Reviewing Acne Myths, Preventative Steps, Home Remedies and Products

Acne Myths

To some degree, acne affects almost all young teens and people between the ages of 12 and 25. Many cases of acne are very mild and require only the use of medications that can be bought over the counter at a pharmacy and used by following the recommended regiment of facial cleaning.

Sometimes acne becomes moderate to severe and a dermatologist must be consulted to clear up the acne as well as to prevent the potential scarring that acne can cause if it is left untreated.

There are many well-known and accepted facts about acne. However, there are just as many acne myths that are also circulating around, so let's clarify and debunk some of those myths.

Myth #1: Acne is contagious, you must not touch anyone who has acne or you will get it, too!

Fact: Acne is not contagious. Acne is what is called a "non-communicable" disease. That means that acne is not contagious. One person cannot "give" acne to another person by touching, eating, or drinking after them.

Myth #2: People just outgrow acne. Nothing needs to be done about it. It's just a normal part of the growing up process.

Fact: Although it is true that acne is very, very common among teenagers and young adults, it is not true that you just have to outgrow acne. Nor is it true that nothing needs to be done about it. Acne does not have to be a normal part of the growing up process. There are oral as well as topical medications that can treat acne and prevent teenagers and young adults from having to suffer the embarrassment and low self-esteem that acne causes.

Myth #3: Sweating helps to clear up acne.

Fact: Oh boy! Is this one ever wrong! Sweating can actually worsen acne. Strenuous physical activity makes the body create more oil. t is just part of the complex chemical process within our body that produces sweat. This oil can make the acne worse rather than better.

Acne Prevention

There is no better cure for acne than prevention. Unfortunately, there just isn't any neat prevention formula or immunization program that can completely prevent acne. Maybe someday there will be; but, until that wonderful day arrives there are still some things that all teenagers and young adults can do that will help to keep acne at bay.

Nobody really knows what causes acne. Most research indicates that it is caused by a hormonal imbalance; but, there are other contributing factors and these are the factors that you can modify if you are at risk.

One contributing factor to acne is the clogging of the pores in your facial skin. There are several measures that you can take to help prevent this clogging. One thing young women can do is to make sure that they clean make-up from their faces very thoroughly before going to bed at night.

Additionally, young women need to regularly and completely clean their make-up brushes using warm soapy water or throw them away and buy new ones. Old make-up that is possibly contaminated needs to be thrown away.

Teenagers and young adults need to understand that squeezing, picking at or popping acne pustules will not eliminate them. On the contrary, these measures only serve to worsen the acne and can lead to a greater infection and long term scarring.

Change you pillow cases frequently and use a new clean towel after washing to pat (not rub) your skin dry. Fabrics tend to hold in bacteria and germs can that can worsen an acne outbreak. Changing pillowcases daily is not too often and a face towel should never be used more than once. This might drive your parent's nuts; but, it will certainly go a long way towards helping to reduce or end your acne infection.

Keep hair pulled away from the face while sleeping. Bacteria and germs thrive in human hair. Another important measure to take is to always take a shower as soon as possible after hard physical activities or exercise. When sweat combines with skin oils, the mixture can serve to clog pores very quickly.

Acne Home Remedies

People have been dealing with acne for centuries and long before modern medicine came into being. Over the centuries home remedies have been developed and used to treat acne.

Acne is not an American disease. Young people from around the world are afflicted and it is no wonder that there are an abundance of home remedies recommended to prevent acne.

One home remedy for acne is using a herbal mixture that contains equal portions of sarsaparilla, yellow dock, burdock, and cleavers extracts. The accepted dosage is one-half teaspoon taken three times a day. This particular combination of herbal extracts is believed to produce a blood cleansing effect that is supposed to reduce or eliminate the body toxins that cause acne.

Tea Tree Oil in another home remedy that is purported to treat the white heads, black heads and pustules associated with acne. Tea Tree Oil is obtained when the leaves of the Melaleuca Alternifolia tree (found in Australia are boiled.) Tea Tree Oil that is used undiluted will cause burning, itching, and extreme redness. Tea Tree Oil is usually diluted using only 5 water solution. This diluted mixture is supposed to be applied to the acne lesions twice a day and left for about 15 minutes, then washed off using warm water.

Another staunchly defended home remedy for acne is not a treatment, as such, but rather avoiding cow's milk. Since cow's milk comes from pregnant cows, it contains large quantities of the very hormone which is thought to be the leading cause of acne, progesterone.

Acne Fighting Products

Products to fight acne outbreaks are a very big business. Annual sales of over-the-counter as well as prescription acne fighting products are in the billions of dollars and projected sales figures say that they are expected to continue to rise, with no let up in sight.

