Showing posts with label acne. Show all posts

gravatar

How to Get Rid of Acne Scars

By Bertil Hjert

Scars left by acne on skin appear ugly. This leaves a painful impressions on the patient, people genuinely try to get rid of these scars. They try everything from topical creams, to gels, pills and lotions to remove these scars. Everyone wants flawless skin. However, acne marks may make you feel like hiding your face inside a pillow.

Acne scars develop as soon as you pop pimple or squeeze it out. Popping or squeezing results in a permanent mark at the affected area. The deeper you have peeled the skin, the darker is the mark. Most of the times this action leaves a scar and it gets very difficult to get rid off this scar.

Don't panic if you have already developed an acne scar. There are some home remedies that will help you eliminate these scars on your face.

Here are some tricks to solve your problem:

a) Take fresh juice of lemon. Now dip a cotton ball in it. Pat your face with the cotton ball and let it dry naturally. Some people may find this a little irritating. You may dilute the lemon juice with some rose water or plain water. Let the surface dry naturally for 15-20 minutes and wash your face with water after a while. Repeat this process at least four times a week and you will see a remarkable change in your skin structure.

b) Prepare a paste with some sandalwood powder and rose-water. Now add 2-4 drops of lime juice to it. Apply this paste on your face and neck. Now, let the solution dry naturally. After that, you need to rinse your face and neck thoroughly. Do this on a regular basis to get best results.

c) Applying cucumber juice on your face with cotton wool. This should be your daily regime during summers. This will help cooling off the skin and tighten the pores. Cucumber juice is extremely helpful in making your skin glow and makes it feel fresh.

d) Another popular homemade remedy for removing acne marks into make a paste of apple and honey. First, make apple paste and then add about 4-6 drops of honey. Apply this mask on your face.

e) Wash off after 15 minutes. This paste helps tightening pores and also makes complexion lighter.

There are some technical procedures that will help you get rid of acne scars:

a) Dermabrasion

This is different from micro-dermabrasion that removes top layer of dead surface skin cells from the face. Dermabrasion is actually a coarser method that removes further layers. The dermatologist will numb your face and then remove layers. The recovery time takes about a couple of weeks. Your skin will scab. Once the scab falls, you will get fresh and glowing skin.

b) Laser resurfacing This is a method that cleans away pimples and get rid of acne scars. The use of laser is prominent in this method. CO2 laser and YAG laser are the two lasers used commonly in this procedure. This procedure removes the top layers of the skin that has been damaged. The recovery time is a couple of weeks. Your doctor may also apply a topical ointment for speeding up the recovery process.

c) Augmentation

Here, the dermatologist injects fillers usually collagen under the skin. This smoothens acne scarred area. The doctor may take fat from other places in your body and inject instead of collagen. The recovery period is fast.

Always consult a dermatologist prior to deciding on a treatment for acne.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bertil_Hjert

gravatar

What is Acne?

By अंगेला पल्मेर

Acne at its most basic is a disorder of the pilosebaceous unit, or what is commonly called the hair follicle or pore. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, it is the most common skin disorder in the United States. Acne vulgaris, as common acne is known, is classified as a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin.

Acne is characterized by the presence of pimples or "zits", blackheads, and whiteheads. It chiefly affects the face, neck, chest, back, and/or upper arms of sufferers. Rarely you will find acne in other areas of the body. Acne varies in development from very mild to extremely severe.

Who suffers from acne?

Acne most frequently effects teens and preteens. Three out of four teens will experience acne. Acne strikes both sexes equally, but teen boys tend to have longer lasting and more severe acne than do girls.

But acne is not limited to teens. Many men and women suffer from adult onset acne breakouts. Acne can also occur in babies, toddlers, and children.

How does acne develop?

Acne occurs when oil and dead skin cells become trapped within the hair follicle, creating a plug within the pore. This plug of dead cells and oil is called a comedo. Blackheads and whiteheads are examples of non-inflamed comedones.

As the breakout progresses and bacteria invade, the follicle wall may rupture within the dermis, creating inflammation and redness. Inflamed blemishes vary in severity depending on the damage to the follicle wall and the amount of infection present. Severe cases of acne may lead to deeper lesions and cysts.

Most people with acne have a number of non-inflamed lesions, or comedones. However, not every acne sufferer necessarily suffers from inflamed breakouts.

