Tag: Sebaceous Glands

What factors causes Acne?

What causes Acne?

Did you know that common Acne, also known as Acne Vulgaris, is suffered by up to 85% of adolescents and young adults? That is an extremely high portion of the population which is affected by this skin disorder.

The cause of Acne is not fully known, but there are several factors which contribute to the development of this inflammatory skin disorder. Your genes play a role in this, meaning if your parents or grandparents suffered this skin condition, you will be prone to getting Acne yourself.

Most notably, there is a link to a change in hormonal activity, such as menstrual cycles and puberty. In the past the over production of sebum was considered to be the main cause of Acne. Sebum is an oily secretion of fats and the remains of fat producing cells, caused by hyperactive sebaceous glands in the skin.

However, it appears as though the narrowing of follicle channel, where the hair is rooted in the skin, is also a major factor causing common Acne. There are several other factors which can contribute, such as Stress, accumulation of dead skin cells, an allergic reaction to bacteria in the pores, scratching and the usage of anabolic steroids.

What has not been confirmed in any way, is the contribution a fatty diet, including chocolate, potato chips and French fries, may have on Acne. Generally, sufferers should experiment with their diet to ascertain what food stuffs affect the severity of their Acne.

What could have an influence on Acne is a diet high on refined sugar products. Acne is rare in societies which have not been influenced by our western way of life. These people have a low glycernic level in their diets. However, if the reduction of high glycernic foods, such has soft drinks, sweets and white bread, has a significant effect on alleviating Acne disorders has yet to be proved. Keeping a low consumption of these kinds of foods will influence your general health for the better.

Another misconception concerning Acne is personal hygiene. Acne is not caused by dirt, so a poor personal hygiene is not a factor. To make this clearer, Acne causes blockages to occur deep within the follicle or hair channel and as such cannot be washed away. In fact, anything more than a gentle cleansing can cause new lesions by damaging or over drying skin.

On a lighter note, if you have heard that celibacy or masturbation can cause Acne and sexual intercourse can cure it, I have good news for you. There is absolutely no scientific evidence at all that this is true.

Best Acne Treatments – The Professional Choices

There are several products which a person can consider as the best acne treatment. Before determining which is the best acne treatment one needs to assess the level of toxicity in the acne treatment product.

Before we discus the best acne treatments let us see what acne is all about. Acne is a common skin disease which is believed to occur in up to 85% of the people at one time or another.

Acne can be described as an inflammatory skin eruption which is commonly seen in or near the sebaceous glands of the various parts of the human body including the face, neck, upper back, and shoulders. Now back to the best acne treatments the professional choices.

There are several products which a person can consider as the best acne treatment. However, the best acne treatment for an individual could not be the ideal one for another person. This is due to the fact that the skin type of each individual differs from the other. And the best acne treatment is determined by the type of skin a person has and the skin reaction on that treatment. The best acne treatment could also range from the traditional herbal acne remedies to the modern medicines like acne light treatment which are proved to offer better results.

Before determining which is the best acne treatment one needs to assess the level of toxicity in the acne treatment product. Low level of toxicity means there is less health risk involved in it. Here are some of the best acne treatments which have been tested and contain only low level of toxicity in it.

Australian Tea Tree Oil is considered as one of the best acne treatment. Using this product is quite easy what you need is to add one or two drops of the product and apply it in the affected area. Several acne patients have reported that the product provides best results.

Desert Essence Blemish Touch Stick with Eco-Harvest Tea Tree Oil is also reported to be a professional choice for acne treatments. The product comprises of grain alcohol, Witch Hazel Extract, and several types of extracted oils (Blue Chamomile, Eco-harvest Tea Tree Oil, Rosemary, etc). The product is also simple to use just apply it to the blemishes and to even other skin irritations five to six times daily.

Burt’s Bees Doctor Burt’s Herbal Blemish Stick with Tea Tree Oil is also rated as one of the best acne treatments. The product can be applied to the affected area several times daily.

These are only some recommendations of the best acne treatment products available in the market. As mentioned earlier, the best acne treatment differs from one person to the other according to his/her sin type.

Curing Acne

According to most medical experts, teenagers tend to develop acne at a higher rate compared to adults or to any other age groups. The major reason for this risk is the increased output of hormones during puberty, the production of sebaceous glands and the continuous increase of skin-cell turnover within the skin follicles. It is also noted that increased stress also affects the development of acne and that the condition tends to get worst if the patient undergoes rigorous work loads.

Dermatologists also believe that improper diet contributes a lot to the development of acne. Poor dietary habits like taking in foods with too much sugar and fat content affect your skin follicles. Although there is no concrete clinical evidence to support this hypothesis, most doctors still advise their acne patients to balance their diet and develop good eating habits.

What You Can Do

Studies have shown that there is a proven genetic tendency or pattern for acne especially if other family members of the acne patient have developed acne. Naming propionibacteria as the most common bacteria that cause acne and other skin infections, medical experts agree that these bacteriawhen present on the skincan lead to adolescent, persistent, or adult-onset acne.

