Acne problems are not just the jurisdiction of teenagers. A surprising number of adults develop acne at some point in their lives - up to 25% of men and 50% of women. Some adults even develop acne where they didn't have it as teenagers. For women especially, this can occur around changes in their hormonal cycle, and during or after pregnancy. Many women with severe acne use certain types of birth control to help deal with it, as they may be taking birth control anyway.
So, what steps can you take to avoid developing acne problems?
If you have sensitive or dry skin, be careful about using harsh skin care products. When the skin dries out too much, it produces more oil to compensate for the dryness. This can even be true for people with oily skin and large pores.
Some people have found that taking fish oil or flaxseed oil supplements really help improve their skin. They are certainly an excellent way of dealing with chronically dry skin, and essential fatty acids like flaxseed oil are a favorite with naturopaths in treating acne. For adults, and women in particular, some of the acne treatments used for teenagers will be too harsh for the skin. This includes benzoyl peroxide based products, which really dry out the skin even more. As well as contributing to the development of wrinkles, by weakening the skin, they don't support the function of the skin as a barrier.
Stress can be a big factor in the types of hormones our body produces. And despite some dermatologists refusing to acknowledge a link, research published on CNN in 2002 found there was a correlation between stress and acne. The researchers found that a hormone called corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)is released into the sebaceous glands (which produce oil in the skin), which sets the foundation for acne. Corticotropin-releasing hormone is a stress related hormone. Researchers are not sure at this time whether stress plays a role in causing acne, or just exacerbates outbreaks. Either way, reducing stress in your life should lead to an improvement in your skin, especially combines with other approaches.
Ways of releasing stress in your life, include mediation, tai chi, yoga, or simply repriotitizing your life so that you are doing more of the things you want to do.
Naturopaths and traditional systems of medicine, like Traditional Chinese Medicine, consider the health of the digestive tract to be important. The skin is considered one way the body expels waste, and if the body is overloaded, or sluggish, then skin problems may occur. So, dietary changes are usually recommended in line with this philosophy. Acidophilus may be recommended as it improves the health of the bowel. This is especially true if people have been given antibiotics to treat acne with, as antibiotics destroy the beneficial bacteria in the colon.
Other foods, like dairy products and refined carbohydrates like bread and flour products (including pasta), may be suggested as foods to at least minimize in your diet, or avoid completely. These foods are harder to digest, and many people are in fact lactose intolerant.
Acne is a condition that affects individuals of all ages, genders, and races, but many are unsure of exactly what is a cause of acne that causes teens to break out.
Generally speaking, teenagers are more prone to having problems with acne due to the hormones associated with this time of life.
Anyone who has ever been around teens is more than aware of the raging hormones, but these hormones can not only affect an individual’s attitude, but also his or her appearance.
However, hormones should not take all the blame, as there are other issues what cause acne.
Most teens are quite active and engage in many activities, including sporting events that can aggravate acne prone skin.
If teens do not use the proper cleaners to ensure their skin is clean, they are opening their skin up to formations of blackheads or pimples.
Consider a trip to your local dermatologist’s office to find the proper soaps or face washes that will keep anyone’s skin fresh and properly cleaned to prevent infection.
Regardless of your extracurricular activities, a trip to a dermatologist is a good idea to control any potential problems and find out exactly what can cause acne given your situation.
Usually, a major factor of skin issues in teens is due to an increase of oil secretions on the skin.
This includes skin on the face, neck, back, arms, and the rest of the body.
Due to the overproduction of this oil, bacteria can infect the skin’s pores and develop into pimples or blackheads.
Although you will not be able to stop overproduction of the oil by your skin through topical creams, cleaners, or soaps, your dermatologist will be able to prescribe medication to control the hormones that cause this excess of oil.
By trying to control the problem before it erupts, you will be able to ensure your skin is clear and free from blemishes.
The very first thing you must understand when trying to cure your acne is the type of acne that you actually have. This is significant because it gives insight into what may have actually caused the acne outbreak in the first place. And of course, once you know exactly what it is that triggers the acne, you have an advantage to either preventing it from happening again, or effectively treating it as it occurs.
There are many forms of acne, which would explain why it is so difficult to treat. I have listed several causes of acne and many of those may surprise you, but I also hope that they will help you discover what causes your acne. For instance, a great many people would likely be surprised to learn that acne is not caused by stress, as they may think, but more likely can be attributed to their fancy new perfume or cologne.
Adult acne can be caused by a hormonal imbalances, pollution, medications, or stress to name a few. Studies have shown a direct correlation between hormonal imbalances and outbreaks of acne in women ranging in age from 30 to 40 years.
