Archive for Health & Fitness
Acne Types, Causes And Treatments
Posted by: | CommentsAcne Vulgaris, commonly referred to as pimples, is an inflammatory disease of the skin. This condition is very common in puberty. As one reaches their early twenties, it either disappears or decreases. Acne begins because of the comedo, an enlarged hair follicle plugged with oil and bacteria. The comedo is invisible to the naked eye and is present beneath the surface of the skin. When it gets the right condition, it grows into an inflamed lesion. The oil produced from the skin helps bacteria to flourish within the swollen follicle.
Non-inflammatory acre are of two types Closed comedo or white head, and Open comedo or black head. There are 4 types of inflammatory acne
Papule It is the mildest form that appears on the skin as a small, firm pink bump.
Pustule They are small round lesions containing visible pus. They may appear red at the base and yellowish or whitish at the center.
Nodule or Cyst Large and painful, they are pus-filled lesions lodged deep within the skin. The nodules may persist for weeks or months with the contents hardening into a deep cyst. Both nodules and cysts often leave deep scars.
Acne Conglobata This severe bacterial infection develops mostly on the back, buttocks and chest.
The chief causes of acne are hormones like androgen, production of extra sebum, follicle fallout, bacteria and inflammation. For controlling acne, you can carry out the following steps
Avoid excessive washing of your skin. It can leave the healthy skin dry, thus irritating the acne prone areas. Over-washing may also stimulate extra oil production.
Avoid alcohol products to tone your skin. Alcohol is a strong astringent that strips the top layer of the skin causing sebaceous glands to produce more oil.
Do not squeeze or pick the acne with fingernails, pins or any other thing. It forces the bacteria deeper into the skin and often leaves a permanent acne scar.
A wash is required after exercise. The heat and moisture trapped against the skin creates an ideal breeding ground for the spread of bacteria.
Consume food rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin B-2, Vitamin B-3, Vitamin E and Zinc like eggs, nuts, liver, milk, fish and leafy green vegetables.
Proper sleep and a life without stress and emotional anxiety can reduce acne.
Wear little make-up while exercising. Avoid garments that are made exclusively with nylon.
Laser surgery is often used to reduce the scars left behind by acne. Treating acne with azelaic acid, salicylic acid, tropical retinoids and benzoyl peroxide is also common. A large number of people started trying herbal acne treatments over the traditional medications by using teas, oils and herbal creams.
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Acne Get The Lowdown On This Four Letter Word
Posted by: | CommentsAcne Get The Lowdown On This Four Letter Word
Acne is considered pimples, zits, blackheads, and whiteheads. These are all part of the same irritating ailment that affects so many, especially teenagers. In fact, many people consider acne the most irritating thing about puberty. At a time when teenagers tend to be very self conscious and are going through physical changes, cracking voices, menstrual cycles, facial hair, and hair growing in strange places, these darn pimples come along to make things even more complex. Where in the world do they come from?
Common acne is officially known as acne vulgaris. This blemish producing blight is caused by multiple factors. During puberty the body produces an excess of the male hormone testosterone. Also, female menstrual cycles cause changes in the body that throw the hormone balance a bit out of whack. Add to this the other changes in the adolescent body that begins the process of turning them into adults, and acne is on its way. Much of the problems caused by acne come from the bacteria that is normally present on skin, a staff like bacteria that grows in abundance, especially in clogged pores filled with dead skin cells.
Other things can cause acne as well, or make it worse. Exposure to too much chlorine can cause a long lasting and nasty type of acne, and use of anabolic steroids can cause acne, in addition to many other health problems that they can cause.
For many years people thought that acne was caused by poor hygiene, and kids would scrub their faces raw in an effort to open up pores and get rid of pimples and blackheads. That actually may make the problem worse by damaging the skin. Also for many years people thought that certain foods would make some people more prone to acne. Fried foods were blamed, as was chocolate. This may have been a natural assumption. Teenagers often eat candy bars and other chocolate foods. Also teenagers tend to be fans of fried foods, such as hamburgers, French fries, tator tots, fish and chips, and fried chicken. Many people associated oily skin with greasy foods, but there is no medical or scientific connection. Acne is a nasty, but natural part of growing up.
