Tag: Pimples

Back Breakouts Whats The Deal With Acne On Your

Back Breakouts Whats The Deal With Acne On Your Back?

Back acne comes in all sizes and forms of acne, ranging from mild forms like whiteheads to serious forms of acne including cystic acne. “Bacne” as it is referred to in slang terms, can consist of pimples, pustules and blackheads as well. Back acne affects people ranging from age ten to age forty or older yet. Understanding the causes of back acne and available treatment options, are very important is treating and preventing the condition.

Like all of the other forms of acne, there is no one thing that causes back acne. As far as the medical community stands, back acne also happens when oil glands start functioning more rapidly around puberty. The hormone group androgens, found in both females and males, get overactive which in turn causes a reaction in the oil glands, which make extra oil. The oil glands are located just underneath the skin surface. Oil glands constantly are producing and secreting oil through the pores in the skin. When too much of the oils are produced the pores and hair follicles become clogged. The clogs obstruct the way that dead cells escape the skin, which in turn results in a mess of oil and dead cells plugging the hair follicle. This attracts bacterium, which causes the acne to be formed.

Back acne can be found on any part of the body and does not necessarily have to be on a person’s back. It can be very severe with large lesions and painful cysts. Back acne may just be something that certain people are prone to or it could be caused by other things such as tight clothing or a heavy backpack. Not having anything in contact with the back is not a logical prevention step, as we all must sit down and everyone has to wear clothing.

Skin on the back is much thicker and therefore allows for stronger topical treatments, such as ten percent Benzoyl peroxide. This strength of Benzoyl peroxide is not suitable for other skin that is typically thinner and will not be able to sustain itself under harsh treatment.

There are some differences in back acne and acne located elsewhere on the body however. Back acne is not caused by genetics as other acnes can be. Some severe cases of back acne may be genetically passed on but most likely it is just the individual’s body type or personal genetic make up. People all over the world suffer from back acne at some point in their lives. Unlike other acne, food does not contribute to the formation or flare up of back acne. There is absolutely no evidence that foods cooked in grease, or high in fat content contribute to back acne.

It is also known that excessive oil production and dirt build up does not have a huge impact on developing back acne. Perspiring excessively and not washing or showering immediately has been shown to not increase the chances of developing back acne. Back acne also does not seem to be affected by stress. There are some who think that facial acne is increased due to stress. However stress can cause back acne to not heal. Oftentimes, stress causes people to pick and bother the pimples, which make the condition worse.

Acne Scars Is There Hope?

It is estimated that eighty percent of people between the ages of fourteen and twenty suffer from acne. For most of us, acne is a short-lived annoyance during certain periods of our lives. Unfortunately, for some people acne is painful long after the pimples have been treated. Scarring from acne is most common for those who have suffered from severe acne, but scarring can affect anyone who has experienced acne.

If you are one of the millions of people living with acne scars, theres good news. There are many options available to diminish these unseemly blemishes. All of these techniques work to restore the normal, healthy appearance of scarred skin; it may not always be possible to get rid of all acne scars, but with the right treatment for you, no one will ever know you were scarred. Acne scar treatments vary in their approaches depending on the severity of your scarring and your budget. You should discuss all of the available options, costs, and side effects with your dermatologist.

Before we talk about the treatments available, we should take a look at why acne can cause scarring. The primary reason for any kind of scar is tissue damage. When body tissue is damaged, our body tries to heal and protect it from infection. In the case of acne, dead skin cells block the bodys pores, preventing the secretion of natural oils in the skin. This creates a perfect environment for bacteria to grow, which irritates the skin and causes acne. When acne is aggravated due to harsh scrubbing or other forms of physical attention, it further aggravates the condition and harms the sensitive skin tissue. When the skin finally is able to heal, a scar is left behind.

One of the most popular acne scar treatment techniques is injecting collagen under the surface of the scarred skin. Collagen puffs out the skin and evens out the scarred area, making acne less noticeable. Another important acne scar treatment technique is what is called autologous fat transfer. This process makes use of your own bodys fat. Fat is taken from another part of your body and is injected into the affected part, filling up the scar.

This technique requires repeated applications because the fat is eventually absorbed into the body, making the scar noticeable once again. Your dermatologist may suggest you try laser treatments or dermabrasion. Both of these techniques are very effective. In the most extreme cases, skin grafting and skin surgery may be considered.

Keep in mind that these are only a small number of the options available for acne scar treatment.

Acne Prevention Tips

Effective acne prevention requires using the right treatments, and adjusting product use and hygiene habits. If you want to know how to get rid of pimples, and deal with other skin problems like oiliness and blackheads, take a look at these great tips.

– Oily hair can aggravate acne, so stay away from oily products like pomades or hair spray, especially if you want to get rid of pimples on your forehead.

