Genetics Factors

Genetics factors play a significant role in acne formation, although we do not know which genes exactly are involved. It is likely that combination of genes from both parents are responsible.

It is common to see that several members in the same family have acne. If one or both parents have severe acne, then the child is also at risk of developing severe acne.

Picking and Squeezing

It is common to see that acne sufferers pick at the acne lesions and squeeze out the retained sebaceous deposits. And it is a common mistaken impression that this will unblock the pore and speed up healing. In fact, the squeezing cause unnecessary damage to the skin, bacteria is introduced to the wound and causes inflammation. The result is often darker, deeper and more permanent scars.

Stress

Acne get worse when the person suffers from stress, worry, tension and anxiety. For example, it has been observe that during examination period, the acne condition get worse for student suffers. This is likely cause by hormones and neuroactive substances produced during stress and significantly influence on acne formation.

Premenstrual Flares

Some women complain of acne flares just before their menses. And these premenstrual flares affect up to 40% of women with acne. It is likely due to the hormone fluctuation over the menstrual cycle. The flares often resolve quickly after the menses end.

Creams and Medicaments

Certains creams and medicaments may make acne worse. Topical steroids which is often prescribed for treating eczema may resulted to outbreak of acne is they are used excessively and inappropriately. You can identify this type of acne by its look - multiple red, inflamed monomorphic papules and pustules.

Drugs

Some drugs aggravate or even cause acne. These include:

- corticosteroids which is taken orally or by injections

- lithium for treating manic depressive illness

- testosterone pills and injection which are used by professional athletes and body builders to increase muscle mass

- danazol which is given to women for endometriosis which is the growth of tissue from the uterus in parts of the body other than the uterus

Cosmetics

For a small group of cosmetics users, they can develop cosmetic acne in the form of side effect. Cosmetic acne is usually present as small, raised whiteheads or small inflamed paules and pustules over the face the cosmetics are applied. Often, women with cosmetic acne are caught in a vicious cycle – the more acne outbreak they have, the more cosmetics up they use to cover it up which only leads to worsening of the condition.

Climate

Acne tends to get worse in hot humid climates and work environment e.g. steam rooms and kitchen. We do not know why heat and humidity have such an aggravating effect but we know is that the outer layer of skin swells tremendously under humid conditions. The pressure from the swelling could block the opening of the pilo-sebaceous unit and cause acne to develop.

Occupations

Jobs that involve with certain chemicals may worsen acne. These chemicals include:

- insoluble cutting oils that are use in engineering manufacturing industries

- crude petroleum in the oil refining industry

- diesel oil that is used in motor mechanics

- halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons that are use in industries manufacturing conductors and insulators and

- insecticides, fungicides and herbicides

Alvin Poh shares more ideas and articles like this on the very popular website "Ask About Acne" at http://www.askaboutacne.com

Isotretinoin is actually the generic term for Accutane. It is a synthetic Vitamin A derivative that creates a potentially long lasting change in the cells, lining the pore. This change allows cells to slough off naturally with clumping and plugging the pore.

Using Accutane, the pores will not become plugged and hence oil can flow freely to the skin surface. Also the amount of oil is reduced as Accutane temporarily re-regulates the oil gland to produce less. And the beauty of using Accutane is that, the benefit is long lasting and in some cases, the benefits are permanent.

Accutane is the most important drug today in the arsenal of medications that are used to treat severe and persistent nodular, cystic acne. It has provided great improvement to the acne problem for majority of the patient who use it since 1984. And about 60% of those who used Accutane actually needed only one- course of treatment and 30% needed two- course of treatment for clear skin.

Although Accutane is a powerful medication, it also has its side effect. It can cause your skin to be overly dry and chapped your lips. Hence when taking Accutane, you need to monitor your condition.

Accutane also has other side effects including nose bleeds and muscle and joint soreness. However the good news is that majority of the patients who use Accutane do not suffer from these side effects.

Accutane is known to cause birth defects in a developing fetus if a pregnant woman takes it. Therefore women who are sexually active must use appropriate birth control measure for one month before using Accutane. They must also continue with the control measure throughout the entire course and for at least three months after the therapy stops. However, accutane does not affect future pregnancies.

Serious side effects from Accutane are liver and pancreas damage, depression and brain swelling. Fortunately such cases are rare and can be reversed when one stopped using the medication.

