Archive for June, 2009
Acne Treatment – a Full Review
Acne is a part of growing up for almost every individual. Everyone faces some kind of acne in his/her lifetime at least once. Sometimes acne can become a nightmare of the teenager’s life. Some cases of acne can be treated with a simple face wash or over the counter medicines but in some cases a dermatologists help is badly needed. Before you opt for any kind of acne treatment you should be properly equipped with all the basic information regarding the treatment and its effects. There are two types of acne treatment
• Topical treatment
• Oral treatment
Depending on the acne condition a dermatologist can suggest any one of above mentioned methods or both. Following points should be kept in mind during the acne treatment.
Purpose of Acne Treatment:
Before starting the acne treatment you should understand what kind of acne you have and what its intensity is. The main purpose of acne treatment should be to stop it from spreading and reappearing and to avoid any possible scars.
Things to remember:
• You should always keep in mind that you can control and cover you pimples to avoid any possible embarrassment (for teenagers especially).
• There are certain treatments available for avoiding acne scars.
• Acne responds very well to early treatment. You should consult a dermatologist as soon as pimples start to appear on your skin.
• Acne cannot be cured over night. Acne treatment takes long time to show results. Acne may flare up at the start of treatment however it will start to decrease within a few days.
Selection of suitable acne treatment
You can select the best type of acne treatment for yourself by keeping in mind your skin type and acne severity. If you are suffering from mild acne then you can use an acne wash or some OTC medicine. If you are suffering from severe acne then you should not opt for any medicine by yourself rather you should consult a dermatologist for proper acne treatment. You should keep in mind the possible side effects of your treatment. Before starting any acne treatment you should keep in mind your previous reaction to different medicines, if any. Type of the skin plays a very important role in acne treatment. Most of the time acne treatments are prescribed according to the skin type.
Popularity: unranked [?]
Excoriated Acne – If you pick at it, it WILL get worse.
When your mother used to tell you that picking at a cut would make it worse, she wasn’t kidding. If you are still doing it to this day, however, then the chances are that you have a compulsive skin picking disorder – apparently not that uncommon in this day and age. But picking at a healed cut or spot is a big mistake. It can lead to a small scab becoming a large wound, and can very easily result in infection. The unsightly blemish that results is known as excoriated acne.
“Excoriate” means to strip the hide or skin off something. It is a word that is used figuratively as much as anything, often being used to explain the severe telling off that an unruly child might get from a parent. But it does have a literal application, and the obsessive habit of picking at our skin is an example of how excoriation is a genuine problem. Anyone can develop excoriated acne, but it is more common among women.
Excoriated acne is the result of a desire to pick, squeeze, or scratch at blemishes, even creating new blemishes in some cases. This leads to open sores which, when they scab over, are prime for picking again. It can be a very hard habit to break, sometimes only stopping when the skin ceases scabbing. At this point, what you are left with is open red sores and inflammation. This is excoriated acne, and can be very unsightly and also potentially very unhealthy.
Popularity: unranked [?]
Hypertrophic Scars – Not Something You Need To Face
Among the many types of acne scar that can be found regularly among sufferers, the hypertrophic scar is unique in that it is rarely found on the face of a sufferer. It is also rare in that it is not seen where tissue has been eaten away by a breakout of acne, but rather where there has been extra tissue created. A hypertrophic scar – taken from the term “hypertrophy” which means an increase in the size of an organ due to overgrowth of cells – actually stands out from the skin rather than being sunken into it.
Most usually, hypertrophic scars are to be found on the torso of a male sufferer and look like a raised, firm bump of tissue. Often, a hypertrophic scar will grow larger than the original wound and they happen as the result of an overproduction of collagen, the tissue that allows our skin to be flexible enough that we can manipulate it easily. Hypertrophic scars are often confused with “Keloid” scars. Keloid scars routinely overgrow the area of the original injury, and may affect the ability to move the skin in the area where they grow.
In order to treat a hypertrophic or Keloid scar, cortisone is injected into the affected area, shrinking and flattening the scar tissue area. The shrinking and removal of this scar tissue is also aided by a softening process involving the injection of Interferon. If you suffer a hypertrophic scar and cannot fund the surgery, it may not be that big a deal – they often decrease in size and improve in appearance over a short time.
Popularity: unranked [?]