Most teenagers and young adults in the 12 to 25 year-old age group will, at some point, buy at least one over-the-counter product. Most will buy several and continue to do so over the course of about 10-15 years. It isn't hard to see why acne fighting products are such big business. But, what are these products and how are they supposed to work? There are 4 main acne product types: facial cleansers, lotions, creams, and soaps.

Facial Cleanser Products: These products are designed to remove dead skin cells, open up skin pores, and remove excess oils, dust, dirt and environmental pollutants. Most products recommend usage between two and three times a day. The advantage of these products over just plain soap is that they are pH balanced and thus better for the skin.

Acne Fighting Lotions: These lotions are oil and water emulsions that are only to be applied to unbroken skin. Acne lotions usually have antibacterial, skin exfoliants, retinoids or antibiotics in them and should never be taken internally. The stronger ones are available only by prescription; but, lesser strength lotions can be bought over the counter.

Acne Fighting Creams: Creams are semi-solid emulsions. The idea of a cream is to provide a barrier of protection while delivering strong anti-acne medications. Creams are also used to help retain moisture in the skin.

Acne Fighting Soaps: These soaps are always pH balanced unlike hand soap or bath soap. They provide a method for cleaning the face that is conducive to removing the excess oil without producing undue drying.

As with all recommendations, please consult with a qualified medical professional before trying any treatments contained in this article.

Fight the acne myths by being smart and researching rather than just listening. Take as many preventative steps as possible to avoid situations that create the opportunity for acne to develop. If acne does afflict you, research both established home remedies, over the counter, and prescription products that can treat acne with a qualified medical professional before deciding to try anything.

by Stephen M. Seabrook

Chinese Medicine For Acne

Acne is a common skin condition that is characterized by many symptoms, such as pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads. Almost everybody develops acne, no matter what ethnicity, age group, or gender. Studies have determined that acne commonly starts around the age of adolescence, where young men and young women are going through rapid hormonal changes in the stage of puberty.

How does one get acne? According to sources, this occurrence is not usually caused by food, but the symptoms, like pimples, whiteheads, and blackheads, can be aggravated by certain types of food. Just a short description of the skin: the surface is called the epidermis, with trillions of tiny openings called pores. Below that layer is the dermis, which contains oil glands or sebaceous glands, hair follicles, and sensory receptors. Acne happens when the sebaceous glands overproduce oil, which can remain within the pores when dead skin cells or hair follicles block it. Pimples are raised bumps on the epidermis which are filled with pus or oil.

There are many ways by which acne can be treated, but as studies have shown, there is still no definite way of preventing the symptoms from coming back. A lot of researches say that acne is more genetic in nature, as some persons actively secret more oil from their glands than others. Keeping the skin clean, and washing it regularly with mild soap and warm water maintains its integrity. Also, when you have pimples, avoid popping or squeezing them as this can create a scar or a skin infection. There are creams and other skin products that are popular in the market, but there is a majority of acne victims that choose to use Chinese herbs for treating the problem.

Dating back thousands of years, Chinese medicine has long used products from nature, such as plants and fungi, for curing certain conditions. The effectiveness and success of such remedies have been the focus of hundreds of medical studies, which is why at the present, thousands of these Chinese herbs have been integrated into modern medicine.

What are the Chinese herbs that are often recommended for treating acne?

1. Root water

Root water is a Chinese herbal product obtained from the forests of China. It is very potent in fighting off skin blemishes. Root water is composed of root herbs and alcohol. It is supposed to be applied on the skin with the use of a cotton ball. Root water is known to force the skin to renew facial tissues. As such, it is best used with water-based skin moisturizers because it can dry the skin if used regularly for one to two weeks.

2. Anti-acne capsules with Chinese Herbs

If you go to a Chinese pharmacy and ask for a treatment for acne, they are more likely to produce a Chinese Herb capsule. These capsules contain only the most natural Chinese herbal medicine like Yi Yi Ren, Fu Ling, Huang Bai, Mu Dan Pi, Chi Shao, Huang Lian, and Gan Cao, among many others. The combination of these Chinese herbs could work wonders on your acne-infested skin.

