Archive for July, 2007

Posted on Jul 31st, 2007

It’s well known that acne, whilst being perceived as an outer problem, can affect sufferers deeply on the inside too.

Acne is basically an inflammation of the sebaceous glands and hair follicles. No one really knows what causes it but the vast majority of us will have the pleasure of experiencing it at some point in our lives.

There are many cures and regimes that can lessen the effects and in some cases clear it completely. But what about those people who can’t find the correct regime for their skin or who just feel acne is something they will grow out of in time.

The psychological effects can be huge. The acne may only be slight but it is not uncommon for the sufferer to enlarge the problem in their minds.

What is in fact a mere pimple, visible only to onlookers if they are up close, can, in the sufferer’s mind, be a huge spot impossible to miss by other people.

This “illusion” is just the beginning for the teenage or adult sufferer. Once that way of thinking is instilled, it becomes a habit and from then on any acne breakout becomes a disaster. Paranoia grows with the feeling that everyone is looking and pointing at your spots.

This can transform into a bigger psychological problem as self-esteem plummets and confidence in oneself is lost. All this because of one or two little red spots.

It’s vitally important not to let your mind take over. It is a human trait to think the worst and the more we think about something the more ingrained into our psyche it becomes. Problems and worries expand the more we dwell on them.

Of course one way to deal with the problem is to tackle the acne itself through any number of cures and treatments. But it is possible that even when the physical problem disappears a mental residue is left behind leading to a lack of self confidence in later life.

Take the chance now to realise that you and only you can control what goes on in your head. Realise that it is only your outer shell that you are worrying over and no one can affect the real you inside.

Acne is a skin condition and, let’s be honest, to spend a lot of time worrying and dwelling over your skin is at best shallow and at worst incredibly vain. If you can’t treat it, hold your head up high and realise that people aren’t laughing at you behind your back and even if they are they’re merely projecting their own insecurities onto you.

Acne is a condition of the outer you, don’t let it affect your self-esteem and confidence – you have a good deal more important things to be getting on with.

Rosa Dawson is owner and writer of http://www.preventingacne.info - an in-depth guide to defeating acne once and for all.

Posted on Jul 30th, 2007

Now, the story I am about to tell you, is about one young man who has discover an acne cure in the most unusual manner. Acne is like the song; "Living La Vida Loca", it makes you live this life where you can’t be yourself.

Many people don’t understand what acne really is and how to find a cure for acne. But no one knows acne like my friend, Cleo. Cleo is one ugly guy, with huge acne scars in face.

But, do you know what separates Cleo and his acne scars from the rest of you?

Cleo, has found the perfect acne treatment that has enabled him to live the life of his dreams. Did he find a miracle cure for acne, by all mean not. What Cleo thought me was that to cure acne you first have to cure yourself internally and not focus on the outside.

He is the most friendliest and you can’t find a nicer person, he has charm and personality, and you even tend to forget that he has acne scars. He said that he tried many different products over the years, but nothing worked, so he eventually realized that he wasn’t going to find an external cure, so he found an eternal cure.

The problem is that like Cleo, many others, they wait until their acne has flared up to a point of no return, don’t let that happen to you, take charge of your acne condition and start looking for a all natural acne home cure today.

So, before you set about thinking that there is no cure, there are methods to cure acne, but you have to first discover what type of acne you have. As an acne sufferer myself, I first cured my acne at the age of nineteen.

My acne cure didn’t come cheap, I must admit that, I tried all kinds of different acne medications, but nothing worked. I just kept on believing that I would eventually find a cure and that is exactly what happened, I just kept believing that I would find a cure, so you too have to continue believing.

I used a simple product called Clearasil, today there are many better products online, but be very careful, because certain products can do more harm than good. You have to know which products works best on your skin type.

When I was an acne sufferer, I choose to educate myself on all acne issues, I didn’t fell for any acne myths. Stop, reading all the false illusions online, they have no clue what acne is, they are simply creating little websites, with no accurate acne information or acne tips, only to try and make a commission from others.

