Just because of acne… Do you feel like a vampire who shies away at your mirror? Are you afraid of your own reflection?

Chances are there are also about 60 million people feeling the way you do.

For most of us humans, acne seems to be the bane of our existence. And it is not totally unfounded. Acne, nowadays, is the most prevalent and most common medical condition affecting more than 60 million people in the United States alone.

What exactly are the causes of acne that so many people suffer from it? Here are the most common causes of acne that we have gathered for you.

Hormones- the number one cause of acne is the production of sex hormones called androgen that begins at puberty. This is why majority of acne sufferers are adolescents and teens. Hormones are responsible for then acne flare-ups during menstruation and pregnancy.

When the sebaceous gland is stimulated by androgens, it produces extra sebum. In its journey up the follicle toward the surface, the sebum mixes with common skin bacteria and dead skin cells that have been shed from the lining of the follicle. While this process is normal, the presence of extra sebum in the follicle increases the chances of clogging — and acne.

Stress- Stress can also cause the production of hormones, such as cortisol, which can aggravate acne. Stress brings upon different hormone levels. With hormone changes the body prompts the skins oil glands to enlarge, secreting more oil. Which causes white heads, black heads and pimples.

Oily or heavy make up- Heavy make-up clogs the pores and oily make-ups add more oil, this only adds to the problem if oily skin already exists. Cosmetics especially certain moisturizers, foundation and pomades (watch out for lanolin, petrolatum, vegetable oils, butyl stearate, lauryl alcohol and oleic acid).

Certain medications and steroids. Vitamins are good for your body, But an excess of vitamins B1, B6 and B12 can cause acne flare-ups. These vitamins are good for the skin, but avoid overuse.

Acne Cure Remedy - http://www.acnecureremedy.com/

Let’s face it, you are engaged in an ongoing battle when you are afflicted with acne. While acne treatments for a mild case of acne are usually successful, moderate acne is a greater problem. Even dermatologists cannot cure a severe case of acne but can only provide an acne treatment regimen.

However, you can support your acne treatment efforts with proper acne skin care in order to reduce the recurrence of acne flare-ups and not aggravate existing acne.

Knowing What You’re Doing

One of the first pieces of advice is to make sure that you understand and follow the directions for any acne remedy that you are using. If you are taking a prescription acne medicine, read the patient leaflet that accompanies the medication carefully. Typically for moderate to severe acne a dermatologist may prescribe several acne medicines, each with its own treatment protocol and directions.

In order to achieve the acne free skin that you desire, it is important to use all the acne treatments properly and in the correct order. Consider bringing a tablet of paper, a pen, and a friend or relative with you to your appointment with your dermatologist. Simply jot down some notes about the order and time of day for applying each acne medicine and what its purpose is.

Remember, just because the acne clears with the use of your acne medicines doesn’t necessarily mean that you have succeeded in curing acne. Most people with moderate to severe acne must continue to use their acne medicine long-term to prevent any recurrence of their acne problem. Using the acne treatments properly should translate to clear skin and freedom from acne scars.

What About Over-the-Counter Remedies?

Besides using medications prescribed by a doctor, there are a large number of products on the market labeled as skin cleansers, facial cleansers, pore cleansers, and facial pore cleaners that can be used in curing acne.

When cleansing skin that is afflicted with acne, an important point to remember is not to scrub the skin; never scrub your face with a washcloth. It is a misconception that acne is caused by dirt clogging the pores of the skin. You don’t scrub away the offending dirt; you can’t scrub away the offensive acne and achieve acne free skin.

Over-washing or scrubbing skin afflicted with acne only serves to aggravate the condition. Rather use only a gentle skin cleanser, lukewarm water, and a gentle motion with your fingertips as your primary acne skin care regime. When you wash your face with your hands, be sure to first thoroughly wash your hands.

Do Natural Treatments Really Work?

Look for gentle cleansers that are sold as acne solutions. When you’re evaluating skin cleansers for acne, include natural acne treatments in your search as well. For example, a soap made from Echinacea and other herbal ingredients is an effective antibiotic facial cleanser that helps fight acne and restore clear skin. Tea tree oil also has known antibiotic properties and serves as a mild anesthetic that will soothe the irritated skin.

