Acne - Acne and Skin Care

Good skin care practices play only a minor role in whether a person develops acne. But they are essential to treating it, and to good skin health in general.

Some believe, mistakenly, that a thorough scrubbing will help prevent acne. Actually, washing has little effect on whether acne develops or not. The effects occur mostly afterward, once acne has occurred.

Scrubbing doesn't help, in general, though. It merely roughens and often dries out the skin. Harsh treatment of skin exposes lower layers, which then have to develop a protective coating of oil and outer dermis. In the interim, the skin is exposed to airborne and contact bacteria. The skin is our first defense against pathogens of all kinds. Removing multiple layers of it doesn't promote good skin health.

Instead, a gentle washing with a mild cleanser is the answer. Be thorough. Since acne can occur on shoulders, back and chest as well as the face, take care of those areas in the shower. During mid-day and in the evening, a mild cleaning from underneath the jaw to the hairline is helpful.

While natural skin oil (sebum) plays a role in developing acne, removing every trace of it is not beneficial. Sebum helps keep skin flexible, which discourages microcracks from forming. These can provide a pathway for bacteria. It also keeps the skin from becoming excessively dry, which can again lead to small cracks in the outer layers.

Astringents that remove oil should be used sparingly. Over the counter acne treatments are specially formulated to achieve the right balance. They should be used according to the directions.

Shaving is always a challenge, of course. Men's faces are the hardest problem to solve. Electric razors help solve it, but even they can nick the skin, especially when it contains blemishes. There's no substitute for patient, careful movements. Use of a pre-shave softener can help, too.

Use of a manual or safety razor is possible. It plays a negligible role in developing acne. An ingrown hair and clogged pores that produce acne follow from different causes. Don't backshave against the direction of hair growth, though. Softening the beard before shaving with warm water and soap can help smooth the process.

For women, there are other helpful recommendations.

Makeup selection is easier these days. There are numerous formulations that specifically address the possibility of acne. They are designed not to clog pores. Going light on the foundation can help. Subtle cheek blush is better than slathering it on. Look for makeup labeled 'non-comedogenic'. 'Comedones' is a general term for the most common types of mild acne, including blackheads and whiteheads.

An over-the-counter antibacterial can help prevent acne, but is most helpful after it has developed. But follow the directions. Over medicating can lead to clogged pores and damaged skin, exactly the conditions that tend to promote acne.

Keeping pores open in order to allow for natural oil movement and shedding dead skin cells is key to minimizing outbreaks. Proper skin care practices aid both.
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Acne - Acne Myths Exploded

There are several common beliefs about the causes and course of acne that simply don't square with scientific studies. Fortunately, it isn't necessary to understand them in depth to separate fact from fancy. Common experience can help persuade, too.

Diet

There's no direct link between eating chocolate or greasy cheeseburgers and developing acne. Soft drinks do not increase the odds. What is true is that diet plays a role in all the body's systems, and so has a minor part in whether acne is more or less likely.

For example, eating greasy foods doesn't directly translate into increased oil production from the sebaceous glands that contribute to acne. But foods that do increase the oil production would. However, excess iodized salt is the only food substance that has been shown to have any substantial effect. It only worsens existing acne. It doesn't cause it.

Hygiene

Diet and hygiene are closely linked. But that's more because people tend to have habits. People who have a non-nutritious or unhealthy diet tend to have poor hygiene habits as well. But even here the influence on the development of acne is minor at best.

The odds of acne are increased when a pore gets plugged and bacteria are trapped inside. White blood cells rush to the area to combat the bacteria. Trapped dead skin cells contribute. The result can be inflammation and the creation of pus, a component of one type of acne.

So, hygiene habits that tend to close the pores can play a role. But the effect is minimal. The dead skin cells and bacteria that get trapped, and can't make their way out of the pore to the surface, are only somewhat influenced by whether a person washes the face regularly and well. After acne occurs good skin care is particularly important, though.

A mild cleansing twice a day with soap and water, not heavy scrubbing several times per day, is best. That helps encourage healthy skin in general.

But acne is strongly influenced by excess sebum production (a natural skin oil), triggered primarily by hormones. Good hygiene is a good idea for many reasons. But it helps more in treating acne that has already occurred by providing a good surface for medications to do their work most effectively.

Harsh cleansers applied roughly don't just clear away the excess oil that plays a role in acne formation. Rather, it weakens the skin's ability to deal with it. Also, contemporary makeup formulations will rarely increase the odds of forming acne.

Stress

As a factor that weakens the immune system and influences hormones, stress might be thought to play a role in the onset of acne. But no clear correlation is found in major studies. Stress can have a small effect on acne that has already formed, but as a possible cause it ranks very low on the list.

Here again, though, people who experience excess or chronic stress tend to be in the cluster of those who have other health problems. Always a good thing to avoid. Keep in mind that stress and being challenged by ordinary life events are not the same thing. Stress occurs when someone thinks they're not up to the task of dealing with those challenges well.

