Posted by admin on December 19, 2009 under Clear Acne | 
Acne affects close to 80% of the American population at some point or another. Because of the wide range of acne products available in the market, most acne sufferers have problems deciding which acne product to use for treatment. In fact, prior to consulting a dermatologist, most would first use over the counter drugs and medications.
Dermatologists often advise the use of such acne products (example Neutragena, Eucerin, Aquanil, Cetaphil and Extra Gentle Cleanser) if your case is severe. They will however, usually discourage the use of rough cleansers and scrubs. Also, vigorous rubbing of the skin is best avoided as these may create further irritation and may eventually lead to more acne.
To be able to select the best suitable acne product for yourself, you must learn how to read labels. That is, you have to acquire an understanding of the ingredients of the acne medications. Also, you have to identify which ingredients and which acne products work best for your type of skin.
Benzoyl peroxide, a common ingredient contained in most acne medications are effective in reducing the acne infecting bacteria termed as the “Propionibacterium acnes”. These are known to clog the pores while creating acne lesions. Moderate cases of acne are usually treated with such over the counter medications. Some of these medications also remove dead skin cells, thus preventing the appearance of comedones. They have been highly regarded among experts for decades now and is still rising in popularity as a safe way of clearing acne form the skin. However, the only serious side effect from using benzoyl peroxide is abnormal dry skin.
Another acne product that is noted to obstruct the quick shedding of the skin and the clogging of the skin pores is salicylic acid. This does not reduce the presence of the natural oil , but it prevents the formation of lesions in the hair follicles.
It is advisable that you continue using these two acne products even after the severity of the skin disease disappears to minimize the likelihood of future acne breakouts. However, over time, it is a good idea to cut down the usage of these products once you have no more acne.
The effective ways to determine which product, from the multitude of acne products available, is to distinguish the result of the active ingredients. Take note of what they do to your skin. It is recommended to avoid alcohol and oil-base products as these may either dry your skin extremely or add to the problem of excess oil. As you experiment with acne products, take note which leaves a soft feel and which results to itchiness and irritation.
Make it a habit to apply only small amounts at the beginning of each acne treatment. Also, pay close attention to the acne products for which your skin reacts constructively.
There is really no way round selecting the best acne product other than understanding what the ingredients in each product are for and through experimenting which works best for your skin condition. In time, after due diligence and careful analysis, you will be able to determine the best acne product for yourself.
Posted by admin on October 26, 2009 under Treatment For Acne |
The treatment of acne by the administration of salves or ointment does not serve any purpose. They only suppress the action of the sebaceous glands temporarily. In nature cure, the main emphasis is on diet and certain water applications. To begin with, the patient should resort to an all-fruit diet for about a week. This regimen should consist of three meals a day, consisting of fresh juicy fruits, such as apples, pears, grapes, grapefruits, pineapples and peaches. Citrus fruits, babanas, dried, stewed or tinned fruits should not be taken. Unsweetened lemon or plain water, either hot or cold, should be drunk and nothing else. During this period, a warm water enema should be taken daily to cleanse the bowels and all other measures adopted to eradicate constipation.
Hormonal preparations have also been found useful in the treatment of acne. The contraceptive pill is used only if the patient has not improved with antibiotics treatment. Anti-androgens
are also used sometimes. A note of caution is that these drugs should be used by women only, as they have unpleasant side-effects in men.
A drug, isotretinoin, has revolutionalised the treatment of acne, especially the severe variety. It is a derivative of vitamin A. Person should not fear Acne, as something untreatable. Nowadays lots of therapies are available for the treatment of Acne. It can be easily controllable. Person suffering from Acne, should wash his/her face with mild antibacterial soap. It is recommended at least twice a day, but if the skin is too much oily then person may wash it quite often. But over washing or scrubbing should be avoided because it may lead to irritation of the skin and finally may worsen the acne.
After a week of the all -fruit diet,the patient can gradually adopt a well-balanced diet with a predominantly alkaline base. Emphasis should be on raw foods, especially fresh fruits and vegetables, sprouted seeds, raw nuts and whole grain cereals, particularly millet and brown rice. Further, short periods on the all-fruit diet for three days or so may be necessary at monthly intervals till the skin’s condition improves.
The following diet should serve as a guideline:
Breakfast : Fresh fruits, and milk. For a change, dried fruits may be added occasionally.
Lunch : Steamed vegetables, whole grain bread or chappatis with butter and curd or butter-milk.
Dinner : A large bowl of raw vegetable salad and sprouts, such as alfalfa seeds or mung beans, with prunes or other dried fruit as dessert.
For local treatment, hot fomentation should be applied to open up the pores and squeeze out the waste matter. Then rinse with cold water. Sun and air baths, by exposing the whole body to sun and air, are highly beneficial. Washing the affected area with lemon juice has also proved helpful. Healing packs made of grated cucumbers, oatmeal cooked in milk and cooked, creamed carrots, used externally, have been found effective. A hot Epsom salt bath twice a week will be highly beneficial in all cases of acne. This bath is prepared by adding three lbs. of Epsom salt to 60 litres of water having a temperature of about 100 o F. The patient should remain in the bath from 25 to 35 minutes till he perspires freely. After the bath, the patient should cool off gradually.
