Prescription medicines for Acne treatments
Your GP may start your treatment by prescribing a preparation containing benzoyl peroxide. If this does not work, or if you have more severe acne, there are a range of other treatment options that you can either rub onto your skin (topical) or take in tablet form (oral).
Topical treatments
There are several topical treatments you may be prescribed including those listed below:
* azelaic acid (Skinoren) is an alternative to benzoyl peroxide and may not make your skin as sore as benzoyl peroxide
* topical retinoids (eg Adapalene) are medicines based on vitamin A, which are rubbed into the skin once or twice a day. They work by encouraging the outer layer of skin to flake off
* a topical antibiotic lotion applied to the skin can be used to control the P. acnes bacteria (eg Dalacin T). Treatment needs to continue for at least six months. Preparations that combine an antibiotic with other acne medication are available (eg Benzamycin which combines an antibiotic with benzoyl peroxide)
Oral treatments
There are several oral treatments you may be prescribed including those listed below:
* oral antibiotics (tablets), such as tetracycline, can be prescribed for inflammatory acne. They should be taken daily for around three months, although it might take four to six months for the benefits to be seen. The success of this treatment can be limited because the strains of bacteria are often resistant to the common antibiotics. Antibiotics do not prevent pores from becoming blocked so treatment to prevent blackheads, such as benzoyl peroxide, is often also prescribed at the same time
* some types of oral contraceptive tablets help women who have acne. A combination of the usual pill hormone called ethinylestradiol with cyproterone acetate (eg Dianette) suppresses male hormone activity so is often used in women with acne
* isotretinoin (eg Roaccutane) is a medicine known as an oral retinoid, which also exists in a topical form (see above). Isotretinoin works by drying up oily secretions. It tends to be prescribed to people with severe forms of acne that have proved resistant to other treatments. There a number of serious side-effects of this drug, such as liver disorders and depresssion. You should not take isotretinoin if you are pregnant, as it is very dangerous to an unborn baby. For safety reasons, isotretinoin is only prescribed under the supervision of dermatology specialists
Home treatment for Acne
It is important to keep spot-prone areas clean, so wash the affected area twice a day with an unperfumed cleanser.1,6 The skin needs a certain amount of oil to maintain its natural condition, so avoid aggressive washing with strong soaps.
There are a number of over-the-counter remedies available from pharmacies to treat mild acne. These usually contain antibacterial agents such as benzoyl peroxide (eg Oxy and Clearasil Max).
As well as its antibacterial effects, benzoyl peroxide can dry out the skin and encourage it to shed the surface layer of dead skin. Together, these effects make it harder for pores to become blocked and for infection to develop.
Benzoyl peroxide can cause redness and peeling, especially to start with. This tends to settle down if you reduce the number of times you use it. You can then build up your use gradually.
No home treatments for acne will work immediately. It can take weeks, if not months, for significant effects to be noticeable. If home treatments have not worked after two months, or you have severe acne, you should visit your GP.
A simple home remedy for decreasing the redness of acne is to apply a cream used to reduce the swelling associated with hemorrhoids or apply ice. Over-the-counter creams and liquids are easily found at a local drugstore. Most often these medications contain benzyl peroxide which kills bacteria and dries up the skin. If you have a severe case of acne you may seek help from your dermatologist. Most acne cases are easily cleared up with home remedies or OTC treatments.
For more on acne prevention
Click Here
What's The Real Cause Of Acne?
By: Houa Yang
Most acne medications only mask the symptoms of acne and does nothing to stop the real cause of acne. This is why people buy acne products month after month (year after year). And every time they stop using the product acne would come back again and again.
What you need to do is find out what the real cause of acne is and stop it.
So what's the real cause of acne?
Acne occurs when your body contains more toxics than your kidneys and bowels can remove. (Your kidneys and bowels are the two primary channels of elimination that your body expel toxics and waste products through.)
These toxics can be the accumulation of fat stored chemicals the liver can not wash out or there may be a problem with fat digestion, fat accumulation, food allergy, or even the accumulation of hormones that your body produces.