I am not one who has no knowledge of acne, I used to dread going outside, hiding from friends, just wondering what someone was thinking whenever they stared at my face. But, I didn’t let that bother me, I was interested in finding a cure for acne, one that really worked, and I did.

If you truly believe, it will happen, your cure is right around the corner, stop dreaming, take action today, go out there and educate yourself and find a cure for your acne.

Alexander Marlin, Ebenezer St. Maarten A.N. Set aside the hype and discover the best natural acne treatments and acne home cures known online. Learn all the facts you ever wanted to know about acne here: http://www.curedacne.com

Posted on Jul 29th, 2007

Section 1. Why Clear Skin Is A Difficult Task Acne sufferers go a long time without having any success with getting immaculate skin. If you desire this right now, then have a look at what the natural acne treatment in this article will do for you.

Actually, I must correct myself immediately: it’s not really an acne treatment, but it’s a treatment for a lot of ailments. And this natural remedy that I am talking about is Bentonite Clay.

Section 2. Bentonite Clay Is A Superior Acne Treatment Bentonite Clay has been extensively used by many people and they have "all" had major breakthroughs. Before I talk about Bentonite Clay in terms of what it is and how it works, I must explain a simple concept of life that acne patients’ just don’t "get".

The concept of life I want to talk about is this: "the human body is constantly trying to clean itself from the inside".

You have to understand this. Your body has been put together by a unique network of capillaries, blood vessels, nerves, vital internal organs, and so many more complex systems. These systems all work together to protect your body and to keep it clean from the inside. On the outside of your body, you have orifices that can permit the entry of dangerous toxins, bacteria, viruses, and various other poisonous substances. And such toxins come from your food, cigarette smoke, vehicular traffic, smog, drugs, alcohol, air pollution, and generally any form of pollution itself.

Section 3. Your Body’s Channels Of Elimination The human body gets rid of toxins through various "channels of elimination". I refer to them as primary and secondary channels.

The primary channels of elimination for toxic substances are the anus and urethra. Most of the unwanted waste is passed out in your urine or faecal matter. Now the problem for acne patients begins right in the small and large colon. Basically what I mean is that your body will get rid of toxins via these two routes first before it attempts to use use the secondary channels, but the problem arises when the small and (especially) the large colon become congested.

Section 4. Your Skin Is A Channel Of Elimination Now, one of the biggest "secondary" channels of elimination is your SKIN. The proof is the fact that you release waste such as ammonia through your sweat pores. Yes. Your skin is one of the biggest secondary channels of elimination.

Section 5. Your Congested Colon So what exactly is the ideology of a CONGESTED COLON and what impact does it have on your skin?

Ok. If your colon becomes congested, it means that you have particles of food, faeces, and various types of waste literally stuck to the walls of your intestines. And in some cases (depending on how severe the "congestion" actually is), the impaction of waste material can remain for as long as several months.

Well if you think about it, your intestines absorb nutrition into your blood stream. It then processes this nutrition and you are left over with toxic by-products that need to be gotten rid of.

Now if the walls of your intestines are impacted with mucoidal waste, the absorption of nutritional chemicals from your food and the expulsion of by-products into the intestinal tract are both seriously reduced. This is exactly why acne patients feel "sluggish", and experience lethargy, headaches, lack of motivation.

More importantly, an impacted intestinal tract will force further toxins to your skin, which is the secondary channel of elimination. "This" is what stops you from getting rid of your acne spots. This is it.

Good colonic health is vital for acne sufferers.

Bentonite Clay is the one natural acne remedy that you must start using today. This medicine is fine particles of clay that carry a negative charge that attract all of this junk and flushes it out of your system. In turn, this begins to suck out your acne spots and your skin start to look a whole lot clearer.

Who else wants to use natural acne treatment systems that work from the inside. To download your free report on the 2 fastest ways of getting rid of acne… Go to the natural acne treatment website

Posted on Jul 28th, 2007

Do you look in the mirror and see bumps, bumps and more bumps all over your face and in the most embarrassing places like right on your lips? Do you look at other people’s faces and wonder what it will be like to have smooth and even skin and not be told by sympathetic friends and relatives trying to console you that “It’s not what’s on the outside that counts but what is on the inside…” (Bet you hear this and go…yeah, that’s easy for you to say, you don’t have acne!)

