Get Rid Of Acne Scars And Prevent Future Breakouts
Archive for October, 2009
A Permanent Cure for Acne Scars ?
Oct 30th
Ask anybody who has ever suffered from acne what was the least enjoyable part of the whole experience and probably the most possible answer will be the scars – acne scars that remain long after acne is gone. If having acne is considered bad, then what about having acne scars for several years more ? You may have even tried acne treatments that don’t work. If acne scars are what you want to either avoid or get rid of, then a few tips are presented here …
Prevention is better than cure
If you are still in the early stages of acne then you might want to consult a qualified dermatologist at the earliest to prevent acne from getting worse. Getting rid of acne fast can greatly reduce the chances of scarring later on. A qualified dermatologist can help determine your skin type and the particular triggers that may exacerbate your acne help you get rid of acne fast.
What if you already have scars?
Well, if your acne has already progressed beyond the initial stage of whiteheads and blackheads and you now have pimples and scars on your face, then you have to do two things at the same time – get rid of pimples and get rid of acne scars.
Before discussing how to eliminate acne scars, you may want to know…
What are acne scars?
Acne scars are caused when pimples either get inflamed or do not heal fully. Acne scars are formed when at least one of the layers of healthy skin is injured. When the skin is damaged and bleeding, the body forms new tissue fibers at the place to heal the wound and stop the bleeding. It is these tissues that may appear as a scar.
So getting rid of scars requires that the scar tissue be replaced by healthy tissue by some process or method.
Becoming completely free of acne scars that already have been formed depends on two things : 1) The severity of the scarring and 2) the treatment method you follow. The more severe the scarring, the more effort and time it may require before the scar can completely heal.
Treatment methods for acne scars
There are several methods to heal acne scars but in practice very few of them may be very effective. And some methods may have side effects that you may want to be aware of before you start such a program.
Laser Resurfacing: A carbon dioxide laser burns away the damaged skin, layer by layer. The depth of penetration is controlled. As the outer layers of damaged skin is removed, new skin cells begin to form as the healing process starts and in a few weeks, a younger looking smoother skin surface begins to appear. This is how the process is supposed to work, at least in theory. Laser resurfacing is a relatively new process and you might want to ask your dermatologist about the effectiveness of this method in healing acne scars.
Dermabrasion: This uses a spinning diamond instrument or a rotating wire brush to wear down the outer layers of the skin that have been damaged. And when the skin starts healing, younger and smoother skin will replace the old skin removed by abrasion. The healing process may take up to 3 weeks.
Chemical peels for acne scars: Acidic solutions are applied to the skin to peel away the damaged layers and the new skin that is formed is usually smoother. Chemical peels range from mild to deep penetration. Though chemical peels can be applied at home, it would be advisable to get a dermatologist to apply it.
Punch grafts: More suitable for deep and pitted acne scars, this method involves punching a hole to remove the scar and then removing a small piece of undamaged skin – usually from the area behind the ear – and using it to replace the damaged skin.
There are treatments for acne scars. But the question you may want to ask is…
Do They Work?
All of the treatments mentioned above seem to have a moderate success rate – while they seem to work well for others, some are less than delighted with these treatments. While results like these may be expected with any medical procedure, your face is a very important part of your life and you will want to be absolutely certain that any treatment will be beneficial to your sense of well-being and not otherwise.
In case you want to read other acne treatments that seem to work very well, you may want to see how to get rid of acne marks .
