Acne Solution FAQ By Steff X What Is Acne? What Are Whiteheads And Blackheads? What Is Rosacea? What Causes Acne? Does Food I Eat Affects Acne? Truth Or Myth : Sugar Causes Acne? Can Acne Be Cured? What Can Be Done To Cure Acne? How Come I Don't Get Much Result From Acne Treatments In The Market? How To Treat Rosacea? What Are Acne Scars? How To Remove Acne Scars? Do I Need Laser? Do I Need Microdermabrasion?
What Is Acne?
Acne affects at least 80% of young adults of the US population. It occurs at the follicle when dead skin cell clumps up together, known as keratinocytes, plugs the pore and block sebum from passing through the hair follicle. Inside this blocked pore, where there's little oxygen and a lot of trapped sebum mixed with dead skin cells, bacteria can multiply rapidly, resulting in inflammation. Thus, an acne is born.
What Are Whiteheads And Blackheads?
Blocked pores, known as microcomedos, don't always result in acne. They may develope into whiteheads when accumulated sebum continue to stay deep under the skin as closed comedone. When they accumulate more and more materials, the pores will be enlarged, known as open comedone. The oxidation of trapped content inside the pores will caused the exposed content to turn dark, commonly known to us as blackheads.
What Is Rosacea?
Rosacea is another form of acne, called acne erythematosa. Rosacea sufferers usually consists of adult women. Rosacea is a skin disease in which blood vessels of the face enlarge, resulting in a flushed appearance around the chin, nose, forehead and cheeks. Think of it as a group of full blown acne, bumps and pus-filled pimples with inflammed, red oily skin. It is estimated that rosacea affects 45 millions people worldwide.
What Causes Acne?
Hormone Imbalances. During puberty, our bodies regardless of gender, produces more male sex hormone called androgens. Increased levels of androgens means higher production of sebum. This is a key factor for teenage acne.
Hormonal Changes.It is not uncommon for girls to have break outs just before their period commences. Similarly, pregnancy can also induce acne to flare up.
Diet. Eating food that alters our hormonal balance will cause acne.
Heredity. If your parents have history of acne, you will be more likely to have them too.
Skin Aggravation. Sometimes, when you pick on clogged pores without proper sterilization and follow up treatment, acne break outs will follow. Scrubbing too hard will also lead to acne.
Stress, especially severe or prolonged emotional tension, may worsen acne.
Greasy Makeup can prohibit normal keratinization and make dead skin cells stick together and clog up your pores before they develope into acne, whiteheads and blackheads.
Environmental Irritants, such as pollution and high humidity, can make acne worse.
Does Food I Eat Affects Acne?
Experts has been arguing over the connection between food and acne for ages. The plain answer is yes. It's no rocket science. You are what you eat. When you consume food that contains hormone or food that triggers a certain hormonal production in your body, you are affecting your body's hormonal balance which will then trigger acne.
Here's an example: Milk. Most milk producing cows are pregnant and their hormones are raging. Does milk contain hormones? Definitely. 59 different types of hormone, in fact.
Some food are acne friendly. Food such as leafy, green vegetables and nuts (yes, nuts, the so-called acne-causing food) are great in preventing acne.
Truth Or Myth : Sugar Causes Acne?
Unfortunately, this is not a myth. When you take in any form of refined carbohydrate such as white rice and flour, your body's blood sugar level will soar, so will the production of insulin. Your body will release insulin and other male hormones to bring down the sudden surge in your blood sugar.
As you already know by now, this causes hormone imbalance, the main trigger for acne.
Can Acne Be Cured?
Depends on who you listen to. Some say acne can't be cured but it can be treated. I disagree. I think that is a one-dimensional view. Acne is a sign from your body telling you that something is wrong. The root to curing acne lies in the solving of this 'wrong', by tuning the body internally using proper food and remedies, while adopting external treatments such as applying acne cream etc.
What Can Be Done To Cure Acne?
Although there are various acne treatments available in the market, the fundamentals of acne care never change. Treatments usually does one or more of the following:
Stabilize Hormonal Fluctuations. Example of this is consumption of contraceptive pills.
Prevent Blockage Of Pores. This is directly achieved by controlling facial oil production. Pore removal strips and oil control creams fall into this category.
Prevent Keratinocytes From Sticking Together. Many products eases acne from this perspective, especially products containing Vitamin A and Salicyclic Acid.
Minimize Inflammation. Soothe and calm the skin.
