Natural Acne Treatments: Alternative Measures
If you have acne, you most likely know that it is not a simple thing to get rid of. If you find yourself tired of making and paying for doctor’s visits and costly prescription medications, or if you would rather just try a much more natural approach to curing your ailment, why not try an alternative or natural acne treatment?
Studies have shown acne can be treated naturally. Natural healing works with the body to achieve desired results. It is believed that if we are healthy on the inside, it will show through to our skin. Therefore, it just seems right that natural and alternative treatments first encourage good nutrition and proper diet. Although foods do not cause acne, they can worsen it. By avoiding these, we can help ourselves. Drinking lots of water is also encouraged.
Massage therapy seeks to open blocked pores. It is believed energy pathways will encourage healthy skin. This is accomplished also through acupuncture or reflexology. Acupuncture can also be used to restore hormonal balance to our bodies. It treats the root of the problem and may require you to make some lifestyle changes. Yoga is also used to relieve stress and body tension.
Once good nutrition and stress reducers are introduced, there are some creams and pastes, which can be applied to acne blemishes. Along the lines of aromatherapy, tree tea oil is a natural antiseptic that can kill bacteria. It can be applied directly to the affected areas or mixed with another oil and applied to the entire face. It will reduce redness and inflammation and works like benzoyl peroxide. Baking soda mixed with a small amount of water will create a paste that will be a great scrubbing agent. It will exfoliate your skin. By exfoliating, surface layers of cells that clog pores are removed. Gently massage it on your face for 15 seconds, rinse and pat dry. Aloe Vera is a topical treatment for burns and helps heal acne. In addition, plain oatmeal, cooked, cooled and rubbed on the skin will absorb excess oil and rid your skin of impurities. Repeated treatments of this will produce results.
A natural acne cream you can make at home would combine 1/2 of a banana, 1 small avocado and 1/2 teaspoon of Vitamin E in a blender. Apply this to your face for several minutes. Plain yogurt is also a good moisturizer. You can also grind several almonds and add to a little bit of water. This will create a moisturizing paste that also exfoliates.
You can also choose foods that help your digestive system. Cucumbers, lemons and carrot juice all aid in this endeavor. Many believe diet can be the best acne cure. Herbs are also believed to be able to reduce inflammation and infection. Echinacea, licorice, dandelion root and burdock all contain properties that kill bacteria. Salvia and red peony can improve the skin’s ability to heal.
Trying to treat your acne by alternative or natural treatments is an option you can consider if you are afflicted with this skin problem. You really don’t have anything to loose, but you do have something to gain. You can gain control of your skin without exposing yourself to chemicals, side effects or painful procedures.
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Acne Prescription Medicine: What You Need to Know
If you find yourself suffering from acne, there are several paths you can take. Getting an over-the-counter treatment is one path; however, if your acne is severe enough, it is best to see a qualified dermatologist. This doctor can give you a prescription medication to treat your condition.
Drugs will be prescribed in topical form applied to the skin in mild to moderate cases. These are either antibiotics or retinoids. For moderate to severe cases, which are resistant to other treatment, systematic antibiotic prescriptions taken orally are prescribed. Sometimes there will be a need to combine the two therapies. If you are struggling with acne, this may be an option you will need.
Antibiotics have been the core acne treatment for years. They combat different factors contributing to acne by reducing the number of bacteria present, as well as, reducing inflammation. Topical antibiotics deal with acne by inhibiting the skin bacteria, Propionibacterim, commonly referred to as P. acne population. The treatment plan consists of a six month or less period.
The most frequently used topical antibiotic is clindamycin. This is available in a gel or lotion. There are certain conditions such as, ulcerative colitis and antibiotic induced colitis, which will prohibit a person from using this treatment. The second most commonly used topical antibiotic is erythromycin. This is available in a solution, gel or an ointment of 2% strength. Similar to clindamycin, it is well tolerated, but may cause some irritation. It is also safe for pregnant women to take. Tetracycline is a topical antibiotic, which is not commonly used since it can cause allergic reactions. It is sold as an ointment in different strengths. Metromidazole is used to treat acne that is a result of rosacea. It can be used once or twice daily, and is available as a gel at .75% strength. This is also a well-tolerated treatment.
Oral antibiotics work by reducing the P. acne population, which is what causes inflammation. The treatment usually starts with a high dosage, which is gradually reduced as the condition begins to improve. These may need to be taken weeks, months and even years to prevent reoccurrence.
Erythromycin is a common oral antibiotic. It has anti-inflammatory properties, kills bacteria and reduces redness and lesions. It should be taken with food and can cause stomach upset and nausea. This antibiotic is safe for pregnant women. Tetracycline is also widely prescribed but must be taken on an empty stomach for it to be effective. It is not safe for pregnant women or children under 9 years of age. Minocycline is a tetracycline derivative, which is useful with acne lesions that contain pus and water. There are many side effects including dizziness, nausea, and vomiting, skin pigmentation change and tooth discoloration. Doxycycline is prescribed for individuals who cannot tolerate erythromycin or tetracycline. It must be taken with food to avoid nausea and can increase skin sensitivity. Clindamycin is another useful oral antibiotic, but is usually prescribed in its topical form. It can cause serious intestinal infection.
