Acne - Top Seven Myths About Pimples

We all know how annoying and embarrassing acne can be, not to mention how hard it is to get rid of for most people. It affects millions of folks worldwide, especially those under the age of thirty, but even adults are affected. But, why does it keep coming back? Well, do not believe everything you read or hear.

Here are the top seven Acne Myths :

1. Popping pimples gets rid of them - no, sorry, that just does not work. When you pop a zit the germs and bacteria that cause it go under your skin. This can
cause pain, redness, swelling and even infection. If you keep doing it, another possible problem that can develop is scaring which can be permanent.

2. Chocolate and fried foods cause pimples - although this sounds logical, it is also not true, which is a good thing if you love eating chocolate and the occassional hamburger or fried chicken. No studies have proven this and it may be only a psychological belief that this is true. Of course, it sure will not help if you have greasy hands and wipe them on your face while eating - that will not help.

3. Stress causes blemishes - not true either. Stress is a part of life, more now than likely anytime in history, and certainly a growing up and for that matter, all your life. Do you worry about tests at school, or your performance in sports events, or problems at home ? Will these things cause your body to explode with skin flare-ups ? No, fortunately, this is a falsehood - a good thing too, or we would all be visiting a dermatologist on a regular basis.

4. Exposure to the Sun will eliminate acne - I have to tell you that I too believed this one. The sun will damage your skin and cause it to become dry, burned
and irritated and can even put you at risk for skin cancer later in life. This myth came about mostly because as your skin gets a tan, it becomes darker and
pimples and zits are less noticeable.

If you need to be out in the sun, use sunscreen with an SPF factor of at least 30 and do not forget to wear sunglasses and a hat.

5. Washing your face as much as possible will clear your skin - not a bad idea to wash your face and the rest of your body on a regular basis too (your family,
friends and co-workers will be happy you did - just kidding of course) too, but, this will not by itself do the trick.

Washing your face will remove excess oil, dirt and even dead skin cells, but over-doing it or rough scrubbing will irritate the skin and dry it out, which makes things worse. Wash your face once or twice a day using a mild cleanser and dry your skin with a soft towel.

6. Do not wear makeup - using noncomedogenic (will not clog pores and does not contain perfumes) makeup products in moderation should not be a problem.

These products will not clog pores and some even contain contain acne fighting ingredients like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid.

7. Using more medicine is better - too much acne medicine can irritate and cause your skin to turn red, and may dry it out. Using more over the counter or
prescription medication than is recommended will cause more harm than taking none at all. Also, drugs do have side effects like nausea, headaches, and other
unpleasant reactions if you overdo it. Best to stick with the directions provided.

As these seven myths have indicated, many things you might have imagined causing acne, actually do not. To get clearer skin, eat a well balanced diet and exercise. If you need to take something to help you clear your skin faster, talk to your physician or try one of the safer over the counter products first.

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Ken Black is the owner of Acne-Treatments-101.com, a site about how to make your skin more beautiful. To clear your skin, click here for an Acne Remedy.

Self Medication and Acne Treatment

Since acne is so common among teenagers, it is normal for most of us to believe that a visit to the a doctor is unnecessary. What frequently occurs is the acne is treated using some type of self medication. The majority of us will take medicine on the recommendations of our friends and family. We also turn to television and radio ads for medication that will help treat the acne.

What ought to be understood, however, is that self medication should be averted in the majority of the situations. It is accurate that acne is not some type of a terminal condition, yet a dermatologist would be in a superior position to counsel you on your circumstance. When you consume medicines for acne you would take generic medicines, but a dermatologist would be capable to supply you acne treatment on the basis of your specific case.

But if you really want to try some self-medication, we would like to tell you that there are so many products in the market that you are sure to get vexed. And if you are thinking of taking some medicine which proved extremely effective for your friend, always remember that what works for one condition might not work for your condition. And if you still wish to try self remedy it is advisable to have some understanding of the different ingredients that go into making different acne medications. That would allow you to prepare an insightful decision when it comes to acne treatment.

Benzoyl Peroxide is one of the most popular ingredients in acne treatment. It comes in the mould of gels and ointments and it helps in acne treatment by fighting against bacteria. In addition to that it helps in acne treatment by taking away dead skin cells that get amassed on the surface of the skin. Maybe you understand that in reality these lifeless cells band with sebum to form whiteheads and blackheads.

There are numerous reasons behind the reputation of benzoyl peroxide. The primary explanation is its effectiveness in acne treatment. There are many who use this even after acne has been treated to keep the skin free from bacteria but care should be taken here. You would find that excess use of benzoyl peroxide might result in dry skin. And it might also bleach hair and even your clothes. So, be careful while applying it.

Another popular ingredient being used for acne treatment is salicylic acid. What it does is that it clears the epidermis of dead skin cells. The exact skin cells that obstruct the pores. There are two primary problems alongside this product for acne treatment. First is that you would have to go on using it even after your acne has been cleared. And the second is that it makes your skin dry and irritating.

Sulphur and resorcinol could also be used for acne treatment. Resorcinol helps in peeling out the top coating of the skin with the dead cells clogging the pores. The majority of the times, it is cast-off with sulphur. Although while sulphur is not used by itself (as a result of its repulsive odor) it is used with most of the material used for acne treatment.

Because acne is so commonplace, we have literally just scratched the surface of the types of acne treatment that are available. We have looked at a few of the self medication products and some of the pros and cons of using them. Although there are many over-the-counter products available, it is always best to speak with your doctor if the condition worsens.

