Infant Acne: Gentle Treatments for Your Baby
May 1st, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
Acne is thought of as a skin disorder that mainly affects teenagers and young adults. However, adults as old a 65 have reported acne breakouts and children as young as one day old can also develop acne. This article focuses on infant acne and provides ways to gently treat delicate baby skin.
Causes of Infant Acne
Infant acne is very common. Babies may be born with acne or develop acne within 2 to 4 weeks of birth. This type of acne usually occurs on the chin and cheeks but may also appear on the baby’s forehead or back. Infant acne may present as red pimples or as whiteheads and is usually surrounded by reddish skin, or skin that appears flushed or irritated. Infant acne should not be confused with other common infant skin conditions such as milia or eczema. The acne will appear more severe when babies are hot, fussy, or when in contact with breast milk. Though wiping the face may make the condition seem worse, it normally resolves itself without medical treatment.
Causes of infant acne include everything from the mother’s hormones prior to giving birth, medications taken by the mother or the baby before or shortly after birth, and allergies to formula or breast milk. Though it can last from weeks to months, the condition does not cause babies any discomfort. A dermatologist should be consulted if the acne grows worse, is uncomfortable to the infant, or lasts over three to six months with no resolution. Parents should not overly concern themselves with their baby’s appearance as acne does not harm the baby though it may be a temporary imperfection.
Treatment of Infant Acne
Infant acne usually resolves itself within 4 to 6 months after birth. Some things that may exacerbate the condition include oils, rubbing the skin, or excessive cleansing. Infant acne is not caused by dirt, and over-washing the skin will only irritate the skin-and the infant. Washing the face with water or a mild cleanser once daily will keep the skin clean without causing irritation. Moisturizing the skin, particularly with lotions containing oil will cause more acne, so this should be avoided. Babies should be checked for skin or food allergies if acne worsens over time. A child dermatologist or pediatrician should be consulted if the acne does not resolve or if the infant has other ailments such as fever, excessive fussiness, or if acne contains pus or lesions. Acne treatment products for teenagers and adults should never be used to treat infant acne.
Do You Want to Know How to Get Rid of Acne? Follow These Steps
April 30th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
Acne is a common problem, and one that causes embarrassment as well as frustration. People can get acne all over their body, and it can even make them not wear certain clothes simply because the acne is so bad. So of course, it only makes sense that acne sufferers want to know how to get rid of acne.
How to Get Rid of Acne: The Key is Cleanliness
While acne is caused primarily by changing hormones, when it comes to how to get rid of acne for good, a person has to keep their skin clean at all times. You see, when a person has a particularly hectic lifestyle, that person tends to sweat. The sweat causes dirt to accumulate and clog pores, thus causing acne.
Of course, a person can be very clean and still have acne, so the next step in figuring out how to get rid of acne is to somehow incorporate the two. This can easily be done by using acne-cleansing body wash, a variety of which should be found at your local convenience store.
Something else you can try when figuring out how to get rid of acne is various skin lotions. Some of these lotions are designed to be mild, while others are rather strong. The key in any lotion of this kind is the salicylic acid, which cleans clogged pores and treats the acne infection.
Another key in figuring out how to get rid of acne is trying to live a stress-free lifestyle. Have you noticed a tendency to break out in acne when an event in your life is causing you stress? If not, pay attention to the changes in your skin, and try to work around stressful situations calmly.
One of the main acne causes is greasy food. Food that is high in fat content will literally seep through your pores and materialize as acne. So, be sure to limit your greasy food intake, and drink lots of water. Also, for a more relaxing acne prevention method, get a facial. Facials work wonders on clearing up skin while also leaving you feeling refreshed.
For more information on acne prevention, you need only go as far as your local bookstore. Popular women’s and men’s magazine often feature articles on the topic of acne, and offer effective ways on how to get clear skin. Also, consult a dermatologist if your acne is especially troublesome. Clear skin is a certain result with patience and the proper research!