Medication

Increasing the dosage of over the counter (or, worse, prescription) medications to treat acne is harmful, not helpful. At best, it wastes medication. At worst, it can actually harm the skin. Stick to the recommendations on the instructions. If over the counter medications don't clear up the condition within a couple of weeks, seek the guidance of a dermatologist for better treatments.

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Acne - Acne Scars and Their Treatment

The unsightly appearance of acne lesions or pimples isn't the only potential problem with the disease, unfortunately. In some cases, it's possible for acne to leave permanent scars.

Some conditions may appear to be scars that are not. Macules and other bumps can occur even after acne is treated. Redness may persist for up to a year. But these aren't true scars. They're not permanent.

True scars are a permanent change to skin tissue produced by the healing process itself, chiefly creating fibrous tissue. As white blood cells attack bacteria they can produce changes in underlying skin cells in the surrounding area. This is one way scars become permanent.

They may also not be limited to areas under the surface.

So-called icepick scars are small pinholes that form in the surface of the skin. They look as if the skin has been poked with an icepick, hence the name. They're typically too deep to be treated with simple dermabrasion or even laser resurfacing.

Boxcar scars are similar, except they tend to be flatter on the bottom, rather than narrowing to a point like icepick scars. Since they're often shallower they can sometimes be treated with resurfacing techniques.

Keloid scars are firm and grow beyond the site of the injury. They're characterized by an excess production of collagen. They often result in a shiny pink or red scar.

Prevention is the best option, of course. But when that's not possible, there are a number of standard treatments.

Dermabrasion

Dermabrasion is used to treat a wide range of skin conditions, including mild to moderate acne scarring. A local anesthetic is given and the professional uses a high speed brush to remove layers of skin. The skin then naturally regenerates, minus the scar in many cases. When it's not entirely removed, it's often less obvious.

A variation on the technique is known as microdermabrasion. Instead of a high speed brush, aluminum oxide crystals are moved rapidly through a type of vacuum hose. They carry away skin cells on their way to being collected. It's less invasive or traumatic to the skin, but the results may, therefore, be less.

Lasers

Laser treatment can be effective for some patients. Used well, they can change the contour and size of scars. CO2 lasers are often used to remove some tissue. Sometimes a single treatment is enough, but redness can persist for several weeks afterward. Lasers work in these types of treatment, essentially, by burning.

Surgery

A technique called 'punching' can be used to remove some icepick scars. The scar is excised down to subcutaneous fat and the resulting hole repaired. The repair may be done with sutures or a small skin graft.

Subcisions may be performed. These involve actually lifting the scar tissue away from unscarred skin. Results are mixed, but the technique can be effective.

Drugs

Keloids don't respond well to these mechanical techniques, since altering the skin often just provokes the formation of more keloids. Sometimes a topical retinoid is applied. In other cases steroid-type drugs are injected directly into the skin around the scar. They're difficult to treat by any means and results vary widely from person to person.

Whatever treatment method you seek, it's important to consult a professional for proper diagnosis. That's the best way to find out about all the available alternatives, and their potential risks and benefits.

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Acne - Acne, Not Just A Teen Disease

Acne does affect proportionally more teenagers than those in other age groups. But the fact is it can affect anyone, of any race, at any age. Combating it requires much the same treatment for anyone (other than infants).

Knowledge is the first weapon. In order to know how best to treat acne, it's essential to know what type one has. A professional diagnosis can be helped immensely when the patient takes careful notes about his or her condition. When it started, the type of blemishes and any treatments already tried are big aids to a correct diagnosis.

Knowledge also helps avoid many of the downsides associated with the disease. There are numerous myths surrounding the causes and treatments of acne. There are good reasons to avoid excess chocolate consumption and drinking too many soft drinks. Avoiding acne is not among them. Nor will a good suntan get rid of it.

Knowledge also helps reduce the prospect of useless guilt and depression. Acne affects nearly everyone at some time in life, some more severe than others. Good skin care is extremely helpful for a variety of reasons, but it has little to do with whether one gets the disease. Still, it can play a role in strengthening only overall skin health, as well as improve the mental outlook that helps combat the condition.

Knowledge of acne will help males and females more effectively deal with the condition, since it affects them differently. Acne tends to occur earlier in pre-teen to teen females, but more severely to males once they contract it. Later, the situation is altered.

Men and women may need different approaches to treatment, as well. Makeup, shaving and other gender specific practices play a role in dealing with acne. The two sexes react to medications differently, in part because of hormonal variations between the two. In some instances, simple mild cleansing and time is enough to treat acne. In other cases, more stringent efforts are required.

But over the counter medications can be equally effective for both sexes, as can prescription drugs. Light treatments and lasers, though sometimes more expensive, can be used to treat acne in nearly everyone.

Even effective treatments, though, don't totally eliminate the possibility of acne scarring. Dealing with that opens up a whole other range of treatment options to explore. Dermabrasion, laser resurfacing and other techniques have helped millions safely.