Acne Cosmetic is just what it sounds like. It is the outbreak of acne due to the aggravation of the skin and pores caused by the active ingredients contained in the cosmetics that you wear.
Acne Conglobata can cause serious scarring on the face and back and it is usually attributed to hereditary factors. Unfortunately, there's not a lot that can be done here.
Acne Detergens is the result of the use of soaps and cleaners that cause an irritating effect on the skin.
Acne Excoriee is actually brought about by the constant picking of the pimples on the face and body. This, perhaps more than all the other symptoms, can and should be avoided.
Acne Fulminans is a very serious form of acne that can accompany a fever and body aches. This acne is predominantly found amongst males and it includes the abrupt onset of acne, severe scarring, fever, loss of appetite and a high white blood cell count.
Acne Keloidalis is common among people of African descent. It usually flares up in and around the neck area.
Acne Mallorca is brought on by exposure to sunlight.
Acne mechanica is caused by materials and fabrics such as clothing and purse straps that chafe against bare skin.
Acne Medicametosa is a side effect of certain medications which include oral contraceptives and over the counter drugs that contain potassium iodide, chlorine and bromide.
Acne Neonatorum is acne that affects infants. It is transferred by way of hormones from the mother to the child.
Acne Pomade is commonly caused by the use of oils found in hair care products. The oil migrates from the hair to the forehead, where it can clog pores and cause acne.
The bottom line is that there are many forms of acne. By taking simple precautions and knowing what causes irritation in your specific case can greatly improve your control of the condition. One great tip is to avoid touching your face with your fingers. The majority of people have no idea how dirty their fingers really are and in many cases the occurrence of outbreaks can be avoided.
Your first line of defense against acne is over-the-counter medications. If they don't seem to be helping, and after six to eight weeks you acne is getting worse... it's time to see a doctor. You will know it's time for medical help when…
- Your acne causes you psychological distress.
- There are big, tender pimples on your face.
- You begin to see some scarring
- If you have dark skin and dark patches form where the pimples used to be.
What treatment can you expect the doctor to recommend?
First of all your family doctor may send you to a dermatologist if you have severe acne.
Acne can be treated with medications that are either applied to the skin or taken by mouth. Any treatment will be designed to attack the things that trigger acne, like....
- An increase in sebum that leads to a narrowing of the sebaceous glands and produces the bacteria that causes acne
In most cases you can continue with any home remedies that you have been using. The treatment of teenage acne usually will continue until the suffer moves into their 20s.
The first attempt at treatment often begins with lotions or creams that are applied directly to the skin's surface.
Your doctor may initiate a treatment with azelaic acid (eg Skinoren cream) or benzoyl peroxide (eg Panoxyl, Acnecide) for mild to moderate acne. These medications help prevent the narrowing of the openings of the sebaceous glands and slow the growth of the acne bacterium.
A common treatment is a product that combines benzoyl peroxide with a topical antibiotic such as erythromycin (Benzamycin gel), or clindamycin (Duac once daily gel), or treat the outbreak with a topical antibiotic alone, eg clindamycin (Dalacin T), erythromycin (Eryacne gel), tetracycline (Topicycline).
Doctors often prescribe adapalene (Differin) for people with blackheads, whiteheads and mild inflammatory acne. Women should only use adapalene if they are using effective contraception, such as contraceptive pills. Pregnant women must not use adapalene. Topical tretinoin (Retin-A) and isotretinoin (Isotrex gel) have similar uses and exclusions.
"Systemic treatment" means medicines that are taken orally.
Strange as it may seem adult women with severe acne may benefit from treatment with contraceptive pills containing anti-androgens (Dianette).
For people with severe inflammatory acne, long-term treatment with oral antibiotics such as tetracycline or minocycline (eg Minocin), combined with one of the medications mentioned above are often effective. Tetracycline antibiotics are never given to pregnant women; women who are breastfeeding; or children under 12 years of age.
For patients with severe cystic acne that does not improve with other medications, oral isotretinoin (Roaccutane) is used as a last resort. It is very important that women should neither be pregnant, nor get pregnant, while taking isotretinoin.
Isotretinoin is not suitable for people with liver or kidney disease. The medicine has several severe side effects which is why it can only be prescribed by a dermatologist, but it also often effect an almost miracle like cure of acne.
That brings us to rule number one... don't stress over your acne. You aren't the only one who has ever had the problem. Just relax and get to work doing everything you can to keep it under control.