A Horrific Hormonal Acne Problem
April 29th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
Acne is a problem most commonly seen in young adults and teenagers going through puberty. Perhaps this is why hormonal acne is most commonly associated with this age bracket. However, this kind of acne can affect people of all ages, and it is more likely to flair up when a person’s hormones are particularly active. Women, in fact, are most likely to be affected by the condition. There is no way to get rid of hormonal acne for good, but being aware of the warning signs can allow you to take steps to prevent a nasty breakout.
Getting Technical
If you want to get down to the root causes of hormonal acne, look at the specifics. The hormones that provoke acne flair ups are known as androgens. When these hormones are produced, they activate sebaceous glands, which then expand. Hormonal acne is, in simplest terms, over stimulated sebaceous glands. These glands produce the oily substance sebum, which collects and joins together with dead skin cells. The build up of sebum and dead skin is what we call a pimple.
Life Cycles
There are certain periods in one’s life when hormonal acne is more likely to be an issue. Obviously, the teen years are the primary time period. Women are also prone to hormonal acne when they are experiencing hormonal changes due to pregnancy, menstruation, or ovarian related sickness. For anyone, stress can be a major factor affecting the development of hormonal acne.
A Sign Of Warning
What can you look for as a key sign indicating that the acne you are experiencing could be caused by your hormones? Typically, this specific kind of acne is accompanied by other effects, including excessive hair growth, obesity, irregular menstruation, deepening of the voice, or infertility.
A Frustrating Process
Perhaps the most frustrating part of hormonal acne, for teens, women, as well as the few men who experience it, is that the condition does not often respond well to traditional treatments. Through other forms of acne can be treated with antibiotics, benzoyl peroxide, and retinoids, hormonal acne is a special case.
Recently, researchers have found that hormone therapy treatment can serve as a treatment for this type of acne. Because women with hormonal acne typically have increased hormone levels, hormone therapy is often the solution to the problem.
Stress Less
The simplest solution of all to the problem of hormonal acne is to stop stressing—it only leads to active hormones!
Homemade Acne Treatments Clean Area More Naturally
April 28th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
There is nothing worse in life for teenagers than a bad case of acne, but outbreaks can occur at any age for a variety of reasons. Many of the long-held believes that what a person eats is to blame for their skin blemishes, but research has shown that is not necessarily the case. A build up of dead skin, extra oily skin and clogged pores will contribute more to an acne outbreak than chocolate and pizza. Some of the homemade acne treatments being used are developed to help eliminate those problems, as well as the resulting acne.
Keeping the areas of skin clean that are prone to acne outbreaks such as the face, neck and back is the first, and possibly the most important of the homemade acne treatments available, but how it is kept clean is equally important. Using chemical peels and astringents may kill off some of the bacteria that accumulates in the pores, but exfoliants can be made into homemade acne treatments for a natural cleaning quality.
One such suggestion for homemade acne treatments uses green clay mixed with water to form a paste that is applied to the skin. Once it dries it should be cleaned off thoroughly with water. This draws out the bacteria from deep inside the pores as well as exfoliates the dead skin from the area, leaving it clean, dry and not friendly to acne causing bacteria under the skin.
Some Products Promote Development Of Skin Rashes
Some of the most popular acne medications on the market can cause the skin to turn red and the user to develop an unsightly rash. While the elimination of acne is the desired result, the redness of the skin is not considered a benefit of these products. Some of them may also cause unwanted side effects that are usually not present in homemade acne treatments.
While dry skin can offer other issues for some users, if they use the green clay mixture and want to avoid completely drying out the skin, add a small portion of olive oil to the mixture. The clay mixture in homemade acne treatments will still draw out bacteria from the pores, while the olive oil will help moisturize the exfoliated skin naturally.
Using a body brush on affected areas when they are being washed with natural soap products and avoiding the use of make-up that contains oil can also work as homemade acne treatments by insuring the substances that promote acne growth are not purposely applied to the skin.