3. Acupuncture

Acupuncture is one of the oldest traditional Chinese procedures used in treating diseases. It involves the use of needles pricked on certain parts of the body to produce the healing effect. For acne, acupuncture is used so that heat will go out of the body. Chinese medicine believes that heat is the primary cause of acne. There are different sources of heat that needs to be released so the needles have to be placed on both local and distal points of the body. Points such as the large intestines and spleen are focused on.

by David Klein

Incredible Method Using For Acne Pimple Home Remedies

Many people suffer with the skin condition known as acne or Zits; treatments however, are slowly improving. This is a skin complaint that affects many people around the world so scientific research to find a cure is fierce; as a result there are a variety of new products available to help prevent and treat skin conditions. Despite the number of acne skin care products currently available on the market, they are broadly categorized into three distinctly separate groups:

* Drugstore or Internet: Preventative medication

* Over-the-counter: Treatment

* Specialized, on-prescription acne products

Those that fall into the preventative category are based around general skin conditioning to help stop acne from forming; these products can be anything from skin cleansers to makeup removers. Many people use products similar to this every day as part of their skin care regime; often this is irrespective of whether or not there is a problem condition. Other acne skin care products, like skin cleansers for instance, are more specific about their job; they clean out the pores to help stop sebum or oil which can clog these areas. These types of products are reducing the chance of oil staying in the pores and aiding the growth of harmful bacteria which assists the formation of the skin condition.

General skin care treatments also include special exfoliation products like skin peels; most are readily available over the counter at drug stores or even online. The peels clean the skin by removing all surface pollution and dead skin cells which can block the pores. Many different, specially formulated acne skin care home remedies products designed to reduce the problems have now been made available without prescription. Most of these creams etc. are based on benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, both of which are the enemies of bacteria (and hence acne); they are designed to extract the excess oil that bacteria need to promote the development of acne.

Although benzoyl peroxide works well, reactions can happen so it is suggested that any skin care product containing this should not have more than 5.5 percent of the active ingredient; should a reaction occur, products containing alpha hydroxy acid are generally safer. It is not always possible to find an acne skin care product that works first time; however, if finding an effective remedy it is proving to be a problem then consult with your doctor, or skin care specialist. There are benefits of seeing your doctor or dermatologist, they can prescribe you with a prescription for treatments not available over the counter, for example a course of antibiotics.

Your dermatologist may suggest a minor surgical procedure to remove the contents of pustules; however, sufferers are warned never to attempt this as it could lead to serious skin problems. Your doctor could prescribe a hormone-based treatment to treat your skin problem; hormone changes are known to be one cause of acne. Tackling this skin condition is not the problem it once was and if treated properly permanently marked skin does not have to happen.

By Karel Micek

Conventional Acne Treatment Not Working? Try An Acne Alternative Treatment

If you have persistent acne and are unable to control it you will most likely be in the dermatologist office. At some point he may prescribe something for your acne that may or may not work. With any prescription medication, you run the risk of serious side effects. There are some other methods of acne treatment that may help you out before having to resort to some of the nasty prescription drugs.
With any acne treatment, you must take a common sense approach to treating. First and foremost, cleanliness is of the utmost importance. Wash the affected area at least twice daily, more if you work in a dirty environment or have been doing physical activity. Use a pure soap, not one that contains deodorants or fragrances.
There are herbal treatments available that will help to cure your acne and have no side effects. One of those is black currant seed oil or evening primrose oil, three 500-milligram capsules a day daily for three months or until your acne clears up. Another treatment that herbalists recommend for acne treatment is Echinacea, calendula, tea tree oil and golden seal. Drinking a tea made with a combination of nettles and cleavers may also be effective for acne. The Chinese herbalist will probably recommend cnidium seed and honeysuckle flower for the treatment of acne.
Most dermatologists and doctors will say that food is not a factor with acne, however, some alternative practitioners will recommend a diet high in beta carotene, such as carrots, pumpkin, cantaloupe and other yellow-orange fruits and vegetables.
Nutritionists will generally advise that a zinc supplement will act as an acne alternative treatment. The zinc will reduce inflammation and help heal the skin. Some other vitamins that nutritionists may recommend would be Chromium supplements to break down glucose, Vitamin A to reduce sebum and keratin production, Vitamin E that acts like an antioxidant, and Vitamin B-6 to help with hormone metabolism.
Some other acne alternative treatments may include homeopathy, ayurvedic treatment, aromatherapy, acupressure, reflexology, and yoga.
When it comes to treating acne sometimes medicine is not the best cure. There are many viable acne alternative treatments available to try before you try some of the drugs with nasty side effects.

by Scott Bellamy

Natural Home Acne Treatments That Work - The Easy Way To Clear Your Acne 100%

It's one of the most common skin-care related question I get - 'What is a natural home acne treatment that works?'.

It's no mystery why this question keeps coming up. Almost everyone who has acne has tried some sort of acne treatment product that didn't work. It can be a frustrating skin condition that often feels like it will never get any better.

Fortunately there are proven natural acne treatments out there, you just have to make sure they are treating your skin at the root of the problem. Let's go over hwo to make sure you are using a treatment that will clear your skin the right way.

