Sunday, October 26, 2008

Learning The Fundamental Principles Of Acne Control

Acne control is effortless for some, but, for others, acne control may seem impossible, especially in the teenage years. During this time, many people feel as though they are going through a never-ending acne breakout, although there are a lot of people who fall in between these extremes.  Regardless of which category you fall into, acne control can be a reality if you can find the right way to treat acne.

The essential methods of acne control are to keep pores from getting clogged, unclog infected pores, attack the bacteria causing the infection, or reduce the redness associated with acne.  There are many preventative measures you can take to reduce the chance of having an acne breakout in the first place.  Gently washing your face with soap and water once or twice a day will help prevent your pores from being clogged.  Beyond this, benzoyl peroxide, which is the active ingredient in Oxy pads and many other cleaning wipes, helps to further clean your skin as well as dry it out.  One of the biggest advantages of using benzoyl peroxide is that it can be used in combination with other products to treat acne.

Exfoliating is another very popular method of acne control.  Exfoliating removes the dead skin cells from the surface of your skin.  These dead cells can cause acne breakouts by clogging extremely active oil glands, especially those on your face.  Exfoliating can also make you skin much smoother, softer, and healthy.  However, some exfoliating agents can be very harsh, so a new exfoliating product should first be tested on a small area for reactions before using on your entire face. 

Some products for acne control have a dual purpose. Exfoliates not only remove the dead skin cells from the surface, they also offer the benefits of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory products. Both of these ingredients can help to treat the existing acne and reduce the redness and swelling that often accompanies a breakout. Other common ingredients are sulfur and Azelaic acid. One ingredient to be cautious of using on the face is salicylic acid. While this ingredient can help to prevent the pores from clogging, it is too irritating to facial skin.

Some people with severe acne may need to consult a dermatologist for help with their acne control.  A dermatologist may suggest a cleansing regime, use lights or lasers to treat and prevent breakouts, or prescribe medication.  If you are prescribed medication, you should be wary of the side effects, as most acne medication is very harsh, even toxic.  Some of these numerous side effects are somewhat discomforting, but others are very permanent.  A few acne prescriptions have even been linked with depression, sometimes resulting in suicide. 

Because of the dangers of using acne medication as well as the costs involved, it is preferable to try over-the-counter treatments first, like benzoyl peroxide or exfoliating products for acne control before consulting a dermatologist.


What are the mental effects of acne?

Acne may show a body's failure to properly deal with hormonal changes. Acne can indicate that a person is not dealing with stress effectively. It may be evidence of a potentially serious allergic reaction to a medication or other element. It is not these effects of acne that tend to do the most damage, though.

More than a health issue, acne is known causing people (mainly teens) a sense of shame and embarrassment. Acne is falsely associated with being unclean. Clear, healthy skin is associated with cleanliness, while severe forms of acne are often believed to be the result of sanitary neglect. Not only that, acne can be ugly and turn people away. Most people who experience severe acne are emotionally scarred by the social rejection, leading to adolescent emotional insecurity and a sense of self-doubt. Because of this, acne should be treated as quickly and as thoroughly as possible. 

Isn't it true that staying clean helps prevent acne?

It is always better to rid your skin of toxins and dirt that accumulate during your normal routine. So yes, to some extent, it is true that washing skin can help prevent or decrease acne. Acne is a chemical matter, and it is something that occurs beneath the surface of the skin more so than on the skin itself. Both daily cleansing and care of one's skin will help reduce the bacteria that rests on the skin, but they cannot lessen the testosterone levels beneath the surface of the skin that help produce acne.

Understanding this basic fact should help reduce some of the stigma attached to acne. It should also allow people who suffer from acne to take some comfort in knowing that they are not necessarily less clean than others. The truth is that they have very little control over what is going on beneath their skin.


To learn more go to Dandelion For Acne Treatment and at Blue Light Acne Treatment also Acne Treatment Skin Care

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