Rolling Scars – A Rare Form of Acne Scar, But Unpleasant Nonetheless
Although the majority of scarring caused by acne, particularly facial breakouts, falls into the categories of ice pick or box car scarring, there are other forms of scar which can afflict the acne sufferer. One of the two other major forms of scar is the rolling scar, which is characterised by a rolling appearance, almost like a wave breaking across the skin. The skin around it will look absolutely normal, which throws the scarring into an ever clearer view. It is a form of scarring that causes discomfort and embarrassment.
It is caused when a fibrous band of tissue forms between the top layer of skin and the subcutaneous tissue as a result of weakening of the connection. These fibrous bands exert a pull on the epidermis and cause it to cling to the deeper structures of the skin. The aesthetic result of this pull is that some of the skin appears sunken while that around it is where it would usually be. This creates the familiar, wave-like appearance which, when moving, appears to be as the name would suggest, rolling across the skin.
In order to get rid of rolling scars on the skin, the most popular method of surgery is called subcision. This name comes from the Latin terms “Sub”, meaning underneath and “incisio”, meaning to cut. The practice of subcision involves cutting underneath the skin’s surface and inserting a needle which is used to cut out the fibrous tissue that his holding down the top layer of skin when this is done, the epidermis is freed and able to move independently.
Popularity: unranked [?]
Box Car Scars – The Aftermath of Inflammation
Although not as common as ice pick scars, nor as pronounced, box car scars are a familiar type of acne scar, most frequently found after an inflammatory acne breakout. In comparison with ice pick scars, box car scars are a good deal wider and though not quite as deep as ice pick scars they do give the skin a somewhat pitted appearance. Usually a box car scar will be round or oval in shape and have steep sides. They are recognisable for the amount of tissue that is removed to make them.
The box car scar is created when an inflammatory breakout of acne strikes, destroying some of the collagen which gives facial skin its rubbery, flexible texture. Where the tissue is effectively burned away by the inflammation, the skin is left without support and develops a sunken look. There is no set level of severity for a box car scar, and it is recognised purely by its shape. They can consequently be fairly superficial or very severe depending on the severity of the breakout and the amount of tissue destroyed.
To treat a box car scar, it is possible to use punch excision, although the nature of that form of surgery is more suited to ice pick scars. Instead, punch elevation is a more frequent choice for surgeons. This style of surgery involves cutting out the base of the scar and lifting (or elevating) it to a point where it is level with the surrounding skin. It is then held in place using surgical sutures until it heals, leaving the skin looking much less pitted.
Popularity: unranked [?]
Ice Pick Scars – The Most Common Acne Scar
There are four major types of acne scar which affect acne sufferers in a major way. They are, in order of regularity: ice pick scars; boxcar scars; rolling scars and hypertrophic or keloid scars. The most common of these is the ice pick scar, it is not difficult to work out how this kind of scar got its name – in short, it looks as though the sufferer has been attacked with an ice pick or a similarly sharp, thin instrument. Ice pick scars are characterised by their depth and their narrowness. Some people say that ice pick scars look like a hyper-large open pore.
The way that an ice pick scar is formed explains its unique appearance. Usually a result of cystic acne, the scar develops after a cyst, or other rooted, inflamed blemish works its way up from the inner layers of dermis. Al the skin tissue in its path, and nothing else, is effectively burrowed away, leaving behind this long and deep scar. If seen as a cross-section diagram, an ice pick scar looks like a deep, narrow ravine.
Treatment is available to improve the appearance of ice pick scars, if not remove the scarring entirely. The most popular metjhod of treatment is a form of surgery known as punch excision. A small tool is pressed into the skin like a cookie-cutter in order to pull away individual scars. The wound, scarcely any wider than the original scar, is then closed using surgical stitches or skin glue. Once it has healed, the skin looks a great deal more normal.
Popularity: unranked [?]
Laser Treatment – Burning Acne Away Without Harming You?
The fight against acne is one that has been going on since the time of the Ancient Romans, and is one that is set to continue for a while yet. Acne is not a syndrome that takes the punishment lying down, and as a result the keenest minds in dermatology have as yet delivered only short-term fixes and imperfect solutions. One way that is being looked at as a potential preventative against acne formation is laser technology. Currently used in the removal and reduction of acne scarring, it has been earmarked by scientists as a potential weapon in the “war on acne”
The idea behind this laser therapy is that the laser will burn away the follicle sac in which hair grows along with the sebaceous gland where the oil is produced, as a result causing oxygen to form in the bacteria, killing them at a stroke. There are concerns, which may be obvious to those who understand how lasers work. The danger is that heat damage to the skin may cause long-term dryness and spots. The United States Food and Drug Adminstration has approved the small-scale use of lasers for the treatment of acne, and results have so far been mixed.