No matter your age, gender or circumstances the treatment of acne has advanced to a stage that the odds are very good for total cure. The first step requires nothing harder than a little research...
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Acne - Advanced Acne Treatment Options

Some acne cases require more advanced treatment methods. In some individuals, the motivation isn't just the severity of the acne as much as the desire to avoid side effects from medication. Whatever the motive, advanced acne treatments offer an alternative that is attractive to many. Among the most popular are light and laser treatments.

In decades past UV was used as a light source. It has the beneficial effect of killing the Propionibacterium acnes bacteria that plays a role in acne formation. But, when studies showed that UV can increase the odds of skin cancer, the treatment became much less popular.

Other forms of light don't have that problem.

Blue Light

One form is called 'blue light therapy', where the name derives from the color of the light used. The main effect is to kill the bacteria, but there is some effect on the skin oil. It can cause a slight dryness. The narrow band light contains a negligible amount of UV wavelengths.

Patients receive treatments twice per week over a period of about a month. It's effective on forms other than more severe acne, such as those that produce nodules or cysts. The latter can actually be made worse with blue light treatment. Improvements ranged from complete remission to about 40% decrease in the number of lesions, in several studies. About two-thirds saw between a 59% to 67% reduction of inflammatory acne lesions.

Pulsed and LHE (Light Heat Energy)

Other forms of light therapy, such as LHE, have similar effects - they kill acne bacteria - but do so by a different means. LHE also tends to decrease sebum (the natural skin oil). Excess sebum production is considered one of the major factors encouraging acne development. This green light tends to shrink sebaceous glands.

The therapy is approved by the FDA for treating mild to moderately severe acne. Both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne can be reduced by two treatments per week over a period of one month. Drug-based treatments tend to take two or three months or longer.

In some cases, though, light treatments are combined with the use of prescription medications.

ALA (5-aminolevulinic acid)

ALA is a compound applied to the skin. It doesn't have any of the antibacterial properties of standard acne treatments like Accutane. It works by making the skin more sensitive to light, thus increasing the effectiveness of light treatment.

It's kept on for 15 minutes to an hour, during which the patient receives blue or red light treatment. The jury is still out so numbers are sketchy, but early results suggest the treatment is safe and effective.

Lasers

Normal light contains waves that scatter in all directions. Laser light is called coherent because the waves all move in an organized train in the same direction. That's one of the reasons lasers can do all the things they're used for.

The chief difference, though, between different lasers (just as it is with other forms of light) is the wavelength. In the case of acne treatment lasers, one popular type produces waves of 1450 nm (nanometers, a billionth of a meter). This type is particularly safe and effective.

In one study, one treatment reduced acne lesions by nearly 40%. Two treatments decreased them by nearly 60% and with three the number rose to over 80%. There is some mild pain associated with the treatments, however, so a topical anesthetic is used during the procedure.
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Acne - Concealing Acne

There are numerous safe and effective treatments for acne. Over the counter medications do a good job of treating mild forms. Prescription medications and advanced treatments can cure almost all acne within a few months. But in the meantime, and afterward, it can help to hide it as well as possible.

It does little good to tell people they should be less concerned about their appearance. That only adds unnecessary guilt to an already unpleasant situation. For a whole host of valid reasons individuals may be interested in optimizing their appearance. Superficial vanity or excessive concern with what others think is one thing. Wanting to look one's best as a reflection of a healthy and confident inner self is quite another.

For women, the situation is both more difficult and easier. More difficult because they tend to be judged more, and more stringently, on their looks. Easier, because they have more tools to meet the challenge. Makeup is the most obvious one.

First and foremost, look for makeup labeled 'non-comedogenic'. 'Comedones' is the general term for certain types of mild acne, including whiteheads and blackheads. Those types of makeup are specially formulated to minimize clogging pores, one of the major contributors to acne development.

Concealer is the first line of defense. The redness that often accompanies burst pimples or, in more severe cases, cysts can be well covered. Just daub it on and work it over with a disposable sponge. Avoid overdoing it. You don't want to look like someone has troweled on brown cement when the concealer dries.

Using a good foundation can help blend tones together. Here again, try not to use too much. You want to avoid looking like your face has been painted with beige latex. But an even, covering foundation for masking blemishes can do a very good job. Blending it in well so that the overall color is even is key.

Foundation helps in another way. By providing a less reflective surface than skin, it softens shadows. That lessens the contrast produced by the bumps that often occur with acne. Think of good films or photographs, where the proper lighting minimizes skin blemishes. It makes the person look as if their skin is made of silk. Foundation can help achieve a similar effect.

A light powder to finish has all those benefits. It can even out color tones and reduce shadows, reducing contrast.

Men, outside the stage or studio, typically don't wear makeup as women do. Yet, specially formulated acne covering compounds can also help them hide acne. Over the counter medications often incorporate makeup-like compounds in order to do just that. But makeup for men is also an option. It's typically much more subtle, and sometimes the effects are therefore less concealing. But many men find the results helpful.

Any acne covering product should be removed before bed. A gentle wash with a mild cleanser, followed by treatment with appropriate medications, helps combat acne. And, elimination is the best cover of all.
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