Popular Acne Remedies and Tips for a Healthy Skin

Acne is a common skin disease that affects many adolescents although it can also affect adults. If left untreated it can become very severe so always consult a dermatologist who will provide the best advise. Acne remedies that may be prescribed include topical bactericides, oral antibiotics, topical antibiotics and topical and oral retinoids. Acne is caused by changing hormone levels that increase the amount of sebum produced by the sebaceous glands in the skin. Overproduction of the sebum causes dust and dirt to be attracted to the pores and provides an ideal place for bacteria to thrive. Acne can last for many years and cause scarring, inflammation, pimples, pain and embarrassment.

In addition to prescribed medications there are many over-the-counter preparations that can be used. However not all over-the-counter acne remedies have been thoroughly tested to ensure they work and all will take from a few weeks to several months to effectively treat acne.

Popular acne remedies work by a combination of preventing blockage of the pores, killing bacteria that cause acne, reducing inflammation and in some cases changing the hormone levels. To ensure any acne remedies you use have the best chance of working effectively you should also put into practice some of the tips we detail below. It is important that you keep your skin clean and have a healthy diet to ensure that you have adequate nutrients for healthy skin.

Topical Bactericides

Many of the over-the-counter remedies include benzoyl peroxide which has been shown to be effective for mild and moderate acne. Most of the products that contain benzoyl peroxide contain between 2% and 10% of the active ingredient and are available as soaps, creams, washes or gels. Benzoyl peroxide is a bactericide that kills the bacteria that causes acne. It does however have some side effects including irritation, redness and dryness. If you have very sensitive skin that reacts to the benzoyl peroxide you may like to try tea tree oil as an alternative. Although not as effective as benzoyl peroxide, if used correctly it is gentler on the skin and does not have so many side effects.

Oral Antibiotics

Some antibiotics that kill the bacteria that cause acne include erythromycin, tetracycline and oxytetracycline. Although they kill the bacteria they do not deal with the overproduction of sebum causes the blocked pores in the first place. The bacteria are also becoming resistant to many antibiotics. It is not unusual for acne symptoms to recur after the course of antibiotics is finished. All antibiotics also have some side effects as they kill all bacteria indiscriminately including the bacteria in the digestive tract. This can cause digestive problems including diarrhea. They can also affect oral contraceptives. They are usually used only when other treatments have failed to bring the acne under control.

Topical and Oral Retinoids

Retinoids are derivatives of vitamin A and have proved effective at treating acne as they prevent the overproduction of keratin which leads to blocked pores. Some forms of topical retinoids are only available on prescription but retinol is available in over-the-counter products. All of the topical retinoids have some side effects including redness, irritation and itching of the skin but these are usually very temporary and disappear in a few days. Oral retinoids, available on prescription include isotretinoin which has been found to significantly improve acne when used over a few months. It should be used under supervision of a dermatologist as there can be some significant side effects. None are the retinoids should be used if you are pregnant or nursing as their safety has not been established.

Light Treatment

A newer treatments involves the use of intense light on the skin. It has been found that purple light in the range 450 to 420 nm or red light at 600 nm can improve acne lesions by about 70%. One theory about how it works is that porphyrins that are present in the bacteria produce free radicals in the presence of intense light in these ranges. The free radicals produced then kill the bacteria. So far there appear to be no side effects with this treatment but it is relatively new and not thoroughly proved. In addition the equipment is very expensive.

As well as using acne remedies on your face is important that you eat healthily. Follow our tips below to make sure your diet contains adequate nutrients, minerals and vitamins.

What You Should Eat and Drink

1. Drink at least eight glasses of water every day.
2. Eat at least five servings of vegetables and fruit every day. Preferably eat red, orange or yellow fruit, green vegetables, the onions and garlic.
3. Two of three times a week eat oily fish.
4. Every day eat low fat, natural, live yogurt.
5. Eat plenty of whole grains, lentils, beans and root vegetables.
6. Instead of vegetable oils used small amounts of olive oil.
7. In preference to red meat, eat fish or chicken.
8. Restrict tea and coffee to one cup a day, drinks and fruit teas or herb teas instead.

What You Should Restrict or Cut Out

1. Limit your consumption of alcohol. Preferably completely.
2. Restrict the amount of sugar you eat. Avoid soft drinks, cakes and desserts that are full of sugar.
3. Avoid any foods that contain white flour.
4. Avoid foods that contain additives.
5. Avoid saturated fats.
6. Do not smoke.

Seed Newsvine

Bookmark this article in your preferred program

Comments

Add Comment

Popular Articles in this cathegory

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.