Acne.is a skin diorder that involves skin inflammation commonly found in the face and torso..(more)

What causes acne Acne are caused by a blockage in the skin pores with dirt, dead skin cells and oils, causing irritation and inflammation...(more)

Home remedy for Acne Staying clean by washing with mild soap to remove dirt and excess oil is important to maintain an acne free skin...(more)

What acne is a common skin disorder normally found on the face and the upper torso. Acne is a cause of embarrassment to most people but it is seldom serious. Acne is caused by an interaction between hormones, skin oils, and bacteria that results in the inflammation of the hair follicles.

Majority of the cases of acne responds pretty well with personal care. With combination of personal hygiene, over-the-counter acne treatments and alternative remedies, you may have a clearer and fairer skin.

Acne may be in the form of pimples, cysts and sometimes abscesses. Cysts and abscesses are pus-filled pockets of skin where the hair follicles grow. Hair follicles are connected to the sebaceous gland that are located in the middle layer of the skin or the dermis, these glands secretes an oily substance called sebum that the body uses to keep the skin from drying.

There are 2 major categorization of symptoms of acne

Mild acnes.

Symptoms of mild acne are mostly superficial, the symptoms of mild acne are characterized with the development of few noninflammed blackheads or a moderate number of small mildly irritated pimples.

Symptoms of acne includes blackheads which appear as tiny black dots at the center of the small swelling of normal colored skin.

Another symptom of acne is called pimples. Pimples on the other hand have white centers surrounded with moderately reddened skin. Pimples are moderately uncomfortable and irritating. Mild acnes usually go away after treatment and rarely leaves scars on the skin.

Severe acne.

Symptoms of acne that is categorized as severe acne include several large, red, painful pus-filled lumps (nodules) that develops on the skin. These symptoms of acne are usually deep and cystic. At times these lumps join together under the skin forming a giant lump where it ruptures and oozes abscesses. Severe acnes usually leaves scar in the skin depending on the depth of the acne. Scars maybe tiny deep holes (ice pick scars), wide pits of varying depths or large irregular identations. Scars resulting from severe acnes lasts a lifetime. To some people this is cosmetically disturbing and a source of psychologic stress.

Skin Pore Blockage can cause acne.

One cause of acne is the blockage of skin oil secretions (sebum) that normally pass out of the skin through the hair follicles and then through the skin pores together with dead skin cells.

The clogged skin pore is one of the primary cause of acne, this is when the pore of the skin is clogged with dried sebum, dead skin cells and bacteria.

There are two types of blockage that is the cause of acne;

1. Black Head (open comedone)- this is a cause of acne as black head develops as the dried sebum, dead skin cells and bacteria partially blocks the pore of the skin.
2. White Head (closed comedone)- this is a cause of acne as white heads develop when the dried sebum, dead skin cells and bacteria completely blocks the pore of the skin.

In both instances, the blockage of the skin pore promotes the growth of bacteria propionibacterium acne which is normally present in the hair follicles and a cause of acne. When this happens the bacterial growth breaks down the sebum creating a substance irritating the skin. The resulting irritation inflames the skin resulting to skin eruptions called acne pimples. When irritation worsens, an abscess will form causing skin rupture, resulting to more inflammation.

Cosmetic use can also be the cause of acne. Cosmetics blocks the skin pores preventing the flow of oils and dead skin cells from the skin. This becomes the cause of acne.

Hormones can cause of acne

Increase in hormone levels is also considered as a cause of acne. Hormone imbalance aggravate the development of acne. That is why most teenagers suffer more from acne. But as the hormone level stabilizes by mid 20's acne usually disappears. Other conditions that involves hormonal changes such as menstrual periods and during pregnancies may also be the cause of acne. The taking of oral contraceptives and menopausal hormone replacement therapy may also be a cause of acne.

Drugs can also be a cause of acne

Certain drugs such as corticosteroids and anabolic steroids can also be a cause of acne pimples. These drugs stimulate the sebaceous glands secreting more oil or sebum. When these oil or sebum are blocked this may be the cause of acne.

Others causes of acne

Other cause of acne maybe exposure to sunlight, stress and other skin irritants that continuously comes in contact with the skin.

There are a few things that can be done to home remedy acne flare ups

Home Remedy Acne Care 1: Stay Clean and fresh. Acne care may be done by washing gently your skin with mild soap. Avoid strong cleansers and heavy scrubbing, this causes the skin and acne to be further irritated leaving your skin more vulnerable to the side effects of topical acne treatments. Rather use soaps that do not contain moisturizing oils that may not be washed off by water and would clog your skin pores.

For acne care, it is unnecessary to use special and more expensive facial cleansers that contain special medication against acne. Special facial cleansers used for acne care may be washed off by water anyway upon rinsing. Wash your face at least three times a day to remove excess oil and dirt for best acne care and prevention.

Home Remedy Acne Care 2: Another home remedy for acne care is to use minimal makeup and avoid those that are oil based cosmetics. Look at the labels and select those that are water-based. Some skins are easily irritated even with minimal make-ups that cause blemishes and acne breakouts. For best acne care, choose cosmetics that would not irritate your skin then remove makeup as soon as possible, most importantly before retiring to bed.

Home Remedy Acne Care 3: Avoid frequent and continous contact to your face. Try not to touch your face frequently with your hands as this may transfer germs to your face and may cause further infection of your acne. Also avoid prolonged contact with other things such as cradling telephone between your head and shoulder.

Home Remedy Acne Care 4: Poke prudently. Generally for proper acne care, dermatologists discourage the squeezing of blackheads and popping the whiteheads. These practices usually results to scarring. But who doesn't, most people can't simply resist to poke their acne or pimples, if you will do, make sure that your face and your hands are clean. Making sure that you will at least dab it with rubbing alcohol before and after to keep it disinfected.

Good Nutrition and eating a healthy diet is the key to effective acne care. Eating a healthy diet rich in fiber is commonly known to help maintain a clear and acne free skin. Although there is no medical study done as yet to prove the relation of diet and acne, eating a healthy diet rich in fiber brings more good to a person generally.

For best acne care and avoidance, do not eat too much meat and processed foods. Increase your intake of whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. Drink a lot of water.

Chololates can cause Acne - Myth busted. Chocolate has been blamed for acne. "The chocolate myth has been very persistent," says Alan P. Bauer, M.D. "After all these years I still hear it." In fact, the chocolate myth about acne was debunked about a half-century ago. Back then, Albert M. Kligman, M.D, professor of dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, gave a group of teens either real chocolate bars of "placebo" bars that only tasted like chocolate. Later, Dr. Kligman photographed the teens' faces and counted the acne blemishes that had developed. The teens who had eaten the placebo bars got virtually the same number of acne blemishes as the teens who had eaten the real chocolate. (Excerpt from Blended Medicine-The Best Choices of Healing, Michael Castleman, 2000)

Take your Vitamins and Mineral Supplements. Studies have suggested that a dose of zinc may help control the break-out of acne. Zinc works by reducing the levels of male sex hormone dihydrotestorone (DHT) in our body. By lowering the hormone androgen, acne breakouts are lessened. Check with your local doctor about the right dose of zinc suitable for you. Zinc intake more than 30mg per day should be under medical supervision.

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