If you have severe acne and do not respond well to other treatments, you may seriously want to consider taking Accutane for a five to six month period. The prescription is to be tailored according to your height and weight and should be taken with a meal because Accutane is absorbed better with food.

When taking Accutane, you must monitor the situation for any side effects as mentioned above. You are required to take mandatory blood tests including:

- living profile studies,
- complete blood count and
- cholesterol and triglyceride levels

The purpose of these tests is to ensure that there aren’t any abnormalities such as liver inflammation and a dangerously high triglyceride level which could inflame the pancreas, decrease the white blood count or seriously lower the red blood cell count. And for fertile women, a serum pregnancy test is to be done every month.

Alvin Poh shares more ideas and articles like this on the very popular website "Ask About Acne" at http://www.askaboutacne.com

Myth: If You Leave Your Acne Alone, You’ll Outgrow It

This is absolutely untrue. If you acne outbreak, it is important to treat it as early as possible. Leaving it alone can often make matter worse. And if it does get worse, it can create permanent scars which not just affect your physical look but also your emotion feeling about yourself.

Myth: Acne Is Caused by Eating Oily Food, Chocolate or Caffeine

There is no strong medical evident that certain type of food or diet result in acne. However if you notice that certain kind of food consistently cause you to suffer from acne outbreak, it is best that you avoid them. For example, some people are very sensitive to food with high iodine content such as shellfish, dried fish and seaweed which result in flare-up. There are some studies theorize that hormones in chicken, beef and dairy products may cause early adolescent acne but that has yet to be proven. However if you have concerned, then you may want to substitute other sources of protein and calcium for these products or try hormone-free organic version of them.

Myth: Acne Is Seasonal

Acne is not a seasonal skin problem. You can suffer from acne outbreak during any time of the year. However temperature and humidity may increase the oil production of your skin and hence result in acne.

Myth: Sunscreen Causes Acne

A heavy and occlusive sunscreen can attract and hold on to heat in your follicles which can result in skin inflammation and causing numerous small red bumps to form. However this reaction is not true acne but a condition known as miliaria. A good non-comedogenic sunscreen will not result in acne.

Sun screen is a very important prevention measure against skin cancer. Hence we will never advice you not to use it. In fact, you should always apply sunscreen to your skin when you need to go under the sun. For people will acne-prone skin, we’ll recommend that they use oil-free non-comodegenic sunscreen.

One important thing to note - Acne medicine such as benzoyl peroxide Rein-A and salicylic acid may increase your skin sensitivity to the sunlight. Hence if you use these medicines, it is very important that you apply sunscreen before you leave the house.

Myth: Drinking Lots of Water Will Wash Away Acne

Although drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water each day is essential for a healthy body, there is no evidence that drinking water alone will wash away acne. While water alone will not eliminate acne, it will greatly assist your skin in remaining healthy and that will be one portion of the pie in fighting acne.

Myth: Sun Exposure Help To Heal Your Acne

With the increasing use of blue light by some dermatologist in treating acne, some people start to believe that sun exposure helps to heal their acne. A small amount of sunlight may appear to help your acne initially as breakout temporary dry up and your new tan help to cover up the red blemishes. However prolonged sun exposure will increase the plugging of your pores, producing blackheads and whiteheads and not forgetting the increase in risk of skin cancer.

Myth: Acne Is Caused By Not Washing Your Face Regularly Acne is not caused by dirt or uncleanliness. In fact, if you wash your face too often or rub it with alcohol to help you get rid of excess oil and to feel clean, that in fact will stimulate more oil production. Washing your face twice a day is usually good enough to get rid of dirt and bacteria on your skin.

Myth: Blue Light Therapy Can Cure Acne

Many dermatologist are using blue light wave in treating acne today. Blue light works by sterilizing the skin for a short period of time, removing acne bacteria and temporary improve acne when used with traditional topical acne medication.

However it is still too early at the moment to tell whether blue light therapy is in fact helpful and whether its long term benefit out weigh the expenses and frequently visits for the therapy. Will have to wait and see as studies on it effectiveness as studies are still on going.

Alvin Poh shares more ideas and articles like this on the very popular website "Ask About Acne" at http://www.askaboutacne.com

Acne scar on the body are generally more difficult to treat than scars on your face. Reason is because there are more blood vessels supply blood to your face than elsewhere on the rest of the body. Hence, wound on the face then to heal faster and better than those on the body.

