Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Steps to Managing Acne Prone Skin

Steps to Managing Acne Prone Skin

The first logical step in caring for acne prone skin is good hygiene. Keeping your skin clean and free from oil is the first step to caring for your acne. Gentle washing with a mild cleanser once or twice a day, but be careful not to over do it. Excessive or too vigorous washing can actually damage your skin or make your acne worse.

Your next step is insuring that you are getting proper nutrition by eating a balanced diet. Your body needs a healthy immune system to stave off infections. The inflammation that accompanies acne is tiny infections within your skin. Having said that, a balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains are essential to clear and healthy skin.

For men, being careful while shaving. Be careful not to shave directly over your blemishes, as this can aggravate your acne even further. The use of a electric shaver is probably a better choice than a razor and certainly better than face full of band aids.

Women should be careful when using makeup. Select makeups specifically designed for use for acne prone skin. Newer cosmetics are designed not to clog pores and some even contain bacteria fighting medications. Read labels and select cosmetics that are "noncomedogenic" which means that it does not clog pores.

Adding a good face wash designed to fight bacteria or remove dead skin cells is also highly recommended. Many over the counter face washes contain either Benz peroxide or salicylic acid, which is used to combat acne. Both of these acne medications approach acne in a different way.

Benzine peroxide acts as an antiseptic reducing the number of surface bacteria and skin yeasts. One advantage of benzine peroxide is that the bacteria does not develop resistance to it. Used over and over again, benzine peroxide will continue to kill acne bacteria. It will also reduce inflammation and cut down on excess oil.

Salicylic acid on the other hand, slows down the shedding of skin cells. Since acne is formed when the skin cells shed too fast and clump together inside hair follicles, the use of salicylic acid prevent the pores from getting clogged. Its also helps to breakdown both blackheads and whiteheads.

Adding a visit to a dermatologist is a must for people with acne prone skin. Your dermatologist will determine the type of acne that you have and may prescribe oral antibiotics. Tetracycline is most commonly prescribed antibiotic used to treat acne, along with erythromycin and masculine. Erythromycin has the added benefit of reducing redness, while motorcycling has a side effect of pigmented deposits in the skin. As with all antibiotics, the downside is that the bacteria they target may develop a resistance after prolonged use.

Many dermatologists are in the opinion that topical antibiotics are better suited for acne control as they kill the bacteria directly in the pores. Topical erythromycin seems to work well, and others include Bicycling, and clindamycin. If used as directed acne suffers should see results over time. Remember that in dealing with acne prone skin, no acne treatment will give you instant results. It is persistence and adhering to your acne regime that will ultimately lead you to healthy, clearer skin.


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Tuesday, February 16, 2010

5 Daily Skin Care Tips For Acne Prone Skin

5 Daily Skin Care Tips For Acne Prone Skin


Oily, combination, and acne prone skin types benefit from constant and consistent daily skin care. Controlling acne requires proper treatment and there are certain dos and don'ts. Furthermore, limiting aggravation to the skin is a must in your daily skin care routine, so it is necessary to understand the importance of following certain guidelines.

Acne outbreak occurrences are mainly the result of clogged pores, excess natural skin oil (sebum) production, and hereditary factors. Words like "comedo, papule, nodule, pustule and cysts" are used to describe acne and these developments can be upsetting and disfiguring if proper daily skin care is not implemented.

Here are some daily skin care guidelines to help you reduce acne:

• Cleanse not more than twice daily. Gently cleanse the affected area with non-abrasive, alcohol-free cleansers. Do avoid harsh scrubbing. Instead, gently apply the cleanser with your fingertips and then rinse with lukewarm water. Dab your face dry with a soft towel.

• Be careful to avoid acne skin care taboos. Astringents and exfoliators, though thought to be daily skin care items, are not good for acne prone skin. Furthermore, they can aggravate the skin and make it more difficult to tolerate acne medication that is being prescribed by dermatologists. So, it is best to avoid these while being treated for acne.

Also, tanning is thought to help get rid of acne, but this is a myth that is not only doesn't help acne, but is also bad for skin. The sun, tanning beds, and sun lamps all emit UV rays.

• Do not touch your face unnecessarily Applying makeup or removing gunk from your eye is one thing, but picking, pinching, and popping pimples are definitely a 'no-no' in your daily skin care regime. These activities only help to spreading germs. Another reason to avoid these things is that they increase scarring.

• Use the right make-up. An important rule in your daily skin care is to check if your cosmetics and moisturizers are oil-free and "noncomedogenic". This means that they do not clog or block the skin's pores. Cosmetics that are labeled "noncomedogenic" can be used as a base or under your acne medication/makeup.

• Use a sun block. If you think that daily skin care means getting your daily dose of sun, then you are mistaken! As stated earlier, too much sun actually works against your skin. This is particularly true for acne sufferers who use retinol treatments. Topical retinoids make the top layer of the skin thin and more open to the risks of developing melanoma and different skin cancers.

So, to be safe, liberally apply a sun block or sun screen that will give you protection from ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B rays. A sunscreen of SPF15 works well.