Among other problems, it has emerged that some of the laser devices were affected by coolant failure, causing patients to suffer painful burning injuries. The treatment is quite expensive due to its small-scale operation and as yet the technology has not been perfected. It is not being ruled out for potential future use, but laser treatment is, for now, not a solution that is broadly available.
Popularity: unranked [?]
What does the future hold for acne sufferers?
There are plans constantly afoot to develop a “silver bullet” in the fight against acne, and these plans are getting closer incrementally, perhaps a day at a time. The latest plan to be seen as a potential winning blow in the battle is a vaccine tested on mice in 2008 which has had reported good results. As yet there is no definitive proof that this vaccine would be effective in preventing acne in humans, but there is continuing work being carried out to ensure that any discrepancies are ironed out. If the vaccine were to be perfected, scientists believe it could be the answer to many of the problems with other acne treatments.
Long term antibiotic therapy has been found to have side-effects including gastro-intestinal problems. For acne sufferers, much of the recent past has been about making a decision on what they most want to be rid of -–the acne which has blighted their lives for a considerable period of time, or the side-effects which exact such a heavy toll that they need to be taken as a fresh health problem in and of themselves. It would therefore be ideal if a vaccine could be developed which would bypass the trouble spots of other medications.
Other methods are of course constantly being considered and honed, with the inclusion of continuing efforts to create a pill that will have the positive effects of the more powerful compounds available without causing side-effects that outstrip the acne in terms of discomfort. It is a painstaking process, however, and it may yet be years before anything conclusive is announced.
Popularity: unranked [?]
Thinking Outside The Box
Although there are plenty of products available for the treatment of facial acne, many of them are only partially effective, and the ones that are most effective have a tendency to carry side effects that are proportionately worse than the problem they are trying to cure. There are a number of less frequently used treatments for acne which can make a major difference by working on the less widely known causes of acne breakouts. Taken together with a more conventional treatment or on their own, these treatments can make a world of difference.
Tea Tree oil is one of the most popular essential oils on the market. Its effects have been compared to those of benzoyl peroxide – one of the major pharmaceutical acne treatments. When dissolved in a cream at a rate of about 5 parts per 100, it can be applied to the skin and works a double shift both as an anti-bacterial agent and as an anti-inflammatory. It takes a little longer to work than benzoyl peroxide, but has less harsh effects on the skin, and is even used in some moisturisers.
A detox program can also have an effect that is best described as “clean inside and out”. Much of what causes acne is due to impurities within the body. Flushing these toxins out of the body allows you to take acne on from a position of strength, by denying it the conditions in which it likes to thrive. If followed by a course of vitamin and mineral supplements it can have a very strong effect on the acne vulgaris bacteria.
Popularity: unranked [?]
Prevention is better than cure
It is difficult to find a commercial product that will cure acne or even clear it up for a prolonged period. If you can prevent acne from growing on your skin in the first place, this is a far more effective way of dealing with the issue. There are numerous things you can do to aid this, and some of the most effective of these are as follows:
- Wash your face twice a day. Do not scrub, and do not use a harsh cleanser. These practices will simply cause your acne to get worse instead of better.
- Wash towels and pillowcases regularly. These can harbor bacteria and are regularly close to your skin.
- Get regular exercise. This increases blood circulation and allows your skin to get a regular supply of oxygen. This is a doubly good way to prevent acne, as it is a stress reliever.
- After the exercise, take a shower. Sweat is one of the major causes of grime which can get trapped in pores and cause acne
- Keep your hair clean and away from your face, especially while you are sleeping. The hair catches all manner of grime simply by being so dense, and also has its own natural oil supply. For the same reason, try to avoid using gels which will replicate the oils you are trying to minimise around your face.
- Drink plenty of water. This helps detoxify the body and hydrates the skin, which allows dead skin to fall away and be replaced by smooth, blemish-free skin.
Popularity: unranked [?]
Home Acne Remedies
Although there is a big market for specific acne treatments, and it continues to grow, there is no product currently available that will fully clear the problem up on its own without having major side effects. As has been shown by clinical studies, there are dangers involved in taking any of the most effective medication for the problem of acne vulgaris. The best strategy is to take a holistic approach designed to deal with the internal problems which cause the external breakouts, and deal with the problems externally as they occur.
