Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Acne Skin Treatment - 5 Crucial Tips

Acne is a frustrating problems at all ages, affecting a large number of individuals. People with acne should take special care for their skin. In many situations, a gentle acne skin treatment is enough to get rid of this annoying problem. A proper everyday care when your acne is still light or moderate can give you the healthy skin you want and prevent severe acne from developing. All you have to do is follow a few guidelines in your daily skin care process.

Gently Wash Skin

Washing your skin is the most important part of an acne skin treatment. Wash your skin twice a day with a mild cleanser, once in the morning and once in the evening. You should also wash your skin after heavy exercise, when you've been sweating a lot. Some people try to cure their acne and reduce oil production using aggressive detergent soaps and scrub pads. However, instead of improving the situation, scrubbing your skin will only make things worse.

You can ask a dermatologist for advice on the type of cleanser your should use. Thoroughly rinse your skin after you wash it. Astringents are only recommended if your skin is very oily, and only on oil spots. Doctors also advise patients to shampoo their hair on a regular basis. People with oily hair should shampoo it daily.

Acne and Shaving

Guys who have or have had acne in the past should shave carefully. Test both electric and safety razors to decide which is more comfortable for you. If you decide on a safety razor, always use a sharp blade. Soften your beard with soap and water before applying the shaving cream. You can avoid nicking blemishes by shaving lightly and not more often than necessary.

Avoid Handling Your Skin Frequently

Avoiding aggressive behavior upon your skin is also an important part of the acne skin treatment. If you try to squeeze or pop your pimples, you risk forming unsightly scars. You should even avoid touching or rubbing your acne lesions. Do not try to pop your pimples either, because you might get scars or spread acne.

Avoid Excessive Exposure to Sunlight

Some of the medications that are used to treat acne can make you more likely to sunburn. Even though a red or tanned skin may make lesions less visible, these are only temporary improvements. Long-term effects are generally negative. Excessive sun exposure involves many risks, such as faster skin aging and developing skin cancer.

Makeup

The makeup you choose to use is also a part of the overall acne skin treatment. While you are being treated for acne, you might need to change some of the makeup products you are using. Use only oil-free cosmetics. Read the label if you are not sure. During the first couple of treatments, it might be difficult to apply foundation.

You should also avoid oily hair products, that may cause closed comedones on the forehead. Use only cosmetics that are labeled as non-comedogenic. Even those can cause acne in some people, so you should be very careful.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Aloe Vera Plant: Beneficial For Your Skin Problems

Many may not be familiar with the benefits and importance of Aloe Vera even though it has been around for a very long time. They are desert lilies and belong to the same family. It grows wild in Madagascar and in parts of Africa. As it so useful and beneficial you can find it world over, packed and sealed. There are more than 300 varieties of Aloe Vera plant with many different medicinal benefits.

With very high water content nearly 96% it has been leisurely used by the people to recover from their skin problems. It has so many good properties that it would be very hard to even count them. It has a very good healing capacity and is mainly used for burns, blisters, insect bites and other allergic skin reactions.

It provides you with one of the most natural ways of healing. You can term this plant as a beauty product due to the miracles it does on your skin, which is one of the most visible parts of your whole body. It is mainly used to shrink warts which are very common. The other painful problems like shingles also tend to heal due to Aloe Vera.

It has become a growing business for people who have come to understand its benefits. You can have it in juice form too which is good for other problems you are suffering from. Aloe Vera helps you from some of the most common diseases like insomnia, heartburn, congestion, arthritis, asthma and also lowers your sugar level.

It is widely used as a moisturizer and anti-ageing cream. The gel has some of the most important properties which moisturizes your skin and makes it soft. If you suffer from second degree burns Aloe Vera’s natural gel is what you should apply for a speedy recovery.

Sun burn or sun tan has turned out to be one of the major problems for people due global warming and other climatic changes. Aloe Vera has been widely used to protect you from such problems. It can also be used as an ointment for your backache or other pains you suffer from.

To avoid dark circles under your eyes you can use this gel every night before sleeping to have less tired and more beautiful eyes. It also helps with any skin irritation caused due to infection or bacteria. It can also be used for minor wounds.

It helps in reducing swelling and relieving pain. The plant gel has been known to have anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties to help you from most of your problems. As the gel enters your skin very easily it becomes one of the biggest sources of anti-ageing products.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Aha's For Normalizing Combination Skin

Often the biggest frustration for those with combination skin is caring for it properly. Having both dry and oily skin areas on your face can make skin care seem almost impossible. There are, however, things that you can do to care for and keep your combination skin healthy and feeling good.

For one thing, some areas of your face may feel tight after you wash. This will typically be on the parts of your face not included in the T-zone area. These areas will likely also look flaky and dull and may feel rough.