Acne is a universal problem. Contrary to what most teenagers (and even some adult acne sufferers) might believe, it is not a symptom of poor facial hygiene. While nearly everyone suffers from and are eager to get rid of acne, a surprising number of the sufferers lack the basic information in order to help them deal with the problem in a rational manner. Which is why, the
field of acne cure is filled with myths, falsehoods and much more. The trick to finding the ideal acne medications is pretty straightforward. One must consult a qualified and experienced dermatologist for a proper diagnosis and subsequent treatment. This is because no two varieties of acne are caused by the same factors and as such, the acne medications differ greatly. Not
knowing about acne is one thing. But using the wrong acne medications is an altogether different matter. The wrong acne medications will not only be inefficient in getting rid of acne, it could also result in permanent scarring.
Acne medication is primarily of three types. The first kind of acne medications is the wide array of lotions and creams that can be found in just about any pharmacy of drugstore. While these are sometimes sufficient to treat and cure milder forms of acne, those with more acute acne will have to go in for professional counseling and diagnosis. This leads us to second
type of acne medication which consists of prescription drugs. Prescriptions drugs are highly individualized in nature and are often prescribed by a qualified dermatologist only after having ascertained the nature and cause of individual acne. These could range from simple azelaic acid creams, through Benzoyl Peroxide
to Accutane for severe cases of acne. However, do remember that these acne medications should always be taken only upon the recommendation of a qualified medical professional. They should not be treated like over the counter drugs and treated lightly.
The final kind of acne medication is traditional or home made remedies. While most people believe that this kind of acne medication is of no real use, studies have revealed that homemade acne remedies are sometimes very effective in curing simple cases of acne. Most of these acne medications contain a combination of herbs and
plants which are ground up and applied on the affected area. Maybe it is because of the properties of those plants, or even due to sheer belief, but this sort of acne medications has shown surprising results.
However, no guarantees can be made. Again, it would be a good idea to consult a qualified medical professional before sampling any of this sort of acne medication.
Acne dragging you down? Your acne problem is more than just an acne problem. To some extent, you make it what it is by the way you react to it. In other words, no two people have the same experience with acne, even if they have the same symptoms, because responses to the acne problem differ from person to person. And then again, the way you respond has a lot to do with your total experience with acne.
Buck up! It is only acne! For example, if you have a flippant, do not care attitude to your acne problem, chances are that you will not let it get you down. On the other hand, if you really allow your acne to upset you, you are likely to feel much worse about the problem, and may also build up stress. This in turn could prevent you from dealing effectively with your acne.
Be well informed about your acne. There are a number of factors that can affect your attitudes towards your acne problem. The most dangerous of these is the possibility that you may be misinformed about the nature of acne as a condition, and that you may believe facts that are simply not true. As a result, you may be ready to accept that acne is caused by eating fatty food or by dirt and grime.
Dissected further, it would be truer to say that keeping the skin clean would be good for general health and for the health of the skin itself. Acne would be less likely to develop when the skin is healthy.
Check out the facts about your acne. Go a step further and you may find yourself believing that scrubbing will get rid of your acne. This would in fact be disastrous, because skin that has been affected by acne is extremely sensitive and needs to be carefully handled. Scrubbing would actually make matters much worse by torturing the skin. It would also disturb any eruptions of acne, which could burst and spread the infection that was earlier contained within a cyst or lesion.
As far as greasy food is concerned, the fact is that food, greasy or otherwise, has nothing to do with acne. However, grease on the skin can clog pores and attract dirt, causing the pores to get infected. These conditions could ultimately result in the development of acne.
Media menace promise instant cures for acne. In the same way, there are various social attitudes that filter through. Advertisements play a major part in publicizing the attraction of having a perfect skin, citing cases of movie stars etc. Such gimmicks can play on our insecurities and have us believe that perhaps the advertisements are right.
Acne and peer pressure. Children in high school are particularly vulnerable to the information or misinformation they receive on the subject of acne. Because they are at an age when they are conscious of their appearance, they are ready to give in to peer pressure and go along with whatever they hear. The trouble is that what they are being told can sometimes do more harm than good.
Acne is upsetting - offer support as parents. It is therefore important for parents to offer the wisdom of their experience and put their children on the right track before they do something bizarre in the quest for a perfect skin. Parents should be aware of how acne develops, so that they can pass on this knowledge to their children and prevent them from going to extremes.
They may also be able to help their children realize that their acne is normal and should be treated as such, and that the development of acne is no tragedy. Adolescents and young adults could face their acne with confidence and the knowledge that in time, it would pass off, as long as they handled it right.
