Acne can be very frustrating, the scars left by acne can be superficial, but if left untreated the scars can be deep. There is no age exception when it comes to acne, whether you are a teenager or an adult, if you have acne you should start treating it early, because the longer you wait for the worse it will become.

1. Drink water to moisturize your skin. When your skin is dry, a hormone called androgen will produce tons of sebum, also known as oil, and the oil produce by androgen will lead to clog pores, and that means more pimples.

2. Shrink your acne with ice cubes. Cover two or three ice cubes with washcloth, and hold it against your acne-affected skin for about 8 or 10 minutes, this will minimize the swelling and prevent breakouts.

3. Eyedrops. Use eyedrops to reduce the redness of your acne-affected skin. Two or three drops will do.

4. Zinc and vitamin c. Eating food that is rich in zinc and vitamin c like meat, beans and fruits strengthen and protect your skin from damage caused by acne. These foods will also help the skin to heal more quickly.

5. Minimize caffeine intake. Caffeine tastes good, but it can dehydrate your skin, and if your skin is dry, you will have more pimples. Furthermore, caffeine is a stimulant; it stimulates everything in your body including the androgen that is responsible for producing sebum.

6. Exfoliate your skin. If our pores to become clogged with the dead skin cells, the oil and the bacteria get trapped inside our pores, and this forms a pimple; exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin cells before they clogged our pores. Exfoliation will stop a pimple before it starts.

7. Medications. Anti-acne medications that contain benzoyl peroxide are a good way to heal acne, prevent future breakouts, and reduce inflammation caused by acne.

8. Laser treatments. Using laser to treat acne is used by dermatologists, it can take a couple of weeks to cure the acne, but it can be expensive, also laser treatment can get rid of acne for a long time.

9. Remove makeup. Before you go to sleep remember to remove your makeup, because makeup can clog the pores if left overnight.

The most important thing you should always remember is to treat your acne while it is still early.

Different cases of acne can be healed, with the right combination of elements; you can stop acne, stop future breakouts, and remove scars.



Thanks to beating acne now for contributing this article to our Acne blog:

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Before considering your acne treatment, it is important to know a few quick facts about acne vulgaris and acne treatment



No direct link has been established between acne and diet (pizza, nuts, sweets, chocolate )



There is no link between acne and diet. In particular, no cause and effect has been established between acne and chocolate, dairy products (milk products), shellfish, sweets, or fatty foods (french fries, pizza, etc.). Healthy diet is good for your overall health but it will not be enough to get rid of acne.





Acne cannot be cured (There is NO acne cure); it can be effectively treated (see acne treatment) and controlled (but there is no permanent acne cure)



There is a widespread belief that acne is curable and that a course of antibiotics is all that is required to treat acne. People will often make statements such as my acne treatment did not work because when I stopped the tablets the acne came back again, and after my acne treatment the acne only improved but did not completely disappear. It must be made clear that continued acne treatment is required and that there is no cure for acne (although isotretinoin may cause long-term remission of the disease).



Acne is NOT a result of poor hygiene



Dirt and surface skin oils do not cause acne. However, accumulation of daily dirt on the skin and excessive skin oils should be removed by gently washing your face twice a day with a mild soap, pat dry and use an appropriate acne treatment.



Constant washing does not improve acne



Constant washing does not improve acne. Excessive scrubbing dries and irritates skin further and can actually make your acne worse.



Getting a tan does not clear acne



Although there has been little scientific evidence that sunlight has any reliable beneficial effect on acne, and even less evidence for the benefits of solariums; nevertheless, there has been a resurgence of interest in effects of sunlight on acne. Before recommending such acne treatment one should carefully evaluate any positive effect of using sunlight in acne treatment against the possible long-term carcinogenetic effects of ultraviolet light on the skin. In addition, some studies have shown that acne treatment using sunlight can even worsen acne.



Not only teenagers can have acne, adults get acne too (adult acne)



Even though, acne vulgaris is mainly a skin disease of teenagers; the prevalence of acne in teenage boys and girls is so high that acne is considered almost universal in this age group; nevertheless, adults suffer from acne, too.