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J Purdy runs Acne Skin Care, Laser Acne Treatment and Acne Cream. Visit today for all your acne needs: www.acne-cream.net

Here's Help If You Suffer from Embarrassing Acne

Have pimples made a permanent home on your face? Want to give them the old heave-ho? Well, they don't have to make their residence on your face very much longer because help is available -- if you are persistent.

You are looking for acne solution that effectively works and that's true whether you are a teenager or an adult. That's because it's probably no surprise to you that adults have embarrassing pimples too.

The advances of medicine keep marching on and it hasn't left out acne treatments in its research. So you will be glad to know there is help for you.

Two main sources of help are available -- your dermatologist or natural home remedies. Besides these there are over-the-counter medicines that you can choose as well.

A dermatologist has the necessary knowledge to help you find the acne treatment that will work for you. You may have to try several brands before you find the right medicine and you'll need to give each brand a serious test before you abandon it for another brand. But the search will be worth it when you wind up with skin that's acne free.

There are so many treatment options available for you that it will be hard to choose from among them. But keep in mind that the various remedies have different chemical compositions which do different things. For example, benzyl peroxide will help to remove dead skin which can plug up your pores. It isn't without its drawbacks though, because you may find when you are using it your skin may become irritated and it may even itch. But a lot of people find it helpful.

Your dermatologist may suggest that you use antibiotics to help fight your pimples. They may work very well, but you could have side effects from it -- such as stomach problems.

Retinoids may be suggested by your doctor since to help remove dead skin, but it may or may not work for you.

Your dermatologist may want you to try isotretinoin. This is a very strong treatment and can effectively unplug your skin's pores as well as dry up excess oil. Pregnant women should never use isotretinoin since it can harm their unborn babies.

One thing that you can do for yourself right in the privacy of your own home is to keep your face scrupulously clean. Choose a gentle germ-killing cleanser and wash your face at least two times a day -- preferably three. Be sure to avoid a cleanser that is oily.

Here's a treatment that only you can do for yourself. Keep your fingers away from your pimples. It's tempting to finger them, but do you really want to wind up with permanent disfiguring scars that could be avoided if you would just keep your hands off your face? When you get the strong urge to pick and squeeze your pimples, just remember how you'll feel 20 years from now with pits and dents as a permanent reminder of your pimple-squeezing days.

So as you can see, there are a number of treatment options available if you suffer from embarrassing pimples. But you will have to be disciplined in trying out various products until you find the one that works for you.

But keep trying to find a cure for those unwanted pimples. Just imagine how wonderful it will feel and look to have clear skin again!

Article Source: http://www.article-exposure.com

Win your war with acne with acne product tips. Author Patricia Wagner writes about a variety of health and wellness issues to help you be healthier.

How To Prevent Acne

Has your acne got you in the dumps? If you have an acne problem, it is very likely that you will succumb to depression and let it drag you down. More so, if you realize that there were steps you could have taken to prevent acne from becoming a problem in the first place. You know what they say about prevention.

In other words, if you have a sensible lifestyle and make sure you follow good habits, you may never have a problem with acne to begin with. How nice would that be? Well, even if you have acne, you will probably be happy to take some guidance from pointers to improving your situation.

What you can do about your acne. The answer is really rather simple, although you will probably not be too happy about that, considering the mess you may have got yourself into. Either way, it is time to think of what you can do to rectify the situation.

Following good habits will go a long way to keeping acne at bay. Simple steps such as removing stale makeup can be vital to the health of your skin. This is because stale makeup tends to clog pores and clogged pores set the stage for acne to develop. In case you do have acne, you should be aware that the problem has been caused by both internal and external factors.

Hands off!! Leave your acne alone. There are some other steps you could take to prevent the acne problem from taking hold. One of the most basic facts to remember is that you should never touch your acne. Avoid picking scabs because skin that has been affected by acne is infected. By picking scabs, all you are doing is spreading the infection. This ultimately means that your acne problem will get worse and you will sink further into depression.

Fight acne the natural way. In case you have decided to go in for acne treatment products, remember that you have everything to gain from selecting products that make use of natural ingredients.

What you can do about your acne. Take care of your general health and you can be sure that the health of your skin will improve. Make sure you eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, drink lots of water and take in enough fresh air. It would help to spend some time in the sun as well. However, if you are going to be out in the sun for long periods, it would be wise to use a good sun block ointment or cream.

Contaminated linen can aggravate acne. Another important point to remember which could make all the difference to your acne problem is to check out that your bed and bath linen is clean. This is vital as it is in such places that bacteria breed. Whatever else you may be doing to keep your acne in check, you will be fighting a losing battle if you ignore the basic rules of hygiene.

Avoid tanning, it is bad for acne. If you are trying to prevent acne from developing, the last thing you need is to develop a tan. Even if you think it looks good, remember that a tanned skin is more likely to develop acne, so be careful not to be in the sun for too long, or you will have more problems to deal with than just the acne you had in the beginning. Apart from anything else, if that happens, you will probably begin to lose heart, and that would never do, would it?

Check out home remedies for acne. Lastly, before you go shopping for products to treat your acne, it may be better to start closer to home and take a look at your own kitchen first. Simple ingredients such as vegetable peels, tomato juice etc will work wonders for your skin. That way you can use natural products for your acne problem costing nothing and guaranteed to be safe. A far better choice than products that are commercially available, most of which have some side effect or the other.

So now you know that you can do plenty to treat your acne and much more to prevent it from becoming a problem in the first place. If you have been in the dumps, that should lift your spirits!!

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Louise Forrest has created the ultimate FREE Health & Beauty guide. Find out how you can gain access to FREE articles, tips and techniques at www.NaturalElements.co.uk Learn how you can help treat your acne at www.NaturalElements.co.uk