qaqanijetav: December 2006

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Review Of Acne Medications The Worst And Best

About Acne, itsTypes & Symptoms

by Balaji B

What is Acne?

Acne is a chronic disorder of the hair follicles and sebaceous glands. Some of the characteristics of acne include black heads, pimples, cysts, infected abscesses, and rarely scarring. Acne usually occurs during adolescence in both men and women. To be more specific, acne starts during puberty and tends to get worse for people with oily skin. Acne badly affects teenage boys. Only mild to moderate forms of acne occur in middle-aged women. Acne can be seen most commonly on the face. The other places where it can occur include the neck, chest, back, shoulders, scalp, and upper arms and legs. Most forms of acne are the result of heredity and hormonal problems and has nothing to do with a harmful diet or poor hygiene.

Types of acne

Acne starts in a similar way for all but can take different forms and can react in a unique way according to the body conditions of the individual. A basic lesion called the comedo is the begining of acne. The comedo is an enlarged hair follicle plugged with oil and bacteria residing under the surface of your skin, that waits for the right conditions to grow into an inflamed lesion. Whenever the skin produces more oil, the bacteria grows within the swollen follicle. The surrounding skin becomes increasingly inflamed as your white blood cells fight against the intruders. Two main types of acne include non-inflammatory acne and inflammatory acne.

Non-inflammatory acne

Closed comedo:

If the plugged follicle stays below the surface of the skin, the lesion is called a closed comedo. This usually appears on the skin as small, whitish bumps. This condition is otherwise called as whitehead.

Open comedo :

If the plug enlarges and pushes through the surface of the skin, the lesion is called an open comedo. The dark appearance of the plug is not due to dirt, but due to the buildup of melanin, the pigmentation element of the skin. This condition is otherwise called as blackhead.

Inflammatory acne

Papule:

This appears on the skin as a small, firm pink bump. The papules are tender in nature and are often considered an intermediary step between non-inflammatory and clearly inflammatory lesions.

Pustule:

These are small round lesions that are inflamed and contain visible pus, which appear red at the base with a yellowish or whitish center. Pustules do not contain a large amount of bacteria. The inflammation is caused by chemical irritation from sebum components such as fatty free acids.

Cyst:

These are large pus-filled lesions that are usually present deep within the skin. The cysts are very painful lesions, as they are inflamed. Cysts form as a result of the contents of a comedo spilling over the surrounding skin and due to the response of the local immune system in producing pus. The cysts often leave deep scars.

Acne conglobata:

This is a rare but serious form of inflammatory acne that develops primarily on the back, buttocks, and chest. In addition, to the presence of pustules and cysts, there may be severe bacterial infection.

Symptoms

The common symptoms of acne include persistent, recurrent red spots or swellings on the skin known as pimples. The pimples become inflamed and get filled with pus. The pimples usually occur on the face, chest, shoulders, neck, or upper portion of the back. Some of the other symptoms include dark spots with open pores at the center, which are known as blackheads, bulged spots under the skin without openings, which are known as whiteheads, and red swellings or lumps filled with pus, which are known as pustules. The pustules can develop from blackheads or whiteheads. Inflamed fluid-filled lumps under the skin known as cysts are also a symptom of acne. These cysts can become as large as an inch across.

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

Acne Medications For Children

Zits - What Do I Need To Know About Them

by Peter Crump

Zits, or pimples, affect almost everyone at some stage of their life. Zits are yukky, unsightly, and usually a part of growing up.

However it can be useful to know a little bit about them when you are approaching the age when zits may become a part of your life.

Firstly, zits aren�t restricted to teenagers as most think. Zits can affect people at any age. It is estimated that anything up to 50% of adult women have a case of zits at some stage in their life after their teen years. Even adult men get zits, although not as frequently as women. And babies.

However the most common time to encounter zits is in your teens. This, of course, is exactly when you don�t want them. You are most aware of the opposite sex, and most interested in making sure that you look as appealing as possible. An outbreak of zits on your face is not at all welcome.

