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Over 70% of teens say that acne has affected them in a negative way. An estimated 20 million teens suffer from acne, but even the fact that they’re not alone doesn’t ease the pain they feel. Teens are embarrassed at a time when they are unsure of themselves. They may become depressed and withdrawn. Acne is especially hard on teenage girls. At a time when they’re noticing boys, and visa versa, acne can be devastating. They’re surrounded by visions of beauty all around them on TV, in movies, in magazines and on line. We live in a society that worships youth and beauty.

Over 70% of teens say that acne has affected them in a negative way. An estimated 20 million teens suffer from acne, but even the fact that they’re not alone doesn’t ease the pain they feel. Teens are embarrassed at a time when they are unsure of themselves. They may become depressed and withdrawn. Acne is especially hard on teenage girls. At a time when they’re noticing boys, and visa versa, acne can be devastating. They’re surrounded by visions of beauty all around them on TV, in movies, in magazines and on line. We live in a society that worships youth and beauty.
Parents can help their teenage girls through this time by offering a supportive and sympathetic ear. Parents should help the child focus on all their positive attributes, which will help to strengthen the child’s self esteem. The parents need to be actively involved with helping their child find the best possible cure for their particular form of acne.
Parents should also educate themselves about acne causes and treatments. Thirty years ago it was thought that acne was caused by eating the wrong foods. Chocolate and potatoe chips were culprit. It’s now known that this isn’t true. Food is not thought to play a large role in acne. It also has nothing to do with cleanliness of the skin.
What is fact is that acne in teenagers is caused by the action of hormones on the skin’s oil glands. During puberty both boys and girls have an increase in the hormones called androgens. These hormones cause sebaceous glands under the surface of the skin to enlarge. The sebaceous glands in response produce excess oil. This excess oil mixes with bacteria and dead skin on the skin’s surface and blocks pores. Inside these pores the bacteria multiple and cause inflammation.
Most cases of light to moderate acne can be treated by over the counter medications. There are many to choose from. Some find that benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid works well. Benzoyl peroxide is known to readily kill acne bacteria. Benzoyl peroxide can be found in cleansers and in spot treatments. Benzoyl peroxide is very drying and can make your face look even more irritated, especially when you first start washing with it. Many acne suffers use a moisturizer on their face after washing. There are many moisturizers available that are specifically designed to help with acne such as Cetaphil, Eucerin, and Neutrogena.
Severe acne, or acne that has not responded well to over the counter products, can be successfully treated with the knowledge and expertise of a dermatologist. A dermatologist will consider many things before suggesting treatment. He will perform a thorough evaluation of the patient, considering things such as severity of acne, patient age, lifestyle, and co-existing conditions. The dermatologist then may suggest a combination of two or three different therapies for best treatment.
Whatever one of the literally hundreds of treatments you decide to choose, or if you seek the help of a dermatologist, remember that acne takes time to disappear. Overnight or miraculous results don’t happen. It takes six to eight weeks to see results from treatment. Unfortunately, in a teenage girl’s life six to eight weeks can feel like a lifetime.

Caring for your skin is important for good health and beauty, but especially so if you are prone to acne. One of the best ways to keep acne under control is to maintain your skin’s health as much as possible. This means keeping the skin clean and protecting it from damage from sunshine and harsh cosmetics.