Take it from a guy who was afflicted with acne for close to 8 years…this image distorting skin crisis characterized by bumps, excessively oily or dry skin and an accompanying low self-esteem and depression (in most cases) is simply horrifying!

The good news my friends is if you suffer from acne, or know someone who does, it can be controlled and eventually cured without spending tons of money on drugs, visits to dermatologists or as I have heard, even plastic surgery. Trust me, I have been there and know how acne can ruin a person’s whole self-image and the desperate measures one might be considering to get rid of it.

The first thing any acne sufferer must realize is that any disease-regardless of its medical diagnosis-is a product of constipation, a clogging up of the body tissues. Consequently, as the body fights to unclog its organs, the process becomes manifested in several ways.

Disease is an attempt of the body to rid itself of these toxins and since, according to Dr. Stanley Burroughs, the skin is the next most important eliminating organ (second only to the lungs), acne is merely an indication that you need to cleanse yourself internally and take simple measures to alleviate the outer symptoms as the cleanse proceeds.

Just how does one do an internal cleanse?

Well, as I have mentioned in quite a few of my articles, the best way to do an internal cleanse (and the fastest I must say) will be to undergo a juice or water fast. Being a radical discipline, it must be undertaken with care but it is with confidence in a fast’s unmatched ability to restore health that you can be rest assured to see a drastic improvement in your skin condition at the end of about a 3 to 4 day fast.

I have covered the subjects on the types, when, why and how long to undergo a fast in my e-book, but you can always do your own research in regards to this restorer of health.

As a preliminary stage to a fast and as a suggested dietetic lifestyle, if you are serious about curing your acne and keeping it off, you must make a change in your diet and eliminate all mucus (acid) forming foods such as processed (junk) foods, fast foods, confectioneries, soft-drinks and eat more wholesome and natural foods like your fresh fruits and leafy vegetables, nuts, root vegetables, fresh juices-basically foods that are mucus (alkaline-forming) binding.

Though covered in chapter 13 of the core e-book of my site, you can type up ‘mucus forming and binding foods’ in any search engine like Google and educate yourself more on this subject. It is not by co-incidence or an error that Hippocrates ‘the father of medicine’ once stated that: “Let your foods be your medicine and your medicine your foods as nature is the healer of all diseases!”

Although knowing what to eat is of uttermost importance, you must learn when and how to eat these right foods. I will make a statement here that may go against every thing you may have read or heard on nutrition but I know what I am saying from close to 6 years on trying this simple method on myself. The worst meal that we as humans partake of is ‘breakfast.’

How so the uninformed may ask; well based on scientifically proven research on thousands of people for over two centuries on such health principles as food combination and the realization that the human body goes through a cleansing process from twelve midnight until twelve noon, and a building program from twelve noon to twelve midnight, your meals during these respective periods should be harmonious with the natural processes.

As a result here is a suggested daily menu plan

Breakfast: A choice of the following

1.A tall glass of Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice.

2.A tall glass of Fresh squeezed lemonade flavored with genuine maple Syrup (the darker the grade the better)

Lunch:

A mono-meal of an organic fruit in season for example Apples in the fall and winter, Melons in the summer, Berries in spring.

Dinner:

Fresh, home-made salads.

A simple dressing could be

(a)Lemon juice, olive oil and un-iodized sea-salt

(b)Avocadoes or Green coconuts blended with tomatoes and some sea salt

Or

Raw and/or cooked root vegetables such as Celery, Carrots, Potatoes, Plantains, raw or slightly heated fruit veggies (these can be blended into Soups or dressings for your salads)

Some factors that must also be noted to ensure the maximum assimilation of nutrients from our meals include thoroughly masticating or chewing the mouthfuls of one’s meals for as the Indian proverb goes “chew your foods well as the stomach has no teeth.”

In addition, I have also outlined the menu plan above keeping proper food combinations in mind. For free information on this subject, you can type up ‘food combining’ in any search engine or check out the URL in the next paragraph.