Also, there are fewer pilo-sebaceous glands on non-facial skin and they are thicker. It is the migration of cells from the pilo-sebaceous glands that heals injury. Therefore the fewer these units, the longer it takes to heal the wound.

Fortunately there are some treatments for body acne scars that are effective and they are carry out by either the dermatologists or aestheticians. For body scars that are red, pulse-dye laser or other vascular lasers can be used to remove the red component. If the scars are brown, then the more aggressive lightening agents can be used. And for depressed body scar, filler can be used to fill up the uneven surface.

There are many options available to treat acne scars. For less serious scars, you can actually them alone, over time, the condition will improve and the scars become less noticeable, blending into the rest of your face.

For more serious and noticeable scar, we’d recommend that you work with a cosmetically oriented dermatologists or plastic surgeon to correct the situation. This will help you greatly in your appearance and also build up your self-esteem.

Alvin Poh shares more ideas and articles like this on the very popular website "Ask About Acne" at http://www.askaboutacne.com

Acne treatment is something that many people seek out each year. Many of the cases of acne are those that are brought on during the teenage years. This type of acne can begin at the onset of puberty and will continue until the early 20’s. The severity of acne can range from minimal to severe. There is little knowledge of why it affects people in different ways. But, acne treatment can be used to help those who need it.

There are different types of acne treatment as well. For those who have severe cases of acne, there are several options to consider. The first thing that is done routinely is to find out what is causing the over production of oils in the skin. From there, there will be one of two types of treatments done.

In the first, the medications that will be given will help to turn off the production of the oils or at least minimize them. At the other end of the spectrum, these oils remain in pores throughout the skin and it becomes a breading ground for bacteria who just love the warm, wet environment to reproduce. In the second form of treatment for acne, the mediations taken will work to help fight the bacteria that are active. Most times, the medications will be oral medications but other times they are will be creams that are applied to the skin.

In any case, to get the acne treatment that you need, you should first see your dermatologist to determine your needs. You may need one or other types of medications. In some cases, treatment can be as simple as using a different type of soap to wash the face. Most of the time, you will need to take proper care of the skin to remove and keep bacteria away. And, you may need medication to stop your body from producing excessive amounts of oil. The combination is the best treatment for acne is some.

for more information please see http://www.acne-treatment-info.co.uk

Don’t listen when they tell you, “You’ll grow out of it.”

According to the American Academy of Dermatology your typical acne sufferer is now 26 years old. Why is that? You could blame it on hormones. But there is another covert explanation.

Acne is not a simple, skin condition. Multiple factors can contribute to one case of acne. Yet one issue has long been overlooked in the mounting cases adults with hormonal acne, and that factor is the environment.

Take for example an entire city in Italy that one-day found itself crowded with citizens battling acne.

It was a calm Saturday in the summer of 1976 that turned into a toxic inferno for the people of Seveso, Italy. The cause- a failing chemical blew a cloud of white poison called trichlorophenol into the air.

Heat from the reaction transformed the trichlorophenol into a one of the most deadly chemicals know at that time: TCDD or dioxin.

Dioxin is an oily powder that sticks to the skin. This poison is spread by the wind and rain. Only the sun can break this poison down over a span of several years.

Months after the explosion locals suffered from damaged internal tissue and farm animals would drop dead in fields. People also developed bumps, blisters and chloracne- a form of acne caused by chemical poisoning. Moreover, locals developed blackheads and other acne lesions because the dioxin forced the body to produce excessive amounts of keratin, the protein found in hair, fingernails and skin. This buildup of keratin clogged the pores and caused pimples and blackheads.

Ironically, we, as consumers could be making dioxins every day in our own home.

Almost every home has a product that contains triclosan. This anti-bacterial agent is used to make cosmetics, anti-microbial creams, lotions, hand soaps, dish soaps and even acne treatments. Nevertheless, researchers from the University of Minnesota demonstrated that triclosan could be producing dioxins in the presence of sunlight.

Dioxins do not degrade over time and they can accumulate in body tissues and can eventually to lead to health problems. Even low levels of dioxin are a problem because of their tendency to accumulate along the food chain. For instance, since dioxin accumulates in the fats tissues, and so dioxin may be found in fish, eggs, milk, chicken and beef.

