Before you read this article, I am duty-bound to tell you that this article is for women only (though I am sure men will be curious to read it)!

To take or not to take birth control pills for controlling acne is a very sensitive topic, if not controversial! Is taking birth control pills to control acne is right for you? How does birth control pill work on acne? Can hormones in the birth control pill stop acne from forming? At least thousands of such mad trains must be rushing the mind of a woman, who is consuming the pills with the twin important purposes! Every pill creates fresh doubts, fears and complications in her thought process. Because research on this subject is still a kindergarten stuff and the fear of side-effects hang prominently in her mind.

Moral aspect of taking birth control pills is in itself a never ending debating topic. If it is intended to control acne, why it should be related to birth control pills? The alliance looks unholy. Is it considered as a cost-saving device? And if the birth control pills were to fail from the original purpose for which they are intended and acne appears on the face, who will protect the psychological balance of that women? One such bad case, is sufficient to pour cold water on the result of thousand good cases!

The skin of many acne prone women have responded positively and have indeed showed marked improvement, thanks to the intake of birth control pills. For the glow of the skin, women are likely to consider that no sacrifice, no experiment is great. What checks can be applied if such individuals start consuming birth control pills, to whom they are not intended at all! Apart from the humor element involved in these observations, over the years this problem is going to assume serious dimensions and certain tangible steps will have to be well thought out to check this.

When you take mild dose of contraceptives orally, estrogen-related side effects- headache, nausea and breast tenderness- may show their weak presence. The weight gain is also low.

So do you take birth control pills with the cure of acne in your mind? Make your decision very carefully taking into account the risk factors. Just for the greed of curing acne, why to risk your body to heart attack, cancer of the breast or blood clots? If you are a smoker, the condition will still be worse. Your present state of depression may be due to this pill-taking! Many more side effects are waiting in the wings to take over-fluid retention, dark skin patches, bleeding in the vagina, to quote a few.

So, do you want a clear mind or a clear skin? The bargain may prove too hard, that it may give rise to psychological problems. Therefore, take each pill and put each step forward, with utmost caution, firstly by preparing your mind very well.

For, this is a mind over matter topic. Therefore, CAUTION!

This time, you need to consult not only the dermatologist, but your dear gynecologist first!

Best Way to Prevent Acne

In most cases, the teenage years are when most people experience the greatest amount of acne. This is due to hormone level fluctuations and increased sebum (oil) production. The perfect recipe for acne!

So, what is a teenager to do? Prevention is the name of the game when it comes to acne and teens. Unfortunately, because there is no cure for acne, prevention and control are the only things a teenager can do to control acne.

The first step, is to get on a proven acne prevention routine such as the one discussed on our acne prevention page. The next step is to utilize products that minimize acne you may already have and reduces the likelihood of future outbreaks. Those really are the two most important things a teenager can do to combat acne.

If these steps do not work, then a visit to the doctor or dermatologist may be in order. Stronger treatments like antibiotics and Accutane may be needed- only a doctor can know for sure.

For most teens though, simply following the cleanse-treat-protect routine combined with using high-quality acne treatments will be effective in minimizing acne.

There sure is a lot of confusion out there regarding acne prevention. Some people say to scrub your face all day, eat the right foods, avoid sweat, exercise, and on and on. Unfortunately, these have nothing to do with acne prevention.

he numbers really tell the story when it comes to adult acne. 25% of men between the ages of 25 and 44 experience acne. With women the numbers are even higher- nearly 50% of all women between the ages of 25 and 44 get acne.

These numbers tell a story many adult’s do not want to hear. It’s not just teenagers who get acne. Many adults will get recurrences in their 30s, 40s, and beyond.

Another important fact about adult acne is that it is more likely to leave permanent scars. This is because as skin ages it loses collagen, which is responsible for skin’s elasticity. So, with less collagen, it is harder for skin to “bounce back” after the tissue damage that acne can cause.

Acne prevention is best accomplished by following a skin care routine that incorporates three basic steps. In one form or another, the skin must be cleansed, treated, and protected. As long as these steps are followed, a person’s acne should improve.

Acne Prevention Step 1: Cleansing

Due to what we know about how acne is formed, it is pretty clear that it makes sense to gently cleanse your skin on a regular basis. This doesn’t mean scrubbing a way at your face 5 times a day. It means using a good cleansing product to gently wash away dead skin cells and impurities. Also, it doesn’t hurt if your cleanser contains proven acne fighters like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid.