– If your hair is long, wear it pulled back or consider a shorter style that keeps it off your face, neck and shoulders if acne prevention is important in those areas. Be sure to pull your hair away from your skin when you sleep so that pimples don’t develop overnight.

– Use “noncomedogenic” (won’t clog pores or cause blackheads) or “nonacnegenic” (won’t cause pimples) cosmetics and suntan lotions.

– Avoid using moisturizers on acne-prone areas to get rid of pimples you have there or practice good acne prevention; if you do use a moisturizer, make sure it is not acnegenic.

– Use topical treatments, such as Nature’s Cure medicated spray, anywhere that you tend to get breakouts for acne prevention – don’t just spot-treat existing blackheads and pimples. The pore-clogging process happens two to three weeks before any blackheads or blemishes become visible on the skin. Since the salicylic acid acne medication in the body spray is an exfoliant, it helps to remove the dead skin that combines with oil and dirt to form those nasty blackheads and whiteheads that can get infected and become pimples.

– Wash the skin gently with a mild soap or cleanser and warm (not hot) water once or twice daily. Hot water and harsh cleansers can further irritate your skin and undermine your acne prevention efforts.

– It’s tempting to try to scrub away acne, but that’s not how to get rid of pimples. Scrubbing too hard or too frequently can actually make your acne worse and promote scarring by increasing inflammation or rupturing cysts under your skin, making bacteria spread.

– Since stress can trigger acne, try to avoid stressful situations, resolve stresses by talking to friends/family or a professional, and be sure to eat right and get enough sleep. Sometimes the stress of having acne and trying to figure out how to get rid of pimples can make things worse. But if you take action toward acne prevention with these tips, you can diffuse some of that stress.

– Exercising regularly can also help reduce stress and it increases blood circulation and oxygen penetration to the skin, which may help with acne prevention.

– Drink plenty of water a day to help “detoxify” the body from the inside out.

– If you work out, bring along pre-moistened alcohol towelettes to wipe sweat off your face, back and chest. Use towels to cover neck and chest areas to prevent coming in direct contact with the equipment.

– Sweat combines with skin oils to trap dirt and bacteria in your pores, causing blackheads and pimples, so it’s important to shower as soon as possible after you work out or sweat profusely.

Acne Prevention – Do and Dont’s

As stated in the previous pages, pimples are not the result of poor hygiene nor are they caused by foods. Having said this, you can aggravate your pimples and worsen your condition. So pay close attention to the information on this page so as to not deteriorate your condition further.

Do’s

Use skincare products that will not ‘clog pores’, they are usually described as ‘oil-free’ and/or ‘non-comedogenic’ on the package.

Skin care should include: a mild cleanser and application of a non-comedogenic sunscreen on sun-exposed surfaces.

Gently wash your face twice a day using mild face cleanser and pat dry.

When you are washing your face, be sure you take the time to remove all of your makeup.

Be patient! Treatment may take a few weeks to start having useful effects.

Remember that all of the treatments only work by preventing new spots and that all treatments have to be tried for at least four months before you decide whether they are helping.

Some acne products can increase the skin’s sensitivity to sunlight and ultraviolet light from tanning booths so use protective clothing and sunscreens and avoid tanning booths.

If irritation, dryness and peeling occur, an oil-free, non-comedogenic moisturizer can be used.

If your skin is getting too irritated, red or dry while undergoing a topical treatment, then start using them every other day. It takes time for your skin to adapt to your new medicines.

If you have long hair that touches your face, be sure to wash it frequently enough to keep oil away. Also wash your face after you’ve been exercising hard and sweating a lot. And try not to touch your face throughout the day.

Dont’s

Avoid thick, greasy make-up over affected areas. Some make-up is acceptable but try to choose “non-comedogenic” cosmetics if possible.

Resist the temptation to squeeze your acne. This can cause the area to spread and become more inflamed and therefore more likely to scar.

Do not use harsh soaps when washing face. Vigorously washing and scrubbing will irritate your skin and only make your acne worse.

Avoid things that may aggravate your acne such as oils, airborne grease, irritating clothing etc.

Avoid covering yourself with thick layers of make up, and if you do, wash it off as soon as you can, certainly do not leave on overnight.

Avoid strongly fragranced or alcohol based products.

Avoid from hair sprays or gels, try to keep them away from your face, as they can also clog up pores.

Acne isn’t really helped by the sun, either. Although a suntan can temporarily make acne look less severe, it won’t help it go away permanently. So don’t soak up those rays – either under the sun or from a tanning bed – in an effort to help your skin.

Avoid wearing hats or headbands that rub on your forehead, since this can also make acne worse.

Avoid touching your face a lot, as your hands have oil on them and this can make acne worse.

Individual pimples can take up to 2 or 3 months to form even though they may appear to “pop-up” overnight. Thus, although there is often some initial improvement in the first few weeks after starting a new treatment, it takes at least 2-3 months of regular use before you can assess the full benefit of any acne treatment.