Other topical prescription drugs are retinoids including tretinoin(Retin-A), adapalene(Differin) and Tazarotene(Tazorac). Retinoids are a derivative of vitamin A, and are effective with whitehead and blackhead cases of acne. Tretinoin is the most common retinoid. It is available as a cream, but cannot be used in conjunction with benzoyl peroxide. It is known to produce a high occurrence of skin irritation. Adapalene comes in a gel or cream at .1% strength. It, however, can be used with benzoyl peroxide treatment and is less likely to produce skin irriation. Tazarotene is the most expensive retinoid and is a gel at either .05 or .1% strength. This is probably the most skin irritating retinoid.
There are many prescription treatments available for acne conditions that are resistant to over the counter remedies. Depending on your type of acne and its extent, your doctor will prescribe either an antibiotic or a retinoid. These should be able to help you win the battle against acne.
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Acne Products: Short Reviews
It is only by researching on the various options available that one can arrive at a decision about the quality, economy and efficiency of an acne product meant to provide relief to acned skin.
Internal medication using Accutane (brand name for Isotretinoin) is considered to be an aggressive conventional treatment. Benzoyl Peroxide is the topical medicine of choice for acne. Almost all the various acne products make use of these in their formulations. Reviewing some of the most popular acne products will reveal much regarding their composition, effectiveness and popularity.
Acuzine or Acnezine are for internal medication which are prepared from natural ingredients. These are arguably the most popular and they guarantee results within 6 months or 180 days. Among the other well researched brands on offer, the Derma Cleanse range offers natural treatment to acne. There are topical creams in this range which aim at unclogging pores and treat acne. Besides there are herbal tablets which purify the system from within along with essential vitamins – all of which help fight the harmful bacteria causative of acne.
These are easy to use and very effective too. The active ingredients of this product are 0.5% Salicylic acid and herbs. This includes a range consisting of capsules, application gels, cleansing gels and information guide regarding the product. It provides an all round acne treatment- both internal and external. A third highly rated product is the Proactiv Solution range of topical lotions containing Benzoyl Peroxide (2.5%). There are cleansers, toners lotions and even oil free moisturizers with sun guards in the range. These cleanse the pores of the skin well yet cause the minimum dryness.
A guide about the products also comes alongside. Both Derma Cleanse and Proactiv Solution provide a 6 month guarantee for results. Even if the popular products like Proactiv are found to be harsh the herbal products like Exposed can be suitably opted for. These purely herbal products are found to be remarkably free from side effects of any kind. Various essential oils, vitamins and herbal extracts are used in the formulation of these products. St. Ives is a premier provider of beauty products based on select herbs and the choicest ingredients.
There are similar other brands like Desert essence, Kiss My Face, Burt Bees, PhytoMe and Bio Skin Care which are very popular. These offer a whole range of cleansers, toners/astringent lotions, exfoliating scrubs etc. especially for cleansing pores. Like all herbal products these have also been found to be mild yet effective on acne and they moisturize and provide nourishment to the skin and bring it to glow.
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Treat Acne With Laser Acne Scar Removal Treatments
Is your acne so vicious that you have become tired of applying the natural clear-acne products with no results? Then here is a permanent solution for removing acne permanently from your face, neck and any part of your body. You can undergo the effective treatment of Laser Therapy that will not only eliminate acne permanently but also remove every scar and blemishes from your face and body.
Laser acne removal treatments make use of laser rays to remove acne, reduce blemishes from the face and shrink oil-producing glands in a way that will not reduce the secretion of oil thereby eliminating the burst of acne attacks. This quick procedure promises you with a flawless skin that is fresh, glowing and attractive. However, you can opt for either CO2 Laser or Erbium [YAG] laser treatment for your treatment.
Laser acne reduction treatments
Laser acne removal treatment is highly effective in removing acne and acne scars from the face. Even though it becomes very costly to undergo this treatment, yet it guarantees an acne free face within a very short span of time. The operation is carried out by professionals who hardly takes as less as fifteen minutes to one hour to perform it. Previously laser acne treatments was based on light system that killed acne on temporary basis. This proved to be unsuccessful so today things have advanced with Laser treatments occurring in two different methods. While one group inhibits the growth of bacteria that is involved in acne lesions, the other type shrinks the sebaceous oil glands that play the main role in acne formation.
Yet another type of Laser removal treatment called the Smooth Beam Laser is an effective method to reduce acne. This involves a process where a wavelength of light with a certain capacity is focused on the acne-forming oil glands. After the acne is killed effectively, a solution is sprayed along with the laser pulse to protect the skin from further acne attacks as well as other skin infections. Right after the laser acne treatments, opt for a Laser resurfacing treatment that will make the use of laser beams to remove the dead acne-rich skin and form new skin instead.
Laser acne scar removal treatments
Undergo acne Laser scar removal treatments in case you are embarrassed with the remnants of acne scars and blemishes on your face and body. Even in this method a variety of lasers of different intensity and wavelength are used to reduce the acne inflammation and scars from the skin. These method work by removing the dead acne-scar skin and encourage the growth of new skin.