Oily skin is implicated as a one of the causes of acne. It doesn’t necessarily make sense to use a moisturizer on oily skin as a means of achieving clear skin. But many of the acne treatments, whether they are prescribed or available as over-the-counter products, have a tendency to irritate the skin while curing acne.

A moisturizer is a boost to irritated skin and keeps skin from becoming overly dry due to the acne treatments that have been applied. Look for a moisturizer with the following properties:

- oil-free
- won’t clog pores (non-comodogenic)
- containing a sun-screen

Besides a great desire to just scrub away the acne, many people try to remove the acne pimples by hand as a way to get clear skin. People who are afflicted with acne should avoid touching their face except to gently wash it with mild cleanser as already discussed.

By trying to remove pimples by hand you run the risk of creating acne scars that will last for a lifetime. Instead, have patience and rely on your prescription or over-the-counter acne treatment to work. Acne remedies usually take 6 to 8 weeks before curing acne.

For male acne sufferers, the daily ritual of shaving can be a problem. One acne sufferer has recommended the Gillette Sensor Excel as a gentle and effective razor to use. Other males prefer to try an electric razor. The advice is to shave delicately to avoid nicking the skin and to shave only as often as necessary. Finding a moisturizing shave gel may be one way to enhance your acne skin care program.

Female acne sufferers have their unique problems too, in finding the right cosmetic products to use. Females who are accustomed to using a foundation product may find that the foundation is difficult to apply smoothly if the facial skin becomes irritated due to the acne treatments being applied.

You may have to abandon the use of some cosmetics during the acne treatment period. Be sure to select only oil-free cosmetics and ones that are labeled as non-comodogenic (won’t clog pores) to use on your road to clear skin.

Proper acne skin care is a necessary addition to your arsenal for fighting your battle with acne and achieving clear skin once again.

About the Author:

John Lenaghan offers information and advice about acne control, natural acne treatment and other acne-related topics at the Acne Squad website. Visit AcneSquad.com for more information about dealing with acne.

If you are between 10 to 40 you have great chances of getting back acne. People use different terms to refer to back acne, some of them are bacne and zits. Back acne is more prevalent during or starting with puberty and more common in male and female puberty cycles. There are many manifestations of back acne some of them to mention are pustules, blackheads, pimples and cysts. Back acne can appear on your back or even on buttocks. So, some times it gets very painful because we cannot possibly keep these parts of our body untouched either by carrying something or pressed against clothing or by sitting.

Though how back acne is formed is studied, unfortunately, the medical field is still unable to put its finger and say this is the reason why back acne is caused. All that is known is it is due to bacterial growth under the skin. May be there are more than one reason for the cause of back acne. While for other acnes heredity or genetics may play a vital role, for back acne heredity plays only a minor role.

There are lots of misconceptions regarding back acne. People believe that back acne is caused due to eating lots of chocolates and or oily food or fat rich food or fried food but medical tests show no direct correlation between back acne and oily food. The second misconception is that mental stress aggravates back acne. No, mental stress does not aggravate back acne though stress might play a minor role in other forms of acne; it does not aggravate back acne. The third misconception is that back acne is contagious. Back acne is not contagious. The fourth misconception is that many think that by repetitive washing of the affected part they can get away with back acne. But it is not true though it may keep you from more acne buds sprouting, it certainly does not wash away your back acne. Another dangerous misconception is that you can cure back acne with moisturizer. At times the use of moisturizer will only aggravate the condition of back acne.

There are many back acne treatments available in all fields of medicine including herbal and natural medicine. In treating back acne one should exercise patience. It is for sure a long term treatment. Since there are lots of treatments for acne people tend to switch from one to the other, this can produce undesirable effects. Those affected with back acne should identify one form of treatment and continue with the same for a considerable amount of time before they can see any noticeable improvement.

One of the major side effects of back acne is that the affected individuals tend to undergo depression and tend to have low self confidence and self esteem. This is more prevalent among the adolescents. Those affected with back acne tend to reduce their social life and stop going for swimming or any other activity that will force them to expose their body. Eventually, back acne which could have been easily cured with persistent treatment changes itself to a chronicle psychological disorder.

For further resources to understand acne and various acne treatments please visit the following website http://www.acne-site.com/

It’s everyone’s worst nightmare. Waking up the day before a special event to discover a big, red pimple baring itself for all to see right on your face!

