11/25/2008

Acne and Chocolate

Millions of people enjoy chocolate everyday. It is a tasty delight that billions of people cannot live without. There are special clubs that are dedicated especially to chocolate, there are chocolate cook off contests. For some, just a bite of chocolate cake can satisfy a chocolate craving.

The scientific community has conducted research, studies, and tests, and it has been determined that the myth that chocolate causes acne is false. In fact, scientific studies have shown that there is no one particular food that causes acne. The key word is moderation. When food is consumed in moderation, and includes healthy foods, it cannot induce acne. It is when food is consumed in abundance, that a problem is created.

There are millions of chocolate lovers who consume chocolate on a daily basis, and have perfectly clear skin. Experts believe it is because these people do not over indulge themselves and they also have otherwise healthy diets.

Your body will crave what it needs, and it is necessary to keep it healthy or you can have adverse affects such as acne. Acne is considered a teenage skin disorder because of their dietary habits. In reality, just as many adults are afflicted with acne as teenagers.

Recently, studies performed by scientists have determined that it is possible to control acne in teenagers by controlling the amount of hormones that are released into the body. These studies also indicated that teenage boys are more susceptible to acne because their hormones are stronger than girls.

These studies have also indicated that chocolate has an affect on the seratonin level, which is what calms people. They have theorized that if chocolate can raise the seratonin level in the brain, it can also be a preventive treatment for acne. There are a lot of causes for acne.

Heredity, poor hygiene habits, unhealthy dietary choices and environmental hazards are just a few. In order to control acne, you have to know what the facts are and what the causes may be.

There are many ways to get information regarding acne. Other ways to research acne is to go to your local library and research past editions of medical journals.

Consulting a dermatologist is by far the best way to get information regarding acne. They know what the different types of acne are, skin type, and updated information regarding treatments and procedures.

11/24/2008

Acne Scarring Treatments

There are numerous proposals on how to remove the scars caused by acne. Unfortunately, not all of them actually work. And the best way to lose money is to invest it in something that does not do the job it was intended for. Sometimes, instead of removing the scars, it even makes it worse. And the most vulnerable person to this kind of scam is the one suffering from those scars caused by acne.

Luckily, most skin disfigurations usually fade during a certain period of time. Surgery is not an option for these types of scars. For faster effects, hydroquinone or other topical formulation used to whiten skin with licorice can be used. Retin A or Renova, a topical derivative of vitamin A, can be used for light scarring. Its generic name is Retinol. Unfortunately, there are also scars that are resistant to any medication and cannot be removed. Consult a dermatologist or any skin care expert as to what can be done to remove or minimize those scars.

Types of Acne Scars

When there is an increase in tissue formulation, a keloid is formed. Formation of keloids may be inherited. When a wound or a pimple does not heal well, excess collagen forms fibrous lumps, red brown in color over the healing lesion. People with increased melanin in their skin are the ones usually affected by keloids, although it can occur on everybody. Treatment of keloids can be a challenge since cutting them creates other keloids to form. Cortisone is the drug of choice since it flattens them and reduces its inflammation. This type of scar due to acne is caused by the loss of tissue.

Some scars look like shallow indentations with even edges, which may make the skin appear rippled or wavy. These are called dell scars. There are also dell scars that have rough or ragged edges. Initial treatment for these kinds of scars is to soften it by microdermabrasion. Thermage and laser resurfacing may also assist in clearing these kinds of scar. An injection with restylane, a skin filler, can treat the depression in the skin by filling it out and smoothing it, although it is a just a temporary solution which may last from six months to one year. Allergic reactions should also be avoided since this will just add to the scar formation.

There are also scars that resemble the injury made by an ice pick: small but deep depressions with jagged edges. If left untreated, it will form a bigger depression due to the formation of fibrotic scars. To remove them is to undergo surgery to cover the scar with skin tissue, usually from behind the ears.

There are scars that arise from the sinus tracts under the skin. Since they are interconnected to sebaceous glands, when surgery is used as treatment, these scars lead to more scars and acne formation.
Macular atrophy of the follicles looks like whiteheads and are usually seen on the chest and back. Scars on the body due to acne are harder to treat as compared to those on the face. Treatment includes pulse dye laser to relieve the inflammation, hydroquinone to lighten the area, and restylane for filling the depressions.

Always consult your dermatologist or a skin care expert on what is best to use on your facial scars. It may sometimes be a tedious and long process owing to the fact that there are different types of acne scars that might have surfaced on the skin. You have to accept that there will still be scars that will remain resistant to any form of treatment, even surgery. Some scars will be harder to remove as compared to others. It is vital that you speak to your dermatologist on what options will be available for you and if she is qualified to do such procedure.

Knowing that there might be a treatment out there that can rid you of all your scars can boost one's hope and self confidence. But beware of fast talking scammers. Most products that boast of medications that will just take several days to see an effect is probably not real. Frequently, these products contain bogus materials, packaged in such a way that naive people will be tempted to buy them, even at a very high price. When doubts creep in when you are purchasing something, the best way to go is not to buy it. Some sales personnel try to hard sell their product in order for them to receive commission. If there is too much pressure on you to get the item, then don't because you may already be scammed.

Before you have any scar removal work done, make sure that you are taking good daily care of your skin, that you are exfoliating regularly. Give your skin time to normalize to see how much healing it can do on its own.

Before undertaking any removal of scars, your skin should first be healthy since it might aggravate the problem instead of solving it. Usually, the skin just takes time before it heals completely. The body has the most complex system of healing scars. Rely on it first before undergoing dermabrasion, microdermabrasion and laser resurfacing. If it does not work, then there are still options available like medical make up which may have the better formulation in covering up your scars.

11/23/2008

Acne Myths and Facts

Of the millions of people who are afflicted with acne, thousands are afflicted with acne not only on their face, but on their bodies too. There are many products that boast that they clean the pores to prevent acne outbreaks.

Caution is advised when using these products because they contain strong chemicals that can strip the skin of important nutrients and that too can lead to an acne outbreak. Acne is a painful disorder, both physically and emotionally. For severe acne suffers, it is difficult to face the world on a daily basis.

There are a lot of myths about acne. Some are true, and some are not. The truth is, medical researcher have concluded that if you eat a diet that is high in grease and fat, you are more likely to get acne.

Eating foods like greasy burgers and fries, potato chips, and drinking gallons of soda will cause an outbreak of acne very quickly. This is the diet of three fourths of all teenagers.

Research has shown that teenagers frequent fast food restaurants at least three times a week. This is why when we think of acne, we think of teenagers and their pimply-faced friends. The fact is acne affects just as many adults as it does children. It is a non-discriminate skin disorder. People as old as sixty and seventy have been reported to have acne.

It affects men and women, girls and boys equally. At one time, it was believed that acne afflicted girls more than boy. This was because they had long hair. It was thought that the oils that were in hair that was not kept clean triggered an acne outbreak. This has been proven false.

Some people believe that stress is a factor when it comes to acne. The only correlation that medical research could determine is that when a person is in a stressful situation, their body produces a hormone that can aggravate existing acne.

There are many many myths regarding acne. A lot of these have been passed down through the generations. Almost none of them are correct. If you want to find out the truth about acne, you can research it yourself by using one of the many search engines that the Internet has to offer.

Consulting a dermatologist is a good way to have all of your questions answered immediately. They are easy to find and always more than willing to assist their patients.