First off, I want to quickly comment on why the products you find in the drugstores don't work. It's frustrating to see so many people wasting money on creams and lotions that don't work, and there's a clear reason why they fail.

Products like Clearasil and Oxy don't actually treat what causes acne. Instead they simply try to "zap zits" and get rid of pimples one zit at a time after they have already happened.

There's no point in getting rid of one pimple when you know another one is right around the corner. What you need to do is treat the causes of acne in order to prevent future breakouts.

The truly successful acne treatments attack your acne from all angles and treat all of the causes of acne. This is the only way you are going to clear your skin in the longrun.

Here a quick recap of what causes acne

- Excess oil on the skin

- Acne-causing bacteria

- Clogged skin pores

- Inflammation of the skin

- Over-active skin glands

The only way to completely eliminate your acne is to treat all of the above causes. When you think about, it makes complete sense. How can you expect to get rid of your pimples if you aren't treating what is causing the problem?

The best acne treatments will work as a "system" by treating all of the above. This will usually include a couple of steps so that you can be confident your acne is being treated at the root of the problem. You can use the link at the bottom of this article to read some reviews of the top rated acne treatments that are available.

Don't be discouraged if you have tried an acne product that didn't work in the past. It happens to almost everyone considering how many of the treatments fail to work. The good news is that you can find natural home acne treatments that clear your skin by properly treating your skin.

By Greg McNaughton

Chinese Medicine For Weight Loss

Weight problems are never categorized as a major health concern in Chinese medicine. Chinese people rarely get fat or obese. But nevertheless, obesity is still one problem addressed by traditional Chinese medicine.

The weight gain problem is more apparent with the Western race. And if weight loss were to be tackled in the light of Chinese medicine, you'd see that there are a quite a number of ways to treat it. These medicines are normally over-the-counter medications that consist of natural herbs and decoctions.

To initiate weight loss with the use of Chinese medicine, pattern discrimination is the first step. In here, the person's metabolism is analyzed through the bian zheng lun zhi process. This technique is effective and has a long-term effect. Once the actual reason why a person's metabolism is slow gets determined, then the necessary treatment procedure would be carried out. And these procedures are moxibustion, acupuncture, and diet modifications through the aid of natural herbs.

In traditional Chinese medicine, weight problems are focused on the spleen. This is because of the fact that the spleen directly controls the flesh and the muscles, including the transformation of the body's water fluids. The spleen is also the reason of the engenderment of phlegm. Once the spleen gets damaged because of eating too much fatty and sweet food the person gets fat. At that condition, the spleen won't be able to function and move water fluids all over the body and transform them into nutrients along the way.

Water fluids that aren't processed accordingly collect and gather in the different parts of the body. These are what transform into fatty, bulgy deposits in the waist, arms, legs, and other parts of the body.

In Chinese medicine, the primary treatment for obesity is also exercise. So there's really no going around it. If you want to lose weight, you have to start eating less and exercising more. Western or Chinese medicine, it is all the same. The only difference between the two techniques is the use of Chinese herbs and the most common Chinese method of healing, acupuncture.

The herbs used for losing weight are Shan Za, Zhi Ke, Sheng Jiang, Zi Su Ye, Huoxiang, Chenpi, and Laifuzi, among many others. Most of the time, these herbs are mixed in special proportions and are taken in two to three times in a day. These herbs are normally sold in capsules for easy administration.

Here are some examples:

Diet With Bo Jen Mi Tea

Yes, you can curb your eating pleasures with the use of this tea. Just take Bo Jen Mi tea for a month. You will surely lose substantial weight along the way. This diet tea is composed of half tea and half herbs. Take two to three cups per day, preferably before every meal. That should keep your diet on the sound side.

Herbal Diet with Wu Wei Zi

Wu Wei Zi is the food or herb that is considered as a complete meal as far as Chinese medicine is concerned. It is a prized food product because it contains all the five tastes of the Chinese diet. Basically, if you eat this herb, your body has all the nutrition it needs. And so, you need not eat more. Fructus Schizandrae or Schizandra is the pharmaceutical name of Wu Wei Zi.

Go on a Diet with He Ye and Fu Ling

These herbs are two of the best ones to counter the effects of gaining weight. These herbs, when taken orally, mixed with food, or drank as a tea, can produce impressive effects on an obese person. The other herbs that can be mixed with these two are Huang Qi, Zi Cie, and Da Huang, among others. Chinese medicine also recommends cucumber as the best food item for dieters.

However, there are also diet powders that can help initiate weight loss. These diet powders contain Ji Geng, Qiang Huo, Chai Hu, Shu Di Huang, Sheng Ma. To use it, the powder should be dissolved in a tablespoon of warm water and taken half an hour before mealtime.

by Ron Shelf