Here’s how to get rid of it quickly and safely:

1. Don’t ever pinch, squeeze or pick at a pimple. This only causes it to become more red and inflamed, and will spread the bacteria and oils that caused it in the first place, to other parts of your face! It can also lead to scars.

2. Every 30 minutes, apply an ice pack to the pimple and hold it there for about 2 minutes. This will decrease the swelling and redness and help shrink the inflammation and pain that sometimes comes along with it.

3. They don’t call it concealer for nothing! Covering the pimple with a light dose of flesh-tinted concealer can help mask it when you’re in a hurry. It also helps cover up that oily shine.

4. Cleanse your skin 2-3 times a day with mild, unscented soap or a specialized acne cleanser that has no harsh chemicals (such as lye). Scrub skin gently with an exfoliating pad or washcloth, but don’t rub too hard, otherwise you’ll sap your skin of its own natural oils, which help to repel buildup naturally.

5. Apply a cream or ointment containing benzyl peroxide or salicylic acid (many over-the-counter acne medicines contain these ingredients) to the blemish or around the entire facial area. Note that these ingredients both have a tendency to dry out skin if used too much and are not recommended if you have sensitive skin.

6. Wear oil-free makeup whenever possible. These types have less of a tendency to cause the pore buildup that results in blemishes. Remove your makeup nightly and cleanse with an acne-fighting medicine to remove dirt, oil and makeup from deep within the skin.

7. If you’re in need of a quick fix, a dab of toothpaste on the affected area right before bed can help soothe irritation and reduce redness. Pressing and holding a wet tea bag or a cotton ball with a dab of lemon juice against the blemish for five minutes can also reduce swelling and redness.

If you follow these tips, chances are you’ll notice a significant difference rather quickly – often within a day or two. If pimples become a recurring problem or worsen, your doctor or dermatologist can suggest a daily skin cleansing routine that will suit your skin type. Other long-term remedies, such as facial masks, diet adjustments and increasing the amount of water you drink can also help combat outbreaks.

James Louis is a former pimple and acne sufferer. He now writes about many health issues impacting our society. If you or someone close to you is an acne sufferer visit http://www.acne-treatment-center.com for some answers.

Thanks to advances in medicine and understanding, acne treatment is easy to find today. Almost every type of acne can be treated with relative ease. There are a few facts to remember when looking for acne treatment.

Acne Treatment Takes Time

The treatments for acne that are over hyped on television offer little change of overnight changes. Acne does not suddenly clear itself up overnight. With a little patience acne treatments will work but it generally takes about 4 to 7 weeks to start to show improvement. Once the acne begins to improve, you need to continue the acne treatment to stop the acne from appearing again. If you do not see any changes in 4 to 7 weeks then you should talk to your doctor and/or look for another product to try. All good things come to those who wait, and before you know it, you will feel and look better.

Acne Treatment is Different for Everyone

Everyone has different types of skin, eats differently, and lives with different levels of stress. Treatment that works fine for one person may have the opposite effects for another. Acne treatment can involve many complex factors and involve things such as skin type, the initial cause of the acne, and the type of the skin lesions may appear. Other factors such as age may play a role in the length or types of treatment.

Doctor Assisted Acne Treatment

The help of a dermatologist (a doctor trained in skin conditions and acne treatment) may be helpful for some acne sufferers. Your dermatologist may examine you for other medical conditions, diet, lifestyle, age, stress level, environmental factors, fluid intake, and more. The doctor will also be able to access powerful treatments that are not available over the counter.

The main goal of acne treatment is to stop scarring, or at lease to minimize it. Other important goals are reduction in the number of lesions, and to reduce the stress that accompanies an imperfect face. Many dermatologists will choose an acne treatment that involves prescription drugs. These drugs may involve either topical (applied to the skin) or taken orally. The doctor may recommend the use of more than one medication simultaneously.

Acne will respond to drugs or other treatments the best when started early. The earlier the acne treatment begins the less chance for scarring or other related problems. Progress may be slowed by takes other medications that interfere with the acne medication so always check with you doctor when in doubt.

Acne Treatment Summary

The path to the best form of treatment may involve testing different medications to find the one that works best for you. Over the counter, or doctor assisted acne treatment is up to you. Do not forget that proper treatment of acne takes time, there is no overnight cure. Always follow the directions on the label of your acne product as closely as possible, as well as any information you receive from a doctor, or health care worker.

