Acne
How to find acne products that work
Acne is a skin disease commonly associated with adolescence, although it can present in adults as well. In fact, acne affects over 85 percent of teenagers and continues into adulthood for many of those afflicted. It tends to concentrate on areas of the skin where there are the most hair follicles – namely, the face, neck, back and upper chest.
Unfortunately, these are also areas that are fairly visible, making acne a rather embarrassing condition for those who have it. It can also, in some cases, be quite painful. The good news, however, is that acne is common and treatable.
Acne Causes and Symptoms
The primary cause of acne is a blockage in a hair follicle on the skin, which causes a lesion that may be closed over (whitehead) or open (blackhead). These blockages can be caused by genetics, hormonal activity in teenagers, stress, inflammation, bacteria or steroid use.
The belief that chocolate or carbohydrates cause acne is wrong. Those foods have not been proven to cause acne. Acne is also not caused by excessively dirty skin, although practicing good skin care can help to alleviate the symptoms.
Symptoms of acne include inflammation or redness of the skin in addition to the aforementioned lesions. These lesions may also leave scars.
Acne Treatment
Treatment for acne mostly takes the form of medication. Acne medication is often quite aggressive and includes antibiotics and hormones to combat the bacteria and hormone imbalance that often cause the skin condition. Some acne products attack the skin condition directly in the form of a cream that can be put on the lesions to help reduce them. Hormonal birth control can also help reduce acne in women.
Other, more natural remedies may include hydrating the skin by ingesting water, using tea tree oil to soothe the skin’s inflammation and adjusting the diet to improve skin’s condition and overall health. These remedies relieve the symptoms only, however – medication must be used to help cure the skin condition. Occasionally, laser therapy may be used to burn off the lesions; phototherapy may help with the appearance of acne scars.
Acne care should include a good skin care regimen to cleanse and hydrate the skin, as well as any doctor-recommended therapies. Acne can be cured; however, the treatment may be aggressive.