Once these toxics build up, your kidneys and bowels can get overloaded and clogged up, causing it to not function properly.
When that happens some of the load will be dumped onto your liver. One of your liver's main roles is to metabolize pile up fat into usable energy for your body.
This means, your liver will be doing some of your kidney's work. So now, your liver gets overloaded and it too will not work at full capacity.
What happens when your bowels, kidneys, and liver gets overloaded?
When that happen your body will expel toxins through your lungs and skin (your secondary channels of elimination). And this is when acne occurs. This is when your skin starts to breakout.
But whatever the toxic source is that‘s causing this problem, acne is a sign that your bowels and kidneys are overloaded with toxins, waste products, or hormones.
It is a sign that your liver is growing weaker in its detoxification abilities (and it will continue to grow weaker if you do not do what it takes to get rid of the toxics in your body).
So if you think that acne is your only problem, think again, your liver, kidneys, and bowels are getting weaker every time you breakout.
About the Author
Houa Yang is the author of "The Definite Guide To Acne Free Skin." It reveals how you can get rid of acne in 3 days & stop it from ever coming back! For more information visit: http://www.howtogetridofacne.com
Acne Skin Care Myths
Acne can be both uncomfortable and embarrassing. When someone repeatedly receives acne breakouts, they often wonder what they can do to prevent them from happening again. Unfortunately, many times they are misinformed about acne skin care. In fact, many commonly accepted acne “facts” are nothing more than myths. It is wise to inform yourself before making decisions about acne skin care. The following are some acne skin care myths which any medical doctor will debunk:
Myth #1: Acne treatments are universal, and what works for one person will work for everyone.
The truth is, everyone’s natural chemistry and skin are unique. Furthermore, each person lives in a unique environment which will have specific effects on their skin and acne. The truth is, what works as an acne “fix” for one person may completely fail for someone else. Each person should get personalized advice from a dermatologist. Furthermore, they should be willing to keep trying different things until they find a regimen that works for them.
Myth #2: There is a quick fix for acne.
This is another myth which often proves to be completely false. For people with very severe acne, getting rid of it can be a long-fought “war”, not a quick battle. Even when medication is very effective, it can take up to 6 to 8 weeks to get initial results. To beat acne, it is necessary to be patient and “stick with it”, even when treatment doesn’t seem to be helping.
Myth #3: You don’t need a dermatologist’s help to beat acne.
Actually, the dermatologist is exactly who you need to beat acne! Some people believe that their own concocted remedies, or over-the-counter treatments are enough to clear up their skin. The fact is, you may need a personalized plan to actually clear up your acne, and only a doctor is qualified enough to recommend this safely. So do yourself a favor, and go see a doctor about it! You’ll be glad you did.
Of course, those are just a few of the facts (and uncovered myths) about acne skin care. To get the full story, it is advised that you see a dermatologist and get more personalized recommendations. And of course, once you are prescribed a specific acne regimen, remember to stick with it! Anything worthwhile takes time.
About the author:
Ruth Stattmiller writes about skin care topics, including acne skin care. See http://www.myvitaminguide.com/public/603.cfmfor more information.
Acne Program - Step 5: Foods to Stop Eating
Even though many dermatologist and doctors don't see the connection between your diet, constipation, a toxic colon, and a toxic liver with the acne that you are suffering from, it does not mean the food you eat is not important in clearing your acne.
If the doctors were right about food and the colon, then they would easily be able to help you clear your acne with their drugs. Drugs can give you temporary relief, it they work at all, but as you use them they can also give you some unpleasant side effects.
In her book, Food And Healing, 1986, Annemarie Colbin, points out,
"In a systems view of the body, input of all kinds relates to output of all kinds. Food, therefore, would have a definite relationship to matter pushed out through the skin. I am continually amazed that dermatologists persist in viewing the skin as merely a protective envelope for the body, ascribing its eruptions to 'viruses' and imprecise malfunctions and supporting the myth that 'diet has nothing to do with acne.'