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Adolescent acne is referred to by many names, teen acne, acne adoloscent, and hormonal acne to name just a few. Whatever you want to call it, it can be frustrating, painful, and embarrassing to a teen.

Living with acne over a prolonged period during your teen years can be emotionally devastating, after all this is the age where your appearance is most important. Teen acne is very hard on the ego, often resulting in teasing and razzing from peers. Some teens suffer from not only acne but sever depression.

During the adolescent years almost every teen will have at least an occasional whitehead, blackhead, or pimple. Adolescent acne usually occurs between the ages of 12 and 20, and is usually the result of fluctuating hormone levels. Once the hormones stabilize out the acne will normally disappear.

So what’s the bet way to deal with adolescent acne? The simplest and most important thing a teen can do, is to learn to take good care of their skin, keeping it clean and as oil free as possible. This is not a cure but can help keep acne breakouts to a minimum.

Eating healthy and drinking plenty of water will also help by keeping the skin hydrated and the body flushed. Girls should use oil free cosmetics. Lightly exfoliating once a week will help open pours, and remove dead skin debris.

Milder cases of acne can be controlled by using conventional over the counter medicines that are applied directly to the skin. These medications usually include benzoyl peroxide or retinoic acid as an active ingredient.

Some natural products that can be used to treat acne are tea tree oil or Echinacea. Wash your face twice a day with a mixture of these herbs to reduce the number of break outs. Both have anti-inflammatory and anti-septic qualities.

In more severe adolescent acne a Doctor may try various oral medications such as antibiotics, oral contraceptives or Accutane.

As teens get older and hormones stabilize, fewer outbreaks should be seen, however some people do continue to have outbreaks well into adult hood. If the teen acne condition worsens or becomes emotionally debilitating it is important to seek medical help from a dermatologist.

You do not want an adolescent to grow up with skin and emotional scars as a result of acne, so treat not only their physical scars but their emotional scars.

M.D. Stacener from The Acne Cure has been serving customers for over 20 years, providing valuable information to keep you beautiful and healthy. Please visit us at

href="http://www.acnel.com/">The Acne Cure

Remedies For A Smoother Skin.

Do you have acne? Acne maybe the scourge of adolescent years, but it can follow people into middle age and beyond.

Acne is really a catchall term for a variety of symptoms such as pimples, whiteheads, and blackheads. It’s a condition where the pores of skin become clogged and the person gets inflamed and non-inflamed lesions.

So what’s the cause of all the clogging?

Heredity - at least for the most part. Acne is genetic - it tends to run in families, it is an inherited defect of your pores. If both your parents had acne, three out of four of your brothers and sisters will get it too.

Factors that can aggravate an acne outbreak are:
Stress, sun exposure, seasonal changes, and climate can all precipitate an acne attack. Certain types of makeup and taking birth control pills can also cause a breakout.

Change Your Make-up.
In adult women, make-up is the major factor in acne outbreaks, especially oil based products. It’s the oil that causes the problem. The oil is usually a derivative of fatty acids that are more potent than your own fatty acids. Use a non-oil-based make-up if you are prone to acne.

Read The labels.
Cosmetic products that contain lanolins, isopropyl myristate, sodium lauryl sulphate, laureth-4 and D & C red dyes should be avoided. Like oil, these ingredients are too rich for the skin.

Wash Properly.
Wash your make-up off thoroughly every night. Use a mild soap twice a day and make sure you rinse the soap entirely off your face. Rinse six or seven times with fresh water.

Use Less Make-up.
Whatever make-up you use, try to cut down on the amount you put on.

Leave Well Alone.
Don’t squeeze pimples or whiteheads. A pimple is an inflammation, and you could add to the inflammation by squeezing it, which could lead to an infection. A pimple will always go away in one to four weeks if you leave them alone.

Know When To Squeeze.
Most pimples are best left alone, but there is one kind that you can squeeze to help get rid of it. If the pimple has a little central yellow pus head in it, then a gentle squeeze will make it pop open very nicely. Once the pus pops out, the pimple will heal more quickly.

Attack Blackheads.
You can also get rid of blackheads by squeezing them. A blackhead is a very blocked pore, and a gentle squeeze will help rectifty this.