Acne Prevention Step 2: Treatment

For optimum acne prevention, the skin must be treated with something that minimizes bacteria (like benzoyl peroxide) or slows down the shedding of skin cells (like salicylic acid). There are many fine manufacturers of these products who will provide guidelines as to how long these products should remain on the face and how often they should be used.

Acne Prevention Step Three: Protection

The last step in acne prevention is protection. By protection, we mean that the face should be properly moisturized and protected from the sun’s damaging rays. There are a great number of quality moisturizers available that contain sunscreens in them. Another thing to keep in mind, many acne treatments tend to dry out the skin a bit making moisturizers extra important.

There you have it, a simple 3 step plan for acne prevention.

Adult acne is an inflammatory skin disorder which is commonly seen in people aged between 30 and 50 years. The main aim of any best adult acne treatment should include prevention of scarring and clearance of acne.

Adult acne is an inflammatory skin disorder which is commonly seen in people aged between 30 and 50 years. Adult acne is more likely to be seen in people with fair skin. The exact reasons for adult acne is unknown but is believed to relate to the changes or imbalance in an individual’s body hormones. It is believed that the hormonal changes of an individual, at various times in his/her life, leads to the increases in the amount of oil in the skin which results to clogged pores or hair follicles in the skin. This leads waste particles to build up under the surface of one’s skin which becomes infected by bacteria and generates acne or the spots suffered by acne sufferers.

Hence the main aim of any best adult acne treatment should include prevention of scarring, clearance of acne, and morbidity minimization. Acne sufferers must be advised to cleanse their skin gently using a non-comedogenic moisturizer. It is also advisable not to use harsh skin products and avoid picking and rubbing the skin. Consuming more amount of water can also help skin stay healthy.

People who are suffering with mild to severe adult acne can be treated with tropical or oral medicines. For severe form of adult acne systemic therapy is mainly used. A wide assortment of systemic agents used to clear adult acne includes isotretinoin, interlesional corticosteroid injection, oral contraceptives, and oral antibiotics (tetracycline and erythromycin).

In United States, some of the most popular prescription topical antimicrobials used to treat adult acne include benzoyl peroxide, azelaic acid, erythromycin, clindamycin, and sodium sulfacetamide. Some of the various types of prescription topical retinoids used in the treatment of adult acne include tazarotene, adapalene, and tretinoin.

Most treatments for adult acne are similar to ordinary acne. Remember not every popular adult acne products work well for everyone. It is always a better idea to consult your physician before you choose any adult acne treatment.

Acne is a problem that is more than skin deep. The best treatment for acne will involve nutrition and herbs both internally and externally. In addition to these two elements, the control of acne requires thorough, gentle cleansing. Therefore, there are three steps to beautiful clear skin – internal treatment, external treatment, and cleansing.

The best internal treatment for acne will be one that contains herbal medications. These require no prescription. Many other medications for acne control do require a prescription, and can only be used for severe cases. In addition, many of these prescription medications have serious side effects. Some, like Accutane, have been found to cause depression, and even suicide. Herbs, on the other hand, are natural, gentle, and effective.

The external part of a good acne control system must have certain characteristics as well. For one thing it needs to not be a drying formula, and yet it needs to control the oil in your skin. It should be able to be used on either a severe case or a mild case. It should contain botanical ingredients that heal and strengthen the cellular structure of your skin. The cleanser should remove extra sebum, the natural oil in your skin, which contains the bacteria that cause acne.

The other part of a good quality acne control system is a lotion or gel to treat the blemishes after cleansing the face. This product should be able to unplug the pores. It also should fight the bacteria that causes acne. It should also be formulated with a transdermal delivery system so that the helpful, natural ingredients are absorbed into the skin thoroughly.

Why do you get acne? The actual outer layer of skin is dead, but under this thin layer called the epidermis, the cells are alive and multiplying. Normally your skin is shedding the old cells and replacing them with new ones. The problem happens when too many dead skin cells clump together with the natural skin oils, called sebum, and cause the pores to get clogged.

Acne is a skin disorder that actually starts two or three weeks before the blemish appears. The beginning is the clogging of the pore. The natural bacteria that live on the skin begin to multiply inside the pore since the excess oils can’t get out. Since the body is fighting bacteria, white blood cells arrive on the scene, and inflammation is the result.

Obviously, frequent cleansing is an important step in acne control, since the extra skin cells and oils need to be removed in order to keep them from clogging the pores in the first place. But washing too often can be drying to the skin. For these reasons, skin cleansers need to be very gentle.

There’s a lot more to learn about acne treatments, and you can do it at http://www.natural-acne-treatment.info

Even though natural acne treatments take time to cure, it is found to have a long lasting effect.

