Definition of Acne

Acne. Zits. Pimples. Blemishes. No matter what you call them, acne can be distressing and annoyingly persistent. Acne lesions heal slowly, and when one begins to resolve, others seem to crop up.

Hormones likely play a role in the development of acne, making the condition most common in teenagers. But people of all ages can get acne. Some adult women experience acne due to hormonal changes associated with pregnancy, their menstrual cycles, or starting or stopping birth control pills.

Depending on its severity, acne can cause emotional distress and lead to scarring of the skin. The good news is that effective treatments are available — and the earlier treatment is started, the lower your risk of lasting physical and emotional damage.

What are the Symptoms?

Acne typically appears on your face, neck, chest, back and shoulders, which are the areas of your skin with the largest number of functional oil glands. Acne can take the following forms:
1. Comedones (whiteheads and blackheads) are created when the openings of hair follicles become clogged and blocked with oil secretions, dead skin cells and sometimes bacteria. When comedones (kom-uh-DOE-neze) are open at the skin surface, they're called blackheads because of the dark appearance of the plugs in the hair follicles. When comedones are closed, they're called whiteheads — slightly raised, skin-colored bumps.
2. Papules are small raised bumps that signal inflammation or infection in the hair follicles. Papules may be red and tender.
3. Pustules are red, tender bumps with white pus at their tips.
4. Nodules are large, solid, painful lumps beneath the surface of the skin. They're formed by the buildup of secretions deep within hair follicles.
5. Cysts are painful, pus-filled lumps beneath the surface of the skin. These boil-like infections can cause scars.

When to see a medical professional Acne usually isn't a serious medical condition. But you may want to seek medical treatment from a dermatologist for persistent pimples or inflamed cysts to avoid scarring or other damage to your skin. If acne and the scars it may have left are affecting your social relationships or self-esteem, you may also want to ask a dermatologist if your acne can be controlled or if your scars can be diminished.

What are the Causes?

Three factors contribute to the formation of acne:
1. Overproduction of oil (sebum)
2. Irregular shedding of dead skin cells resulting in irritation of the hair follicles of your skin
3. Buildup of bacteria

Acne occurs when the hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells. Each follicle is connected to sebaceous glands. These glands secrete an oily substance known as sebum to lubricate your hair and skin. Sebum normally travels up along the hair shafts and then out through the opening of the hair follicle onto the surface of your skin. When your body produces an excess amount of sebum and dead skin cells, the two can build up in the hair follicle and form together as a soft plug.This plug may cause the follicle wall to bulge and produce a whitehead. Or, the plug may be open to the surface and may darken, causing a blackhead.

Pimples are raised red spots with a white center that develop when blocked hair follicles become inflamed or infected. Blockages and inflammation that develop deep inside hair follicles produce lumps beneath the surface of your skin called cysts. Other pores in your skin, which are the openings of the sweat glands onto your skin, aren't normally involved in acne.

It's not known what causes the increased production of sebum that leads to acne. But a number of factors — including hormones, bacteria, certain medications and heredity — play a role. Contrary to what some people think, greasy foods and chocolate have little effect on acne. Studies are ongoing to determine whether other dietary factors — including high-starch foods, such as bread, bagels and chips, which increase blood sugar — may play a role in acne. Acne isn't caused by dirt. In fact, scrubbing the skin too hard or cleansing with harsh soaps or chemicals irritates the skin and can make acne worse. Simple cleansing of the skin to remove excess oil and dead skin cells is all that's required.

Lifestyle Remedies

You can avoid or control most acne with good basic skin care and the following self-care techniques:
1. Wash problem areas with a gentle cleanser, and ClearSkin FaceWash , is recommended. Products such as facial scrubs, astringents and masks generally aren't recommended because they tend to irritate skin, which can worsen acne. Excessive washing and scrubbing also can irritate skin. If you tend to develop acne around your hairline, shampoo your hair frequently.
2. Try over-the-counter acne lotion to dry excess oil and promote peeling. Look for products containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid as the active ingredient.
3. Avoid irritants. You may want to avoid oily or greasy cosmetics, sunscreens, hairstyling products or acne concealers. Use products labeled "water-based" or "noncomedogenic." For some people, the sun worsens acne. Additionally, some acne medications can make you more susceptible to the sun's rays. Check with your doctor to see if your medication is one of these, and if so, stay out of the sun as much as possible and anytime you have to be in the sun, use sunscreen that doesn't clog your pores.
4. Watch what touches your face. Keep your hair clean and off your face. Also avoid resting your hands or objects, such as telephone receivers, on your face. Tight clothing or hats also can pose a problem, especially if you'll be sweating. Sweat, dirt and oils can contribute to acne.
5. Don't pick or squeeze blemishes. Picking or squeezing can cause infection or scarring. If you need aggressive treatment, see your doctor or dermatologist.

Treatments?

If acne is treated early, it usually responds well to treatment. The main aim of treatment is to stop new pimples from forming, heal pimples, prevent scarring and lessen the embarrassment associated with acne.

Mild to moderately severe acne may be treated with over-the-counter gels, lotions, and creams such as benzoyl peroxide which is applied directly to the skin. Oral antibiotics may also be prescribed to reduce inflammation while oral contraceptives have also shown to improve acne.

In episodes where acne is extremely severe, another oral medication known as Isotretinoin (Accutane) is one of the most effective treatments with successful results. However, all these medications can cause negative side effects and it is important that you inform your health practitioner or dermatologist immediately.

It is also important to develop a good skincare routine that involves cleansing your skin in the mornings, evenings and after workouts. This may ccomplished by using ClearSkin FaceWash . Also, adjusting your lifestyle and incorporating a healthy diet, exercise, drinking lots of water and getting adequate sleep will also help to make a significant difference to your skin’s appearance.

Herbs have proven to be a more natural, gentle alternative for the treatment of acne rather than the harsh, synthetic chemicals used in over-the-counter products and conventional medications. Not only are herbal remedies safe and effective to use, they also support the skin, immune and digestive systems.

Two carefully selected herbal ingredients such as Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree Oil), Azadirachta indica and Arctium lappa contain antibacterial, anti-fungal and antiseptic properties and are not only effective for acne but for other skin conditions too. Other herbs such as Aspalathus linearis (Rooibos) and Bulbine frutescence have wonderful antioxidant and healing properties and also help to prevent skin infection and provide ongoing relief. In addition, Lavender Essential Oil acts as a circulatory stimulant and antiseptic, and is used to treat burns and wounds and to prevent scarring.All may be found in using ClearSkin-AGel and MediAC