How to Get Rid of Acne

Acne vulgaris (commonly called acne) is a skin disease caused by changes in the pilosebaceous units.So that's the scientific definition of acne. But we all know what acne is and how embarrassing it is. There is nothing worse than waking up in the morning to find a big zit on your face.
This condition can strike at any age.Here's how to treat existing acne so that it disappears.
STOP popping the spots, also known as pimples and zits. This may make the pimple look worse due to inflammation and irritation. Popping a zit can spread infection under the skin and produce even more pimples than before. If you do pop a spot then immediately clean it with soap and water or rubbing alcohol in order to prevent infection. If a pimple erupts in a particularly bothersome place, learn how to target a single pimple. And if you're determined to pop, learn how to pop a pimple safely and properly. If you do pop a pimple and you want to avoid anything resembling Western medicine, one thing to try is put a mixture of honey and ground cinnamon on the spot. Put a band-aid on it also. You may also want to stay away from stress.
Remove any make-up you have on.Wearing make-up can clog pores, making them dirty and causing pimples.Use a mild soap for sensitive skin but it doesn't matter exactly what type of soap you use.It can be designed for acne-prone skin or not, but you will want to treat your skin gently.Harsh antibacterial soap may actually make your acne worse by irritating skin.
Remove dead skin cellsregularly by exfoliating. Use a gentle scrub with natural defoliants like ground walnut shells, or use an over-the-counter chemical defoliant like salicylic acid or glycolic acid. Adding ground walnut shell to a thick moisturizer like cocoa butter can be effective too.Take caution, because over-exfoliating can actuallyincrease the likelihood of acne by irritating the skin.Pat dry, rather than rubbing,since rubbing can cause irritation to the fresh skin you've just revealed.Use a good toner.Spray onto face or wipe on with a cotton ball and wipe off with a clean, dry cotton ball. This gets rid of excess cleanser and tightens pores. Good, inexpensive choices include plain witch hazel for normal to dry skin, lemon juice, or 3% hydrogen peroxide for oily skin. 70% ethyl rubbing alcohol can also be used for severe oiliness,but it can really dry out your skin and irritate it more.Some toners are medicated, and this stage is the best for using a medicated product if you're only going to use one medication.
Bacteria in pores is one cause of spots.Reduce the amount of bacteria by using toners containing anti-bacterial agents like alcohol, peroxide and benzalkonium chloride,and by using creams that contain benzoyl peroxide (ask your doctor about benzaclin,with moisturizer if you have dry skin as it works better than just plain benzoyl because benzoyl takes up to 8 weeks before improvement is seen) which kill bacteria as well as cause the skin to regenerate faster.
Maintain a routine. Most acne treatments take time to work. It usually takes between two and eight weeks before you see any significant improvement, so you are going to have to be patient. Once you've gotten your acne cleared up, it's important to continue with the treatment that's working so it does not return.

Article by Daniel Emojevwe

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What is Acne?

Acne(acne vulgaris,common acne)is not just a problem for teenagers;it can affect people from ages 10 through 40.It's not unusual for women,in particular to develop acne in their mid to late 20s,even if they have not had breakouts in years.

On the positive side,those few individuals who have acne into their 40s may well grow out of it.Acne can appear on the skin as any of the following:

*Congested pores(comedones),

*Whiteheads,

*Blackheads,

*Zits,

*Pustules,or

*Cysts(deep pimples,boils)
The pus in pustules and cyst is sterile and does not actually contain infectious bacteria.

These blemishes occur wherever there are many "sebaceous glands",mainly on the face,chest and back.

What causes Acne-No one factor causes acne.Acne happens when "sebaceous glands"come to life around puberty,stimulated by male hormones from the adrenal glands of both boys and girls.Sebum oil is a natural substance which lubricates and protects the skin,and under certain circumstances,cells that are close to the surface block the openings of "sebaceous glands" and cause a build up of oil underneath.This oil stimulates bacteria to multiply and causes surrounding tissue to become inflamed.

Inflammation near the skin's surface produces a "pustules";deeper inflammation results in pimple;deeper still and it's a cyst.If the oil breaks through to the surface,the result is "whitehead".If the oil accumulates "melanin" pigment or becomes oxidized,the oil changes from white to black,and the result is "blackhead".

Here are some factors that don't usually cause acne:

*Heredity:With the exception of very severe acne,most people do not have the problem exactly as their parents did.Almost everyone has some acne at some point in their life.

Food:Parents often tell teens to avoid pizza,cholocolate,greasy and fried food;and junk food.While these foods may not be good for overall health,they don't cause acne or make it worse.Although some recent studies have implicated milk and dairy products in aggravating acne.

Dirt:As mentioned above,"blackheads are oxidized oils,not dirt;sweat does not cause acne.It's not necessary to shower instantly after exercise for fear that sweat will clog pores.

Stress:Some people get so upset by their pimples that they pick at them and make them last longer.

Hormones:Some women break out cyclically,but most women and men do some oral contraceptive pills may help relieve acne,but unless a woman has abnormal menstrual periods and excessive hair growth,its unlikely that hormones play much of a role in causing acne.

Pressure:In some patients,chinstraps,collars,suspenders,the like can aggravate acne.

Drugs:Some medications may cause or worsen acne,such as those containing "iodides","bromides" or injected steroids.Other drugs can cause or aggravate acne are anticonvulsant medications and lithium,which is used to treat "bipolar disorder".

Definitions>>
-whitehead:is a comedo that has an obstructed opening to the skin.A closed comedo may rupture and cause a low-grade skin inflammatory reaction in the area.

-blackhead:Its an open comedo,an open comedo has wide opening to the skin and is capped with a blackened mass of skin debris.

-Zits:Pimples

-Sebaceous gland:A normal gland of the skin which empties an oily secretion into the hair follicle near the surface of the Skin.

-Pustules:A pustule is a small collection of pus in top layer of the skin or beneath it.Pustules frequently form in sweat glands or hair follicles.

-Iodides:Are the chemical forms to which iodine in the diet is reduced before its absorbed through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream and carried through the blood to the thyroid gland.

-Bromides:Are binary compounds of bromine with silver.

-Biopolar Disorder:A biopolar disorder sometimes called manic-depression that characterically involves cycle of depression and elation or mania.

References>>

Wikipedia

Neutrogena

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