7 Ways To Conquer Acne

Reports show that over 90 percent of all adolescents and almost 25 percent of all adults suffer from acne at some time. Acne affects males and females worldwide, regardless of nationality.
The most effective methods to combat acne include a combination of prevention and better skincare.

Here are some of the ways you can use to prevent and treat acne:

1. Exercise

Regular exercise can help fight acne by fighting off negative stress levels that can come from negative self-esteem and depression. But avoid wearing tight lycra and nylon exercise outfits. These synthetic fabrics that tend to trap body moisture and heat, creating an ideal environment for bacteria to grow. Stick to loose clothing made of cotton or natural blends, and keep your sports gear and equipment clean.

2. Safe Cosmetics

To avoid pore-clogging and skin irritations that can contribute to acne, use products labeled "noncomedogenic" or "oil-free." Opt for "hypo-allergenic" perfumes and cosmetics to avoid allergic reactions and skin irritation. Coal tar derivatives, carmine and heavy cream in blushes can cause reactions.

Shimmering facial colors can contain a flaky mineral called mica that can cause skin irritations and clog pores. Use a lip gloss with a matte finish for less pore-clogging. The more the shine, the more then comedogenic content and the more your pores can clog.

3. Healthy Diet

Studies show that diet does not play a role in either the cause or the treatment of acne. However, what is best for your body is best for your skin. So make sure you get enough vitamins, minerals and supplements that have been known and recommended to prevent and help conquer acne breakouts. These include

  • Vitamin A or Retinol (High doses are toxic)
  • Vitamin B Complex
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin E
  • L-Carnitine
  • Zinc

A good quality brand name multivitamin will probably have the recommended vitamins and minerals that you need to help with acne prevention. Drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day and making good, healthy dietary food choices.

3. Hormonal Treatment

Hormones (or a lack of them) during later years - especially for women - can play a role in acne flare-ups and prevention. One recent study showed that about 50 percent of women have acne, referred to as hormonal acne, problems during the week before their menstruation.

Treatment options include topical retinoids, oral antibiotics and Benzoyl Peroxide for teen years. For adults oral contraceptives or hormonal birth control pills and hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) may be helpful for women, combined with systemic or topical treatments, prescription or over-the-counter products and medications.

4. Healthy Skin Regimen

Avoid harsh scrubbing or over-washing, because this can cause possible skin irritation or possible over production of oil to replace what's washed off, clogging pores in the process. Use products with gentle exfoliation ingredients and skip products that contain alcohol.

5. Acne Products

Some of the more popular products on the market that can prevent acne include:

  • Benzoyl Peroxide
  • Proactiv® Solution
  • Salicylic Acid
  • Retinoids
  • Antibiotics
  • Oral Contraceptives
  • Anti-Androgens
  • Isotretinoin (Accutane)

6. Shaving

Shaving is actually an excellent way of exfoliating or removing dead skin to help with the prevention and spreading of acne instead of leaving the remains to clog pores. And for some light acne cases already in process, shaving can help rid whiteheads and blackheads from the face. Do not shave areas taht are sore or infected. Use a shaving cream for sensitive skin.

Shave with a sharp blade. Use gentle swipes instead of heavy pressure and go with the flow or "grain." A single-edged blade is better than a twin-blade razor. Electric razors may not shave as close to the skin, but they help with the prevention of acne and other skin breakouts and flare-ups better.

7. Stress

Stress includes external and internal stressors. External Stressors are those that compromise your skin's ability to heal, like oily make-up and too much sun. Internal stressors like anxiety, fear, low self-esteem, depression and a variety of other internalized emotions, can trigger chemical reactions inside your body that can result in acne flare-ups and other skin irritations.

To combat internal stressors and prevent acne problems, get plenty of rest and sleep. Try to maintain regular hours. Keep a check list of "Things that Calm You" handy for stressful times, like reading a book, resting, listening to music, taking a walk, going out for an ice cream cone, etc.

Acne and Skin Problem Myths Debunked

Isn't skin a wonderful thing to have?

An obvious benefit of skin is that it protects our bodies' internal organs from harmful elements like dirt, insects, bites, toxic chemicals, nasty weather, and the like, and it certainly is more attractive than what's underneath.

When skin is healthy it's nice to look at, but when it's diseased, it can not only affect you physically, but more painfully can cause stress and social problems.

Like the common cold, acne and similar skin diseases can be treated and covered up, but cannot really be cured. The best treatment is prevention and knowledge about what makes your skin happy, so that you can avoid skin care enemies and breakout triggers.

The real cause of acne can vary from individual to individual, but some factors can be stated with relative certainty:

1. Acne occurs when pores or hair follicles become blocked or clogged.

2. There are basically 4 types of acne manifestations: whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, and nodules.

3. Acne can appear pretty much anywhere on the skin, though it causes the most concern when it shows up on the face. The worst forms of acne break out, however, on the chest and back, and most commonly on males rather than females because of hormonal differences.

4. There are many common myths and untruths about acne, rosacea, and other skin care problems.

Some acne myths include "you'll outgrow it, so leave it alone", "being out in the sun helps acne", "acne problems are directly or indirectly proportionate to sexual activity", "acne visits dirty people", "acne is contagious", and too many more to list in this short article.

The sad thing is that belief in the myths can be devasting, in that proper treatment is avoided, and lifestyle changes that don't need to be made can take away pleasure unnecessarily.

For example, at one point in my life, I truly believed that I was allergic to chocolate and that it caused my breakouts. Whenever I would succumb to the temptation and have "just a little" I would stress out waiting for the red spots, and sure enough they would appear.

After several years and much experimentation, I learned I had no allergy, the stress was a trigger for me, and a new over the counter face scrub has kept me in the clear ever since.

