Acne Information
Acne Information Home | Site Map | Privacy Policy


The Truth About Acne Skin Care



Let's face it, you are engaged in an ongoing battle when you are afflicted with acne. While acne treatments for a mild case of acne are usually successful, moderate acne is a greater problem. Even dermatologists cannot cure a severe case of acne but can only provide an acne treatment regimen.

However, you can support your acne treatment efforts with proper acne skin care in order to reduce the recurrence of acne flare-ups and not aggravate existing acne.

Knowing What You're Doing

One of the first pieces of advice is to make sure that you understand and follow the directions for any acne remedy that you are using. If you are taking a prescription acne medicine, read the patient leaflet that accompanies the medication carefully. Typically for moderate to severe acne a dermatologist may prescribe several acne medicines, each with its own treatment protocol and directions.

In order to achieve the acne free skin that you desire, it is important to use all the acne treatments properly and in the correct order. Consider bringing a tablet of paper, a pen, and a friend or relative with you to your appointment with your dermatologist. Simply jot down some notes about the order and time of day for applying each acne medicine and what its purpose is.

Remember, just because the acne clears with the use of your acne medicines doesn't necessarily mean that you have succeeded in curing acne. Most people with moderate to severe acne must continue to use their acne medicine long-term to prevent any recurrence of their acne problem. Using the acne treatments properly should translate to clear skin and freedom from acne scars.

What About Over-the-Counter Remedies?

Besides using medications prescribed by a doctor, there are a large number of products on the market labeled as skin cleansers, facial cleansers, pore cleansers, and facial pore cleaners that can be used in curing acne.

When cleansing skin that is afflicted with acne, an important point to remember is not to scrub the skin; never scrub your face with a washcloth. It is a misconception that acne is caused by dirt clogging the pores of the skin. You don't scrub away the offending dirt; you can't scrub away the offensive acne and achieve acne free skin.

Over-washing or scrubbing skin afflicted with acne only serves to aggravate the condition. Rather use only a gentle skin cleanser, lukewarm water, and a gentle motion with your fingertips as your primary acne skin care regime. When you wash your face with your hands, be sure to first thoroughly wash your hands.

Do Natural Treatments Really Work?

Look for gentle cleansers that are sold as acne solutions. When you're evaluating skin cleansers for acne, include natural acne treatments in your search as well. For example, a soap made from Echinacea and other herbal ingredients is an effective antibiotic facial cleanser that helps fight acne and restore clear skin. Tea tree oil also has known antibiotic properties and serves as a mild anesthetic that will soothe the irritated skin.

Oily skin is implicated as a one of the causes of acne. It doesn't necessarily make sense to use a moisturizer on oily skin as a means of achieving clear skin. But many of the acne treatments, whether they are prescribed or available as over-the-counter products, have a tendency to irritate the skin while curing acne.

A moisturizer is a boost to irritated skin and keeps skin from becoming overly dry due to the acne treatments that have been applied. Look for a moisturizer with the following properties:

- oil-free
- won't clog pores (non-comodogenic)
- containing a sun-screen

Besides a great desire to just scrub away the acne, many people try to remove the acne pimples by hand as a way to get clear skin. People who are afflicted with acne should avoid touching their face except to gently wash it with mild cleanser as already discussed.

By trying to remove pimples by hand you run the risk of creating acne scars that will last for a lifetime. Instead, have patience and rely on your prescription or over-the-counter acne treatment to work. Acne remedies usually take 6 to 8 weeks before curing acne.

For male acne sufferers, the daily ritual of shaving can be a problem. One acne sufferer has recommended the Gillette Sensor Excel as a gentle and effective razor to use. Other males prefer to try an electric razor. The advice is to shave delicately to avoid nicking the skin and to shave only as often as necessary. Finding a moisturizing shave gel may be one way to enhance your acne skin care program.

Female acne sufferers have their unique problems too, in finding the right cosmetic products to use. Females who are accustomed to using a foundation product may find that the foundation is difficult to apply smoothly if the facial skin becomes irritated due to the acne treatments being applied.

You may have to abandon the use of some cosmetics during the acne treatment period. Be sure to select only oil-free cosmetics and ones that are labeled as non-comodogenic (won't clog pores) to use on your road to clear skin.

Proper acne skin care is a necessary addition to your arsenal for fighting your battle with acne and achieving clear skin once again.

About the Author:


MORE RESOURCES:

Christine Heathman of Glymed Plus Takes Stand Against Bullying
San Francisco Chronicle (press release)
As a child and teen, I experienced bullying from family members and school mates because I was a thin girl, plus I had severe acne break-outs. The bullying was unrelenting & soul destroying. However, I refused to allow the taunting and physical ...

and more »


Acne Control Mask from End-Zit® - Fight Acne with a High Concentration of ...
San Francisco Chronicle (press release)
ABBE Laboratories best-selling END-ZIT® Acne Control Mask is now available in a convenient 2.5oz. squeezable tube. Use as a spot treatment or apply to the entire face, back or any problem area. Visit [www.endzit.com __title__ Fight Acne Today] and see ...

and more »


Best Acne Treatment Limited Announces A New Site On The Best Acne Treatment
PR Web (press release)
This is a new site on acne infection that provides information on acne and the best ways to treat and prevent acne infection. Acne scars are difficult to contend with. The recent laser treatment reduces acne scars with immediate effect.



Watch out for acne 'cure' scams
WDIV Detroit
The Federal Trade Commissions has been cracking down on companies which have made baseless claims about curing acne. "I don't know if they're faking it or they are putting makeup on it or something, but it makes it look worse," said 16-year-old John ...

and more »


BlissTree

The Science Of How Dairy Causes Acne
BlissTree
But in the process, he raised another issue about what milk does to your skin: according to him, dairy causes acne, too. But many commenters were up in arms about the connection between milk and skin—you wanted the science, not just the anecdotal ...



Skin and Allergy News Digital Network

Four Questions Assess Acne Patient Quality of Life
Skin and Allergy News Digital Network
ORLANDO – A four-question survey can provide as much information about the psychosocial impact of acne treatment on patients as do longer, more cumbersome surveys. Dr. Peter Saitta and colleagues developed the Acne-Q 4 survey and reported that it ...

and more »


Overweight girls more prone to acne
Washington Post
Overweight girls may be more likely than other young people to develop acne THE QUESTION Acne has no definitive cause but an array of suspects, including hormones, heredity, stress, chocolate, makeup and more. Should being overweight be added to the ...



Acne on Gilt.com – where will YOU be at 5pm tomorrow?
Irish Times (blog)
Acne is, I would say, one of my favourite labels – this despite the fact that I don't own a single item from the Swedish superbrand. Do you have any similar loves? One might call them aspirational … * But you're Irish! Winter versions are always going ...



A Multifaceted Approach to Acne
SkinInc.com
Acne is a common skin disorder affecting both genders and all ethnic groups. In fact, the condition affects at least 80% of adolescents and young adults to some degree. Research also shows that a large number of women over 25 have acne, ...



Overweight linked to acne in teen girls
Chicago Tribune
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Overweight girls in their late teens were twice as likely as their normal-weight peers to report having a lot of acne in a large new survey of Norwegian teenagers that did not find the same link in boys.

and more »

Google News

Google

information site home | site map
© 2006 - 2007