It is not entirely understood what causes zits. It is known what they are, but not exactly what causes them. However the experts think that it is most likely that zits are caused by hormonal changes that take place in your body at certain stages in your life. This explains why zits can be encountered at times when the body is experiencing hormonal changes such as in the teen years.

Zits are a normal part of life. Almost everyone has them, especially as teens, and they are not sent to make your life a misery at the exact time that you don�t want them. They are a part of growing up and if you are a teen with zits you can be sure that most of your friends will get them soon if they haven�t already.

You can get zits on other parts of your body as well as your face. For example on your back, although there are others.

Although it may be fun to pop your zits, or certainly satisfying, it may not be the best thing to do. Experts disagree on whether popping your zits causes scars, but when in doubt, try to avoid it. And if you must then refrain from attempting to get those deep ones that are hard to pop, just stick to the obvious simple ones. But preferably don�t.

Contrary to popular belief you don�t get zits by eating too much chocolate, although you may get fat. Fatty foods do not cause zits.

You don�t get zits because you aren�t washing your face well enough.

As zits are a normal part of life it is extremely difficult to cure them. However there are good strategies available to manage them. It�s just that you control, rather than cure them until your body decides that enough is enough.

Zits will go away with time, although it probably doesn�t seem so now. People don�t generally go through life with permanent zits. A serious case though can cause scars, so it is always worth having them checked out by your doctor.

Overall remember, although zits may seem like a huge problem now, they will go away, and they will be a distant memory soon. Everyone has to deal with them, it�s just your turn at the moment.

Find out more about Acne as well as Home Treatment for Acne and adult acne, acne skin care products, the best acne treatments and more at Peter�s website, Acne All Gone.

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

Friday, December 22, 2006

Acne Medications Safe During Pregnancy

Acne Rosacea - The Whole Truth

by John Wellington

Acne rosacea is characterized by a red rash-like appearance on the face that never goes away. It is accompanied by acne-like bumps or rashes. A normal acne treatment usually won't affect it because it is much different than normal acne. It is most common in white women but it can happen to other people as well.

The unproven cause of acne rosacea is inflammation. A few doctors believe that an increase in the blood flow through the small blood vessels that produce the redness causes it. It has also been discussed that acne rosacea could be caused by lifestyle factors such as diet, heavy drinking, or abstinence of the intake of certain liquids (such as tea or coffee)that promote flushing. Spicy foods have been said to possibly cause inflammation and flare-ups. Because of such an unsure stream of causes, there is no cure for acne rosacea yet. The good news is that there are ways to control the signs that you have it.

Acne rosacea can be detrimental to the sufferers ego and self-confidence. Women may wear excessive make up and men hide in shame with no way to cover it up. It can disrupt the action of daily life. They may miss work or school constantly and their performance will suffer even though it is only an appearance insecurity. Many people with rosacea are prescribed an anti-depressant to try to help them cope with their unhappiness connected with acne rosacea. It is important to keep in mind that it is a common problem and it probably appears to be much worse than it looks to other people. You don't have to hide because of it because there are ways to reduce the appearance of it and put your best face forward.

A visit to the dermatologist can provide you with options to help your problem with acne rosacea. Oral antibiotics work from the inside out to reduce the appearance of redness. Using something like this should keep flare-ups under control as long as there is continued usage. Remember that it will not cure acne rosacea but it will improve the visibility. AcnEase is a mild treatment medicine that most doctors recommend. It is an oral antibiotic that is accompanied with a topical gel that will also aid with keeping the symptoms under control.

