Otc medication

Acne - Is It Keratosis Pilaris Or Acne?

Acne and Keratosis Pilaris- Many of us treat our condition thinking that it is acne. After months of OTC treatment, we find no difference and curse our luck. After that when we approach our doctor we may be told that what we believed to be acne was not acne at all, but keratosis pilaris. Please know basics of keratosis pilaris so that you save yourself from all this confusion and trouble.

Keratosis Pilaris- what is it? Keratosis Pilaris is a condition of skin. In this condition small bumps that are skin colored or sometimes reddish form around the hair follicles. Keratosis Pilaris is an inherited condition and has nothing to do with sebaceous glands or hormones. Bumps form around the hair follicle and they look like acne comedones. Keratosis Pilaris can form on the upper back, arms, cheeks, thighs etc. No acne treatment will cure it, because it is not acne. Let us find out how to treat Keratosis Pilaris and how to know the difference.

Keratosis Pilaris- treatment Keratosis Pilaris always forms around the hair follicles. Secondly the bumps don't get infected over time, as may happen in acne. That may give you a hint that you don't have acne, but Keratosis Pilaris. Keratosis Pilaris is treated with glycolic acid, or lactic acid. Both of these are AHAs and they remove the bumps by dissolving them. You can get these in OTC or prescription form. Your doctor will guide you about the treatment.

Acne and Keratosis Pilaris confusion- Many conditions look like acne. Folliculitis is another. If you try standard OTC medication of acne on these conditions, they may not respond. That will make you try higher strength acne medications. But that also will not work. The right approach is diagnosis. If the diagnosis is correct, half the battle is won. To know more about Keratosis Pilaris and other skin conditions, please click here - http://www.doctorgoodskin.com/ds/

This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advise and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article.

Skin care routine

Acne - Does Rubbing Alcohol Help?

Acne is a skin condition that causes the pores of the skin to become infected and thus resulting in embarrassing and often cumbersome acne. Acne strikes at seemingly random among the people who suffer from it and can be devastating to someone's life and well-being. There are ways to get rid of acne and even diminish the appearance of acne scarring, but without the right information and tools you could instead worsen your condition or cause further permanent damage to your skin.

When looking for an acne treatment it's important to know what to look for in one that works. The keys areas of acne are the infection, the cleansing of the skin and the symptoms of the infection. If all of these areas are not equally considered and worked with, then the problem will not go away. Rubbing alcohol is one of those acne treatments that have been talked about for years, but does it really work? Well, let's look at the facts of rubbing alcohol. Alcohol in general can offer cleansing properties as a bacteria killer and works to protect an open wound, that's why it's used in bathroom and medical facilities all around the world for open wounds. But, alcohol also has harsh effects and can be extremely drying which actually stunts the re-growth of skin cells, which is essential to the healing process of acne affected pores.

While, this method of treatment may offer temporary relief it will not kill the bacteria deep in the pore and with the drying effects to the skin, you could cause more damage than help. Instead, stick with the normal realms of acne treatments in looking for a quality cleansers, keeping your skin clean, toned, protected and treated, You must have a diligent skin care routine in order to have beautiful skin. It may take a bit more work, but after all aren't you worth the time it takes to get clearer, healthier skin? Not only will you have better skin, you will have more confidence and a great reception from those around you.

Red blood cells

Zinc, Glutathione, and Acne

Several clinical studies report that zinc is only slightly less effective than antibiotics in controlling acne (although antibiotics by themselves seldom are adequate treatment). The key to using zinc effectively is buying the right kind of zinc. Researchers using an effervescent (fizzy) form of zinc sulfate found it to be about as effective as the antibiotic tetracycline. Researchers using a plain form of zinc sulfate found that it appeared to have a somewhat beneficial effect on pustules but not on blackheads, white heads, nodules, or cysts.

The most recent clinical study found that acne patients given a moderate dose of zinc gluconate (30 mg) per day were about half as likely to be completely cured after 90 days as those given the minocycline. Among patients who did not achieve total remission, however, zinc treatment eliminated over 90 percent as many lesions as treatment with the antibiotic after 30 days and over 80 percent as many lesions as the antibiotic after 90 days.

