to other procedures. There is also a shorter treatment time as well very minimal discomfort. It is also said to be very safe for all skin types as well as all races.

Although it is less expensive, it can be expensive on the long run as it requires multiple treatments. So, before having yourself treated, make sure that you have already determined the total cost.

Photorejuvenation

This is another skin treatment in the country. Through the use of laser or broadband light, mild acne scarring can be improved by causing a new layer of collagen to form on the skin. Often, this procedure will require five to six treatments that are performed every three to four weeks.

Scar Revision

This is a surgical procedure conducted to remove acne scars, especially the ice pick and box cars, which are pretty deep. An excision is made during the procedure through a punch. This hole is then closed with sutures that are often about seven days later.

Another technique used in this procedure is the subcision, which uses a sharp instrument to undercut the scar being treated.

Laser Treatments

Other forms of skin treatments are the Laser resurfacing (CO2 laser, Erbium Yag laser);
Pulsed dye laser and Laser skin resurfacing.