Give Dry Skin Extra Care.
Dry skin can be sensitive to some over the counter skin treatments, so please use these treatments with care. Start with the lower strength products first, and then increase the concentration slowly.

Stay Out Of The Sun.
Acne medications may cause adverse reactions to the sun, so minimize you exposure until you know what the reactions going to be.

Use One Treatment At A Time.
Don’t mix treatments, use only one at a time because they may cause an adverse reaction if mixed together.

Stop The Spread Of Acne.
Apply acne medication about half an inch around the affected area, to help keep the acne from spreading. Acne moves across the face from the nose to the ear, so you need to treat beyond the inflamed area. Most people make the mistake of treating only the pimples and not the outlaying areas of skin. This is wrong.

If you are an acne sufferer, then I trust this information will be very helpful to you. Thanks for reading my article.

Author John H Moore - please use my link
http://www.acne-information-guide.com

Acne treatment starts with the four-letter word “A.C.N.E.”, and the path to a clear complexion begins with the four steps to eliminating and preventing the breakout of future blemishes!

A: Acknowledge

C: Combat

N: Negotiate

E: Eliminate

Your first step is to Acknowledge: You have to admit to yourself that you have an acne problem, and then determine which of the acne treatments available will work best for your current skin health. Most individuals that are beginning to experience blemish breakouts, may not go through this step of acceptance, and wind up with an ongoing downhill battle that is not necessary if they just get proper advice.

Most will believe their acne will only be temporary, and they end up seeing a doctor to receive temporary solutions. The dermatologist will more than likely write a prescription for oral antibiotics or topical medications that may or may not work for you, but the million dollar question here is if this happens to end up being long-term, can you see yourself taking pills for 5 years or longer? I didn’t think so!

The second step is Combat: This will arm you with all that’s required to fight your skin problem, and take control. After you recognized that this could be a continuing issue, you need to do some research. If you didn’t visit an acne dermatologist at this point, and you don’t know the cause or symptoms of pimples, then the Internet is a great place to find acne information.

The battle begins here, and once you have the complete anecdote on the causes of acne, you will realize that you must develop a daily treatment system that remains consistent. There’s no room for deviating here, and you’re going to have to obtain quality cleansers that can remove deep stubborn blackheads. You will also need to find a good exfoliating cream to get rid of excess dead skin that can easily clog your pores, and a concentrated moisturizer. Most of all, analyze your eating habits to see if you’re eating healthy or not, drink lots of water, get plenty of sleep, and reduce as much stress in your life as you possibly can. Sounds easy right? Who are we kidding here!

Third step is to Negotiate: This is the most important of all steps, because after all your research, and all your painstaking lifestyle adjustments, the bottom line is if you don’t take this seriously, emotionally, and financially, then the system will break down and all your frustrations will return with a vengeance! This is the hardest part for most people, and keeping up with a daily regime can be virtually impossible if their day is very hectic and inconsistent.

So taking this seriously will motivate you to keep to a daily schedule, and putting emotion in this will compliment your success in the battle, and help you reassure yourself of why you took on this task. Most of all you have to budget for your treatment system, and always make certain you have enough money to pay for the important and necessary products that will help you clear your skin month after month.

If for any reason you stop due to financial reasons, everything you ever started can go directly down the drain and your blemishes will re-surface. This can be a very emotional setback, or get back on track again with the system!

Your fourth and final step is to Eliminate: This is the final process of your treatment experience. In order to achieve complete elimination of your acne problems, and prevent them from ever returning, you must remind yourself of all the steps above, and realize the path to a clearer looking face is “consistency”. Just like brushing your teeth once or twice a day to prevent cavities, you have to think the same way in daily maintenance for your skin!

About the author: William is the owner and the author of “1st In Acne Skin Care Products” available at http://www.1st-in-acne-skin-care-products.com A great source for Acne Treatment Coverup! Find quality acne treatment, and cover-up products for complete camouflage and care of acne blemishes and scars. You can control the look of pimples with proper cover up treatments.

Acne is a horrible expeience to go through. Then, after you’re done breaking out, acne leaves you with dark or reddish scars!