Thus, the link between acne and milk may not be only a hormonal issue, but a result of environmental pollution.

Dioxin is not only linked to acne, but to other rising health conditions like asthma and attention deficit disorder.

Making a substantial reduction in environmental dioxin levels is a nationwide effort. However you can limit your exposure to dioxins right now by avoiding the use of pesticides, drinking filtered water and by eating less meat products.

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Do your sinuses get plugged up the minute spring arrives? Do your sinus symptoms come and go with the arrival of different seasons? Do your sinus symptoms seem to increase when you are exposed to mold, dust, or animals? These sinus allergy situations are just a few examples of when sinus allergies can intensify to the point of real discomfort.

Environmental elements such as dust, pollen, and mold seep into your sinuses. Your body perceives these substances as harmful and reacts by producing histamines. These histamines come in the form of itching eyes and an itching, runny nose.

One of the most common sinus allergy afflictions is due to hay fever and ragweed. Hay fever is an allergic reaction to your environment.

A sinus allergy is often confused with a cold. How can you determine if you have a sinus allergy versus a cold? Observe to see whether you have red, itchy eyes and a runny nose along with the congestion. The itching is a sign that you have a sinus allergy as versus a cold.

Another way to figure out if you are suffering from a sinus allergy versus a cold is to ppay attention to what time of the year your congestion isymptoms increase. Does congestion increase in the spring when the flowers (and the weeds), are in full bloom? Does your congestion and itchy increase when there is high pollen activity in the environment? If this is true, then you most likely have a sinus allergy.

Sinus allergies can erupt from pollutants in your household. Always keep your house clean and use an air purifying filter. Mold, dust, and dander can leave you susceptible to sinus allergy flare-ups. How can you minimize the effects of household mold, dust, and dander? A HEPA filter is a great filter to use that will rid your air of any harmful substances.

If you do suffer from sinus allergies then you can find relief by heading to the medicine isles of your grocery store or local drug store. There are plenty of sinus allergy medications to choose from. Become a label reader tp make sure you are getting the most effective and appropriate medication. Some sinus allergy medications are made for the day time and will not make you drowsy. As opposed to Antihistamines that can make you drowsy.

Sinus allergy is a common trial for many people. Take comfort in knowing that sinus relief is available, it is a matter of combining the small steps together to get significant relief. By removing environmental triggers and taking allergy medication you have the best chance of minimizing your sinus allergies.

The author, Bill Urell, reviews only the best diet and fitness plans, tips, and articles that promote healthier lifestyles. Visit us and claim your FREE ebook, 101 Romantic Ideas as a welcome gift ==>http://www.online-weight-loss-resources.com

People with acne might will generally try anything to get rid of it. Who can blame them? With the wide variety of acne medication on the market, getting rid of acne is something that can be achieved by most people. However, for every acne medication, there are side effects. And before you try any acne medication, it is important that you understand the risks and the possibility of side effects.

Starting with the most powerful acne medication- Isotretinoin (Accutane)

Isotretinoin (Accutane) is an acne medication that is only prescribed by a doctor for cases of severe acne. It is seen as an acne medication of the last resort. One of the reasons for this is that the side effects of this acne medication can be severe. Do not take this lightly. The side effects of Isotretinoin are so many that blood work is needed before it can be administered.

Some side effects of Isotretinoin include:

* Birth defects. This is the most serious side effect. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding may not take Isotretinoin. There are no studies about whether the risk of birth defects is the same for men, but men who take Isotretinoin are advised not to get women pregnant. * Chapped lips

* Depression, feeling ‘off’

* Urinary problems

* Thinning of the hair (temporary)

* Joint and muscle pain

* Headaches

* Dry, chapped skin

* Decrease in night vision

Antibiotics:

Antibiotics are another acne medication with some potential side effects. Many studies have appeared showing the need for restraint in the use of antibiotics. This includes using antibiotics as an acne medication. The reason for this is simple. Frequent antibiotic use can lead to resistant strains of bacteria. This goes for acne as well. Over time, acne can become resistant to antibiotics if used as a long-term treatment. Other possible side effects include:

* Rashes

* Photosensitivity

* Gastrointestinal problems

Birth Control Pills

There are many well-known side-effects associated with birth control pills. If used as an acne medication, be aware of these side effects, which include:

* Vaginal bleeding

* Retaining water

* Melasma

* Increased risk of heart attack, strokes, blood clots and breast cancer

* Depression

The author, Bill Urell, reviews only the best diet and fitness plans, tips, and articles that promote healthier lifestyles. Visit us and claim your FREE ebook, 101 Romantic Ideas as a welcome gift ==>http://www.online-weight-loss-resources.com

Stress comes in many forms, workplace stress, family stress, grief over loss of a loved one, etc… Some can be avoided, but as we know, many cannot. Some people handle stress better than others, and some even thrive onit.Regardless, stress takes its toll.