Moreover, refrain from the habit of drinking liquids with your meals, as I stated in the free resources section of my site on controlling asthma, drinking ANY liquids with your meals tends to dilute the digestive juices in your stomach which consequently deters digestion, assimilation and increases the tendency for constipation. If you must drink water after or before a meal, wait a solid hour or so before or after eating.

As is known in the drugless healing world, this simple, yet extremely effective dietetic change has been known to alleviate most otherwise incurable human ailments including acne, asthma and obesity.

One factor I must add (from my own personal experience with this device while undergoing a 10 day juice fast) is to AVOID THE USE OF MICROWAVES STARTING NOW.

For more information on this device, refer to http://www.bodyhealthsoul.com/acne.html, you will also see free tips for controlling acne and the photos on facial massaging, which will be part of the external measures needed to aid with alleviating acne symptoms.

Now that I have briefly covered the internal measures to reducing acne, let’s go over the external ones.

*Never repeat the use of a pillowcase in 2 days, always change them nightly so get 7 clean ones. Be conscious of how they are folded to ensure you sleep on the unexposed side upon unfolding the pillowcases.

*As much as possible, keep unwashed hands off of your face, if you must touch it, say for example, to scratch an itch, ensure to use the back of your hands.

*Try to sleep on your right side. Besides making your sleep more refreshing, this practice ensures that you keep your face off of the pillow and freer to breathe during the night. As an added benefit, your heart functions much better as you are not putting pressure on it based on this position of the body during sleep.

*Wash your hair with a mild shampoo every night especially if you use greasy hair products, or use a wrap-around nightcap that covers the hair and ensure the cap is washed every morning.

*Make frequent visits to the steam room of a gymnasium or you can steam the face at home as an alternative. The aim here is to aid the skin in eliminating toxins through sweating.

*Massage the face regularly as this not only aids in cleansing the face, but it firms up the skin and alleviates unwanted signs of aging such as crow’s feet, bags under the eyes, lines and wrinkles.

*Engage in some form of exercise to aid the body in detoxification and metabolism. Being one of the three limbs of drugless healing, exercise keeps you younger, fit and healthy…like you didn’t already know that. I must single out Yoga as one of the best forms of exercise to choose. Some poses such as the Sun Salutations, the Shoulder-Stand and the Peacock pose have been known through the ages to help alleviate many skin disorders and did I mention they give you the added bonus of making you stronger.

*For my male readers; if you are of African or Hispanic descent, most barbers recommend you use electric clippers to shave. For Caucasians & Asians, I have observed that using razors might not be a problem although if you prefer, you can use electric clippers also. Ensure that you shave in the direction of the hair’s growth (mostly downwards) for an after-shave; it is advised that you perform the facial massaging as well afterwards.

In conclusion, acne, as impossible as it at times may seem, is (like almost every other disease) very easy to control and with drugless, all natural methods at that. You just need to be shown how. It is my hope that in a few weeks after you read AND apply the steps in this article; you too can go out and get that date, or flaunt that smooth face to the world as I can guarantee you that acne will become a thing of your past…and will stay that way for life.

Foras Aje is the author of the e-book Fitness-Inside and out, a book on Naturopathy about Yoga, Calisthenics, Proper diet and mental attunements. For more information on how to control acne, health, fitness and Drugless Healing, visit http://www.bodyhealthsoul.com

Posted on Jul 27th, 2007

Acne treatment is one of the most common requests dermatologists hear from their patients. The condition generally begins in the teenage years, but can affect people into their thirties and forties. Blemishes often cause people to avoid social situations and, in extreme cases, can lead to feelings of depression.

The exact cause of acne is not known, but there are several theories. One is that break outs tend to be hereditary. If parents and siblings suffer from it, you may too. Another is that the hormones that surge through the body in puberty cause the sebaceous glands to increase in size and produce more oils. This leads to an increase in blemishes. Other hormonal causes include pregnancy, menstruation and birth control pills.

Although the exact cause of this skin condition is unknown, there are factors that can aggravate it. Squeezing a blemish can spread bacteria and cause more break outs on your face. Excessive humidity and sweating can also spread bacteria and aggravate the condition.

