Need some tips for getting your acne under control? Here are some important pointers you are not likely to find in product literature or on websites devoted to selling you "natural" products.
Blackhead suction extractors usually do more harm than good. The reason the skin is black is that sebum has stayed in place so long it has oxidized. Forcing it lose will just leave bleeding and redness where you had a blackhead. It's better to moisturize and let the blackhead come up more slowly on its own.
Need an eyebrow follicle cyst remedy? Depending on your skin type, one of two types of natural acids will work (although neither is an instant cure).
Alpha-hydroxy acids (glycolic and lactic acids) are not recommended for oily skins in persons who are sensitive to sunlight, allergens, or industrial pollution. They are generally appropriate for dry skins because they remove dead skin cells from the epidermis and stimulate collagen production beneath.
Glycolic acids are most appropriate for treatment of skins that are:
Acne in babies is caused to a reaction to the mother's hormones that surge just before delivery. These small white or pink bumps usually disappear in about two weeks.
About one in three users of Accutane develops high cholesterol, and about two in five develop high triglycerides. There is also the issue of Accutane causing elevation in liver enzymes. "This is a side effect that we have known about all along. We've been monitoring patients since the day the drug came on the market," said Dr. Stephen Stone, president of the American Academy of Dermatology and professor of clinical medicine at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield told the web magazine HealthDay.
The number of patients who develop high triglycerides or high cholesterol is much greater than the number suggested by the package insert Dr. Stone said.
Although dermatologists often prescribe antibiotics for long-term use, two recent studies find that the benefits of antibiotics max out at 12 weeks. The less you use antibiotics, the lower the risk of your developing or passing along an antibiotic-resistant infection.
The new UVA-blocking sunscreen Anthelios can cause acne as a side effect. This side effect wears off when the sunscreen is discontinued.
Avoid touching your hands to your face. Squeezing and picking at pimples will make them worse.
Wear your hair so it stays out of your face. Keeping your hair out of your face keeps oils from reaching facial skin.
Avoid heavy makeup, moisturizing creams, and oily hair preparations.
Always use a clean towel to dry your face, to avoid reinfecting your skin with acne-causing bacteria.
If you experience periodic outbreaks of acne not related to stress (in both sexes) or your menstrual cycle (in women), the problem may be cumulative stress to your skin from the way you wash your face. Do not scrub too hard-rough treatment of your skin opens pores to bacteria.
If you have been prescribed tetracycline or minocycline antibiotics, be sure to take them at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals to avoid stomach upset. Never take antibiotics with milk. It is best to take these medications with water at bedtime.
Do not try to get a tan to "dry out" acne. Exposure to sun does not help acne and can cause wrinkles.
Home microdermabrasion kits are available in pharmacies and skin care salons for US $10 to $300. There's no doubt they are useful for treating small acne scars, enlarged pores, clogged pores, fine lines, and uneven skin coloration.
Microdermabrasion directs a stream of microscopically small aluminum oxide crystal through a tube under pressure into the skin. These crystals exfoliate the skin, encouraging the formation of collagen, and producing healthier, thicker, often "glowing" skin after five or six treatments. Microdermabrasion is painless and effective with minimal side effects-but not recommended for continuous use.
Why not use microdermabrasion? Although microdermabrasion machines remove aluminum crystals and dead skin cells as they exfoliate the skin, regular use of the technique almost certainly leaves some aluminum behind. Scientists do not know for a certainty that low levels absorbed into the body from any source of other than drinking water increase risk of Alzheimer's disease, but until the relationship between aluminum and Alzheimer's has been thoroughly researched, it's a good idea to use microdermabrasion occasionally (treatments once or twice a year, for example), rather than regularly.
Recent reader questions:
Q. How can you tell is it a pimple, or staph?
A. There is a mild form of staph infection that is common in acne, but it's easy to distinguish from Staphylococcus aureus. The more virulent strain of staph causes a reddish, purplish, bloody boil that is not limited to the pore. It may ache, bleed, or feel warm or feverish. Red, itchy pimples on face and neck are especially likely to be due to staph.
Q. Give me some drug facts on tetracycline.
A. OK. If you have been prescribed tetracycline or minocycline antibiotics, be sure to take them at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals to avoid stomach upset. Never take antibiotics with milk. It is best to take these medications with water at bedtime.
Also, be sure to get your vitamin C. Tetracycline antibiotics for acne, especially minocycline (Cyclimycin, Minocin, or Trimomin), in relatively rare instances cause a condition known as “blue smile,” a discoloration of the tongue and teeth. Scientists at the Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas have found that giving vitamin C to lab rats at a dosage approximating 1,000 milligrams per day in humans prevents staining of teeth during minocycline therapy.
Q. What about colloidal silver for warts and pimples?
A. For pimples, colloidal silver may disinfect the surface of the pimple, and may speed up healing, but it's not likely to be any more helpful for cysts than any other remedy. And remember, colloidal silver goes on, never in. Do not take colloidal silver by mouth (and, I have to note, do not use it as a douche or an enema).
Q. What is the treatment for hypopigmentation acne scars?
A. If you are referring to a light spot left where you had a deep-seated pimple or boil, you can take folic acid and vitamin B12 before you (safely) tan. This helps light skin darken. Or you can use a dab of makeup that's appropriate for your skin type.
You may also be interested in:
What Causes Acne?
Nutritional Recommendations for Acne
Vitamins, Water, and Acne
Acne and Diet
Healing Acne: The Prime Directive for Effective Skin Care
Fat, Fiber, Yeast, and Acne
Natural Products for Acne
Homeopathy for Acne
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