In my experience, diet has everything to do with acne. Not only did I fix my own bad skin through correct eating but I have seen among my students a number of severe cases - the large purplish kind of acne on cheeks and chins - completely cured within three months by a change of diet."
Foods to Stop Eating
If you smoke, drink alcohol or drink coffee, then this program will not work too well for you. When you have these addictions, your body's minerals and vitamins will be out of balance and it will be difficult for you to achieve any state of good health.
So, here are they foods that you need to stop eating. You don't need to stop eating these foods instantly. Not many people can do this. You need to do this gradually. I know it will be hard to stop eating some of these foods that you have enjoyed, over the years, but you have to ask yourself the question,
"Which do I want to be …Acne free or a junk food addict?"
The choice is yours and I know you will make the right decision so here is the list,
* White Bread - This is considered junk food since it is void of any vitality for your body. It is hard to digest and causes constipation
* Chocolate - some chocolates are better than others. Those that have saturated fats such milk, butter and sugars are not good for your health and definitely not good for your skin.
* Fried Fatty foods - fried foods, butter, chesses, beef,
* Foods in packages - All foods in packages or boxes are junk food. They are considered dead food and provide no life force to your body. They take from you because they use up minerals, vitamins, and digestive enzymes during digestion. They contain no fiber so they cause constipation.
* Foods with artificial flavors and preservatives - These are non-foods that are super toxic. Your body does not know what to do with them so it stores them in your body as toxic waste.
* Milk, ice cream, hard chesses - these foods cause allergies and cause mucus to form. This mucus coats the colon and other internal surfaces and interferes with the function of that area. Bacteria and other pathogens enjoy living in the mucus film. This mucus also tries to escape through the face when you have too much of it in the body. If you cannot digest dairy products, this can cause you to have acne.
* Sodas are the worst drink you can take. They contain plenty of sugar and phosphoric acid.
* Sugar is considered a white poison. It creates so many health problems in the body that the FDA should outlaw it.
* Salt - avoid salt only because it has iodine. Iodine has been shown to cause acne.
* Excess Vitamin B12 - can aggravate or produce acne.
There you have it. It takes a lot of will power and desire to change your diet. It can be done but do it slowly. Start changing your diet and see where you're at in 6 months.
About the author:
Rudy Silva has a degree in Physics and is a Natural Nutritionist. He is the author of Constipation, Acne, Hemorrhoid, and Fatty Acid ebooks. He writes a newsletter call “natural-remedies-thatwork.com” More acne hints and information on his acne e-book can be found at: http://www.acne-remedies.for--you.info
Acne Program - Step 6 Juices You Should Be Drinking
Drinking fruit juices help to bring vitamins and minerals quickly into your blood where they can supply what is necessary for acne free skin. Minerals quickly neutralize skin acids and bring the skin pH back to normal - slightly acidic.
Fresh juices have antibacterial action and contain digestive enzymes that help you digest protein and fat.
Because of the vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes, pure water, and nutrients that juices have, they have the power to cleanse your body of toxic wastes.
Here are some juices to drink that will keep your face free of acne.
Apple juice
Drink at least 2 glasses of this juice every day. Apple juice has a high level of minerals and vitamins, which makes it ideal for skin health.
Apricot - berry juice
Mix equal parts of apricot and berry juice and add a little honey to taste. Drink one cup in the morning. Place the other two glasses into a thermos and drink one more glass at noon and one at dinner.
Cherry juice
Cherry juice is a powerful drink, because it has so many minerals. It will make your body more alkaline by neutralizing acid waste in the blood, in the lymph liquid and wherever it goes. It will also help keep you regular.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is one of the best juices you can drink for your skin health. It contains many minerals, which will eliminate acid waste. Lemon juice will help constipation, liver disorders, reduce mucus accumulation, improve digestion, reduce infections, and help to clear skin disorders like acne.
One way I use lemon juice is to squeeze the juice of one lemon into 16 oz water and drink it during the day.
Melons
Melon juice is also an excellent drink for acne. It is almost a perfect food in that it has many vitamins and minerals. It is most helpful with constipation, kidney disorders and skin disorders.