The bottom line of these studies is, if you have acne, take zinc and be prepared to wait a couple of months for results. The best-absorbed form of zinc is zinc picolinate. Do not take more than 50 mg of any zinc supplement daily. In rare cases, excessive intake of zinc depletes copper to cause anemia, that is, a deficiency of red blood cells, and neutropenia, a serious deficiency of white blood cells. If you take tetracycline antibiotics for skin infections, chances are you are deficient in zinc. Taking tetracycline interferes with the body's absorption of zinc (and taking zinc interferes with the body's absorption of tetracycline).

One other supplement is helpful if you exercise and you have acne. Aerobic exercise helps acne by increasing circulation to the skin, but anaerobic exercise (huffing and puffing to the point of exhaustion) without antioxidant supplementation may aggravate acne. Strenuous exercise depletes glutathione. This naturally occurring antioxidant slows inflammatory reactions and is essential to the normal function of estrogen and testosterone. Laboratory studies with animals have found that supplementation with alpha-lipoic acid keeps glutathione from breaking down, especially in the liver and in the bloodstream.

Best acne treatments

Acne - The Testosterone Connection

Acne is a skin condition that affects both young men and young women alike. Not only that, acne is increasingly occurring in adults, and is an embarrassing problem for millions of men and women well into their thirties and forties. Has acne gotten worse over the past twenty years, or are we just imagining it?

Is it because we now have the internet and information is shared much more readily and easily that we know the true depth of the acne problem, or has it really become somewhat of an epidemic?

Well, my personal opinion is that acne has gotten much more widespread, especially in adults, and there may be any number of reasons for that, but at the heart of acne there is a culprit that can be both our friend, and in the case of acne, our enemy.

It's the male hormone (or androgen), testosterone. More specifically, it's a specific testosterone called DHT, or Dihydro Testosterone. This specific hormone, when produced in excessive amounts by the body, whether it be a female or male body, creates an environment for the oil glands to go into overdrive producing the natural oils that normally protect and moisturize the skin.

Normally, your oil glands are set to produce just enough oil to create the protective barrier between the environment and your skin, as well as act as a moisturizing agent, keeping the skin hydrated. When the oil glands are corrupted and begin to produce too much oil, things get nasty.

The oil has nowhere else to go, and so it clogs the pores, resulting in blackheads, whiteheads, cystic acne, and smaller acne lesions because of the inflammation caused by the clogged pore.

It's basically a case where your body's natural protective mechanisms are corrupted and begin to work against your skin rather than protect and moisturize it, as nature intended.

This testosterone overload is precisely why the best acne treatments are aimed at helping to balance the hormones again, so that can facilitate the natural equilibrium between estrogenic (female) hormones and androgenic (male) hormones that should exist in every man and woman.

Other effective acne treatments, like the controversial Acutane, otherwise known as isotretinoin, are aimed at actually drying up the oil glands. I happen to shy away from this method, because this means that when you age, you don't have those natural oil glands to protect your skin and keep the elasticity that keeps you looking young.

Acne is usually a problem rooted in hormonal imbalance, and very closely related to periods of life where hormones tend to be imbalanced. This is why people do tend to break out more in their adolescence, when the hormones are still finding their way to balance and the body is still developing and changing, and also in adults, when stressful periods occur, since hormone levels are very sensitive to stress in most individuals.

Some argue that our foods today may be causing increased cases of adolescent and especially adult acne, since our foods tend to contain a lot of hormones or hormone-mimicking compounds in them, and this interferes with the natural hormone balance of our bodies.

This can be solved by picking only natural, organic products, especially when buying your meats, cheeses and dairies which can contain vast amounts of synthetic hormones designed to make the animals produce more milk, which can then be leached by your body and mimic human hormones in the body, upsetting the delicate natural balance.

Another argument may be that stress levels are constantly on the rise in our increasingly busy, hectic lifestyles, and this has impacted the hormone balance of adults, causing acne to increase in the adult population.

