Most everybody has to deal with acne at one time or the other. Acne is especially noticeable during teen years when individuals are the most self-conscious about their looks and wish to make a favorable impression. The disfiguring effects of acne (especially on the face) are quite depressing and can greatly damage anyone’s self esteem.

Acne is caused by an imbalance in the skin’s physiology. Hormonal changes during adolescence trigger hyperactivity of oil producing glands in the skin. This oil and dead skin cells block hair follicles. Opportunistic skin bacteria then infect these follicles.

With so many commercial anti-acne medications to choose from, how does one know which medication suits him or her best? Different skin types react differently to medications. What works well for one person may not work for another. While it is always best to consult a dermatologist, below are a few popular medications used in the battle against acne. These drugs act on factors that cause acne — oil, dead skin and bacteria.

Accutane is an oral drug that acts on cells that produce oil and reduces their output by as much as 80%. However, Accutane affects all the cells in the body and could cause the mucosal lining in lips, mouth, eyes and vagina to bleed. It also causes significant birth defects and damages the liver.

Antibiotics help in controlling the infectious bacteria in an outbreak of acne. Erythromycin is widely used in topical applications. Continued use of antibiotics though results in the development of drug-resistant bacteria. Individual sensitivity to antibiotics should also be tested prior to use.

Retin A is a topical medication that is quite effective in reducing acne, but it does cause skin irritation, redness, itching and flaking.

Several masks that reduce the oil content of the skin are available. These include charcoal and oatmeal masks. One must be cautious in using these as they may cause over drying of skin.

Salicylic Acid, better known as aspirin, is an effective antidote. When used topically as a 1-2% solution, it promotes exfoliation of the epidermal layer of the skin, and minimizes plugging of follicles.

Precautions such as avoiding exposure to strong sunlight and intake of greasy food, controlling stress, personal hygiene and regular exercising go a long way in controlling the effects of acne.

Acne Solutions provides detailed information about acne solutions, natural acne solutions, acne scar solutions, best acne solutions and more. Acne Solutions is the sister site of Acne Treatment Web.

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Acne is a common skin infection that affects mostly teenagers. However, not only teens suffer from acne, Adults too are also affected by this problem. A complete understanding of acne continues to baffle experts. What really precipitates acne? Why does it disappear without apparent reason in some adults and persist in others? What we do know is that a hormonal imbalance triggers a sequence of physiological changes in the skin leading to the onset of acne. These events include an excessive production of oil, clogging of hair follicles and bacterial infection.

Acne can cause severe damage to the skin and to a person’s psyche. Acne scars often disfigure the face, causing embarrassment and loss of self-esteem. An early cure is therefore essential. About 5% of adults suffer from acne. This figure does not include women who suffer from transient attacks of acne during menstrual cycles and in pregnancy due to hormonal changes. Although the acne eventually disappears in such cases, it could cause scarring if treatment is delayed or ignored. Adults with acne need a two-fold remedial approach - eradication of acne and surgical procedure to remove acne scars. The following tips could help control adult acne and prevent permanent skin damage.

Early Action: Begin medications as soon as a fresh outbreak of acne occurs. This will help control its spread.

Keep skin clean and moist: Wash face regularly with warm water, and a mild soap. Cleansing solutions containing antibacterial agents like Chloroxylenol are useful in eliminating skin bacteria.

Avoid squeezing pimples: Squeezing spreads the infection and should be avoided. Handle affected areas gently and use soft and clean tissues to dry affected areas after washing.

Use skin lotions containing combinations of salicylic acid and lactic acids: These agents are effective in de-clogging hair follicles and stimulate growth of new skin. Lotions containing combinations of lactic acid with lanolin or similar compounds are also useful in keeping the skin healthy and moist.

Drugs like OrthoTrycyclen have proved useful in controlling acne in pre-menstrual women. If lesions containing pus persist after using topical antibiotics, consult your physician about oral antibiotics.

Nowadays several surgical procedures such as dermal fillers, punch excision, punch excision with skin graft replacement, punch elevation, subcutaneous incision and laser resurfacing are used in removing effects of acne scars. The important thing is to control acne before it controls the way you feel about yourself.

Acne Solutions provides detailed information about acne solutions, natural acne solutions, acne scar solutions, best acne solutions and more. Acne Solutions is the sister site of Acne Treatment Web.

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Acne is a common skin infection that affects over 80% of youth and 5% of adults. When acne eventually heals, it leaves ugly blemishes called acne scars. These become permanent if they are not treated in time. Acne scars are damaging to the ego and personality of an individual, and a lot of time and money has been invested in research to treat this problem.

Acne scars are classified by size, shape and appearance they are identified as Icepick, Boxcar and Rolling. They are also tagged as early or permanent on the basis of their duration. Early scars respond well to topical medications. Permanent scars require surgical intervention. Presently, scars are treated with combinations of topical skin care medications in tandem with carefully selected surgical and skin resurfacing procedures.

At least a half dozen surgical procedures are also performed to repair acne scars. Each has benefits and pitfalls and a surgeon will closely examine the patient’s age, sex, medical history, skin type and type of scarring before agreeing to perform surgery. Cost is also discussed, as it can be quite expensive.

When dermal fillers are used, a surgeon will inject fillers such as collagen and hyaluronic acid derivatives into the skin. This raises the base of the scar to the level of normal skin. The “punch excision” procedure is used in

icepick and boxcar type scars and relies on making incisions in the skin with a punch biopsy tool and stitching the skin edges together. The new scar heals, leaving a clear skin. Punch excision with skin graft replacement is a variant of the punch excision method. Instead of suturing the skin after excision, surgeons use a skin graft to repair the scar. Punch elevation is used on deep boxcar scars that have sharp edges and normal appearing bases. Here the base of the scar is excised and elevated to the surface of the skin. Sutures and glue are used to join the edges together. Subcutaneous Incision is used for treating rolling scars and centers on the use of a special beveled needle that is inserted under the skin and used to cut the binding tissue in the scar. The resulting bruises fade after about 1 week. Laser resurfacing is used to burn the top layer of the skin and reduce it to the same level as the base of the scars.

Prevention is always better than cure. Simple precautions such as avoiding strong sunlight, using medications like tretinoin and alpha hydroxyl acids, avoiding picking scabs, regular exercising and dietary control go a long way in preventing acne scars and saving a lot of embarrassment and expenses.

Acne Solutions provides detailed information about acne solutions, natural acne solutions, acne scar solutions, best acne solutions and more. Acne Solutions is the sister site of Acne Treatment Web.

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