There are, however, some home remedies which will suffice as short-term measures to deal with the external problems. One of these is white vinegar. Available freely in any supermarket and a staple product in many kitchens, it can be used as a facial application. After washing your face with mild soap, apply the vinegar using a cotton ball and leave it to sit for ten minutes before rinsing it off. If you have sensitive skin, beware the strength of the vinegar, and water it down if you have concerns.
Steaming your face is also a worthwhile pursuit in clearing the skin of any impurities. By pouring a kettle full of freshly boiled tap water into a basin, then adding a few drops of essential oil, you can create a steam bath by putting a towel over your head and placing your head a safe distance above the steam after five minutes, you should then wash your face with cold water to rinse away any impurities which have seeped out, and help close the pores.
Popularity: unranked [?]
Side effects of Acne Medication – is it worth the risk?
There are numerous acne medications available to the consumer in this day and age. The choice ranges from gentle medications which seek to promote the production of natural defences against the causes of acne, to very powerful chemical compounds which are often characterised as “using a sledgehammer to crack a nut”. If you have the room to swing a sledgehammer, and you really want to eat a nut, then maybe these are for you. However, the side effects are enough to make anyone think twice.
Isotretinoin is one of, if not the most powerful anti-acne compounds available today. Better-known by its commercial name, Accutane, it is used as a last resort almost exclusively in cases of cystic acne. It has been proven to get results, but at a cost. Pregnant women, or those who are planning a pregnancy, are advised to steer clear as it can cause birth defects such as hearing and visual impairment, facial disfigurement and mental retardation. In addition it has been linked with depression, muscle aches and hair thinning among other problems.
Birth control pills have also been indicated as a good way of treating acne due to their activity on the hormonal imbalances that can plague a sufferer. However, oral contraceptives have been linked to depression as well as an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes or breast cancer. It should be noted that this increased risk may still place you very low on a list of “at risk patients”, and consultation with a doctor should give you all the information you need in order to medicate safely.
Popularity: unranked [?]
Causes of adult acne – Why, after all these years?
Adult acne seems like the most unreasonable thing that mother nature can throw at you as you move into your late twenties and thirties. As trade-offs go, having to hold down a job and pay bills is probably a fair price to pay for not having your teen acne bringing you down. But then adult acne shows up and all of a sudden you have the worst of both worlds. What is going on? Your voice broke years ago, you aren’t getting any taller and you’ve stopped blushing at the most inopportune of times. So why are you all of a sudden dealing with blackheads and zits again?
The chances are that you fall into one or more of three categories. The main three causes of adult acne are hormones, stress and genetic predisposition. Hormonal imbalances can be caused by a number of different factors, some of which are environmental and others which are down to more specific factors. Either way, it can trigger a case of acne. Alternatively you may be experiencing a great deal of stress in the workplace or in your personal life. Stress causes the overproduction of stress hormones, which are a guaranteed way of causing acne.
Finally, genetics are known to play a part in causing adult acne – if your parents, or one of them, were prone to it then you may well be too. In fact, if even one of your parents was a sufferer of adult acne, the chances that you will be as well quadruple. Hardly fair, is it?
Popularity: unranked [?]
Getting Rid of Adult Acne
When you kissed goodbye to your teens, it wasn’t just the end of an era of freedom and happiness. No, for many of us the end of adolescence was marked more by the departure of the majority of our skin problems. It is pretty galling when they then return as we enter our thirties and prepare to enjoy the decade that should be our prime. Having to spend time getting rid of the acne and blackheads all over again feels like such a waste of time when you have an adult life to lead. No matter – with what you learned as a teenager and what you know now, this time you can beat it once and for all.
Spotting acne before it goes too far is the first thing you need to do. Generally the first outward sign of an acne breakout is the appearance of blackheads. As oil and dead skin collects in the pores of your skin they mix with bacteria and air and turn black. These can be removed with a good exfoliant, massaged across your face gently but firmly. Pore cleansing strips are also excellent for getting out the pesky hard-to-get ones.
Additionally, now that you are an adult you may have a bit more cash in the bank. This could well be put to good use at the spa, where trained beauticians will give you a facial that clears away the bad stuff on the outside. As for the bad stuff inside, stress and hormonal imbalance are your enemies. Look for a de-stressing method, and speak to your doctor about options for stimulating or retarding the production of a troublesome hormone.
Popularity: unranked [?]
Should you pop a pimple?
One of the most common pieces of advice that we receive as children and adolescents is “don’t squeeze it/pick it, you’ll just make it worse!”. Frequently this is extremely good advice, as picking at a blemish is likely to spread it further and create a wider surface area of exposed skin ripe for infection. Picking should not be part of your skin care regime. However, there is a place for popping pimples or zits every once in a while, once they have “crowned” – just make sure you do it at the right time and in the right way, or expect it to come back bigger and bring friends.
