Acne Treatment from the Inside-Out

Acne will affect almost every person at some stage of their life. Some are lucky and only ever get a pimple or two, but for many, acne can be a socially demoralizing condition... and it's not just in teens, adult suffer too. Studies suggest that 20-25% of males and 40-45% of females suffer prolonged bouts/occurrences of acne, whether it be persistent acne or regular breakouts. In a lot of cases, the acne treatment that is administered ends up making the situation worse and can be damaging to the skin. You see, most people either scrub their skin really hard in the hope of cleaning it more thoroughly, and some see a pimple and just can't wait to squeeze it. That's the wrong approach for 2 reasons. First and most importantly, when you are squeezing your skin you are damaging it. Our skin is a very fragile commodity, and acne scars happen all so easy, so squeezing pimples isn't desirable. Second, when you squeeze a pimple or scrub the skin very hard, you invariably push some of the sebum (the oil that causes the pimple) back into the pore and down the hair follicle shaft. This can magnify the problem by creating a further blockage and swelling which may just end up causing an infection. So instead of suffering once, you suffer twice. To better understand how acne happens, we can simply describe it as the result of the blockage of a skin pore. The blockage is typically caused by excess sebum and/or dead skin cells which haven't exited the hair follicle via the skin pore. (Sebum is naturally occurring fatty oil that moisturizes the skin and hair. Without it, your hair would be thin and brittle, and your skin would be dry and hard). What happens is that as your body continually replaces its skin, sometimes the skin cells do not shed evenly causing a blockage. The sebum (oils) keep producing in the hair follicle and when these oils cannot exit via the pore, they back-up in the follicle and swelling occurs.... and you have a pimple! Acne treatment is a science that is progressing at a phenomenal rate. In the 80's and 90's the best acne treatment on offer were chemical-based products that worked for most cases. Some were very harsh on the skin, and some actually made the situation worse. In recent years, a switch to a natural acne treatment has seen far more positive results because scientists have been able to study closer how/why the acne is caused, and apply ingredients that actually correct the problem rather than mask it. So what is the best way to treat acne ? The best acne treatment for you will obviously be the one that rids you of your unwanted condition quickly and with little or no side effects. But there are just so many products to choose from and so many different approaches/rationales. Some say that all acne is caused by hormonal imbalances, some say that it is totally to do with skin care and hygiene. Reality suggests that it is a combination of these two variables. The human body is an ever-changing organism and it needs balance, so an approach that recognizes this fact could very well be labelled as the best acne treatment. Choosing your solution is more complex than this. For example, should the best treatment for adult acne differ from the best treatment for teenage acne ? Behind every one of the so-called Best Acne Treatment Products, will be a legacy of FAQ's, customer testimonials, comparisons with other brands/solutions and claims of how long it will take to rid you of acne. The truthful ones will tell you that there is no single product that will solve your acne problem, and they will also tell you that acne cures are not an overnight magic solution. The truthful ones will also tell you that the chemical-based products have side effects, and that natural solutions have little or no side effects. The Zenmed system fit's this profile as it promotes healthy/supple skin condition while attacking the problem from the inside too. Instead of being a harsh skin tonic, it is like an Acne Cure and a Skin Care System at the same time. You get relief from acne, and you get a skin care regime all in one. The products combine together to alleviate the internal cause of the swelling/acne, while cleaning and nourishing the skin at the same time.

Accutane: The Acne Killer?

Acne is the most common skin disorder amongst adolescence and adults alike.It has plagued us for generations and continues to affect us today.

There are four main causes of acne, as stated by the American academy of dermatology. These four causes are hormones, increased sebum production, changes inside hair follicles, and bacteria.An oily substance, called sebum, is secreted by the sebaceous glands when the hair follicles and sebaceous glands are inflamed.An excess amount of sebum can clog the follicles (pours) and eventually leads to bacterial formation and inflammation of the follicles.

