Acne: What is acne? Millions of people is suffering from one type of acne or other. Find out more about acne and the types of acne. The key to
beating acne - any type of acne has always been to finding the type of acne and what sort of skin type you have.
Acne - What Is It?
Acne is spots or papules found on the face, neck, back, chest and shoulders. These spots may develop into pustules with a white or
yellowy head that can sometimes be painful. The occurrence of whiteheads and blackheads is quite common
Acne - What Is It?
By Michael Russell
Acne is spots or papules found on the face, neck, back, chest and shoulders. These spots may develop into pustules with a white or yellowy
head that can sometimes be painful. The occurrence of whiteheads and blackheads is quite common.
In puberty the level of sex hormones in the body rises and causes the sebaceous glands in the skin to produce too much sebum (oil). Sebum is
produced in the hair follicles. There occurs an overproduction of the top layer of skin and the pores leading to the sebaceous glands become
blocked with plugs of keratin. This causes blackheads and allows the bacteria that love sebum to multiply. The surrounding skin becomes inflamed,
while the blood vessels expand to allow more infection-fighting cells to the blocked pore. This is usually accompanied by the production of
pus.
Vigorous washing and scrubbing are not recommended as this can actually stimulate the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum. Do not use
alcohol based astringent cleaners, as it can dry out your skin. Do not touch or squeeze the pimples, as this spreads the infection even more.
Acne is an extremely common condition in adolescence and has affected most people, even mildly, at some stage in their lives. Adolescent boys
and girls can suffer severe psychological effects from even mild cases of acne. Treatment today is successful in the most severe cases, but skin
results are gradual and can take up to two months to show an improvement. Perseverance and patience with treatment will eventually produce
positive results. Unfortunately, acne won't clear up on its own without some form of treatment. Treatment could possibly become ongoing, as new
spots will continue to appear, leaving the teenager without a clear complexion. The initial step to follow is to try over-the-counter
medications. These contain substances to dry the skin antibacterial properties to promote healing. If these do not produce results then take your
teenager to the pharmacy and ask the pharmacist to suggest a range of creams, gels and lotions. It is important that all skin treatments are
applied over the entire affected area and not just the spots.
If scars develop or the acne is on the back, then it is better to see your doctor who may prescribe antibiotics with benzoyl peroxide or and
antibiotic cream. It is important to persist with the treatment given for at least two months. If there is no improvement discuss other options
with your doctor. If the acne persists or causes great distress to the teenager, because of their appearance, then the doctor may refer you to a
dermatologist.
Diet does not appear to be an important factor at this stage. It is worth noting that eating sweets and fatty foods depress the immune
function, possibly making the condition worse. Nutritional deficiencies, particularly zinc and vitamin A should be eradicated, by eating foods
rich in these minerals and vitamins. Monthly visits to a qualified beauty therapist will also prove effective, in long-term treatment of acne.
Essential oils with antiseptic properties, such as Tea Tree oil, will reduce the build up of bacteria on the skin.
ezinearticles.com
Click here for more information
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Acne
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell
|