Natural cures are the best treatment for acne mainly because they are devoid of any side effects. Acne is an inflammatory disease involving the sebaceous glands of the skin. The oil produced by the gland gets clogged and this in turn results in papules, pustules and comedones.

The treatment for acne can start in your home. Changing the diet to include large amount of vegetables and fruits is a proven acne treatment. Skin reflects what is happening inside the body. Avoiding junk and processed food to a large extend can be very useful in the treatment of acne. If followed strictly, change in dietary habits can be the best treatment for acne.

Vitamin A, Vitamin E and Pantothenic Acid are essential for a healthy skin. These vitamins prevent acne and the development of scars. One of the best treatments for acne includes eating food and vitamin supplements rich in these vitamins.

Applying a paste of sandalwood and fresh basil leaves on the face is a proven natural treatment for acne. The clogging of the skin oil which leads to acne is caused by particular bacteria. Applying witch hazel after washing of the face and shower can eliminate the harmful bacteria. Another best treatment for acne is applying a paste of crushed strawberry leaves.

The best natural acne treatments mainly improve the immune system of the body so that it can build up natural defense mechanisms against the harmful bacteria. Cleaning your skin by natural methods can prevent acne to a large extent. While cleaning your skin make sure that you don’t use any chemicals. Hydrated skin is a major cause of acne. Drinking lot of water can keep your skin healthy and it also helps in removing toxins. Try to avoid taking nails to your acne as it passes bacteria and leads to scarring.

If followed with care and attention, the best treatment for acne is through natural means.

Young people don’t require much of a reason to be mean to each other and acne has been a longstanding source of peer-based cruelty.

If you suffer from acne, it’s a safe bet you’ve tried creams. Face it, most of the time they don’t work. You may try makeup, but someone always seems to notice.

There will always be those who have theories as to why you have acne. While opinions vary, there are some things that can help you feel better about yourself and maintain a healthy lifestyle in the midst of acne frustration.

Spending time participating in physical activities and being responsive to a healthy diet may go a long way in giving your body the boost it needs to help provide the overall wellbeing you need during adolescence and beyond.

Participating in physical activities may also prove beneficial in other areas. You may have heard that stress is a condition that intensifies acne production. There are three responses to stress that you should consider.

1.You can do nothing.

2.Your physician may prescribe a drug to reduce your stress.

3.You can participate in meaningful activities to reduce your stress.

Doing nothing relegates you to victim status while the downside of a prescription drug is that, not only is it costly, but many of these stress-reducing drugs actually contribute to acne production. This leaves ‘meaningful activities’ as the best source of stress relief.

Sugar may not be the source for acute acne problems; however, excessive sugar is associated with the rise in blood sugars which may cause inflammation in the skin and a correlating rise in acne production.

While washing your face is an important part of personal hygiene, it may do little to actually eliminate acne production. Facial cleansing is a topical approach, while acne is produced in a different way. “Acne is a disorder resulting from the action of hormones and other substances on the skin’s oil glands and hair follicles. These factors lead to plugged pores and outbreaks of lesions commonly called pimples or zits.” (Department of Health and Human Services)

The Department of H.H.S. also admits, “Although acne is usually not a serious health threat, it can be a source of significant emotional distress.” Source: Questions and Answers AboutAcne)

When you struggle with acne you are very aware of the emotional distress it can cause in both personal opinions and social situations.

The truth is acne is a normal part of adolescence and can follow many into adulthood. The food you eat, the amount of stress you have, the cleanliness of your face may have some bearing on your facial blemishes, but you do have options.

The real question you may be asking yourself is, “If acne will still form despite my best efforts, what is my next line of defense?” Knowledge is always a powerful tool in when you are seeking solutions.

The Zeno Acne Clearing Device works in ways traditional creams and oral treatments do not. When you apply cream or take a pill the results may ultimately be positive, but it can take several days for results to be noticed. Zeno can be used at the first sign of acne. The attractive hand held Zeno Device has a battery powered heating unit that warms the tip of the device to a temperature that kills acne bacteria when applied directly at the source of the outbreak. The Zeno Device can be used 2-3 times daily at about 2 minute per treatment.

Serious acne may require a doctor’s visit, but for mild to moderate acne, the Zeno Acne Clearing Device may be the right tool to help you feel better about yourself, put your best face forward, and get back into the game of life stress free.

If you happen to be searching for the best acne treatments, before you choose your treatment I would suggest that you take a little memory trip back to your teen years, and assess how your skin used to be back then.