Acne should be treated and controlled, do not just “let acne run its course”



Even though, in most cases acne will “run its course”; nevertheless, untreated acne can leave you forever with unaesthetic acne scars, reminding you about your teenage acne skin problems for the rest of your life. There are multiple acne treatments available; therefore, acne should be treated and controlled, avoiding any potential unaesthetic acne scars in the future.



Stress does not cause acne, but it can exacerbate the existing condition



A study of 215 graduating medical students showed that 67% believed that stress plays a role in acne exacerbations. Anxiety was considered an acne-exacerbating factor by 74% of students and their relatives. There is also evidence that stress may exacerbate acne during examinations. It has also been noted that treatment with biofeedback mechanisms is useful in some acne sufferers.



Exercise does not increase risk of acne



According to Stanford University School of Medicine (Stanford.edu) research and contrary to popular beliefs, exercise and sweating during exercise do not increase acne in athletes.



There are misconceptions regarding variably of too little or too much sexual activity and acne.





There are myths regarding too little or too much sexual activity and acne.



First sex and acne myth that too much sex or masturbation may worsen acne.

Second sex and acne myth that somehow when females begin having a regular sex life their acne will be improved.





Although acne is linked to androgen metabolism at the level of the sebaceous glands; nevertheless, there is no evidence supporting neither of these rather strange extrapolations.











Thanks to Lauren Millie for contributing this article to our Acne blog:

Glycolic Acid Acne Treatment

There are really extreme cases when acne can’t be treated just by self medication. Your doctors can offer you a more potent drug, or he/she can suggest another good option - acne laser treatment. In our present day, technology is changing our world faster than we think! Through the advance of science, we can now take advantage of LASER technology further in medical operations. Medical specialists say that undergoing acne LASER treatment is one of the most advance and, probably, the most effective treatment you can have to totally get rid of acne today. This amazing procedure will surely give hope to people who are greatly suffering with their acne. We have already used LASER treatment on acne scarring successfully for years, but it is truly a breakthrough to be used in treating existing acne. The question now is how can acne LASER treatment actually cure acne? Is it safe and effective?

How can that be? Acne LASER Treatment is done by applying extreme thermal or heat effect on the sebaceous glands in order to damage it. Studies prove that the laser equipment used in the operation can actually do four treatments in one-month intervals. Statistics shows that 16 out of 17 patients got a 100% success on clearing the face. Test through skin biopsy immediately afterwards the operations revealed that the sebaceous glands showed alterations caused by the induced heat, decreasing the production of oil. Immediate proofs that acne LASER treatment is taking a postive effect!

Two Types of LASER In performing acne LASER treatments, doctors are actually using two types of LASERs. One type deal with the inhibition of the bacterial growth that causes skin problems, while the other is made to work with the sebaceous glands in order to reduce the production of oil in particular parts of the body especially the face.

Still Under investigation Even if it already proved to be a success on totally eradicating your acne, doctors admitted that acne LASER Treatment is still under research to further study its short and long-time effects. Thus, it is still not available yet for widely use to everyone. The patients should also know that insurance is not covered in the acne LASER treatment and that not all states can distinguish who are and who are not allowed to perform operations using LASER. Medical specialists also warn that procedures that require the use of LASER should be done by qualified physicians only. It is also suggested that you should ask for the qualification of the one that will do the operation before undergoing acne LASER treatment.

How many? for how long? Your doctor might suggest that you undergo acne LASER Treatment for about 5 months, one treatment every month, in order to get satisfying results. However, if acne reappears, additional acne LASER treatment done periodically will be required.

How does it feel? You might wonder how it feels undergoing the procedure. Well, most patients say that acne LASER treatment will give you a rubberband-like sensation during the operation. If ever you find this uncomfortable, you are given the choice to have topical anesthetic cream applied directly on your skin.



Thanks to Alisia Friend for contributing this article to our Acne blog:

Glycolic Acid Acne Treatment