First of all, make sure you are cleansing every day. Use a mild cleanser on your entire face. Use the cleanser twice a day, preferably before bed at night and after get up in the morning. These are the times your face most needs to be cleansed anyway, but if you have combination skin it is imperative.

Get a good moisturizer. Once you have identified which parts of your face are the dry parts, most likely these areas are not in the T-zone and this is the area you will treat. Use the moisturizer on those dry areas only. Using it in your oily T-zone will only make that area worse.

The goal when you have combination skin is to normalize it. Normalizing is trying to gain a balance between the oily and dry areas so that all your skin looks and feels the same. In order to accomplish this feat, you want to look for products that are made for such normalization. For instance, ones that contain alpha hydroxyl acids (fruit acids or AHA’s) or retinols will work best. Retinols are a vitamin A derivative. Such products should help you to gain more normal and even looking skin.

The reason AHA creams are so beneficial to your skin is that they area catalyst for skin cell regeneration. By burning off or removing the top layer of skin cells (or the too oily and too dry ones) they expose the healthier skin cells beneath them. These cells are more likely to absorb moisturizers. They also help improve skin elasticity through their water-binding properties. This can help with that “tight” feeling you may get in the dry areas with your combination skin. The only thing about which you need to be aware is that once you are using AHA’s, you need to continue using them. Once you stop, your cells will not regenerate at the rate they were with the AHA and will return to their original state very soon.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Acne Skin Care Methods

Acne can be a painful and embarrassing condition for a person to be afflicted with. Often, a person who has acne cannot control its occurrence. But, by following a few acne skin care practices, acne can be controlled and even gotten rid of.

Acne is an inflammatory skin disease that affects millions of individuals. The most universal type of acne is known as "common acne". Acne is caused when too many oils are secreted from the glands and those oils mix with dead skin cells, blocking the hair follicles. More oil secretions increase underneath the already blocked follicles (or pores), and skin bacteria begin to grow rapidly. This leads to red and irritated skin that most often appears as bumps on the skin's surface. Any skin surface of the body is susceptible to acne, but it most commonly (and heavily) appears on the face, chest, back, and upper arm region.

Acne commonly begins to occur during puberty due to an irregular response by the body to regular levels of testosterone, a male hormone. Often, acne begins to subside or disappear altogether by the mid 20's. However, some individuals do suffer with it throughout adulthood. And some adults do not even see the onset of acne until well into the adult years. This is known as adult onset acne.

Acne can leave scarring on the skin, as well as have a scarring effect on a person's self-esteem, and even lead to depression. Because society can be so unforgiving about appearances, there are various medically prescribed treatments available, as well as acne skin care regimens that can be utilized in order to minimize the symptoms of acne.

Different things cause acne for different sufferers. A few of the recognized causes of acne include heredity, hormonal activity (puberty, menstruation, pregnancy), stress, certain medications, and skin irritation. All of these things have the potential to cause acne, as well as exacerbate it. There are a few myths regarding acne. For instance we've all heard of a mom telling her child not to eat too many greasy foods like French fries, or eat too many sweets, because it will give him or her pimples. That is simply an old wives' tale. Diet does not cause acne, and does not affect it. Also, poor hygiene has no bearing on the occurrence of acne. Acne is not caused by dirt, and having poor hygiene habits will not aggravate the condition.

There are many treatments for acne available, both through prescription, and over the counter. There are antibiotics in the form of pills, as well as topical creams that are designed to treat the condition. Exfoliation can be used as a treatment to remove and prevent the build up of dead skin cells. And light therapy is being used more and more to treat acne. It is important to consult a dermatologist in order to determine the best course of treatment and learn the best regimen of acne skin care to carry out.

Dealing with the occurrence of acne requires knowing how to properly care for the skin. Acne skin care can help keep the problem from getting worse, and even alleviate it. It is important to gently wash the skin at least twice a day with a gentle skin cleanser. Do not scrub with a rough pad or use a rough soap. This will make the acne problem worse. And always completely rinse the skin after cleansing.

As part of an acne skin care routine, it is important to remember not to touch the afflicted skin areas. Do not try to squeeze acne. An infection could occur, compounding the problem, and scarring could result. Also, avoid the sun when possible. Wear protective clothing to avoid tanning or burning. The skin will age faster, and any fading effect of the acne is temporary and will become visible again when the burn or tan fades.

When using cosmetics, take care to use oil-free products, and products that are non-comedogenic (won't clog the pores). And for men who shave their faces, it is important to shave very carefully. Shave with a light hand to avoid cutting or nicking the blemishes. If these steps in acne skin care are taken, the pain and embarrassment of the problem can be alleviated, and over time, eliminated completely.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Ageing Skin Care - Does Chemical Peeling Slow The Aging?