Whatever the cause is, we do know that it is usually rooted in hormonal balance, and that DHT is the culprit. If we can find the right product to help our bodies achieve this natural balance again as well as help control the oil production of our oil glands, we've essentially won the battle against acne.

Apple cider vinegar

Clear Your Acne - Naturally!

Most people who suffer from acne go out and spend good money on common over-the-counter acne treatment products. The truth is, most of these products are full of chemicals that can actually slow down the healing of acne, and irritate your skin, causing farther breakouts.

When an acne product has 20 ingredients listed on it, it can be hard to know if one of those ingredients is actually stopping you from having success. It can be even harder when you can't pronounce the ingredient, much less know what it is and how it is going to affect your skin.

Most mainstream acne treatments are not only much more expensive than common household items, but they also don't always work as well either. With that in mind, I will list some basic household items that can work wonders on clearing up your skin.

Baking soda - A very cheap cooking ingredient that most people have in their homes already, baking soda can be used as a great scrub. The purpose of a scrub is to exfoliate the skin, removing dead skin that can eventually clog pores and lead to acne spots. To start off, you'll want to mix a small amount of baking soda with some water for form a paste. Baking soda is very effective as a scrub, so you want to be sure to be extra careful when applying it to your face. Gently massage the paste into your skin for ten to fifteen seconds. Then rinse the baking soda off, and pat your face dry with a clean towel.

Apple Cider Vinegar - Though most people that use vinegar to treat acne use the apple cider form of vinegar, you can also use plain old regular vinegar. Regardless of which type you use, vinegar can be very helpful with it comes to clearing up acne. It can kill off acne causing bacteria, balance your skin's pH, and absorb extra oil on your skin.

Starting with clean, dry skin, apply diluted vinegar (eight parts water to one part vinegar) directly to your skin with a cotton ball, and leave it on. If you want, you can also use a stronger vinegar solution (say, 2 or 3 parts water to 1 part vinegar), and apply it directly to problem areas, rinsing it off after ten minutes.

Lemon or lime juice can also be substituted for vinegar. Both of these juices are rich in citric acid, and can exfoliate your skin very well, halting the growth of acne spots, as well as fading previous, non-active acne quicker.

Egg Whites - Rich in protein, egg whites can be used as a mask to heal and rebuild your skin. It can also help to absorb excess oil from your skin.

To start off, crack an egg, removing the yolk so that just the egg whites are left behind. Beat these egg whites, and apply them directly to your face. Let it sit for fifteen minutes, and then rinse the egg off.

Oatmeal - As odd as it may seem, oatmeal can absorb unwanted oil and draw out impurities which reside deep in your skin. Cook some plain oatmeal like you would for consumption. Let it cool off, and rub it over your clean skin. Let it sit for a while, like you would a mask, and then rinse off. If you do this on a regular basis, you should begin to start noticing results soon. It may feel funny, but it works!

Tea Tree Oil - TTO is a commonly used all-natural household antiseptic, which you can pick up at most drugstores or supermarkets. You can apply TTO directly to acne spots to kill bacteria, or, if you strongly dilute it with another oil (such as jojoba oil), over your entire face. Tea tree gel can be easier to apply than the oil, and many are made for applying over large areas of skin, so they aren't quite as strong as straight TTO and do not need to be diluted.

Pantothenic Acid (Also known as Vit. B5) - Pantothenic acid can be taken in large quantities for the benefit of acne reduction. B5 works by helping your body to metabolize fats which would otherwise be later turned into sebum (oil) and excreted through the skin. Small amounts of B5 won't help though, and it has to be taken several times a day.

To help with acne, you will need to take 2.5 grams of pantothenic acid (the powder form is much easier to take), 4 times per day, for a total of 10 grams per day. Powdered B5 can be purchased from vitamin stores.

Aloe Vera - Aloe Vera has been used for many years in kitchens for topical application to burns. Another benefit of aloe is that it can prevent scaring, fade marks and help heal acne spots.

You now have an idea of some basic household items you can use on your skin, that work better than many OTC acne products, and are much cheaper to use. Since we have only really covered basic acne treatments, you can always take this to another level and take all natural, internal acne treatments.

