Acne – Acne Treatment – Acne Skin Care Tips

Archive for December, 2011

If you suffer from acne, you know that it is a common disorder of the skin which can cause some serious damage to the psyche of the person afflicted. Depression, low self-esteem, and even poor body image are all things that people with severe acne often suffer from. If you have recovered from acne, you may still have scars on your face or back long after the breakouts have gone. While it may seem hopeless, there are actually several treatments that could reduce or even eliminate your acne scars.

If acne has left some pitted areas of your skin, where the breakouts used to be, collagen and other elements can be injected into these craters to puff them back up and make them less noticeable. This requires the expertise of a qualified plastic surgeon or dermatologist, so seek out the proper care.

Having a chemical peel removes the very top layer of skin and gets down to the newer, fresher skin underneath. This treatment can also help with old acne scars by removing those damaged top layers.

Similar to a chemical peel, dermabrasion is a procedure in which the top layer of skin is removed using a rotating wire brush. This is more helpful for people who are afraid of harsh chemicals on their skin.

There are also so over the counter, home remedies you may be able to try. Many companies now offer a home microdermabrasion kit in stores. These kits use a specific cleanser along with a microderm abrasion device that comes in the kit. It also helps to remove dead skin cells and stimulate new cell growth. These kits are great for lighter scars that don’t go as deep into the skin.

Also sold over the counter, are different creams that contain vitamin E, Shea Butter, Aloe and other natural soothing agents that have been show to reduce the appearance of scars and heal the skin. These area great first step. They do take some time to be effective though, so don’t give up after just a few days. Continue to use them on the affected area for at least several weeks. Take a before picture so that you have something concrete to compare the results to.

Acne is very frustrating for those that suffer from it. The scars that it can leave are just a permanent reminder of what you went through. The treatments listed above are all great ideas for you to look into and consider.

Acne affects over 50 million people in the United States alone and 20 million have permanent acne scars. That’s a impressive number. While everybody gets acne at some point in their life, some get it worse than others. If untreated, acne can cause scars. So, acne can be serious business. Most people think only teenagers get this skin condition, but adult acne is popular too. Nearly fifty percent of women have adult acne. Let’s discuss more about this annoying skin condition.

What is acne?

Believe it or not, dirt does not cause acne. Many people believe if you have poor hygiene that you have a better chance of developing pimples. That’s not true. Acne forms under the skin in hair follicle pores. An oily substance called sebum is produced by the skin to keep the skin moist and soft. But sometimes the sebum will get clogged by dead skin cells and other debris and this is the beginning of a pimple. Not only does acne affect the face, it affects the chest, shoulders, groin, and buttocks.

Acne Tips

TIP #1: Drink Water: Try to consume at least eight glasses of water each day to keep your body and skin hydrated.

TIP #2: Exfoliate

TIP #3: Cleansing: When cleansing the face, wash the your face with warm to hot water to remove the excess oil and makeup. This opens up the pores. When rinsing, rinse with cool water which shrinks pores and stimulates circulation.

TIP #4: Get enough sleep: Sleeping is your body’s natural healing process, so if you interrupt that, then you body doesn’t have time to heal. Try to get 7 to 8 hours of rest.

TIP #5: Stress: Try to maintain a healthy stress level. When stressed, you body goes through changes to protect yourself and this can trigger outbreaks.

Acne Treatments

1. There are over-the-counter products that contain benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid that helps treat acne. While these can work, if you have moderate to severe acne you will probably have to go see a dermatologist for a more intensive treatment. They may prescribe a medication.

2. A dermatologist will have certain treatments to treat acne pimples. They may use laser and intense pulsed light treatments that may have success with your acne. Your dermatologist will tell you what is the best treatment for you.

Acne is a serious condition and needs to be dealt with as soon as possible. It’s easier to treat mild acne than severe.