Acne Skin Treatments

Acne Treatments
Rule #1: When in doubt, don't take chances with your skin. Seek a dermatologist's help. If your problem is more than just oily skin or a few blackheads, whiteheads, or pimples, this is the first and most important rule. Permanent scarring can result from neglected or improperly treated acne, particularly if you have a moderately severe or very severe acne problem.

Rule #2: Don't overscrub your skin. A gentle soapand-water cleansing once or twice daily, even if you have very oily skin, is all you generally need to keep your skin feeling and looking clean. Mild soaps, such as Lowila, Purpose, Dove, and Neutrogena are good for this purpose. So-called acne soaps; abrasive soaps (those containing abrasive particles), alkaline soaps, and deodorants soaps should be avoided. They don't clean your skin any better, and they may make your skin overly dry and tight. Furthermore, since soaps by their very nature are designed to be lathered onto your skin and then immediately washed off, any potentially valuable active antiacne ingredients that may be incorporated into them have insufficient contact time with your skin to be beneficial.

Keeping your face moist and supple enough to tolerate the use of real antiacne medications is a key point to remember. As you learned in the previous chapter, most currently available acne medications have the unfortunate side effect of leaving your skin slightly dry. Combined with the use of acne medications, superscrubbing can make you excessively and uncomfortably dry, particularly during the harsher and drier autumn and winter seasons. Even worse, the combination of excessively dry skin and persistent, active acne can be painful. In addition, if you have dark skin, dryness can leave your skin whitish and flaky-looking.

Drying out your skin by too harsh or too frequent cleansing can also initiate a vicious circle. People with overly washed skin often attempt to treat their dryness by applying heavy, oily moisturizing lotions and cosmetics after washing. Many of these products worsen acne by clogging pores and causing more breakouts. These flare-ups are, in turn, frequently met by still more vigorous washing; the cycle continues unless the excessive washing is stopped and replaced by gentle cleansing.

Rule #3: When selecting cosmetics, choose oil-free moisturizers, water-based or gel foundation makeups, and powder or gel blushes. In general, if you follow these guidelines, it matters little which brands you choose. Many American cosmetic houses test their products to be sure that they are noncomedogenic (nonacne-producing).


		Rule #4: Avoid using astringents. Astringents are alcohol- or acetone-containing lotions that are supposed to dissolve excess skin oils and surface dirt and leave your skin feeling fresher and tighter. Unfortunately, overuse of astringents can result in dryness and flakiness. If you do choose to use astringents, use them judiciously. You may find them especially useful at times when you perspire heavily, such as following strenuous exercise or during extremely hot, humid weather. In general, regular soap-and-water cleansing is an effective way to manage oily skin. If you find that the oils reappear soon after cleaning, try blotting your skin periodically with a soft facial tissue to remove the excess oil. If you find simple blotting insufficient to control oiliness, you may try swabbing your face periodically with an individually packaged alcohol towelette (the kind your doctor uses to clean your skin before an injection). Alcohol towelettes are sterile and convenient to carry in your pocket or purse for use during the day as needed. If you prefer, you may also use plain witch hazel for this purpose or the commercial astringent Seba-Nil lotion. Rule #5: Avoid using abrasive scrub brushes, polyester sponges, or washcloths to clean your skin. Like strong soaps or astringents, they simply contribute to dryness and irritation while providing little real benefit. Moreover, stretching the skin with these items can rupture whiteheads under the surface, further aggravating your condition. Rule #6: Don't pick, squeeze, or scratch your pimples or whiteheads. Many parents make a crusade of this rule with their children. The temptation to "pop" your pimple will be great, but don't give in. Squeezing your pimples will often cause unsightly stains on your skin, which may persist for many weeks. Even worse, squeezing may cause permanent scarring. Finally, squeezing can break the skin and allow a secondary bacterial infection to occur. Home \| Acne \| Acne Blemishes\| Acne Effects\| Acne Causes\| Acne Myths\| Acne Treatments\| Acne Medications\| Acne Medicines\| Acne Antibiotic Treatments\| Accutane Acne Treatment\| Other Acne Treatments\| Sitemap © 2009 amyantiaging.com. All Rights Reserved.
	Acne Treatments Rule #1: When in doubt, don't take chances with your skin. Seek a dermatologist's help. If your problem is more than just oily skin or a few blackheads, whiteheads, or pimples, this is the first and most important rule. Permanent scarring can result from neglected or improperly treated acne, particularly if you have a moderately severe or very severe acne problem. Rule #2: Don't overscrub your skin. A gentle soapand-water cleansing once or twice daily, even if you have very oily skin, is all you generally need to keep your skin feeling and looking clean. Mild soaps, such as Lowila, Purpose, Dove, and Neutrogena are good for this purpose. So-called acne soaps; abrasive soaps (those containing abrasive particles), alkaline soaps, and deodorants soaps should be avoided. They don't clean your skin any better, and they may make your skin overly dry and tight. Furthermore, since soaps by their very nature are designed to be lathered onto your skin and then immediately washed off, any potentially valuable active antiacne ingredients that may be incorporated into them have insufficient contact time with your skin to be beneficial. Keeping your face moist and supple enough to tolerate the use of real antiacne medications is a key point to remember. As you learned in the previous chapter, most currently available acne medications have the unfortunate side effect of leaving your skin slightly dry. Combined with the use of acne medications, superscrubbing can make you excessively and uncomfortably dry, particularly during the harsher and drier autumn and winter seasons. Even worse, the combination of excessively dry skin and persistent, active acne can be painful. In addition, if you have dark skin, dryness can leave your skin whitish and flaky-looking. Drying out your skin by too harsh or too frequent cleansing can also initiate a vicious circle. People with overly washed skin often attempt to treat their dryness by applying heavy, oily moisturizing lotions and cosmetics after washing. Many of these products worsen acne by clogging pores and causing more breakouts. These flare-ups are, in turn, frequently met by still more vigorous washing; the cycle continues unless the excessive washing is stopped and replaced by gentle cleansing. Rule #3: When selecting cosmetics, choose oil-free moisturizers, water-based or gel foundation makeups, and powder or gel blushes. In general, if you follow these guidelines, it matters little which brands you choose. Many American cosmetic houses test their products to be sure that they are noncomedogenic (nonacne-producing).