After a shower or a bath is the ideal time to pop a zit, It is at this point that the skin is able to breathe and will be less affected by a small prick with a needle. Make sure the needle has been sterilised and then gently pierce the surface. Taking two pieces of tissue paper, cover your index fingers or thumbs and push firmly down on the sides. This part is most enjoyable when done in front of a mirror, as it allows you to see the popping with your own eyes. Drain as much pus as you comfortably can, and stop if you see blood.
Some spots, however ready and ripe they may look, will not pop at this stage. Whatever you do, don’t force it. It will hurt, and even if it does pop it will leave a scar. Play the waiting game, and you will be rewarded.
Popularity: unranked [?]
Adult Acne – Why Suffer in Shame and Silence?
Acne may be viewed as the curse of the teenager, with skin conditions making life a misery for up to 85% of teenagers at one time or another. What is less commonly known is that it can hit adults just as badly, with half of all adult women affected at some time in their adult life. Men are less frequently condemned to this heartbreak, with only a quarter of all adult men suffering in the same way. It goes to show, however, that leaving adolescence behind is no passport to an acne-free life. Even into their 40s and beyond, men and women can be hit by acne.
The causes of adult acne are less researched and less well known than those of adolescent acne. Stress seems to be a major cause for men, as are hormones. Hormones, too, cause breakouts for women, with the immediate pre-menstrual spell a particular minefield. Although the cliché is perhaps unwelcome, make-up also plays a part. Women should always remove their make-up at the end of the day to prevent pores becoming clogged or blocked. As should men, if they wear make-up.
To nip the problem in the bud it is important to visit your doctor and be prepared to give a lengthy explanation of what is bothering you. A doctor can help you treat the cause and the symptoms at the same time, meaning you will get acne-free and stay acne-free quicker. It wouldn’t hurt to eat a lot of fruit and vegetables in the meantime, of course, but if you must have a short cut there are plenty of chemical solutions around as well.
Popularity: unranked [?]
Acne scars – how to fix them
For many acne sufferers, the scars left behind by the condition pose as much problem as the papules and blackheads themselves. While papules and blackheads can, to a certain extent, be cleared by a rigorous facial cleansing regime, there is no such short cut possible when it comes to the scars. Some people have skin that is so badly marked by old acne scars that they go to the extent of saving up to pay for plastic surgery. If, however, you can get a grip on the problem before it becomes serious, then you can treat it and be over it before too long.
One step that is advised by more than a few sources is a method that is totally free of charge – drinking water. Drinking as much water as you comfortably can is a good idea anyway – it keeps you feeling vibrant and awake naturally – but in terms of skin condition it really is excellent. Dead skin cells drop off more rapidly, and the skin that grows in its place is a lot smoother and cleaner. Fruit and vegetables, and particularly citrus fruit (its juices more so than any other part) are also excellent for hydration and vitamins.
One of nature’s other gifts for the removal of acne scars is Aloe Vera. It is available in a number of compounds, including gel or juice which can both be rubbed into the skin. Aloe Vera has long been used for its kindness to skin, and its nourishing values.
Popularity: unranked [?]
Acne treatments through the ages, from Ancient Rome to today
Although there are many who would suggest that acne is as much a result of a problematic lifestyle, and a product of the way we have changed from natural nutrients to artificial over the years, it would be fair to say that it is a little bit more complicated – and historical than all that. In fact, there are believed to be documents proving that in Ancient Rome, bathing in hot springs was considered a worthwhile acne solution. These springs contained sulfurous water, and it may have been from this knowledge that nineteenth century dermatologists discovered the effectiveness of sulfur as an acne treatment. Sine the beginning of the 20th century, however, the rate of experimentation has gone sky high.
It is a little known fact that, during the 1930s, laxatives were recommended as a cure. In this day and age, we speak of detox as being good for our skin. It can be seen that the same was true nearly eighty years ago, even if the reality was slightly more crude back then. Experimentation continued, however, and in the 1950s the focus switched to antibiotics. Although these were effective, it turned out that as much of the effect was down to the anti-inflammatory aspect of the pills as to the anti-bacterial factor.
The first serious side effect to an acne drug came in the mid-1980s, when the long-popular medication Accutane turned out to cause birth defects. Since those days, it has been a matter of trying to find ways of curing acne without causing serious problems. Light therapy and vitamins have since taken on a real importance.