There are several myths surrounding acne. Stress is thought to cause acne, but it does not. However, the stress you feel as a result of the pimples is real. Consider relaxation techniques, reading the bible and prayer as a way to reduce this stress. Other myths include diet and having dirty skin.

Proper skin care can help prevent the spread of acne. Improper skin care can actually make blemishes worse. Excessive scrubbing with harsh cleansers is drying, causes irritations and can create more pimples. Use a gentle cleanser no more than twice a day, if your skin is excessively oily, you can wash three times. Look for a gentle cleanser that is made for your skin type. Salicylic acid is a good ingredient to look for.

Don’t use astringent unless you have very oily skin. Astringents can dry out the skin and make it worse. You may be tempted to skip the moisturizer, but don’t do this. Your skin needs moisture. Choose a product that is made for people who are prone to pimples. Look for an oil free, non acnegenic lotion.

Dermatologists can help with acne treatment. Topical ointments and oral medications can be prescribed for extreme cases. Many of these prescriptions can cause photosensitivity. You should always wear a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, if you go in the sun while using prescription medications. For maximum rejuvenation, your doctor may recommend a chemical peel.

In the past, you could only have a peel in the dermatologist’s office. Now there is a home treatment alternative. Esthetician’s Choice is a medical grade peel that you can use in the comfort of your home. The main ingredient is Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA) which is considered to be the most effective skin peel product on the market. TCA is a non toxic chemical that has been used by dermatologists for over 30 years to treat acne and other skin conditions.

Peels exfoliate the skin on a deeper level than can be achieved with most other skin care products. Easy to follow, step by step directions allow you to perform the peel easily at home. Esthetician’s Choice takes only minutes to apply. You may experience a slight reddening for a day or tow and the skin will continue to peel, revealing clearer skin underneath.

You will notice results quickly, unlike topical ointments and medications, which can take months to see results. Use the peel full strength for a deeper peel, or you can dilute it for surface exfoliation. Visit www.bestskinpeel.com to learn more about this remarkable product, which is guaranteed to give you the results you want.

David Maillie is a chemist with over 12 years experience in biochemical research and clynical analysis. He is an alumni of Cornell University and specializes in biochemical synthesis for public, private, and governmental interests. He can be reached at M.D. Wholesale: http://www.bestskinpeel.com.

Posted on Jul 26th, 2007

Isotretinoin, sold under the brand name Accutane, is the only drug that can cure acne, but it can cause horrible birth defects when taken by pregnant women. Reports from Britain and Israel show that Accutane otherwise is much safer than we used to think.

Acne is a condition in which normally colorless, liquid skin oils are converted to solid white material. Then the skin responds to the trapped solid oil by turning red and swelling. A three- or four-month course of Accutane damages the oil glands and markedly reduces the amount of oil that your skin produces, making Accutane the most effective drug to treat acne. Having less skin oil should not cause any serious side effects as its only known function is to keep you from feeling too cold in the winter, because it slows evaporation of sweat. Dry skin is associated with lack of water, and aging of skin is associated with lack of collagen, not with lack of oil.

In the British study, ninety-three per cent of the people taking Accutane reported no long-term side effects. The British researchers reported that two percent suffered muscle aches at follow up, and 5 percent suffered from dry mouth. Fewer than one percent claimed that they had dry eyes and skin and joint pains. Higher doses were not associated with more side effects. The authors concluded that their study showed that isotretinoin is a safe drug with no serious long-term side-effects. However, it causes birth defects when taken during pregnancy.

A study from Israel also shows that Accutane is far safer than many doctors think. Many doctors refuse to prescribe Accutane for severe acne because they are afraid that Accutane will damage livers, raise triglyceride levels and cause heart attacks. In this study, none of the patients had liver tests that were abnormal enough to stop treatment. Only 1.5 percent of patients had serum triglyceride levels above 400 mg%, but all continued treatment. Only 3.5 percent of patients required a second treatment.

I insist that all women who take Accutane do nothing that could cause a pregnancy while they take it. Three months after stopping Accutane, a woman has no increased risk for birth defects.