For individuals still in their teens, I would recommend that you check and see what is going on in your life right now, and see what may be different or has changed prior to you having your problem skin!

I know most of you may think that it’s all part of nature, or it’s part of your family genetics, and you would like to find that miracle cure! However, the true problem may exist because of your lifestyle choices, and until you fully understand why you’re currently experiencing severe blemish breakouts, or increased blackheads in your pores, you can then follow the cycle of your consistent outbreaks that cause you to feel helpless in your battle.

It’s a fact that our society is placing more pressures on students, and many working individuals. Schools are placing more study loads on the student, and the business industry is downsizing, causing more hours to be placed on the employees! What this does to your body and your mind is that it places an incredible load of stress on you, as well as the affects, which can easily change your daily lifestyle.

You may be asking, how does this all come into play with my acne condition, and how do I connect these facts to my acne treatment?

There are many studies out today indicating that “stress” and the way you take care of your body, and the products you may be using are a contributing factor to your pimples and blackheads. If you can look back when you had good skin and see what you may have been doing differently, you could hopefully make some lifestyle changes for the better. With these changes, you could possibly see positive results, and avoid having to take acne medications prescribed by your dermatologist.

There are many elements that can be contributing to your skin blemishes, and the ingredients in the select treatment product you’re using can also be the cause of your skin irritation, which is causing your reoccurring pimple breakouts. So let’s look at some topics that have come up in some studies, and see if we can clarify some of the elements that may be affecting your current lifestyle.

Facial Medications, Caffeine, Stress, And The Sun! What Do They Have In Common, And How Does It Affect Your Blemish Situation?

I’m not a doctor, and I don’t have any professional skin care background, but what I do have is a common sense approach to issues. When I read about certain acne products, and also the food and drink we consume on a daily basis, plus the type of life we live makes sense to me when we mix it all together and try and link it to our skin condition.

First we should talk about coffee, pop and alcohol, and see what the connection is to skin problems. In my opinion, the way I interpret coffee, pop and alcohol is that they contribute several elements to your body that assist in major changes to your skin.

Caffeine and sugar in coffee and pop, plus alcohols are partial diuretics that assist in drawing more water out of your body than bringing water back in, plus they’re a stimulant and can prevent you from getting the recommended amount of sleep that your body needs, which ranges from at least 7 to 8 hours per night. What this all means is that by consuming these products daily, they could be changing the entire dynamics of your body, and affecting you dramatically without you even realizing the changes.

What happens is this: your body may become over stimulated with all these items going through your system, and either consumed separately or in combination, your skin may seriously become affected by these products. Depending on your body’s tolerance level, your reactions could be reflected by the daily consumption.

Let’s look at the connection of the cleansers, creams, and acne cosmetics you’re currently using, and see why some may not work to prevent your acne breakouts or increased blackheads. When taking a common sense approach to the ingredients, avoid any product that will shrink your pores! Now this information may contradict products that say they reduce pore size, and make them look less visible.

What that means I don’t know. But when you think about it for a moment, if you have a product that shrinks your pores, that’s going to increase the chance that you will have more oil trapped in your skin. The more of the skin’s oil that is potentially blocking your pores, the higher chance you’re going to form blackheads and whiteheads, plus the trapped oil will be tasty food for bacteria that feeds off the oil and dead skin, eventually turning it into a nasty blemish. Think about that, and if it makes sense to you, then avoid products that have any astringent agents in them.

The sun is one that I have been very confused about for a long time, but again when it was explained to me, it made total sense, and now I really understand the benefits and the damages it can cause. The sun actually can help you in your battle on acne; however, the time you spend in the sun can make the big difference. I found out that the sun actually aids in killing bacteria on your skin, but you should limit your time to approximately 15 minutes per day, because when you spend long periods of time in the sun, it will eventually dry and reduce the pores in your skin. Now like above, what happens when the pores shrink? Absolutely, trapped oil and the formation of zits!

Stress, in my opinion, is the biggest contributor to your body’s lifestyle changes, and believe it or not, it seems to tie in with everything above, because stress is caused by many elements from the types of food you consume, to the everyday lifestyle you lead with your work and play.

Again, I’m not a doctor, but even with my own body I notice that if I don’t get enough sleep, or I worry about a project that has to be completed, and the everyday choices I make in cleaning my skin all is in some way a contributor to stress, and the changes in my body. So when you sit back and see if you can adjust anything in the way you live your life for the better, you may be on the right track to not only a healthier lifestyle, but also clearer, blemish free skin!