Popularity: unranked [?]
External symptoms of acne and how to identify them
The condition known to most of us simply as “acne” is actually an outward symptom of a largely internal condition known as Acne vulgaris. This condition is something which affects the sufferer’s skin and causes “breakouts” of outward skin problems which are occasionally inflamed, and often painful. The difficulty caused by acne is that it presents problems on two fronts. The cosmetic difficulties, shallow as it sounds, make a big difference to sufferers because they can affect an individual’s confidence and self-esteem, and the way that others look at them. Physically, it also presents problems because the breakouts can be extremely painful and itchy.
Among the outward signs of acne are papules. These can be inflamed or not, and stand out from the skin. When scratched, these papules can open, breaking the skin and often becoming infected. This causes further pain and discomfort as well as looking unsightly. There are also problems such as blackheads, which are formed from excess oils which accumulate in the duct of a sebaceous gland. Blackheads themselves can be removed using pore cleansing strips and by squeezing with the tips of the fingernails.
These and other lesions on the skin can be clear signs of acne vulgaris, and for a sufferer they create endless problems from a cosmetic and physical point of view. As much as anything else, these skin blemishes can be itchy and when they are scratched the problem multiplies. The key to remember is that prevention is far, far better than cure.
Popularity: unranked [?]
Why Acne Treatment is so Important
The problem of acne is not a new one, and yet we find ourselves at the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century still without a genuine, permanent cure for the condition. Acne is a problem which persists for a large number of sufferers due to the lack of strong, substantial research aimed at delivering a cure, and a preference for lotions and potions which may well clear up the external symptoms for some weeks at a time, but do little to affect the overall condition. This ensures that in good time, a return to the old problems will occur, and the sufferer will need to start again in their search for a cure.
As it is widely felt that the major root causes of acne are internal, it is puzzling that the majority of the cures which are commercially available treat the condition from the outside. For the sufferer this simply means that they will need to spend the same money over and over to achieve the same short-term effect. There is little point in doing this from a common sense point of view, as the sole substantive effect is to clear the skin to make room for more symptomatic lesions and blemishes to fill. Treating the condition from the inside is really the only sensible approach. This can be achieved in consultation with a doctor, but if possible you should also consult a dietician to find what steps you can take to regulate your body’s production of sebum, along with observing a rigorous cleansing regime.
Popularity: unranked [?]
Breaking the Cycle
Many acne sufferers today have the same problem as sufferers have been complaining about for years. The complaint is something along the lines of “I can get my acne to clear up for weeks at a time, but it just keeps coming back, and I have to spend more money on treating it.”. There is no big surprise in this, because the majority of acne treatments do very little to tackle the causes of the problem, concentrating instead on dealing with the symptoms. It is the equivalent of putting sticking plasters on a cut, and when the plaster is removed running a razor blade over the area. The problem will not go away, it will only clear up temporarily.
What many acne sufferers find is that they are locked into a cycle of constantly treating the same symptoms until there is outwardly nothing left to treat. They may well continue to observe a strict cleansing regime, and this will have some effect. However, as acne vulgaris is caused by problems which occur internally, the inevitable end result is that the external symptoms will eventually return. The cycle begins again and the sufferer is no further forward. Frustration adds to the existing problems of low self-esteem and social anxiety. This is clearly not a desirable state of affairs.
Instead of allowing the problems to continually reoccur, it is important that acne sufferers look at what is causing the problems in the first place. What is taking place on the skin is nothing more than a side show. Dealing with the internal causes over a period of time that may be longer than a few weeks, you can finally put the stranglehold on the symptoms that ensures they will not return.
Popularity: unranked [?]
Acne And Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) Deficiency
Acne Specialist believes there is a correlation between Vitamin B5 deficiency and acne (the most common skin disease), due to modern food processing.
Vitamin B5, aka pantothenic acid, serves the body in many ways. It is a member of the nutritionally elite group of eight vitamins lovingly called the Vitamin B complex. This powerful group of vitamins has a role in nearly every major body system and process. The Vitamin B complex keeps both body and mind functioning and in good health.
Vitamin B5, like all of the vitamins in the B complex, is essential to the body for a number of reasons (also see other sections of acne-specialist.com for more information):
-Pantothenic acid as coenzyme A is closely involved in adrenal cortex function and has come to be known as the “antistress” vitamin. It supports the adrenal glands to increase production of cortisone and other adrenal hormones to help counteract stress. Coenzyme A is vital in the synthesis of fatty acids, cholesterol, steroids, sphingosines, and phospholipids. It also helps synthesize porphyrin, which is connected to hemoglobin.