Most people outgrow acne as their bodies change and puberty ends. In fact, by the time most people reach their twenties they are through with the ravages of acne. For a few people it may hang on longer, but for the vast majority of people it is a temporary and passing thing. Time will cure most cases as a person passes into adulthood.
The types of acne blemishes are divided into two different categories, inflamed and non-inflamed. Non-inflamed blemishes are called blackheads or whiteheads. The whitehead is a clogged follicle that plugs the skin pore. The mass is made up of dead skin cells. The blackhead is in essence the same thing, but it has opened up and become oxidized, creating the darker tint. Many people think that blackheads come from dirt, but that is not the case.
Inflamed blemishes are those that are commonly call pimples or zits. These blemishes are usually reddish and look inflamed. The red pimple is classic. A bit more troublesome is the larger cyst. Pimples develop when a whitehead does not turn into a blackhead and plugs the pore so that it can be expelled. Instead the pore wall breaks down and becomes a repository for oil, dead skin cells, bacteria and other debris of the body. White blood cells congregate in the blemish to fight the infection, and form a puss substance, that can become painful. Everyone is familiar with pimples. The larger cyst can be even more painful, and it can flair up again and again and may require medical attention.
There are many misconceptions about acne. Some people think that the sun will cure acne and seek a suntan as a cure all. However, this has no positive effect, simply darkening the skin just makes pimples harder to see, and the side effects can be wrinkles and skin cancer in later life. However, there are many treatments available for acne that can lessen the impact it has on the lives of the victims. Many good over the counter remedies, natural remedies, and when needed prescription, drugs can help.
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Acne! Did It Have to Happen Now?
Posted by: | CommentsCopyright 2006 Tony Buel
The thought of dating is hard enough for the self-conscious teenager. And now – it couldn’t have happened at a worse time – Acne!
Acne is the most common concern of almost all teens all over the world. Nearly every otherwise healthy teenager suffers from acne and all of them detest it. In some, the disgust is so strong as to border on the obsessive. And in still others, unresolved acne problems could very well result in low self esteem and consequent depression. But the good news is that almost all acne is a normal and natural process of growing up. With or without the use of acne treatments, all acne will eventually disappear as the teenagers move on to adolescence and beyond. But almost everyone is eternally on the quest to identify and secure the ultimate acne treatment.
In order to determine the ideal acne treatment, it is essential to understand what causes acne in the first place. Acne is usually caused, not as most people believe due to poor hygiene, but due to hormonal changes in the human body. Some people secrete excessive oil due to the hormonal changes brought on by puberty and this traps dirt and moisture, resulting in blackheads and acne. In some others, acne is brought on by infection or by the blockage of the pores. Still others may have acne as a result of poor diet. But acne treatment is available for all kinds of acne. It would however always be a good idea to consult a dermatologist to determine the cause of acne before trying to go in for self treatment.
There is an unimaginable range of acne treatment available in the market. Just go to any pharmacy or drugstore and you will see shelves upon gleaming shelves of products offering acne treatment. Most of them are generalized acne treatment lotions that may or may not eradicate your problem. But in order to find the best acne treatment, suited to your specific acne, your doctor is the best advisor. Acne treatments differ for various acne. And unless you are able to pin down the cause, you may end up spending a fortune on acne treatments that don’t ever seem to work. Some of the more common acne treatments include azelaic acid creams, benzoyl peroxide and Accutane. Other treatments include topical antibiotics and lotions. Still other treatments include glycolic and gluconic acids. But as mentioned earlier, each of these acne treatments works for a particular kind of acne. And the more severe the acne, the more strong the treatment.
The best advice anyone can give you regarding acne treatments is that time is the best healer. But for those who are unwilling to let time be the healer, the pharmacy is their playground. While common treatments could work wonders for some, others will have to go in for prescription drugs.
Know this, the key is to understand your particular case of acne. Only then can you begin to solve the problem. And you will be amazed how quickly you can solve your acne problem once you understand the source of your acne and implement the right strategy to attack it!
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