Caring for your skin is important for good health and beauty, but especially so if you are prone to acne. One of the best ways to keep acne under control is to maintain your skin’s health as much as possible. This means keeping the skin clean and protecting it from damage from sunshine and harsh cosmetics.
Cleansing Your Skin
Wash your face twice a day with a gentle soap or special acne skin cleanser, using a gentle, circular motion of the fingertips. Do not scrub, since this can aggravate acne. Moisten the face with warm water, then apply cleanser from the hairline to the neck. Rinse with lots of water and pat dry with a soft towel. Those with especially oily skin may need to use an astringent, but it must be alcohol-free, and used with care. Apply it only to the oiliest parts of the face and discontinue use immediately if your skin becomes irritated. If you feel you need an astringent, you may need to see a dermatologist instead.
Hair care is also important — shampoo twice a week to as often as daily, keeping the shampoo away from your face as much as possible.
Protect Your Skin From The Sun
A suntan may dry your skin, making the acne less noticeable, but this is only temporary. As your skin becomes accustomed to sun exposure, the acne will flare up again. Meanwhile you are risking skin damage that can cause premature aging and skin cancer. Many medications that treat acne cause the skin to become more sensitive to sunlight and more vulnerable to burning. Whatever the weather, you should wear sunscreen on your face and any other exposed skin when outdoors. Choose Makeup With Care
The best choice for good acne skin care is to wear no makeup at all. But if you feel you must wear makeup, choose products labeled noncomedogenic — that means they will not clog your pores. Be aware that these products may still cause acne in some people. Above all, avoid makeup with an oil base. Read the labels carefully and use sparingly.
Shaving
Try both electric razors and safety razors to see which causes the least irritation to skin blemishes. Always use a sharp blade in a safety razor — change the blade every 2 or 3 shaves. You may have to shave around blemishes to avoid cutting them. Be sure to soften the beard as much as possible with warm water and shaving cream before starting. If your skin is covered with blemishes, perhaps it is best to skip shaving that day.
No Touching
As tempting as it may be to squeeze pimples, don’t! That invites more trouble by spreading the bacteria which cause pimples. It can also lead to permanent scarring.
Try to avoid touching your face as much as possible because the hands carry dirt, oil and germs.
Rest assured that acne can be brought under control. Medications will go a long way toward clearing your skin of acne. Your job is to help the healing process along as much as possible by taking good care of your skin.

As a man, young or old, you ought to be concerned with the state of your skin.  Many men seem like they could care less about the state their skin.  With the Hockey season just starting up, who has time to worry about skin care?
If you plan on going down to the pub to catch the game with your buddies, you should heed my advice and do your best to look good.  Hey, you never know when you are going to meet Ms. Right!  You should all know by now that we want a man who takes care of himself and puts some effort into his appearance.
Cleansing is important part of everyday skin care.  Good old soap and water is better than using nothing at all, but hand soap is designed for use on hands.  Feel your hands.  I don’t think anyone wants a face that feels like that.  Why not try something new?
Take a trip down to your local pharmacy and have a look around. Or if you are too embarrassed and you already have a Mrs. Right, I’m sure she would be happy to pick something up for you.  There are countless products available, and there is sure to be something right for you.  Try to find something with minimal fragrance, so you aren’t overpowering the ladies with your various scents.
Shaving is another thing that men don’t give much thought to.  Well, you ought to!   Why have rough, razor-burned skin when you could be smooth?  Trust me.  The ladies like a man that is smooth, and that doesn’t just apply to clichéd pick-up lines!
Always use a warm washcloth on your face before you shave.  This will soften the hairs, and allow your pores to open up.  And before you shave, make sure you have a decent razor.  Those disposable razors should be disposed of once and for all!  There are a number of new razors on the market that will provide you with a good, close shave.  Be sure to use a quality shaving cream or gel, and be sure to moisturize when you are done.
As a young lady looking for Mr. Right, I know how important it is to find a man who takes care of himself.  My mother always said you can tell a lot about a man by his appearance, and I couldn’t agree more.  Beyond that, your damned stubble hurts my face!  See you out on the town, boys!

What is Acne?

Acne is a chronic disorder of the hair follicles and sebaceous glands. Some of the characteristics of acne include black heads, pimples, cysts, infected abscesses, and rarely scarring. Acne usually occurs during adolescence in both men and women. To be more specific, acne starts during puberty and tends to get worse for people with oily skin. Acne badly affects teenage boys. Only mild to moderate forms of acne occur in middle-aged women. Acne can be seen most commonly on the face. The other places where it can occur include the neck, chest, back, shoulders, scalp, and upper arms and legs. Most forms of acne are the result of heredity and hormonal problems and has nothing to do with a harmful diet or poor hygiene.

Types of acne

Acne starts in a similar way for all but can take different forms and can react in a unique way according to the body conditions of the individual. A basic lesion called the comedo is the begining of acne. The comedo is an enlarged hair follicle plugged with oil and bacteria residing under the surface of your skin, that waits for the right conditions to grow into an inflamed lesion. Whenever the skin produces more oil, the bacteria grows within the swollen follicle. The surrounding skin becomes increasingly inflamed as your white blood cells fight against the intruders. Two main types of acne include non-inflammatory acne and inflammatory acne.

