The Adulthood Acne Myth

by Danielle Weiser

Your parents probably mentioned on several occasions to quit picking at your pimples. They probably also told you to end the nonsense when you asked if you could schedule a visit with the dermatologist. They said you would "grow out" of it. In modern times, numerous parents take the same approach. They have other things to worry about, including that possible promotion at work and when they will have time to take the car to the mechanic.

Sadly, few have thought of reworking the approach. How much water does this notion actually hold? After all, more and more adults are reporting cases of acne on a yearly basis. Could it just be possible that acne doesn't vanish during adulthood as we would all like to believe?

Acne arises when the pores get clogged with dead skin cells. The oil that our sebaceous glands produce becomes trapped in the pore, and begins to fuel a multiplication frenzy among p. acnes bacteria. With a sudden rise in bacteria counts, the body reacts by inducing inflammation. At a basic level, acne is just the body's immune response to the p. acnes bacteria duplicating. The skin's failure to properly shed dead cells can be caused by a variety of factors.

An abnormal shedding cycle is but one of these factors. Unhealthy sebum composition causing the dead cells to clump together is yet another risk factor. Hormones, genetics, and eating habits can control oil quality and shedding. But other variables can also be intertwined. With all this in mind, there is little reason to assume that any child will be relieved of acne after entering adulthood.

If you suffered at the hands of this disorder as a child, and now continue to do so as an adult, a visit to the dermatologist may provide you the relief which you have long desired. The treatments range from topical medications that improve shedding and control bacteria, to oral medications that outright stop oil production. Your physician will asses your response to the treatments and assign you a modified course of treatment as necessary. It?s often advised against trying to wait acne out as scars can acne scars can arise, which are unsightly and expensive to repair. So it is best to take action immediately if possible.

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October 11 2009 | Acne | No Comments »

Moisturizing Acne-Prone Skin

by Amy Ried

Moisturizer is probably the most underappreciated component to your everyday acne regimen. We all know that cleanser is important, as it removes dirt and oil from our skin, and the topical medication is obviously essential. However, most of us figure that we don't need moisturizer.

For most people, it makes little sense to moisturize our skin when it is already oily. It seems this would make the problem worse if anything. If this dilemma caused you to completely eliminate moisturizer from your regimen, you may be missing out on clear skin. The smallest details can have an immense bearing on the success of your treatment.

To this day, people continue to buy the notion that oily skin is what causes acne. No part of this statement is true. If you look hard enough, you can find hundreds of people with a clear complexion that have oily skin. So, why is this statement held as credible? Oily skin happens to coincide with another condition, dry skin. The body produces additional amounts of oil (or sebum) when our skin is not hydrated or dry. So it is not the oil that creates the problem, but rather the irritation from the lack of moisture. Oil is not moisture, it just helps seal in whatever existing moisture there is. Irritation and acne do not make for a nice combination.

What people unknowingly do when they rule out moisturizer is deprive their skin of much needed moisture. Your skin suffers even more from the ordeal when you use cleansers and acne topicals. You are doing it a big disservice by choosing not to use a moisturizing product.

The bottom line is this. If you've been negligent in sticking to your regimen, as outlined by the instructions included in you acne treatment kit, or those provided by your dermatologist, you need to reform your habits now. An immense improvement can come about. Apply a non-comedogenic moisturizer before or after your acne topical and your skin will eventually stop pestering you with new breakouts.

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October 10 2009 | Acne | 1 Comment »

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