Kill Acne Causing Bacteria. Select your anti-acne products wisely. Some may do you more harm than good. Go for natural ingredients whenever possible.
How Come I Don't Get Much Result From Acne Treatments In The Market?
Over-the-counter (OTC) products usually target one or two out of five aspect (see question above) of acne treatment. While you may be excited to see some form of short term improvement at first, the effect gradually wear off. You will then write off the product as "not working". The solution to acne treatment really is to know exactly what each ingredient does, and manipulate different specific ingredient to target different aspects of acne treatment. You must address all five aspects of acne treatment to achieve total success.
How To Treat Rosacea?
Rosacea skin is very delicate so DO NOT pick on it. Anyone who knows me know that I support picking on zits...using the correct methods, of course. With rosacea, it's hard because some bumps are too tiny and they are too near to each other. You risk damaging the surrounding skin you pick.
Your doctor will probably give you some antibiotics or fungicide. There're not very good options because they have side effects. Try applying topical creams containing beta glucan, a natural yeast that modulates the immune system.
These are the additional treatments for rosacea victims. Use these in conjunction with other acne treatment methods suggested here.
What Are Acne Scars?
Most often than not, acne will leave some kind of scarring or dormant open comedone. The scars are usually brown in color. The more severe scars will have darker color and even redness in the beginning. Worse, sometimes your acne scars may be recessed, resembling the craters on moon surface.
How To Remove Acne Scars?
The treatment of acne scars heavily depends on how severe the scarring is. Even if you squeeze and pop a zit, its mark will go away completely in about 2 weeks or less. But then again, haven't you notice that the same recovering zit will sometimes get inflammed again? Or it could be that another inflammation occurs closely to an existing zit?
This is where it gets tricky. Repeated damage to the same acne spot will leave deeper scar and take months to heal...with special care. Hint: check out AcneWar's Instant Acne Cure Secret Guide. If you have recessed scars, there is nothing you can do at home to solve it. Seek professional help.
Do I Need Laser?
Laser is scary. I was once in the same room as a laser patient and the process looks like a an on-going building construction. Sparks flew across the room and zapping sound can be heard whenever the laser hits the skin. Be prepared to have "fried" spots all over your face that takes 5-7 days to heal. It is expensive but it works. Even with severe acne. I'll say, why go through unnecessary pain and agony if you have a choice? Use this only as a last resort.
Do I Need Microdermabrasion?
This is a good idea in removing acne scars. However, I don't recommend it as quality clinical microdermabrasion is expensive and getting it done at facial centers is risky. You need to undergo treatments several times in order to see results. More cost to you.
The alternative? Go for Glycolic Acid peels or other acidic peels. Some of these are available in affordable home care kits. The downside of it is you might need a few days off from work and avoid sunlight to complete the peeling process.
We strive to provide only
quality articles, so if there is a specific
topic related to tcm acne solution that you would like us to cover,
please contact us at any time.
And again, thank you to
those contributing daily to our Acne Solution FAQ website.
The hour and a half drive turned out to be worth it since...together we won $260! All this on the 5 and 25 cent machines! What gamblers eh? With $30 of the winnings I spent it on a pedicure. I felt a little bad for the girl to have to pick the dry skin off my ugly feet but oh well, it was a nice treat and she really didn't seem to mind.
Long online discussions ramble on about the latest conspiracy theories that cause the disease ? poisonous chemicals produced by the government and spread by jet contrails, so-called chem trails; aliens; artificially intelligent nanotechnology; genetic engineering; or a government bioweapon gone awry. Others debate the latest expensive cure-alls ? antibiotics, antifungal creams, vitamin supplements, liquid silver, food-grade diatomaceous earth, deworming medication meant for cattle.
]]>
Exercise And Kids
Good post on the benefits of good diet and exercise on kids' brains.
I see this in myself. When I?m exercising, I find I focus better. I haven?t studied it, but I probably ought to - I have a hobby that requires intense concentration and decision-making, and I saw immediate improvements in the past two weeks. Thinking back two years to when I was exercising every day, I was participating in this hobby successfully with some of the best participants in the world.
But it doesn?t end with clothes. Both Kid Carson and my brother could probably be labeled as metrosexual. They ?take care of themselves? by buying a series of designer skin care products, using salon shampoos and conditioners, and taking more time to prepare for a casual dinner than their female counterparts. I can?t even begin to count the number of times I hung out in the living room with my brother?s (now ex-)girlfriend as he was still showering, primping, or pruning himself upstairs.