The Advantages of Herbal Acne Treatment
April 27th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
Acne is a very common and often very serious skin condition, one that affects millions of people around the world. It starts when greasy secretions from the skin’s sebaceous glands end up plugging the tiny openings for hair follicles and pimples develop as a result.
Although the exact cause of acne is unknown, there are certain factors which are known to be able to trigger acne. This includes hormones, bacteria, poor hygiene, unhealthy diet, and stress.
Herbal Acne Treatment
There are many options these days when it comes to treating acne, and although most people tend to lean towards the more conventional creams and gels for treating acne first, it should be known that there is always the option of using an herbal acne treatment to deal with your condition.
A few of the herbs that can be used to effectively treat acne are burdock, yellow dock, dandelion root, red clover, and sarsaparilla. Burdock is an herb that can be used in an herbal acne treatment, one that is a close relative to such herbal stars as Echinacea and dandelion. Yellow dock an herb that is native to Europe and Asia, and which is thought to help the liver, skin and digestive tract. Dandelion root is one of the most commonly used herbs in the world, not only as an herbal acne treatment but for other purposes as well.
It is known for being one of the most effective and safest herbal remedies, and the decoction is a traditional tonic which is supposed to be able to strengthen the entire body. Red clover is an herb that has many medicinal properties, and it is recognized for being one of the richest sources of isoflavones. Finally there is sarsaparilla, which has also been proven to be very successful at treating acne conditions.
Advantages
There are many advantages that are offered by an herbal acne treatment. For one, you will not have to deal with the unfavorable side effects as you would by using the more conventional acne treatments. By using these herbal treatments you know that you are getting the safest, all natural treatments for your acne and not having to put harsh chemicals and other ingredients onto the delicate skin of your face.
If you have a problem with acne you will definitely want to take advantage of these herbal treatments that are available to you, especially since you may even have greater success in terms of dealing with your acne with these treatments than others you have tried in the past.
Stopping The Scary Scars Of Cystic Acne With Treatment
April 26th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
One of the worst consequences of cystic acne is the grotesque scars that result from the pimples and breakouts. These scars are long lasting and nearly unavoidable. Many sufferers of cystic acne are forced to undergo prolonged suffering because their acne scars lasts far longer than the acne itself. While treatment of cystic acne scars is neither convenient nor easy, it is possible. For those who want to have their cystic acne scars treated, it is best to examine all the options before making a final decision.
Examining The Options, One By One
There are several options available for treating cystic acne scars, the first of which is dermabraison. Dermabrasion is ranked as one of the better options out there. The process removes the top layers of the skin with an electrical machine. Scars that are fairly shallow can be completely removed, while deeper scars can be made less deep. While it doesn’t work on all scar types and can often affect the pigment color on darker skin types, it remains one of the most widely recommended choices by dermatologists.
Another option for cystic acne scar treatment and removal is collagen injection. This involves a shot of collagen into the face, which replaces the body’s natural collagen. This type of treatment does not usually work for more severe scars, and the results usually only last for six months. While it may be an ideal short term option, it will not be an effective treatment for cystic acne scars in the long run.
Laser treatment can be used to recreate the surface of the skin, which would allow for the removal of scars in the process. The problem with laser treatment is that usually, several treatments are required in order to be completely effective. Additionally, one side effect that tends to last for a while is redness.
Other treatments for cystic acne scars are effective to various degrees. These potential solutions include chemical peels, skin grafting, autologous fat transfer, and skin surgery. It is important to also take into consideration the advice of your dermatologist before making any final decisions.
Treating The Trauma For Fear Of The Alternative
The scars that can occur as a result of cystic acne have the potential to traumatize people for life. It can affect the person’s confidence, and their willingness to try new things. Though the options available for the treatment of cystic acne scars are not ideal, they are far better than the alternative.