Orange and grapefruit
Prepare half and half of orange and grapefruit juice using a hand juicer. The flavor is extremely tasty. The combination of these two fresh fruits will give you a powerful start in the morning. They will give you a vitamin C boost with plenty of flavanoids and minerals.
These combined fruits will cleanse your intestinal tract, help in blood disorders, liver disorders, lung disorders and skin infections.
Orange and lemon juice
Mix 3 parts of orange juice with one part lemon juice. Add a little water and honey and put into a thermos. Drink the juice all day long for glowing skin.
Lemon juice helps the skin to rejuvenate and grow new skin. It helps the skin to flake off old skin and improve the skin's metabolism.
Other juices to drink
There are many other fruit juices to drink. Here are a few more.
* Peach juice
* Pear juice
* Pineapple juice
* Prune juice
* Strawberry juice
Try to use organic fruit when making your juice. It is better to make your own juices since most bottled juice contain no life force or natural live enzymes. Drink the juices soon after you juice them. If you want, put them in a thermos for later in the day. If you can't make your own juice, the buying bottle juices is second best for clearing your acne.
About the author:
Rudy Silva has a degree in Physics and is a Natural Nutritionist. He is the author of Constipation, Acne, Hemorrhoid, and Fatty Acid ebooks. He writes a newsletter call “natural-remedies-thatwork.com” More acne hints and information on his acne e-book can be found at: http://www.acne-remedies.for--you.info
Acne Program - Step 7 Fruits You Should Eat
Eating fruits that are red or orange in color will help improve you skin health and help to prevent acne. Here are the fruits you should be eating.
* Apples - eat 3 - 4 apples a day while working to clearing your acne. Apples are good for skin health. Eat at least 2 a day. Eat organic apples because you can eat the skins and most pectin is in the skin, which helps with constipation. Apples contain ascorbic acid, bioflavonoids, fiber, pectin, quercetin, minerals, and vitamins
* Apricots - eat as many as you like. Apricots are a high source of minerals, fiber, and beta-carotene and will help control acne. (A precursor to vitamin A) They help to relieve or prevent constipation.
* Bananas - eat only one banana a day. Bananas have the phytochemcial fructoOligosaccharides, which feeds the good bacterial in your colon. By feeding the good bacteria, you prevent the bad bacteria from overtaking the colon and producing toxic acids that get to the skin and create acne.
* Blackberries - help cleanse the blood and are good for constipation. They help a weak kidney and are good for creating good skin on your face.
* Blueberries are a good blood cleanser. They are also good for constipation and various skin disorders - eczema, acne, psoraisis
* Cantaloupes - are high in vitamin A, C, and have many other minerals. This makes them good for any type of skin problems
* Cherries - are good blood cleansers and help the liver and kidney. They promote regular bowel movements.
* Figs - are high in fiber and help to reduce constipation.
* Grapefruits - helps to dissolve and eliminate poisons from drugs thus improving the liver function
* Grapes - help cleanse the body, build blood, and build the body. It is good for constipation, skin, and liver disorders.
* Mango - is good for kidney inflammation. It contains a lot of minerals, which helps to neutralize acid waste.
* Strawberries - have been shown to have strong anti-acne activity. They are high in pectin content, which helps to keep your bowels moving.
* Pineapples - contains many vitamins and minerals. It contains Papain, which helps to digest protein. They are useful in of excess mucus, digestive problems, intestinal worms, and constipation.
These fruits below are useful for acne since they have an antibiotic effect,
* Grapes
* Plums
* Figs
* Raspberries
* Blueberries
* Honey
* Apple juice
* Grape juice
Use as many of these fruits in your diet. If you do, you will start to see improvement in your skin and your acne will start to clear up.
About the author:
Rudy Silva has a degree in Physics and is a Natural Nutritionist. He is the author of Constipation, Acne, Hemorrhoid, and Fatty Acid ebooks. He writes a newsletter call “natural-remedies-thatwork.com” More acne hints and information on his acne e-book can be found at: http://www.acne-remedies.for--you.info
Looking for a zit home remedy? You're in the right place
Almost 85% of the population spend their teen years dealing with zits, and while acne cannot be cured or prevented, it is 100% treatable. Zits are virtually impossible to avoid, so get your zit home remedy kit ready now!