]]>
Winter Forever
Tired of cold weather and dry skin here.
But I am not liking minus twenty-nine degrees and I am tired of all the crap that keeps falling out of the sky. I am sick of winter clothes and dry skin and yucky produce and trying to plan my runs around the sidewalk conditions.
I'm ashamed to say that I even know who Zahara is in this tabloid-celebrity obsessed world. To be put on the world stage at such a young age is problematic enough let alone dealing with the politics of hair, so little Miss Pitt has her hands full. So when I came across a recent article concerning hair issues with children of color and their White adoptive and/or biological parents, the Pitts' famous daughter quickly comes to mind.
Now I certainly don't pretend to be a doctor, (though Dr. Andrew G.R. has a nice ring to it), but there are several common sense type things you can do to save yourself from pushing your eyes to the limit and eventually needing eyeglasses, lasik surgery - or worse!
]]>
Quick Fixes
Some good skin care products when you need that quick fix.
Well, today I want to add a few things this list of quick fixes and sin-coverers. Say for instance you are in L.A. and have no power in 115 degree weather, coupled with hard core hang overs every day and you can?t seem to fit in a trip to the best waxing place in the universe (Pink Cheeks on Ventura) Then Carefree?s Face and Bikini Total Wax Strip Kit to the rescue! Carefree has just come out with a great line of products for getting rid of unwanted body hair. They also have a leg depilatory Totally Smooth Leg Cream with Blade Free Razor, and to maintain those smooth legs After Hair Removal Totally Smooth Daily Moisturizer.
Being pregnant really does take a toll on your body that is for sure. From the stretch marks to the varicose vein there are many things that you body goes through that are not necessarily the most eye pleasing and most comfortable!
Given it?s my favorite day of the week, it seemed appropriate to offer up something, um, perky. Enter Lift Me Up Cards, a hilarious line of congratulatory greetings for friends and loved ones who have just gone under the elective knife.
It?s a little surprising that we missed some spots, too. L.A. Mommy bought this new sunscreen that comes out in a different color, other than white, so you?ll be able to notice which spots you miss. But she made the mistake of buying the blue version. Now, I don?t know if you can picture what it looks like to put something blue all over your skin, so I?ll give you a hint:
]]>
The Culprits
From a list of acne causing culprits, caffeine.
Caffeine intake can cause or worsen acne or breakouts in many ways? first of all it is known to throw off hormones in women. In addition to the caffeine in coffee or chocolate, there are other ingredients you should worry about too ? processed sugar and milk fats are also known causes for breakouts!
]]>
Cronic Dry Eye
Lasik is not the cause of this dry eye problem.
I would like to note that this is not because of my Lasik surgery. I would have had this issue without it. I sleep with my eyes slightly open. Fun, huh?
This is a
bestseller. And it's easy to see why. The reason why this program
is
so popular is because it offers what an acne sufferer wants - fast
results. Before you throw your hands in disgust and conclude that it is
impossible, I can say from personal experience that eliminating acne in
3 days is a completely achievable feat. It all depends on how severe
your acne condition is and the time needed for it to heal. I love the
last minute solutions and the ease of application. The fact is, I
recovered from my my pimple breakout in less than just 68 hours when
combining
a method taught by this book with my own formula. This book is not a
quick fix like I initially thought. Some simple suggestions did
wonders for me by tackling acne from all the 5 aspects. Are the results
permanent? Let just say that it takes very little effort to maintain
your new found skin. If I am having a last minute breakout (which
usually happen before something major comes up), this will definitely
be my choice of acne cure. Price: $39.95. Find out more.
When I read
that acne is a desperate sign from the body telling me something is not
right, it immediately got me thinking. What if something is really
wrong with my body and yet I am not taking heed? Actually I was barely
checking out this book after purchase until my brother read it and
pointed the fact out to me. As this book approach is to 'tune' the body
from the inside out, it involves eating some specific food and other
long haul methods. Naturally, I kept on postponing on starting to eat
the 'right' food, concentrating only on its faster solutions. Then I
began seeing results on my teenage brother's severely blemished face.
He was using my formula but the problem is, his new acne was
mushrooming faster than his older zit was recovering. This inside out
approach really works! Although it may take weeks before you notice a
change, I like the fact that they have faster methods to ease the pain
in the mean time. Price: $39.97. Find
out more.