9 Acne Treatments That Definitely Do Not Work
Oct 30th
Given that acne is by far the most common disease in the world, I’m constantly surprised at the amount of misinformation there is about acne treatments. Yesterday we focused on 5 acne treatment tips that you can use today, this time it’s the opposite. There are so many commonly held believes regarding treatments, which have no scientific or medical validity, but continue to be passed on from individual to individual. More worrying is the possible consequences of trying some of these options. Here are list of common acne treatments that categorically do not work:
1.Household cleaning products, even when diluted, should not be used to treat acne. There can be severe adverse reactions including chemical burns from pursuing this route
2.Similarly cleaning powders are ineffective for acne
3.Washing up liquid does not work for acne
4.Home facial saunas will do nothing for your acne, but will certainly aggravate, already sensitive skin
5.Sticky tape left on the skin overnight and removed in the morning will certainly remove dead skin cells and excess oil, but is likely to damage the sensitive skin, and may cause an allergy to the glue
6.Prolonged exposure to the sun or using a sun bed will not help your acne, and can be dangerous if you are also taking oral medication of certain types. For example taking certain antibiotics in tablet form, will make your skin highly sensitive to sun light
7.Sudocrem is an excellent treatment for nappy rash, but highly ineffective for acne, primarily because it contains a mixture of greases and oils which are bad for acne
8.Taking high doses of vitamin A or B will not directly help your acne, and may cause other side-effects
9.Squeezing your spots is universally not recommended in combating acne. Doing so will prolong and spread the acne to other parts of the affected area
There are many other ‘not recommended’ acne treatment regimes, many of which will worsen an already difficult condition. Avoid these shortcuts and stick with a programme overseen by your medical professional, or one which is based on solid scientific and medical evidence. If you do this, you’ll succeed in overcoming your acne condition.
Peter Vine is a successful online publisher of Acne-Treatment-Expert.com
He provides practical advice and the latest information on all aspects of adult acne treatments, which you can readily research on his website.
5 Acne Treatment Tips You Can Use Today
Oct 27th
Luckily, there are a number of things you can do everyday to make sure your skin is less prone to flare ups. Here are five tips for taking control of your acne starting today. Just a few of many acne skin treatments out there.
1. Exercise – Keeping in shape can help fight acne by fighting off negative stress levels that can come from negative self-esteem and depression. However, some safeguards need to be in place to ward off acne that can result from your workout routines. Watch what you put on your body with regards to clothing, sports gear and equipment.
For example, tight lycra and nylon exercise outfits might look great in the movies and on magazine models, but if you are susceptible to acne problems, avoid these synthetic fabrics that tend to trap in body moisture and heat resulting in a bacteria frenzy. Instead, choose loose clothing made of cotton or natural blends to allow more air to get to your skin.
And when you are finished with your workout, get out of clothing wet from perspiration or water sports. Shower and change into dry, clean clothing. And keep your sports gear and equipment clean, too. Dirty headgear, for instance, can irritate forehead areas prone to acne problems. So toss headbands into the washing machine after workout sessions.
2. Cosmetics – To avoid pore-clogging and skin irritations that are similar to acne and that can contribute to acne, use products labeled noncomedogenic or oil-free. Shimmering facial colors can contain a flaky mineral called mica that can cause skin irritations and clog pores. Other additives in coloring that can cause similar reactions are coal tar derivatives, carmine and heavy cream in blushes.
More preventative measures include using a lip gloss that promotes a matte finish instead of a high gloss for less pore-clogging; note the more the shine, the more then comedogenic content and the more the pores can clog. Beware that eye creams can contain heavier concentrations of moisturizers than regular creams and lotions, meaning they have greater potential to clog pores in the surrounding facial areas.
3. Diet – Studies show that diet does not play a role in either the cause or the treatment of acne. However, what is recommended for acne preventative care is this: what is best for your body is best for your skin, especially since your skin is the largest organ of your body. So remember to watch your diet and consume healthy vitamins, minerals and other supplements. This will help to prevent and help conquer acne breakout.
4. Hygiene – A healthy skin regimen should include no harsh scrubbing or over-washing, because this can cause possible skin irritation or possible over production of oil to replace what has washed off, clogging pores in the process. Products with gentle exfoliation ingredients are OK to use; i.e. not scratchy nut or fruit shell pieces that can tear skin. And skip alcohol products when possible; these can take off the top layer of your skin and cause your glands to product more oil, clogging pores in the process.
If you do spot acne-troubled areas, do NOT mess with them. Remember that these are already weeks in the making, and squeezing or picking blemishes can force the infected area to regress back inside, further troubling the region and possibly leave a scar. If necessary, seek help from a dermatologist for alternative treatments.
5. Shaving – Shaving for both genders is actually an excellent way of exfoliating or removing dead skin to help with the prevention and spreading of acne instead of leaving the remains to clog pores. And for some light acne cases already in process, shaving can help rid whiteheads and blackheads from the face. A word of caution: for areas with infection or high inflammatory activity (redness, sensitive, open acne, sores, etc.), do not shave. Or at the very least, use a shaving cream for sensitive skin!