Even though rosacea can be different from patient to patient, there are also over-the-counter remedies that have worked for some people. Cetaphil is available as a mild cleanser that is often recommended by dermatologists. It does not contain any alkaline and it is non drying to your skin. It is available as a soap bar or an antibacterial bar for sensitive skin. Another common medication for rosacea symptoms is Rosacure. It is an anti-redness cream designed specifically for those with rosacea. Rosacure is safe and a non-irritant because it is hypo-allergenic. The results do not show up immediately after usage but continual use twice a day for 4-6 weeks has been shown to reduce visible redness of the face.

John Wellington is from AcneHelpZone.com which provides people who are suffering from acne with quick, relevant and free acne resources that they can download and take away with them for easy reference.

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

Acne Prescription Topical Medications

Body Acne

by Greg Culver

Acne is a common skin problem affecting people from young teenagers to adults. It is, in fact, a bacteria (propionibacterium acnes) that grows in a follicle. Consequently, any product that can kill the bacteria will be effective. (More on this later)

Characteristics of acne include red lesions that may have a yellowish "head" known as whiteheads. Other common types may also include blackheads, papules and pustules. It can appear all over the body and is very common on the back, chest, shoulders and the buttocks. Irritation of the skin can make acne worse so it's best not to scratch the area of your body where the acne is present. Additionally, other irritants such as tight fitting clothing, and accessories that may aggravate your skin may contribute to a worsening of your acne.

There are many different cures and applications that can ease the problem and for mild cases, the use of an over the counter product that includes benzoyl peroxide will certainly do the job on mild cases. However, for more serious cases you will need to use as much as it takes in order to rid your skin of the problem. Benzoyl peroxide actually kills the bacteria and this is the reason why it is such an effective product. Another plus for this product is that your skin will not develop a tolerance for it, unlike some other antibiotic products. A word of caution though - a low percentage of people are allergic to benzoyl peroxide, so before using it, just test a small area of your skin just in case. It can also bleach clothing so avoid contact with your clothes.

Tip: A 2.5% cream will work just as well as a 10% solution which can also cause over drying of your skin.

Cleansing

It is very important to understand that treating acne starts with very gentle and non invasive cleansing of the area affected. Harsh scrubbing will only serve to irritate the area and cause more acne problems for you. Look for a cleanser that doesn't overly dry out your skin. For your face avoid using soap.

Moisturising

To avoid overly drying out your skin, particularly on your face, you must moisturize every day. This will keep your skin in good order and will combat the initial drying and reddening of your skin from the use of benzoyl peroxide. A moisturizer that has a low dose of lactic acid in it will be useful to stopping the flakiness that can occur with overly dry skin.

Tip: If you happen to have a very severe case of acne then you should make an appointment to see a dermatologist. They can set you up on a program designed to treat your condition.

myacne--solutions.blogspot.com

Greg Culver is the web owner of http://www.acnetreatmenthome.com a site dedicated to providing information, resources and artiles offering real solutions to acne sufferers.

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

Acne Medications Uk

Acne - What Causes Acne?

by Paul MacIver

Though acne may not be a serious problem, it can sometimes lead to psychological and mental stress. Many people lose their self esteem because of this problem.

So what causes acne? Acne is caused by hormonal disorder. Excessive secretion of the skin oil glands combine with naturally occurring dead skin cells and block the hair follicles. This oil secretion beneath the blocked pore provides a perfect environment for the skin bacteria Propionibacterium acnes to multiply, and thus the skin inflames producing the visible lesion.

Acne commonly occurs in adolescents and young adults. Almost 85 percent of people between the ages of 11 and 30 have acne outbreaks at some point. Acne tends to go away by the time you reach your thirties, but for some people it may even go up to their forties and fifties.

Causes of Acne:

Several other factors that cause Acne are:

Hormonal changes during menstrual cycles and puberty.

Stress, as it causes an increase in output of hormones from the adrenal glands.

Hyperactive sebaceous glands, secondary to the three hormone sources above.

Build-up of dead skin cells.

Bacteria in the pores.

Skin irritation or scratching of any sort will activate inflammation.

Use of anabolic steroids.