Mild to moderate acne, referred to as zits, blackheads and pimples is a temporary situation which occurs around the time of puberty, but can extend on up into the 40's.
Zits are a result of overactive glands which produce oil.
Hormone levels which are out of whack, usually contribute to stimulating the gland, which in turn produces more oil and then clogs, and forms the zit.
If dirt and other toxins get trapped in the pores, this creates a blockage, and a blackhead or a pimple will occur. Though not serious, this irritation could last anywhere from a day to a few weeks.
A zit home remedy is needed, and if left alone it will run its course, it is likely that there will not be serious scarring.
Zit home remedies are the best way to combat and reduce these mild acne attacks.
Here is a list of zit remedies that may be useful to use:
• Keep skin clean of dirt and oil (though outer dirt and oil does not cause zits, you do not want to add to the problem)
• Eat healthy. (Same is true as above. Foods do not cause the acne, but certain foods may aggravate the glands in certain individuals. Eliminate those, such as chocolate.)
• Antibiotics combat the bacteria which cause acne on the skin.
• Bacitracyn is a helpful over-the-counter agent for killing bacteria.
• Keep Vitamin A and E on hand. Both are antioxidants, which will combat free radicals being formed, and Vitamin E is known to reduce and heal scarring when applied to the area.
• Shower after vigorous physical activity to remove sweat and dirt.
• Drink 4 quarts of water daily.
This zit home remedy kit will not eliminate your acne problem, but may help you keep it under control and reduce the outbreaks.
About the author:
'Discover the Remedies and Treatment regarding Acne and Skin Care' at Acne Treatments That Will Work.
Homeopathic Acne Treatment
Today homeopathic acne treatment is becoming more and more popular. Homeopathic treatment address problems from the base to root it out at the source. It is a safe and sound treatment because it uses only natural ingredients, there are no side effects, no alcohol and no drowsiness. Though it might not be as effective as allopathic medicines, it targets the base which will definitely be successful in the long run.
The thing homeopaths would ask you is about stress, hereditary factors and general environment before he goes to prescribes. Homeopathic medicine consists of naturally occurring compounds like calendula, kali brichomicum, and hepar sulfuricum as well as graphite, silicea, and sulphur.
Homeopathy provides several natural and effective remedies to acne sufferers. By undergoing homoeopathic treatment, you will notice a drying up of pimples and reduction in the number of existing acne. Other associated symptoms like pain, burning and itching will also go away. Besides, you will see the improvement in skin texture.
The external eruption that we see is sign of the internal disorder of the body. Therefore acne should not be treated by applying creams and ointments on skin surface only. Instead, this skin disorder should be treated holistically. Homoeopathic system attempts to stimulate the body's own natural healing capacity with Homoeopathic remedies acting as a trigger for the body's own healing forces.
Homeopaths not only examine patient's skin thoroughly but also ask their hobbies, likes and dislikes, temperament, the quality of sleep etc. Indicators such as the patient's personal circumstances are all considered important.
The consultation may include an evaluation of the three homeopathic indications:
1. stature, build, complexion and stamina
2. mental indications such as a tendency to be anxious or irritable
3. characteristics of the acne problem.
When you start taking the prescribed homeopathic medicines, at first, you will notice a temporary outbreak in your symptoms. This is the sign that the treatment of treating like with like is working.
After some time you will start noticing encouraging signs of an improvement. The texture of your skin will improve and roughness, itchiness and redness will be noticeably decreased. The burning sensations will be considerably less. Over a period of months, your complexion and skin condition will keep improving continually.
The Clear Skin Diet
A diet guideline to the do's and don't for acne prone skin.