This sums up our basic list of natural alternatives for chemical based acne treatment products. You can take this a step farther by attacking your acne from the inside out. Acne has been shown numerous times to be very closely affected by the digestive system, so keeping your entire digestive system working as smooth as possible can help reduce acne. I will help give you a basic idea of some all natural products you can take to help clear up acne.

Cucumber, lemon and carrot juice, brewer's yeast, and active charcoal pills are all capable of helping the digestive system function normally. Since the digestive system is closely related with the health of the skin, they should help reduce acne breakouts. Flax seed can also be wonderful for helping your skin heal faster.

Epsom salt bath

Acne - The Best Acne Solution Home Remedies

Home remedies and lifestyle modification for acne prevention are the best methods to deal with the dermatitis - the bane of existence of countless sufferers. Adherence to a regular regimen can not only cure acne vulgaris but also effectively prevent its recurrence. Over the counter medications that use synthetic ingredients often provide only a temporary respite. Acne raises it ugly head within a short time after ceasing the use of such products. This is because such medications are only palliative in nature; they target only the external symptoms of acne and do not repair the damage within the skin. So why waste your money on expensive products when you can get a holistic treatment in your own home?

Following are some home remedies that have proven to be the best acne solutions from time immemorial.

- An All Fruit Diet: Eliminate the toxins from your body and rejuvenate your system by resorting to an all fruit diet for a week every month. Focus only on fresh, juicy fruits like apricot, apples, grapefruit, guava, olive, papaya, pears and pineapples. This will not only cleans your system but also improve your vitality.

- Go Green: Give the pizza and ice cream the dump. Opt for fresh green vegetables instead. These are rich in essential vitamin and minerals and help in detoxification.

- Water Baths: A hot Epsom salt bath taken two-times a week may prove to be beneficial. Alternatively, bathing the affected area with Castile and Calendula extract mixed with warm water can be beneficial.

- Steam Bath: Local application of hot fomentation should open up the pores draw out the waste material. A hot steam application should always be followed with rinsing with cold water to close the open pores.

- Heal the Body: Correct the diseases inside your body to cure the acne. Beetroot is extremely beneficial for the liver. The herb milk thistle protects the liver. Keeping the liver healthy will in turn help prevent acne. Apples and Psyllium husk are excellent for cleansing the bowels and preventing build-up of mycotoxin producers.

- Cooking Procedure: All food that you eat should be low in oil content. Do not fry your food, try baking or grilling instead. Stick to lean meat products - poultry items and fishes like cod or salmon.

- Fenugreek: Boil fenugreek seeds in water and apply the extract on the face to cure acne.

- Exfoliate using baking soda: Form a paste of baking soda with water and use it as a scrub. Massage gently, not more than 15 seconds.

- Vinegar: Balance your skin pH and eliminate acne-causing bacteria by the application of diluted vinegar or apple juice on your face, after cleaning and drying it properly. - Acne

Apple a day

Acne - An Apple a Day May Keep Acne Away

There has been much debate whether eating greasy foods cause acne. Many experts could debate this for hours. Many a scientist would agree acne is caused by bacteria clogging pores I also believe what we eat may influence acne along with other things such as hormones, anxiety and other internal triggers.

The skin is our body's largest organ and it aids the other organs with getting rid of waste. There are some foods that can help our body get rid of waste which in turn will help prevent acne.

The liver has the responsibility to remove hormones and toxins from the body. Our hormones act as an instruction manual to the body. Our hormones are what tell our skin to produce oils. If our liver is overloaded with toxins then it can not work properly which in turn will cause acne.

The good news is there are allot of foods that can help the body eliminate toxins. One of the best foods is apples. Apples are good because they help sweep out the junk in our bodies. One herb that can help clear toxins is milk thistle. I advise people to eat foods that contain large amounts of vitamins A and E. These vitamins aid the body with the removal of toxins.

Implementing these foods into your diet along with washing the face two times per day can lead to a decrease in acne and perhaps even prevent it from occurring. If you are current acne suffer then see my resource box for the way to make acne vanish in three days.