-Through the above mechanism, Vitamin B5 is also thought to help prevent aging and wrinkles and is important for hair and healthy skin. As you can imagine, it is used in a variety of cosmetic products.
-It has the ability to utilize the food it takes in as fuel for its myriad of processes, great and small. As the coenzyme, Vitamin B5 is important in cellular metabolism of carbohydrates and fats to release energy.
-It works in the regular maintenance and repair of all bodily tissues, from the cellular level on up. This makes it a critical part of the body’s efforts to fight the physical damage to which excessive stress contributes.
-Vitamin B5 serves many important functions in the nervous system — for example, Vitamin B5 contributes to the production of neurotransmitters, which are important to the ability of the nerves to communicate.
-Through its adrenal support, Vitamin B5 may reduce potentially toxic effects of antibiotics and radiation.
-Vitamin B5, acting as a cofactor or partner to other members of the Vitamin B complex as well as other nutrients, has a great role in the functioning of the adrenal glands and also promotes normal growth of the body. This is due to its role in hormone production throughout the body.
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B5 is stable to moist heat and oxidation or reduction (adding or subtracting an electron), though it is easily destroyed by acids (such as vinegar) or alkalis (such as baking soda) and by dry heat. Over half of the pantothenic acid in wheat is lost during milling, and about one-third is degraded in meat during cooking. In many whole foods, Vitamin B5 is readily available.
Only recently the general public is becoming more aware of the importance of whole foods. Yet, diets of the majority of the population are still made up of mostly heavily processed foods (available Vitamin B5 activity is lost during refinement of foods) due to our fast pace, time poor lifestyle of the modern world.
“NO WONDER THE SERIOUS GLOBAL ACNE PROBLEM, PARTICULARLY AMONGST DEVELOPED NATIONS!!!”
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Vitamin B5 / pantothenic acid is found in yeasts, molds, bacteria, and plant and animal cells, as well as in human blood plasma and lymph fluid.
Good sources of pantothenic acid include the organ meats, brewer’s yeast, egg yolks, fish, chicken, whole grain cereals, cheese, peanuts, dried beans, and a variety of vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, green peas, cauliflower, and avocados. Vitamin B5 is also made by the bacterial flora of human intestines, another source for this important metabolic assistant or coenzyme.
Fatigue is probably the earliest and most common symptom of pantothenic acid deficiency. A diet high in refined and processed foods or a reduction or destruction of intestinal flora, most commonly by antibiotic use, can lead to a vitamin B5 deficiency.
Teenagers are more likely to experience a deficiency, because their diets often include high amounts of “fast foods” sugars, and refined flours (all low in B vitamins). And the problem may be compounded because the acne often associated with this type of diet is commonly treated with tetracycline antibiotics, which reduce the intestinal bacteria and thereby the production of pantothenic acid in the colon.
Studies of pantothenic acid deficiency in rats showed increased graying of the fur, decreased growth, and, in the extreme, hemorrhage and destruction of the adrenal glands. In humans, the decreased adrenal function caused by B5 deficiency can lead to a variety of metabolic problems. Fatigue is most likely; there may also be physical and mental depression, a decrease in hydrochloric acid production and other digestive symptoms, some loss of nerve function, and problems in blood sugar metabolism, with symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) being the most common. Pantothenic acid affects the function of cells in all systems, and a deficiency may reduce immunity, both cellular and antibody responses. Other symptoms of B5 deficiency include vomiting, abdominal cramps, skin problems, tachycardia, insomnia, tingling of the hands and feet, muscle cramps, recurrent upper respiratory infections, and worsening of allergy symptoms.
Therapeutic ranges are more like 250-500 mg daily and even higher, taken, of course, along with the other B complex vitamins. Individual needs vary according to food intake, degree of stress, and whether one is pregnant or lactating. Those people who eat a diet of processed foods, have a stressful lifestyle, or have allergies require higher amounts of pantothenic acid.
As with other B vitamins, there are no specific toxic effects from high doses of pantothenic acid. Over 1,000 mg daily has been taken for over six months with no side effects; when 1,500 mg or more is taken daily for several weeks, some people experience a superficial sensitivity in their teeth. However, it is possible that if B5 is taken without other B vitamins, it may create metabolic imbalance.