Some foods that help alleviate acne include squash, cucumbers, celery, carrots, carrot tops, lettuce, potato, cabbage, beet tops, buckwheat, alfalfa sprouts, millet, brown rice, mung beans, dandelions, pears, cherries, papaya, persimmons, raspberries, watermelon, winter melon, aloe vera and mulberry leaves. Drinking plenty of water helps, too.
Foods to avoid are those that are spicy and oily and include: coffee, alcohol, sugar, chocolate, ice cream, soft drinks, dairy foods, red meat, shellfish, bamboo shoots and white mushrooms. Other things that aggravate acne are smoking, emotional stress, constipation, makeup, and washing with chemicals or soap. The face should be washed with cool water; if it is especially dirty, steam it with hot water to induce sweating, then wash with cold water.
Try some of these remedies for acne:
1. Blend a cucumber, apply externally, leave on for 20 minutes, then wash off.
2. Rub watermelon rind on the acne.
3. Apply aloe Vera.
4. Eat watermelon or drink watermelon juice.
5. Drink tea made from carrots including the tops and beet tops.
6. Drink lukewarm water with 2 teaspoons of honey every morning on an empty stomach. This effectively lubricates the intestines. If one does not evacuate the intestines regularly, the toxins either end up in the liver or come out in the skin.
More to come...
Herbal Acne Treatments That Work
In the United States alone, there are over 40 Million people who struggle with acne. Many of these people treat acne using chemicals such as antibiotics, prescription drugs, benzoyl peroxide, and salicylic acid.
However, there is a growing number of people who choose herbal acne treatments over traditional medications. Usually, herbal medications have far fewer side effects, and are not as dangerous as some of the prescription drugs.
The problem however, is that the United States does very little to regulate the herbal supplement industry. Unlike traditional chemical medications, herbal medications are not required to be clinically proven to work, or even to be safe. An example of this lack of regulation recently came to light with ephedra related deaths, and ephedras subsequent ban.
This lack of regulation results in many different acne products on the market. All of which claim to heal, prevent, or even cure acne with few, if any, side effects.
The truth is, there are very few herbal acne treatments that are scientifically proven to work. Traditional chemical treatments are still the most effective in stopping acne.
There are only 2 herbal treatments that have been clinically proven to help stop acne, tea tree oil and green tea cream.
Tea tree oil is a natural oil, derived from the Melaleuca alternifolia, a particular type of tea tree found exclusively in Australia. While it has been used from hundreds of years by the native aboriginals as a treatment for just about anything, it has only recently been accepted by modern medicine as being a viable anti-bacterial agent.
Even though tea tree oil has been suspected as an anti-bacterial agent for some time, A groundbreakings study was conducted in 1990 by I.B. Bassett, which compared tea tree oil to benzoyl peroxide in the treatment of acne. It was found that tea tree oil is as effective as a 5% benzoyl peroxide solution. It takes longer (6 weeks) for the tea tree oil to be as effective, but participants in the study reported none of the side effects associated with benzoyl peroxide, such as redness, skin irritation, or dry skin.
This study has helped tea tree oil become a recognized and legitimate herbal acne treatment. However, there is no need to purchase an expensive cream that contains tea tree oil. Just applying several drops of the oil directly on the acne has shown to be the most effective way to apply tea tree oil.
This was the only herbal acne treatment that had been proven to work until recently, when Dr. Jennifer Gan-Wong conducted a study that shows green tea can also effectively fight acne.
Dr. Gan-Wong compared a green tea cream with 3% green tea, to a 4% benzoyl peroxide solution, and found that the results in treating acne where the same for both the tea and the peroxide. These results were recently presented at the 2003 annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.
These findings are relatively recent, and are not yet corroborated by additional independent studies. However, this evidence does demonstrate that the natural anti-bacterial properties of green tea can be effective to treat acne.
For those of you who are confused by the plethora of herbal acne treatments available, there really are only 2 that have been proven to be effective in fighting acne. Green tea cream, and tea tree oil. While many other herbal acne treatments may be good to moisturize the skin, or reduce oils, these are the only two that should be considered truly effective acne treatments.
Greg Podsakoff is a former acne sufferer, and editor of http://www.acne-treatments-guide.com