Medicines that contain halogens (iodides, chlorides, bromides), lithium, barbiturates, or androgens.

Sudden exposure to high levels of chlorine compounds, particularly chlorinated dioxins.

Adult acne:

25% of adult men and 50% of adult women get affected by adult acne at some time in their adult lives. It can cause depression and social anxiety the same way it can in a teenager. Adult acne is more common than people may think. The causes of adult acne are unknown; however it is believed to occur because of these reasons:

Recurrence of acne that cleared up after adolescence

Flare-up of acne after a period of relative quiet, especially during pregnancy

It is best to consult a dermatologist for the proper treatment. You would have to use Clear Skin Regimen using benzoyl peroxide. Treatment for adult acne is the same as treatment for teen acne.

Body acne:

Body acne is a common problem which occurs mostly on the chest, back and buttocks. Like facial acne, stress and hormones are the cause. Other factors like perspiration and wearing tight fitting clothing also causes body acne. Tight-fitting clothing traps perspiration against the skin and mixes with surface oils, thus clogging the pores and causing blemishes.

Treatments:

The treatment is aimed at healing the existing lesions, stopping new lesions from forming, and preventing scarring. The dermatologist would prescribe several over-the-counter (OTC) medicines depending on the extent of the problem. Some of the medicines would be topical to apply on the skin and others may be oral.

Some of the common OTC topical medicines are:

Benzoyl peroxide � This helps to destroy acne and also reduces oil production.

Resorcinol � This helps in breaking down blackheads and whiteheads.

Salicylic acid � This helps in breaking down blackheads and whiteheads. It also cuts down the shedding of cells lining the hair follicles.

Sulfur - This helps in breaking down blackheads and whiteheads.

The prescription topical medicines include:

Antibiotics - They help slow or stop the growth of bacteria and reduce inflammation.

Vitamin A derivatives � They help in unplugging the existing comedones, thus allowing other topical medicines to enter the follicles.

Others - Benzoyl peroxide, sodium sulfacetamide/sulfur or Azelaic acid help to reduce oil production or help stop or slow the growth of bacteria and reduce inflammation.

Following these treatments would cure your acne, and the psychological stress and embarrassment caused by this disease will also go away.

Paul MacIver provides information on various health topics. For further info on Acne and Adult Acne visit http://www.treat-acne-now.info

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

Acne Treatment Medications

Acne Solution: Knowing and Choosing What is Best

by Kathlene Capelle

You are upset about your skin condition and are looking for an acne solution. The best way to an acne solution, in fact, is to first gather some understanding about acne and the determine the cause of your acne.

What is acne? Acne is a skin disease caused by plugged pores. These plugged pores are mixtures of dead skin cells, skin debris and particles and bacteria.

How is acne formed? The skin releases skin lubricants called natural skin oils. Sebum is a form of natural skin oil. However, the level of release of sebum must be balanced; if not, complications occur when there is an overproduction. With an overproduction of sebum, the skin now becomes vulnerable to bacterial attack caused by the Propionibacterium acnes. Once the body recognizes the infection, the immune system will trigger the release of white blood cells to combat the bacterial infections. The bacteria and the white blood cells will either die or live. Nonetheless, whatever is left will accumulate on the skin pores. This then inflames the skin lesions and acne is formed.

If acne is caused by the effects of the body's reactions to bacterial infestation, then the best acne solution to employ is to put a stop on the over induced sebaceous glands. It would seem that another acne solution is to prevent the bacteria from thriving on the skin, which primarily causes the infliction.

However, the cause of acne can also be attributable to other factors that contribute simultaneously to the aggravation of the skin disease. Some factors such as hormonal imbalances, impaired digestive, immune systems and inefficient internal detoxification system may contribute to the exacerbation of the skin diseases. These factors can occur at varying levels. Hence, I can well say that there is no one best acne solution for the entire period of the skin outbreak.

