Archive for the ‘Acne Info’ Category

Acne Problems and Self-Esteem Issues

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

Acne problems are not restricted to teenagers only. Many adults also cope with acne problems.

As a result their self-confidence dips, and this condition can affect their work as well as their personal life. It is not life threatening, but is a condition that seems to hurt the self-esteem of many people.

Short-Term Effects

Furthermore, they are unable to rise high in life. Some of them blame their looks for each failure in life and may even use it as an excuse to indulge in sex, drugs, and liquor.

They may also fall into deep depression and suffer from frequent bouts of self-pity, and can become easily angered. This may seem extreme but because of acne problems (particularly the severest cases) some individuals often are emotionally unstable.

They might even avoid social gatherings and parties. This is the case of both teens as well as adults. Either that or if they do attend they stay in the shadows.

To make matters worse when it comes time to address a small a group of people, it becomes difficult for them. This is because they loath the fact that people who are sitting in the audience will be conscious of their pimples. They might feel like they are being stared at, or they may feel exposed.

Long-Term Effects

As the person with acne problem develops emotional problems, more and more difficulties will occur. For instance, they may exhibit body negative language that pushes other people away.

People start avoiding them because they do not want to deal with someone who is such a “basket case”. Over time they also will develop a severe inferiority complex which they may even have for the rest of their lives.

About Treatment

Treating acne sometimes takes time, and often the condition may worsen before it gets better. What works for one person may not be the most effective solution for another.

This is commonplace among acne sufferers. This is why it is so important to seek the right solution.

This requires an understanding of your skin and skin type. You should know if you have oily, dry, combination, or another skin type in order to decide what works best for you.

Products found over the counter are generally mild and work in one of several ways. They dry up excess oil and kill the bacteria that cause acne. They also work to exfoliate dead, dry facial skin cells.

Introduction to Acne

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

Sometimes the cells inside the follicles shed too fast and stick together, forming a white, cheesy plug at the surface of the skin. If the opening to the surface stays partly open, the top of the plug may darken, causing a blackhead.

Formation

This is an explanation of how acne forms. It is a general description, and mentions both mild and severe cases of acne.

If the opening to the surface closes, the follicle may fill up and its wall may start to bulge, causing a whitehead. The mixture of oil and cells inside the follicle also aids the growth of bacteria. If the follicle wall bursts, the oil, cells, and bacteria spill into the skin.

The result is redness, swelling, and pus, in other words, a pimple. Whiteheads usually form from pimples. However, occasionally blackheads will form.

Blackheads are formed when too much oil is produced from the glands of skin. The excess oil collects in the pores of the skin and hardens into plug. Since the pores are open, the tip of the clogged oil is exposed to the air. It oxidizes and turns black.

This is a more severe form of acne. The lumps may be painful, and if they are not treated by a doctor, permanent scars could develop.

However, one of the best ways to treat acne is to prevent it from forming in the first place. The following section provides you with prevention tips.

Prevention

Getting rid of acne can be a challenge. You need to take several steps to make it happen. Some things you can do to prevent acne include the following:

  • Stop using oil-based make-up, hair products, lotions, and creams.
  • Eliminate consumption of greasy fast foods, pizza, fried chicken, etc.
  • Avoid getting too much of any kind of oil on your skin.
  • This includes mechanical oils and grease, as well as cooking oils should not come in contact with skin.
  • Diet and lifestyles may need to be changed in order to get rid of acne (i.e. eating less sugary and salty snacks, candy, chocolate, donuts, or chips).

Acne Care Warning for Using Benzoyl Peroxide Users

Friday, July 9th, 2010

Benzoyl peroxide is found in many acne skin care products. It is used because it is considered to be gentler than using alcohol-based skin cleansers.

The Problem

Benzoyl peroxide could possibly irritate the skin. It also could cause a mild drying of the skin which leads to drying and/or redness and peeling. However, the main concern is if you leave it on the skin for two hours or longer.

Most of the time you probably would not, as usually you would wash off most peroxide-based cleaners right away. However, you should also note that benzoyl peroxide is not just used in over-the-counter facial cleansing products.

It is also used in solutions used to treat modest cases of non-inflammatory acne. This is a case in which you should remember to wash off the peroxide-based product within two hours or less.

In this case, you can experience the full benefit of using this less-harsh but strong enough chemical on your skin. However, if you leave it on your face too long that is when the redness, peeling, and rashes could occur.

A Solution

Although there is a small risk of reaction, benzoyl peroxide products are generally regarded as safe and effective treatments for acne. However, in order to be sure you remain safe you should take care to use the low concentration of it possible.

If you use benzoyl peroxide right it will greatly benefit you. However, besides using it right and in the right proportion you should also only use it as often as needed. This will prevent dryness as well as other side effects mentioned above.

Other natural alternatives for clear skin include the following: vinegar water, mild exfoliates with almond shells in them, or witch hazel. However, using benzoyl peroxide is by some consumer and expert standards better for your skin than SD alcohol 40.