I have had to go through this myself. It took me awhile but I finally found a technique that works. The magic secret is basically to exfoliate the skin, then heal the skin. However, if you want your skin to look good, you must go about this the right way:

Step 1: Prevent future breakouts. Once you clear those pimples up, you’ll want to keep them way because the less blemishes you have, the less scars you’ll have to take care of.

Step 2: Exfoliate every 2-3 days. Do not use harsh chemical exfoliants like salycic acid to exfoliate your skin. These formulas tend to irritate the skin causing it to look more inflammed than it normally would. I found the best method to be GENTLE manual exfoliation. The most effective & economical is wither sand or cornmeal. I prefer cornmeal because it’s much cleaner! Mix this with some liquid soap (like Dr. Bronner’s liquid castille soap) and some water. Prepare a little a time, to make it easier to handle. Apply the scrub to your skin in a soft circular motion. Don’t work on any one area too long. Remember, you do not want to irritate your skin.

Step 3: Heal the skin with pure natural vitamin E oil. Real vitamin E oil will be brownish in color, not clear/yellow. This skin friendly vitamin will do wonderful things for your appearance. The 1st application wll be the one to dramatically reduce scar visibility. To apply, make sure skin is clean & dry. For optimal results, apply after exfoliation. Spread this thick oil on anywhere you want better looking, softer skin. Make sure to cover all acne scars completely.

Step 4: Rinse skin in the morning. Do not wash with soap or cleanser.

Doing this regularly will definitely help your acne scars to fade faster. Skin heals itself while you’re sleeping so use these techniques before bed for the best results. You’re on your way to smooth & healthy skin!

Jessica Kihara

Learn How I Cured My Acne! http://www.InformationHotSpot.com/acne.html

Acne is a common skin condition, which can be extremely mild or quite disfiguring. Having had a rather bad case as a young adolescent, I know the kind of socially embarrassing consequences it can have for the victim but I also remember it being sore and painful, filling my life with discomfort. It lingered a long time until I went to a dermatologist who used a type of freezing process, mechanically removing excessive puss from the lesions in relatively non-painful way. There were also topical notions. The result was total success, without scarring.

Until I went to a dermatologist, though, there was little or no gain in getting rid of this foul condition. I, like other children, were subject to disturbing concepts of its origins. Although this was a long time ago, these myths have stayed around- often causing grave delays in seeking treatment.

One of the myths is that acne is caused by everyday dirt and surface oil on the skin and that the solution is frequent and vigorous washing of the skin. Vigorous washing of the face to cure acne is a myth. The fact is- the problems that have caused chronic acne are deeper, beneath the skin’s surface and that only a mild washing of the face is in order, often accompanied with specific solutions prescribed for treating the acne by a dermatologist. Vigorous washing of the face, particularly with harsh soaps, can lead to a further irritation of the tissue. There is, in part, a bacteriological condition that contributes to acne and it is below the surface.

Another idea is that acne is caused by stress. Scientific research seems to indicate that stress alone probably does not lead to acne, but it may be aggravated by stress. But, unfortunately, acne can result from certain prescriptions that are used to treat stress. So, if you are on certain drugs related to stress, you should certain talk to your dermatologist, the appropriate type of physician for dealing with this problem. According to Doctor James Fulton, a pioneer in the treatment of acne, lithium, a substance sometimes used in profound psychological disorders, can aggravate an acne condition.

Another myth that can lead to profoundly unpleasant consequences is that one should let acne run its course, “grow out of it.” As I myself know too well, acne can linger for years and get worse and worse. At the end of my experience, my acne was very disfiguring and covered my whole face and part of my neck. It was hard to keep my hands off this uncomfortable, scaly, itchy and sore condition. I was certainly a candidate for scarring. I had a kind of skin emergency and I am glad that my parents were smart enough and lucky enough to get me to the right place at the right time.

Can acne be the consequence of poor nutrition? I think the jury may be out on this one, but, for myself, I came to believe that my excessive eating of chocolate and a lot of sugar products were contributing factors to my acne. But, in my case, I did not see any correlation before my medical treatment and it was clearly medical intervention that helped me. There are certainly many naturopathically oriented practitioners and some medical doctors that share this view, though. Not everything in medicine is a hundred percent clear cut and every acne victim should certainly research all the alternatives.

Copyright 2005 George ForganSmith

Learn more about acne today at http://www.acne-saviour.com