Thursday, September 20, 2012

How To Get Rid Of Acne

By Michael Smiles


Although most teenagers will suffer with it at some point, some adults are prone to acne as well. Everyone who has it wants to get rid of acne, which is unfortunately hard to do. However, there are a lot of ways to keep it under control and avoid flare-ups, and these are a lot easier to do.

Excessive oil production by the skin cells of the face is the main cause for the problem. Normal amounts of oil keep the skin healthy and protected. However, levels of oil production are determined by hormones, and during puberty and for a few years afterwards, the hormones are a bit out of whack. Excess oil gathers dead skin cells to it, and the combination blocks pores in the face and sometimes other skin.

If a pore is blocked up with a mix of oil, dead skin cells, and normal skin bacteria, there is lots of food and no competition for the bacteria. They begin to grow, which causes an immune response resulting in the characteristic redness, inflammation and swelling of the area. Sometimes, this mix of immune cells, skin cells, bacteria and oil comes to a head, forming a pimple or whitehead.

Blackheads result when the pores fill with oil and dead skin cells, but do not get infected. The oxidation of the oil where it is in contact with the air at the surface of the pore results in the black color. The material that can be squeezed out of these blemishes is called sebum, and it is a mix of oil, skin cells, and other normal bodily products.

Washing the face is important for everyone's general skin health, but washing too often is more commonly a problem than not washing enough. Once a day is the minimum required, but twice a day is actually the maximum. Washing more than this can trigger even greater oil production. Always use a face wash, not soap, as soaps are harsh and drying.

Dead skin cells are part of the issue, which can be reduced by using a sloughing agent like salicylic acid. When you use these types of treatments, however, always make sure to use a moisturizer afterwards to avoid dryness. Don't use medicated treatments together without your doctor's approval.

In severe cases, doctors may prescribe antibiotics to get rid of acne that is out of control. Bacteria are a normal part of the skin, however, and their removal can actually lead to problems from other bacteria that are not supposed to be there. For this and other reasons, antibiotic treatment is usually held as a last resort.




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