Accutane is considered to be the ultimate, end-all medication for eliminating acne.Accutane is used to treat severe cases of acne which have not been healed through conventional antibiotics and topical creams.It is used to control all of the underlying causes of acne by normalizing your follicles, decreasing sebum production, reducing inflammation and limiting the growth of bacteria.

However, there are also many side effects that you should be aware of when choosing to use Accutane as a remedy for acne.Two of the most serious possible side effects associated with taking Accutane include birth defects and serious mental health problems (including suicidal tendencies). There are also many other possible side effects associated with Accutane that you should review with your doctor or health care provider before the use of this medication.

In order to decide whether this treatment is right for you; you should discuss with your doctor how severe your acne is, what other treatments you’ve tried, the possible benefits of accutane, the possible side effects of accutane and any other health related issues that may affect you while taking accutane (i.e. use of antibiotics, depression, etc.)

Take a look at www.acnejournal.com for more information.

Acne - What Causes Acne?

Though acne may not be a serious problem, it can sometimes lead to psychological and mental stress. Many people lose their self esteem because of this problem. So what causes acne? Acne is caused by hormonal disorder. Excessive secretion of the skin oil glands combine with naturally occurring dead skin cells and block the hair follicles. This oil secretion beneath the blocked pore provides a perfect environment for the skin bacteria Propionibacterium acnes to multiply, and thus the skin inflames producing the visible lesion. Acne commonly occurs in adolescents and young adults. Almost 85 percent of people between the ages of 11 and 30 have acne outbreaks at some point. Acne tends to go away by the time you reach your thirties, but for some people it may even go up to their forties and fifties. Causes of Acne: Several other factors that cause Acne are: • Hormonal changes during menstrual cycles and puberty. • Stress, as it causes an increase in output of hormones from the adrenal glands. • Hyperactive sebaceous glands, secondary to the three hormone sources above. • Build-up of dead skin cells. • Bacteria in the pores. • Skin irritation or scratching of any sort will activate inflammation. • Use of anabolic steroids. • Medicines that contain halogens (iodides, chlorides, bromides), lithium, barbiturates, or androgens. • Sudden exposure to high levels of chlorine compounds, particularly chlorinated dioxins. Adult acne: 25% of adult men and 50% of adult women get affected by adult acne at some time in their adult lives. It can cause depression and social anxiety the same way it can in a teenager. Adult acne is more common than people may think. The causes of adult acne are unknown; however it is believed to occur because of these reasons: • Recurrence of acne that cleared up after adolescence • Flare-up of acne after a period of relative quiet, especially during pregnancy It is best to consult a dermatologist for the proper treatment. You would have to use Clear Skin Regimen using benzoyl peroxide. Treatment for adult acne is the same as treatment for teen acne. Body acne: Body acne is a common problem which occurs mostly on the chest, back and buttocks. Like facial acne, stress and hormones are the cause. Other factors like perspiration and wearing tight fitting clothing also causes body acne. Tight-fitting clothing traps perspiration against the skin and mixes with surface oils, thus clogging the pores and causing blemishes. Treatments: The treatment is aimed at healing the existing lesions, stopping new lesions from forming, and preventing scarring. The dermatologist would prescribe several over-the-counter (OTC) medicines depending on the extent of the problem. Some of the medicines would be topical to apply on the skin and others may be oral. Some of the common OTC topical medicines are: • Benzoyl peroxide – This helps to destroy acne and also reduces oil production. • Resorcinol – This helps in breaking down blackheads and whiteheads. • Salicylic acid – This helps in breaking down blackheads and whiteheads. It also cuts down the shedding of cells lining the hair follicles. • Sulfur - This helps in breaking down blackheads and whiteheads. The prescription topical medicines include: • Antibiotics - They help slow or stop the growth of bacteria and reduce inflammation. • Vitamin A derivatives – They help in unplugging the existing comedones, thus allowing other topical medicines to enter the follicles. • Others - Benzoyl peroxide, sodium sulfacetamide/sulfur or Azelaic acid help to reduce oil production or help stop or slow the growth of bacteria and reduce inflammation. Following these treatments would cure your acne, and the psychological stress and embarrassment caused by this disease will also go away.