I check liver tests and triglyceride levels and if normal, prescribe 40 mg of Accutane twice a day for 14 weeks. I check liver tests every four weeks and stop the drug immediately if the liver tests become abnormal. I repeat liver tests two weeks later, and if normal, restart Accutane. Eighty-two percent of those who follow this regimen are cured of acne for life. If the acne returns months or years later, I usually prescribe 40 mg of Accutane four times a day for one month. Check with your doctor.

For Journal references on Accutane see http://www.drmirkin.com/morehealth/G200.htm

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

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Posted on Jul 25th, 2007

Acne is a problem that affects a large amount of people across the world. Contrary to popular misconceptions it does not discriminate completely against age or sex. It’s true that it does seem to be closely associated with hormones and people who are suffering from high hormone levels and for this reason teens are more likely to develop acne than any other age group. However, over a quarter of adults will also develop acne at some point in their adult lives. Adult acne can cause depression and social anxiety so treating it can be vital to sufferers. There have been many different treatments for acne in the past but many have failed to regularly and consistently get rid of acne.

1- There are a number of cleansing lotions and moisturizers that can be bought over the counter in chemists or supermarkets. These have a varied degree of success and some will work better than others. Unfortunately they can be expensive, especially if you need to try several before you have any success.

2- Antibiotics can work well with some patients, but the body quickly builds up an immunity to most antibiotics rendering them useless. Also, while antibiotics might work to get rid of acne they can also produce undesirable side effects in users. You may become more light sensitive or suffer from dizziness or nausea.

3- Acne seems to be closely related to increased levels of hormones. For this reason many women suffer from acne at the same time each month during their menstrual cycle. A doctor may prescribe a birth control pill that balances hormone levels and therefore works effectively to get rid of acne.

4- Vitamin derivatives and nutritional supplements work very well to get rid of acne as long as you buy the right ones. Vitamins A, C and E as well as Iron work well in the fight against acne and are readily available from most grocery stores. Some of these supplements and derivatives can have some notable side effects. The gels and creams will make you more sensitive to light so you should always combine them with sun screen.

5- Short treatments of intense light have been proven to be very effective in helping your get rid of acne. usually conducted over a four week period many patients have shown excellent progress, especially when compared to medicines and other techniques.

John Mancini has been writing about acne online and offline for a long time. Visit http://bye-bye-pimples.com or http://acne-no-more.com to read more about matters like adult acne.

Posted on Jul 24th, 2007

Girls go through a great deal of physical and psychological changes during puberty. These changes include body composition, fat distribution, menstruation, growth spurts, body and facial hair growth, body odor and skin changes. The body physically changes as the fat tissue increases in the hips, thighs, and breasts producing the typical hourglass shape of females. With all these changes going on, what effect does acne have on girls during puberty?

During puberty girls experience an increased likelihood and severity of acne from the increased oil secretions in the skin. Puberty is often a difficult time and acne only adds to the difficulty. During puberty girls usually experience increased irritability, mood swings, and feelings of low self esteem. Even girls who have been very sure of themselves may suffer from low self esteem when puberty sets in. These changes may be even more severe in the girl also suffers from acne.

The negative changes in girls during puberty are made even worse if acne is a problem. You can help deal with the changes when you know how to lessen the problems of acne.

Practical Acne Treatments For Girls…

Proper skin care is the first step in treating acne. The face should be gently washed with a facial cleanser. There are many skin care products on the market that may help with acne. To kill the bacteria that cause acne the cleanser should contain salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide or sulfur. Gentle cleansing is an important factor when dealing with acne. A common mistake is to clean the face too often and with harsh cleansers. Careful cleaning of the face twice a day is the best way to go.

There are some cosmetics that can be detrimental if you are trying to control acne so it is important to use non-comedogenic products. Non-comedogenic products are less likely to cause acne, blackheads or block the pores of the skin. Today there are many non-comedogenic products available, such as makeup, lip stick, moisturizers, and even acne medicated makeup.