Non-inflammatory acne

Closed comedo:

If the plugged follicle stays below the surface of the skin, the lesion is called a closed comedo. This usually appears on the skin as small, whitish bumps. This condition is otherwise called as whitehead.

Open comedo :

If the plug enlarges and pushes through the surface of the skin, the lesion is called an open comedo. The dark appearance of the plug is not due to dirt, but due to the buildup of melanin, the pigmentation element of the skin. This condition is otherwise called as blackhead.

Inflammatory acne

Papule:

This appears on the skin as a small, firm pink bump. The papules are tender in nature and are often considered an intermediary step between non-inflammatory and clearly inflammatory lesions.

Pustule:

These are small round lesions that are inflamed and contain visible pus, which appear red at the base with a yellowish or whitish center. Pustules do not contain a large amount of bacteria. The inflammation is caused by chemical irritation from sebum components such as fatty free acids.

Cyst:

These are large pus-filled lesions that are usually present deep within the skin. The cysts are very painful lesions, as they are inflamed. Cysts form as a result of the contents of a comedo spilling over the surrounding skin and due to the response of the local immune system in producing pus. The cysts often leave deep scars.

Acne conglobata:

This is a rare but serious form of inflammatory acne that develops primarily on the back, buttocks, and chest. In addition, to the presence of pustules and cysts, there may be severe bacterial infection.

Symptoms

The common symptoms of acne include persistent, recurrent red spots or swellings on the skin known as pimples. The pimples become inflamed and get filled with pus. The pimples usually occur on the face, chest, shoulders, neck, or upper portion of the back. Some of the other symptoms include dark spots with open pores at the center, which are known as blackheads, bulged spots under the skin without openings, which are known as whiteheads, and red swellings or lumps filled with pus, which are known as pustules. The pustules can develop from blackheads or whiteheads. Inflamed fluid-filled lumps under the skin known as cysts are also a symptom of acne. These cysts can become as large as an inch across.

Natural remedies have become very popular in recent years.  People have stopped looking at the expensive medications and creams to cure various conditions, and have started looking at remedies found closer to home.  This is, in part, because they are less expensive, but they are also on hand and easily obtained.
Acne is a common condition in teens and adults alike, and is no exception to the theory that a home remedy can sometimes be better.  If it’s worked for many years, why wouldn’t it work now?  One such remedy believed to aid in the healing of acne is green tea.
While many teas are fermented, green tea instead, is steamed soon after being picked so as to prevent the oxidation of its leaves.  This helps to retain the active substances the leaves contain.  Camellia Sinensis, or as we know it, green tea extract, contains a high content of Polyphenol, along with other important antioxidants.
Green tea can serve many purposes, and it is recommended for a number of reasons.  It acts as an anti-bacterial substance, decreasing hormonal activity.  Since acne is often caused by hormones, which produce excess oil and clog pores, thereby causing blemishes, green tea could be a good remedy for this problem.
The antioxidents contained in green tea have been shown as very beneficial to acne prevention because they help the body fight against free radicals that cause cell and tissue damage.  Green tea also has very few potential side effects, especially when compared to other acne products and medications.
Because of its advantages, green tea is also used in various creams and other topical products used to treat acne.  When compared with other commonly used acne treatments, it ranked high, because of its natural anti-bacterial properties.
Other products containing green tea extract are also sold and developed, and are available as herbal remedies.  It can be purchased as a cream.
Green Tea and honeysuckle is often called “Pimple Tea” in China.  It also helps your body rid itself of toxins, which helps prevent acne.
Green tea is also easily available.  It can be purchased in most stores that carry various herbal and other natural remedies, and can also be bought through many on-line sources.  It comes in the form of tea that you drink, or can be purchased in the form of the cream mentioned above.
Drinking green tea will help cleanse your body from the inside out, while applying the topical cream, which goes directly onto the skin, will help cure and prevent acne at the source.  No matter how you choose to use it, it can serve many purposes, and may be a welcome alternative to harsh products or unwanted medications.

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