Knowing what triggers your breakouts can be the difference between constant battles and healthy skin. The Internet is a wonderful place to get the information you need, so stop stressing out and learn what it takes to put your best face forward.

Acne Scars

cne is an inflammation of the skin that affects people from every country and every culture around the world. In the US, acne is predominantly thought of as a teenage dilemma, as more than eighty percent of teens and preteens will develop some form of acne. However, the condition certainly affects a large number of adults and even infants. The scientific name for the condition is acne vulgaris because acne usually strikes in plainly visible locations such as the face, neck, chest and back. There are various types of acne that range in annoyance, severity, and healing time. The most severe type of acne may even lead to scars that if not treated properly, may be visible for a lifetime. If you or a loved one is troubled by severe acne, here's what you need to know about acne scars and what you need to do to avoid and care for them.

How Does Acne Form?

Contact with an oily substance such as mineral oil, vegetable oil, or petroleum is a potential cause of acne, as is the use of certain medication and steroids. However, acne is most often cause by the secretion of androgens. Acne is also aggravated by milk or dairy products, red meat and fast food. Androgens are sex hormones that are initially secreted at the onset of puberty. They are male hormones but they are secreted by females as well. Androgens stimulate the production of oil from the skin's oil glands. Acne occurs when these overactive oil glands become blocked, causing the oil to build up in the gland and swell. A bacteria called Propionibacterium acnes normally colonizes this swollen gland causing the development of inflammation and pus. In particularly severe cases, the glands may burst into the skin and produce cysts.

Types Of Acne

Acne blemishes are categorized into four grades, ranging from mild to very severe.

Grade I: Mild acne falls into this category. People with grade I acne generally have blackheads and whiteheads but pimples are not present.
Grade II: The condition is considered moderate acne when blackheads, whiteheads, and small pimples are present, but they are confined to the face and the inflammation they cause is minimal.
Grade III: Severe acne includes blackheads, whiteheads, and deeper pimples with more pronounced swelling.
Grade IV: acne is considered very severe when it occurs on the face, neck, shoulders, chest, and back. Pustules and deeper cysts occur with very severe acne and scarring may result if the condition is not cared for properly.
Preventing Acne Scars

The most important rule for acne sufferers to remember is that you should never pick or squeeze acne blemishes. This can lead to the spread of acne and the development of acne scars. Instead, there are a number of herbal, homeopathic, and traditional formulas that can be used to treat acne and prevent the development of acne scars. Herbs work naturally with the body to reduce acne blemishes and prevent the development of acne scars. Echinacea and poke root are often used for their anti-inflammatory properties and red clover may be beneficial for its estrogenic action. Witch hazel has excellent astringent properties and may be very effective on acne.

Relieving Acne Scars

Acupuncture: Stagnant of Chi in the channels of the face is said to be the cause of acne. Acupuncture performed on these points of the face may help relieve acne, and prevent the development of acne scars.

Surgery: In moderate to severe cases of acne, doctors may use surgery to open up the blemishes and remove blackheads and whiteheads. Unlike medication treatments, the effects of acne surgery are usually more immediate. And surgery is also effective in reducing the development and visibility of acne scars.

Cleaning the intestinal Tract: Acne can be a by-product of a filthy intestinal tract and colon. In most cases when the colon is clean the acne will go away. I recommend the intestinal cleanser Oxy-Powder.

A Permanent Cure For Acne - Discover If it Exists

If your acne is constantly causing pain and worry in your life, you can't wait any more. The longer you let your acne control your life, the harder it will be to regain your confidence and social skills. I can relate because I was a chronic acne sufferer myself. In this article, I'm going tell you about a permanent cure for acne.

Growing up with acne, I was misinformed by a lot of different people and doctors. I was always told that my acne was due mostly to my genes and that the only way to solve the problem was with medication. This is absolutely not true.

Acne can be cured forever by simply balancing the internal processes in the body. When you're a teenager, your hormones throw the body out of balance. But when you're older it's caused by environmental factors. Both hormones and these environmental factors are to blame for disturbing chemical balances and causing acne to persist.

So, there really is a permanent cure for acne. It exists, and it is not at all hard to implement. It is possible to cure acne extremely fast, and cure acne forever but the answer is probably not what you think.

The permanent cure for acne is to always have a good chemical balance in your body. This is achieved by eating a healthy diet, and doing a mini detox or fast sporadically to clear your system and restore balance. Medications are simply not the answer because once you stop using them your acne will come right back.

There are several programs available to you right now that help you cure your acne very quickly. And, if you stick to the guidelines, they can help you permanently cure acne. Imagine waking up every morning with no fear! But you must act fast. The longer you wait, the greater your chances are that you acne will a) get worse or b) cause permanent scarring.

Stop Settling For the Same Acne Products - Lose Acne in Less Than a Week

Are you tired of using the same acne treatments that still are not working? If so then you are no different the most of the people in this world. The difference you can have is that with the help of the internet you are able to find the latest treatments to get rid of acne fast.

Long gone are the days that you have to use the same old "over the counter" acne treatments. Believe it or not but there is a very simple reason why those "over the counter" treatments have not worked for you. All the major companies believe that one treatment will help to get rid of acne for every single person in this world. Unfortunately that belief does not work. There are several different types of skin out there that all require different treatments. For example; some people have dry skin while others have oily skin. Each type of skin will require a different kind of acne treatment.

More and more companies have realized this and are doing a much better job making an acne treatment. The problem is that most of these companies are still very small. Since they are still small, they are not able to market their products in all the major stores. For that reason all these smaller companies rely on the internet to get the word out on their latest products.

Thanks to the help of the smaller companies, you are now able to use all the lastest products to get rid of acne fast.