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Monday, February 8, 2010

I Found the Best Makeup Acne-Prone Skin Deserves

I Found the Best Makeup Acne-Prone Skin Deserves

As a teacher I find it utterly distressing to see how some teenagers can be so cruel to their class-mates, especially when it comes to pimples. I myself suffered from terrible acne as a teenager, so know all too well how much it can hurt to be ostracized over your looks.

When I was a girl, the type of makeup acne prone skin needed was no where to be found. The ones I tried were all so drying and cake-y that it was almost worse having the makeup on than just having my red face showing. The type of makeup acne prone skin does well with is one that is matte, but that doesn't dry out the skin in the process, because that's where the pancake look develops. Finding makeup acne prone skin can breathe through is important also, otherwise it will eventually make the acne worse. I learned it all through trial and error.

My acne eventually started to clear up in the last year of high-school, but the scars still remained, and I still sought makeup acne prone skin would love, because as yet I hadn't found a makeup acne prone skin would go well with. I had tried liquid foundations, creme-stick cover ups, powders, concealers, mineral makeup - practically everything there was, but nothing would do the job I needed.

I saw an infomercial for airbrush foundation on television one day, and thought it was just another gimmick until I saw what their 'paramedical' airbrushing kits could do. I mean these cases were far worse than mine, and the airbrushing covered everything seamlessly, from acne scarring to serious scars from burns. Tattoos were covered up, Races, birth marks - it seemed to be able to do a fantastic job at covering without actually looking like makeup. I wasn't sold right away, but I soon decided it was worth a shot - hadn't I already bought every other makeup out there anyhow?

When I got my kit it took a few goes to get the hang of the airbrush stylus, but I could see from the first application that this foundation was makeup acne prone skin would love. It covered the scarring from my acne perfectly, and had a dewy matte look which looked just like fresh skin, not a powdery caked on mess, but seamless coverage that I soon found out lasted all day.

Airbrush foundation is certainly makeup acne prone skin can deal with, and it won't make the acne worse. Even now when I have the occasional breakout I'm not fussed because my airbrushed foundation can handle it. I've taken it upon myself to give the girls in school who struggle with acne a hint about airbrushing foundation and that it is the best makeup acne prone skin can get. I really wish that I had known about airbrush foundation in high-school, but at least I have the chance to let some other girls know, and maybe save them from some of the trauma of having to go through high-school with acne.


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Monday, February 1, 2010

Acne-Prone Skin Care In 5 Simple Steps

Acne-Prone Skin Care In 5 Simple Steps

There are some people who are just unfortunate enough to have acne-prone skins. They may have the same lifestyle and hygienic regimen as other people, but they inexplicably end up with more pimples and acne symptoms. This means that the skin is really prone to the acne condition. Thus, people with acne-prone skin will have to be more careful in lifestyle choices and product use.

The Right Care For Acne-Prone Skin

Resignation to the reality of the acne prone skin will not help you in the long term. It would be better to be proactive in taking care of your skin problems. These are some of the measures that you can take.

1. Regularly Pamper the Skin

An acne-prone skin needs a lot of caring. You should pamper it. You do this by regularly washing your face with a gentle facial wash. You should also apply a toner to ensure that the pores will not be clogged after being opened up to cleansing.

Then keep in mind the moisturizer. Moisturizing remains the key to a beautiful and youthful skin. This way, after washing out the dirt in your face, you will not leave it all dry. Through this basic regimen, you can ensure that you are maintaining the good hygiene that your acne-prone skin needs.

2. Always Be Gentle

Most people will go on scrubbing their faces thinking that it helps get rid of the dirt faster. However, this is not a good practice. Scrubbing the face vigorously actually irritates the skin. It can worsen the condition of the pores and that is something you do not want to happen.

The key is to be gentle to the skin. When washing your face, be sure to gently massage your acne skin care product. Use warm water. Then use a soft towel to pat your skin dry.

Someone with acne-prone skin must be careful in choosing cosmetic products. It is best to stick with the ones that are gentle to the skin too. These products are often labeled as non-comedogenic. This will assure you that the product does not block your pores. Also, as a beauty tip, make sure you get rid of all the makeup stuff in your face before going to sleep.

3. Use Sun Protection

Make sure you are able to block your skin from harmful UV rays. This will help you avoid getting a bad sunburn. Keep in mind that your skin will be more prone to sunburn when you use acne-curing products. Protect your sensitive skin with the right sunblock. Use also the umbrella to shield yourself from the sun. You should also avoid using tanning products. These may temporarily hide your acne but they do no good to your overall skin condition.

4. Avoid Bad Habits

There are some bad habits that you have to avoid if you want to improve your skin condition and avoid acne problems. Pimples are detestable. However, do not go on popping or squeezing them. This is a bad habit that can worsen acne. Get your hands out of your face as much as possible. Your hands may have germs and bacteria that can infect your pimples. It is also wise not to maintain hair bangs. Your hair can irritate your facial skin just as your hands would.

5. Consult a Dermatologist

Finally, consulting a dermatologist is the surest way that you have to address your acne-prone skin care needs. The dermatologist can recommend good medication so that your skin problem will be minimized. He or she may also prescribe some antibiotics so that you will not be susceptible to infections.


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