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Finding the Best Skin Care Products For Acne
Ohhhh, that stupid acne! It’s likely that 85% of us men and women have experienced acne to some degree. Some of us, however, haven’t just experienced it, but SUFFERED through it – this definitely includes me, who dealt with pizza face and Mount Fuji-sized zits for many years.
Back when I was a teenager (no it wasn’t too long ago) there weren’t many acne treatments on the market, with the notable exception of prescription medications like Accutane (Isotrentinoin) and Tetrocycline (and antibiotic), and a handful of OTC acne treatments like Clearasil. Now, however, you just about have 1001 “best skin care products for acne” available to you. Finding the better ones through this marketing haystack is the key to successful acne treatments, or more suffering. The question isn’t “is there anything that can even help me?” anymore – the question is now: which of the hundreds of products are the best skin care products for acne?
This is why I, the acne guy, developed my site. Sure it’s in its infancy, but it’s slowly growing into a site devoted to providing you, the acne traumatized, with information and reviews to help you decide which of the best skin care products for acne just might work!
It wasn’t until I was about 17 before I decided to try and destroy my acne (by then most of the emotional damage had been done – oh well). After trying some over the counter treatments, I went for the big one, and got a prescription of Tetrocycline (which didn’t quite work for me), and then switched to Accutane. It worked, but wasn’t a very pleasant experience. I will always suggest you first try something a bit simpler and safer, prior to going to the doctor. If those don’t work, then work your way up the acne treatment ladder. Why, you ask? Those particular prescription medications came with some disturbing side effects, such as “peeling lips” (where you literally peeled layers of skin off your lips – and left them raw, only to have to do it again later, or risk walking around with shredded lips. I know, disgusting). Or other issues like severe sun-sensitivity. And if you’re pregnant, forget ’bout it.
So, in my recent study and research for the best skin care products for acne, I came across a few acne care systems that seemed to be the most popular among the rest for acne sufferers. A few of the products I mention have review pages to help you decide on the right treatment. Also, you’ll find plenty of coupons and discounts to help save you money.
Some of these products include:
1) The Murad Acne Complex
2) The ever-popular Proactiv Acne Solution
3) The Hollywood Treatment – Mario Badescu’s Acne Control Kit
4) And finally, the Skinceuticals Acne Care system.
As stated earlier, there are many products to choose from. The four above are a few that have been proven to work. However, as always, results vary per individual. To view more of the best skin care products for acne, please visit me through my signature below.
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Scientists Discover Genetic Make-up of Acne Bacterium
Scientists have long known that the bacterium Propionibacterium
acnes (P. acnes) plays a leading role in the development of acne
vulgaris, the scourge afflicting some 80% of teenagers and many
adults as well. A normally harmless microbe that lives in the
hair follicles of every person, P. acnes helps cause acne when
the follicles become plugged with sebum, a natural oil produced
by the body.
Recently a team of German scientists, led by microbiologist Dr.
Holger Brueggemann, mapped the genetic code of the P. acnes
microbe. They discovered that it has a circular chromosome with
2,333 genes, many of which had surprising destructive abilities.
“We were astonished to see how many genes were involved in
degrading the human tissue,” said Dr. Brueggemann.
For example, the researchers found that P. acnes contains
enzymes similar to those in so-called “flesh-eating” bacteria
that destroy human tissue. It also has enzymes that break down
the skin and use it as its food supply. It contains genes that
secrete substances that kill competitors, like harmful bacteria
and fungi, in much the same manner as pathogens like
tuberculosis and diphtheria. And it uses a defense tactic known
as “phase variation” that helps it escape attack by the human
immune system.
New Acne Treatments May Be Possible
What does this mean for acne sufferers?
Scientists have long believed that acne results when pores
become plugged by bits of dead, flaking skin and sebum. These
plugged pores fill with oil, which the P. acnes microbe then
feeds on while releasing certain chemicals and enzymes. These
enzymes attract white blood cells, causing inflammation, redness
and pimples we call acne. Adolescents are more often afflicted
by acne because during that age period more of this oil is
produced, thanks to hormonal changes in the body at that time.
Most traditional acne treatments today are designed to either
kill bacteria or to prevent pores from becoming plugged.
However, P. acnes has developed resistance to many of the
antibiotics used to treat acne, leading scientist to seek newer,
more effective treatments.
This new discovery by Dr. Brueggemann’s research team will lead
to a better understanding of the P. acnes bacterium and how it
operates in causing or aiding the outbreak of acne. This
knowledge may well lead to new approaches to treating acne by
better targetting the enzyme systems of P. acnes and relieving
the pain and suffering of teens and adults with acne.
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