Due to recent science and medical developments, more and more acne treatments have been discovered. Some are quite effective than the others depending on the patients condition. Effective acne cure and treatment are sometimes recommended by dermatologists in single or various combinations depending on the stage and development of the acne the person has.

One of the most effective ways to cure acne is by using topical treatments such as acne lotions, acne creams, and gels that are applied on the skin. These topical antibioticsmedicines that are formulated to terminate acne-causing bacteriacan help in the reduction of acne.

Medical experts have categorized the types of topical antibiotics to erythromycin, clindamycin, and sulfa drugs. The application of topical medicines is believed to be quite effective in curing acne because the medication is applied directly to the affected area in controlled dosage.

And since there is no need for patients to swallow the medicine, the components of the drugs do not have to travel through the bodythus lessens the possibility of side effects. Retinoid, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic and glycolic acids, are the most common ingredients that respond well to severe blackheads and whiteheads.

Although topical medication is effective in curing acne, it also has minor disadvantages like the possible tolerance of bacteria to the medicine that leads to resistance to the medication over time.

Another way to cure acne is through oral medications. Unlike topical medication that is applied to the surface of the affected area, oral medications are taken orally to be distributed throughout the bloodstream. This is known to be a systemic treatment because the drug is taken to all of the bodys functioning systems and is quite useful when acne develops on the skin on multiple stages. The most common oral acne medications include tetracyclines, minocycline, doxycyclin, and isotretinoin, or retinoic acid.

Other ways to cure acne include hormone therapy that aims to restore the normal balance of hormones in the patients body, and acne surgery for severe and persistent acne that cannot be cured by topical or oral medication.

Before using any medication or before undergoing any treatment to cure acne, make sure that you have consulted with your dermatologist or physician first to avoid further complications.

Combating Acne at Home

Aside from the appearance of early signs of aging like wrinkles, one of the most common skin problems of people is the development of acne.

Acnebeing a medical condition and a skin disorderis caused by increased hormones especially for teenagers, the enlargement of sebaceous glands that attached are to the hair follicles, increased sebum or oil production and presence of acne-casing bacteria on the skin.

Simplifying Acne Medication

Although it is advisable to consult the dermatologist or the doctor first before doing anything to sure acne, there are some safe and effective home remedies for acne that can be done without major consultations with the experts.

1. Vitamin therapy. One of the safest home remedies for acne is treatment through vitamins such as niacin, vitamin A, and Vitamin E.

For effective results, the patient is advised to take at least 100 milligrams (mg) of niacin, 50,000 international units of vitamin A three times a day and 400 mg of vitamin E once daily for at least one month.

2. Zinc treatment. The use of zinc in curing acne is becoming more popular in the field of nutrition and wellness nowadays. After showcasing impressive results in some acne cases, more and more people are now taking in zinc in therapeutic dosages of 50 mg thrice daily.
Available in tablet and in capsule forms, the acquisition of zinc is now related to the treatment of acne. In its tablet form, zinc can be purchase under the name Zinfet with 200 mg while in capsule form, it can be brought under the name Ulseal 220 mg. In the home zinc treatment, the acne patient can take of 50 mg daily in one month. If positive changes occur, the dosage can be reduced to 25 mg.

3. Orange peel remedy. Aside from being a good source of vitamin C, orangeusing its peelhas become a popular home remedy for curing acne. After pounding the peel with water on a piece of stone, the patient can apply the mixture on to the areas affected by acne.

4. The lemon remedy. This is probably one of the simplest remedies you can do at home to cure your acne. By extracting the lemon fruits juice and applying it regularly on the skin, you can terminate persistence pimples that may cause acne.

5.Garlic treatment. Contrary to common conception, the use of garlic is indeed one of the most effective ways to treat acne. By rubbing raw garlic on the affected area several times a day, you can achieve a clearer and spotless skin.

And by eating at least three seeds of raw garlic daily for a month, you can purify your blood stream and cleanse it to keep acne-causing bacteria away.

6. Coriander and mint juice remedy. Another known effective home remedy for acne is the application of coriander juice or mint and turmeric powder mixture on the face. Make sure that you cleanse your face thoroughly before applying it at night.

7. The fenugreek paste treatment. Aside from using its seed to make curry powder, fenugreekthrough its leavescan be a useful remedy for acne. Making a paste out of its leaves, you can produce a facemask that can be applied at night to prevent pimples and blackheads.

8. The cucumber remedy. Grated cucumber is considered as the best toner for the skin. By applying grated cucumber slices on to face, eyes, and neck for 15 to 20 minutes, you can eliminate persistent blackhead and pimples.

9. An all-fruit and well balanced acne diet. Eating fresh juicy fruits apples, pears, grapes, peaches, and pineapples and peaches combined with healthy vegetables can eliminate the possibility of developing acne.

Other home remedies for acne include warm-water enema, exposure to sun and air baths and hot Epsom salts bath.