In order to apply the appropriate acne solution at any point in time, it is a good idea to observe yourself over the duration so that it may be more properly determined. About six weeks to eight is a good guide, depending on the severity of your acne case.

Furthermore, not all prescriptions are applicable to all cases. It must be understood that the best acne solution for you may take time to develop.

In instances like this, it is best to experiment on small amounts of the drug or the medication first as to avoid further exacerbation of your skin condition.

To identify the best acne solution that works for you, observe your skin's reactions to certain elements of the medication. Take note of the ingredients that work well on your skin. If you observe that certain products make your skin dry or irritated, cease the use of the product. This is a necessary process for acne patients because it really is quite hard to say which acne product provides the solution for you.

In the meantime, it is important that your skin is maintained healthily. Wash your face with a mild cleanser, once in the morning and once before you sleep. Also, this routine may include the use of topical acne medications such as benzoyl peroxide, sulfur and Azeilic acid. In addition, drink plenty of water, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and take a break from an overload of stress.

Kathelene Capelle is a writer for beauty tips and advice. Her blog includes useful information on acne remedy, natural skin care, natural remedies for skin care and anti-aging. She also provides step-by-step recipes for skin care that you can easily prepare from ingredients right out from your kitchen. Get updated on tips and resources at http://www.acne-and-skin-care

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

Best Over-the-counter Topical Acne Medications

Acne Chemicals Peels: Decide if they are Right for You

by Dave Poon

Teenagers and adults alike suffer from acne. This is a common skin problem where pimples cause the skin to break out. Blackheads and whiteheads on the face are also considered as acne, as well as the deep lumps or nodules that affect the skin.

The area that is most commonly affected by acne is the face. However, it can also be found on other parts of the body, like the back, chest, neck, shoulders and the upper arms.

Being a common skin condition, there are several over-the-counter products that you can use to help prevent acne. The problem, however, is they do not always work.

Depending on a person�s skin type, being affected by acne might be a more serious problem, and the pimples, if not properly treated, could cause a permanent scar.

Aside from the physical scars that could be left by acne, it can also cause you an emotional scar if you do not get proper treatment. Having acne decreases one�s morale and self-confidence. Society�s obsession with beauty might cause you to treat acne like a rare disease, instead of it being a treatable and normal skin condition.

Having clear and acne-free skin is one that we all strive for. Fortunately, there are hundreds of ways to get rid of acne. Aside from the bottled formula promising to give you that flawless look, there are also some medical treatments that you can undergo to help prevent acne.

�Acne Chemical Peels 101�

Plastic surgery and face lift are just some of the remedies available to restore your youthful look.

If you do not want to be �under the knife� and you prefer a much kinder treatment to enhance your beauty, one option is to have a chemical peel.

Chemical peels remove the outer layer of the skin where the damaged outer skin layers lie. This damage to the outer skin layer can be caused by exposure to sun and dirt, as well as applying cosmetics on the face.

Here, a chemical solution is applied on the affected area to literally �peel off� the outer skin layer. Thus, a whole new layer of skin comes out which gives you that rosy look and youthful glow.

Basically, there are three types of chemical peel.

First is the mild peel which only removes the very first layer of the skin. This is the type of chemical peel that can be used to treat acne. It also helps get rid of old pimple scars and basically evens out the skin.

The second type is the medium peel which goes a little deeper than the mild peel. The treatment will cause redness and chafing immediately after the procedure. The result is a younger look because it helps remove wrinkles and evens out your skin pigmentation.

Finally, there is the deep chemical peel which is rarely used because it removes several skin layers. Consult a dermatologist before considering to undergo this treatment.

All in all, chemical peels are a great way to get rid of acne. This is an inexpensive, yet effective and simple procedure to finally remove those acne scars and have a clear, beautiful skin that you can be proud of.

Dave Poon is an accomplished writer who specializes in the latest in Skin Care. For more information regarding Acne Chemical Peels please drop by at http://www.clearacneworld.com.

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