The changes experienced during puberty can take a mental and physical toll on girls. The onset of acne certainly makes these changes even harder to deal with. It is a good idea to visit with a dermatologist if the acne can not be controlled with over-the-counter medications. A dermatologist will understand the changes that are associated with acne and will be able to offer advice and treatment programs. It’s also important to be understanding and offer support to girls as puberty can be a difficult time to go through.

Daniel J Lesser is the creator of AcneInfoSite.com. A whole world awaits for a beautiful spotless face. Find out how to control your acne at http://www.acneinfosite.com.

Posted on Jul 23rd, 2007

Teen acne is a disease that strikes over 85% of teenagers, yet most people have no idea exactly what causes teen acne. In many cases what most people know about teen acne is really only a number of myths. While the mechanisms of this disease aren’t clear, scientists know enough to tell what can and what can’t cause it.

Diet (myth and fact)
One of the most common beliefs about teen acne is that it is the result of an improper diet. The truth is that in most cases diet has little or no effect on teen acne. While one of the US studies shows a connection between a high-carbohydrate diet and some forms of acne, it’s not a simple cause-effect connection. The disease won’t go away just because chocolate is dropped as a snack food.

Exercise (myth)
Too much exercise is also supposed to increase teen acne. At first glance, it seems logical - the disease is connected to oily skin and you sweat a lot during physical exercises. But again, there is no connection between doing exercises and teen acne. It won’t get better if we stop running.

Dirt (myth)
Dirt was also pointed out as a cause of acne. As with exercise, at first glance it seems logical. Teen acne is the result of clogging the skin’s pores - and dirt certainly can do that! However, washing can’t cure teen acne. It won’t even help. In most cases the pores are clogged by dead skin cells, not dirt.

Sex (myth)
Another common myth is that sexual activity (or lack of it) can cause acne. While teen acne and the first sexual encounters usually start at about the same time, there is no cause-effect connection between them. They have nothing to do with each other.

Physiological reasons (fact)
The real causes of teen acne are purely physiological. During growing up process male hormones (they exist in both male and female) over-stimulate the oil-producing glands. The oil impedes the rate of dead skin cell shredding. Dead cells are stuck in the pores and they prevent oil from leaving the skin. This creates a perfect place for acne bacteria to grow and multiply. This quickly leads to inflammation and spots. As you see, teen acne comes and goes along with hormone activity during the teen years.

Now you know the facts and myths concerning teen acne.

Mark Walters fight acne from his web domain at http://www.AcneRescue.com

Posted on Jul 22nd, 2007

Scars from acne can have a serious effect on a person’s self-esteem and emotional state. Fortunately there have been advances in the treatment of acne-related scarring in recent years. However, it is important to note that nothing will completely heal most scars.

Laser Therapy - Using lasers to treat scars is a relatively new technology, but is one of the most promising options for severe cases. The lasers remove the scarred skin, and encourage growth of new skin in its place. After treatment, the skin will be pink and swollen for a week or so. During this time, bandages need to be kept over the skin to prevent infection. It takes months for the skin to return to normal, but most people will see less noticeable scars and smoother skin. Laser scar treatment can be expensive, but may be appropriate for severe cases.

Surgical Therapy (Dermabrasion) - This form of scar treatment uses a motorized burr, which usually contains diamond particles. Diamonds are extremely strong abrasives when in a powder-form. A scab will form once the procedure is completed. Once it is healed, a smoother pink layer of new skin is underneath. Multiple treatments are often necessary, and each one can cost $1500.

Creams and Gels - There are many topical treatments that claim to reduce the appearance of scars. Many contain Vitamin E and other nutrients. Mederma is a popular brand name. Many people report that it can improve scars in as little as 8 weeks for new scars, or 6 months for older scars. Results with topical ointments like this will vary from person to person.

Collagen Injection - This is a temporary fix, where the patient’s own body fat or collagen is injected into the scar site. This works well for some people with deep-pitted scars. The material injected serves to raise the skin, and reduce the pitted appearance, and wrinkling from the scar. However, this procedure needs to be repeated every 6 months and can be expensive.

Learn more about acne treatments and Adult Acne at http://www.adult-acne.org.

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