Stress has been proven to rid your body of many essential vitamins and minerals. Particularly vitamins C, E, and B. This leads to lethargy, lower focussed mental activities (clinically stress causes more erratic brain activity and a reduction in short term and long term memory), drying out and aging of the skin (in some), and in others a increase in the sebaceous gland activity - which usually brings postules, acne, and rosacea - which all bring more stress as we then become more entangled in how others view our physical appearance.

We cannot stop all stress, but we can take steps to stop or limit its toll on our skin and body. Take a full vitamin suplament every day. Eat a well balanced diet - especially fish meat like salmon (high in omega 3’s which is proven to increase brain function and cellular activity, but it also is proven to reduce the aging process of the skin and make cuts and bruises heal faster). Eat more raw fruits and vegetables - atleast 5 servings per day - you will see a notable difference in 4-6 weeks and you will feel better (along with better colon health.

Exercise more often. Aerobic exercise has been proven to release powerful hormones that actually counteract the harmful chemicals and results of stress as it will also improve your bodys abilities to cope with oxidants.

I can’t say enough about meditation and prayer. Study after study have proven a reduction in every skin and body malody even cancer symptoms from people that pray and meditate daily. Take 20 minutes every day and do this you will also live longer.

The latest rage is skin peels for a quick fix. Skin peels will slough off the top layers of skin and reveal fresher, cleaner skin. The most effective are TCA peels and phenol peels (phenol peels are dangerous and should only be performed by a licensed plastic surgeon). TCA, trichloroacetic acid, is a medium depth skin peel that works on the most skin ailments - aging skin, sun damage, even has been proven to treat and cure acne. No other skin peel can safely do all that a TCA peel can.

So there you have it - clear, younger skin in 500 words. Great advice to follow and don’t forget to always run anything new by your doctor. They are licensed for a reason and know whats best for you.

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 or by visiting or http://www.mdwholesale.com.

Acne vulgaris (acne) is a condition, popular with teens and young adults, that is characterized by red, inflamed bumps and patches. These bumps and patches are formed by overactive sebacious glands (usually due to hormonal imbalances), high skin pH, oil, and basteria that thrive in these conditions. This acne can be worsened by summer heat, improper cleaning, itching and picking at the bumps (they are not pimples and will only get worse when picked at), pH imbalance, bad nutrition, etc…

By changing our habits we can improve this condition. Using mild soaps and cleansers will prove less irritating. Eating a well balanced diet will average out the condition and slowly improve it. And we all know not to pick at acne postules and bumps, but to stop it and possibly cure it we have to get to the source deep in the skin.

Surface treatments like benzoyl peroxide creams and solutions are at best minimally effective and can further irritate the condition. We need to get several layers down to the source, the bacteria, inflamation, and the sebacious glands where acne forms.

Plastic surgeons know that glycolic and salicylic peels are better than hydrogen peroxide treatments, but they will not reach the source. This is where plastic surceons and doctors use TCA peels (trichloroacetic acid) which is a deeper peel to reach the source, change the skin pH (which kills off the bacteria - they cannot survive in high acidity conditions), and increase skin regeneration by sloughing off several layers. TCA peels have been clinically prove to treat and cure acne better than any other treatment (including lasers and Accutane) without any of the horrible side effects).

TCA peels used to be something only the wealthy could afford, but not anymore. You can still go to your doctor and pay $500+ or you can do it yourself. TCA peels are the easiest, safest, and most effective of all the skin peels and are now easily available. For more details about TCA peels contact the author below or look it up on the internet. Get a TCA peel and start enjoying cleaner, more youthful skin and stop wasting your money on products that don’t work.

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 or by visiting or http://www.mdwholesale.com.