What causes acne?

There is no precise cause of acne; rather, it is a result of many factors coming together to create an acne situation. Those who are prone to acne often have skin that is oilier than average. Excess oil can easily become trapped within the pore, creating an impaction.

Acneic skin also produces more dead skin cells than is normal, and those skin cells are not being shed properly (a condition called retention hyperkeratosis). These dead cells stick to the surface of the skin and inside the follicles, mixing with excess oil and creating a comedo.

When the pore becomes blocked by cellular debris and oil, a bacterium that is normally present within the pore grows unchecked. Propionibacteria acnes (P. acnes) are found in great numbers on acneic skin, causing inflamed breakouts.

Why does acne occur?

Acne often first appears during puberty, when there is a surge of androgen hormones within the body. Androgens stimulate the sebaceous glands, creating an oilier complexion and one more prone to breakouts.

Most dermatologists agree androgen hormones significantly influence acne development. In addition to puberty, women may see considerable hormonal fluctuations are during menstruation, pregnancy, menopause and perimenopause. During these life phases, acne is most likely to develop or flare up.

Other factors that contribute to acne development include oily cosmetics, comedogenic skin care or hair care products, certain drugs such as steroids and estrogen medications. Acne tends to run in families. If your parents had acne at any point in their lives, your chance of developing acne is higher.

Is there a cure for acne?

Acne is a complex problem, but one we are learning more about every day. While there is no cure, many treatment options are available to those who have acne. It takes time and patience, but nearly every case of acne can be controlled successfully.

Where should I go first?

Most mild cases of acne can be treated effectively at home, with good daily skin care and over-the-counter treatments, such as benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. If you are suffering from moderate to severe acne or home treatments are not working for you, contact your doctor. Your dermatologist can help devise a course of therapy that is right for you. More Acne Q&A
Basic Acne Information

SymptomsDiagnosisTreatment

From the American Academy of Dermatology
Acne Information

reviewed by the Medical Review Board

gravatar

How Should People With Acne Care for Their Skin?

  • Clean Skin Gently
    People with acne may try to stop outbreaks and oil production by scrubbing their skin and using strong detergent soaps. However, scrubbing will not improve acne; in fact, it can make the problem worse. Most doctors recommend that people with acne gently wash their skin with a mild cleanser, once in the morning and once in the evening. Patients should ask their doctor or another health professional for advice on the best type of cleanser to use. The skin should also be washed after heavy exercise. Patients should wash their face from under the jaw to the hairline; rough scrubs or pads should not be used. It is important that patients thoroughly rinse their skin after washing it. Astringents are not recommended unless the skin is very oily, and then they should be used only on oily spots. Doctors also recommend that patients regularly shampoo their hair. Those with oily hair may want to shampoo it every day.

  • Avoid Frequent Handling of the Skin
    People who squeeze, pinch, or pick their blemishes risk developing scars. Acne lesions can form in areas where pressure is frequently applied to the skin. Frequent rubbing and touching of skin lesions should be avoided.

  • Shave Carefully
    Men who shave and who have acne can try electric and safety razors to see which is more comfortable. Men who use a safety razor should use a sharp blade and soften their beard thoroughly with soap and water before applying shaving cream. Nicking blemishes can be avoided by shaving lightly and only when necessary.

  • Avoid Suntanning
    A suntan or sunburn that reddens the skin can make blemishes less visible and make the skin feel drier for a little while. But the benefits are only temporary. The sun can seriously damage skin, promote aging of skin, and cause skin cancer. Furthermore, many of the medications used to treat acne make a person more prone to sunburn.

  • Choose Cosmetics Carefully
    People being treated for acne often need to change some of the cosmetics they use. All cosmetics, such as foundation, blush, eye shadow, and moisturizers, should be oil free. Patients may find it difficult to apply foundation evenly during the first few weeks of treatment because skin may be red or scaly, particularly with the use of topical tretinoin or benzoyl peroxide. Lip products that contain moisturizers may cause small, open and closed comedones to form. Hairstyling products that come in contact with the skin along the hairline can cause burning or stinging in people with acne. Products that are labeled as noncomedogenic (do not promote the formation of blemishes) should be used; in some people, however, even these products may cause acne.

Reprinted from The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)

Article Source:http://womenshealth।about।com/od/acne/l/blacne11.htm