However, after a successful Laser scar removal treatment, it is essential to treat acne with acne creams, acne gels, acne lotions and acne oils to get a flawless and shining skin.
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You Don’t Need To Suffer From Acne
It can strike you at an early age and may even follow you into adulthood. It makes you feel self-conscious, embarrassed and sometimes even isolated. You search and search for something to make it go away, only to be disappointed yet again. The culprit is acne.
For many years, people were told that acne had to do with eating too much chocolate or bad hygiene, but recently it has been discovered that acne is a skin disease.
The Cause of Acne
Acne is a disorder that causes outbreaks of skin lesions. Oil and dead skin cells clogging the skins pores cause acne. MedicineNet.com explains: Oil is a natural substance, which lubricates and protects the skin, and under certain circumstances, cells that are close to the surface block the openings of oil glands and cause a buildup of oil underneath. This oil stimulates bacteria (which live in everyones skin and generally cause no problems), to multiply and cause surrounding tissues to become inflamed.
If germs get into the pores the result can be swelling, redness and pus. When you get acne as a teenager, its mostly due to hormonal changes after puberty that make the skin oily. You can not get acne from eating chocolate or greasy foods, but you can make it worse by using oily skin products that clog your pores.
Types of Acne Lesions
Acne comes in many shapes and sizes. Many people experience a mild case of acne, such as small whiteheads or blackheads. Other people have severe acne that may cover their face, back, neck, shoulders and chest. There are four different types of acne lesions:
*Comedo (whiteheads or blackheads) or papules: The basic acne lesion is a clogged pore. If the clogged pore stays under the skin, its called a closed comedo and forms a white bump or whitehead. Blackheads are comedos that open up and appear blackish on the surface of the skin.
*Pustules or pimples: Contain pus and are red at the base.
*Nodules: These are more serious acne lesions and lodge deeper in the skin. They are painful, and can cause scarring.
*Cysts. Like nodules, these lesions are deep within the skin, painful, filled with pus, and can cause scarring.
Acne Treatments
Even though acne is caused by excessive oil production, that does not necessarily mean you should over-wash your skin; doing so may only cause more skin irritation.
For mild to moderate acne, try these simple cleansing tips:
*Cleanse twice daily with a 5% benzoyl peroxide wash or 2% salicylic acid
* Apply a gel or cream containing 5% benzoyl peroxide; an alternative is sulfur or resorcinol
* At night, apply a spot cream containing sulfur to the affected areas
* Use a light skin moisturizer and oil-free makeup
* Facials can also be beneficial to acne, because the steaming deep cleans pores
* Pore strips pull out dirt and oil from your pores
If these skin regimens do not do the trick, it may be time to consult your physician or dermatologist who will be able to determine the best method of treatment. Treating acne requires patience and perseverance. Any of these treatments may take 2 or 3 months to begin working, and you should ask your physician about any possible side effects. The American Osteopathetic College of Dermatology explains the following treatment options:
* Topical (externally applied) antibiotics and antibacterials: These include erythromycin, clindamycin , sulfacetamide , and azelaic acid.
*Retinoids: tretinoin has been around for years, and has become milder and gentler while still maintaining its effectiveness. Newer retinoids include adapalene and tazarotene. These medications are especially helpful for unclogging pores.
*Oral antibiotics: Most doctors start treatment with tetracycline or one of the relatedcyclines,such as doxycycline and minocycline. Other oral antibiotics that are useful for treating acne are cefadroxil, amoxicillin and sulfa drugs.
* Oral contraceptives: Some contraceptive pills have been shown to have modest effectiveness in treating acne.
* Cortisone Injections: To make large pimples and cysts flatten out fast, doctors inject them with a form of cortisone
*Isotretinoin: (Accutane was the original brand name; there are now several generic versions in common use.) Isotretinoin is for severe, resistant acne, mainly of the cystic variety.
*Laser treatments: Recent years have brought reports of success in treating acne using lasers and similar devices, alone or in conjunction with photosensitizing dyes.
*Acne Surgery: This procedure greatly speeds acne clearing and appearance by manually removing blackheads and whiteheads. A round loop extractor is used to apply uniform smooth pressure to dislodge the material. Inserting a pointed instrument to carefully expose the contents loosens lesions that offer resistance.
Acne prevention and scars
Aside from your general cleansing routine, there are other ways to take good care of your skin:
*Wash your hair on a regular basis. If your hair is oily, you may want to wash it more often.
*Do not squeeze or pick at acne lesions. This can cause scars.
*Avoid getting sunburned. Many medicines used to treat acne can make you more prone to sunburn. Use a sunscreen of at least SPF 15.
*Choose make-up and hair care products that are non-comedogenic, or non-acnegenic or oil-free.
*Avoid things that rub the skin as much as you can, such as backpacks and sports equipment.
Dr. Lycka is one of North America’s foremost authorities on cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. You can find out more at http://www.barrylyckamd.com and http://www.restoringyouthonline.com. He is founder of The Ethical Cosmetic Surgery Association (http://www.ecsaonline.com).