In skin care, doctors use chemical peeling as a procedure to remove sun damaged, pigmented and wrinkled skin by peeling it with chemicals. as the old skin peels off, new skin appears that is much fresher looking. But chemical peeling does not slow the aging process or prevent it. What is doe is to remove old damaged skin with a fresh looking new skin. After that it is up to you to take better care of your skin to keep it younger for more time by protecting it from sun. The process itself does not affect the internal ageing of the skin. If you expose your new skin to sun again, you will get damaged as you got damaged before.

Skin care with chemical peeling and skin damages- chemical peeling will remove mild skin wrinkles; sun damaged spots, and pigmentation. it also will remove the leathery appearance of the skin. Chemical peel will help remove some pre cancerous spots, and facial scars. Mild chemical peeling is used to treat acne in some cases.

Can chemical peeling damage- in rare cases chemical peeling procedure can damage with infection and scarring. You must talk to your doctor about this. No procedure that changes body in any way is free from risk. AHA formulations are used to give light peel, TCA is used to give a medium depth peel and phenol is used to give deep peel to the skin. You can visualize the process like this- the deeper your skin problem, the deeper peel may be used. So for surface aberrations, a mild peel and for deeper scars a deep peel. Your doctor will decide that after looking at your skin and consulting with you about what results you desire, the time you want to give and the care and discomfort you are ready to undergo. Deep peels give, more discomfort but produce better results. You will have to discuss these issues with your doctor.

This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advise and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Acne Treatment- How to Take Care of Your Skin?

Basic skins care for acne can help you control aggravation and stop scars to a certain extent. Please take the following care -

1. Do not pick acne. Trying to squeeze out blackheads or whiteheads may lead to further infection. Picking up acne at second stage may lead to scarring.

2.There is a misconception that excessive sweat or dirt can cause acne. In blackheads what you see black is not dirt but oxidized sebum. Please do not be harsh with your skin. That will aggravate the acne condition. Gently clean your face with mild soap or cleansers formulated to care for acne and warm water. Pat dry, do not rub.

3. Use noncomedogenic cosmetics and skin care products. Noncomedogenic products are certified to not cause or aggravate acne.

4.Protect your skin with sunscreens. Avoid getting tanned. If you are under treatment for acne, consult your doctor about sun exposure as some medicines make your skin more sensitive to sun.

5. Facials may aggravate your acne. Avoid any kind of facial if you have an acne outbreak.

6. Do you have the habit of touching your acne frequently? Avoid that. Also avoid any bangs coming on the forehead.

7. If you think that more than recommended dose of cream/lotions prescribed for your acne will cure acne faster, it is time to change your thinking. That may harm you rather than helping you.

8. Keep your face free of make up as much as possible. Let the skin breath fresh air. Acne prone skin needs fresh air.

9.Avoid using any oil or oil rich product for your hair. Use oil free hair care products. Oily hair may worsen your acne.

10. Do not get worried if your medication does not produce immediate result in treating acne. Consult your doctor and find out the time during which you would get relief from acne. Do not worry till then. Acne medication takes time to treat acne and produce clear skin.

This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advise and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article.

A New Disease of the Skin

Occasionally in modern medicine, there are still actually “new” diseases. When a new disease is described, such as AIDS in the 1980’s, it is remarkable how quickly the medical community attacks the problem, learns the cause, and starts to develop treatments. What once took decades, now takes only a few years. For example, the first cases of AIDS were being described in 1981 and by 1987 successful trials of the drug AZT had begun.

A new disease in Dermatology:

In 2000 the first report was published describing a new disease in dermatology and a group of fifteen patients who had it. The disease consisted of a hardening of the skin of the hands and feet in patients who had end-stage renal disease and who were receiving dialysis. The hardening of the skin was progressive in many patients causing loss of mobility of the joints, leaving them in pain and often unable to walk or use their fingers and hands. The cause was not dialysis, because dialysis has been around for decades and this disease, called nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy (NFD), was not seen until 2000.

In 2005 a registry was created to track patients with this new disease and more than 170 cases had been reported or published. But the cause was still unknown, and there were no effective treatments for this horribly debilitating condition that often ended in death.

A possible breakthrough:

Then in mid-2006, The Danish Health Authority notified the FDA of 25 reported cases of nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy from two European medical centers. All of these cases occurred in patients with renal failure who underwent MRI and received a single dose of a gadolinium-containing contrast agent. (Contrast agent is a chemical injected into the vein of a patient before undergoing MRI. The contrast highlights certain structures in the body on an MRI scan allowing the radiologist to see organs and other structures more clearly.) All of the patients developed NFD within 3 months after receiving the contrast.

Worldwide, approximately 200 cases of NFD have now been reported. Efforts are underway to determine how many of these patients received gadolinium-containing contrast agents. There is still no cure and gadolinium-contrast is only an “association” and not yet a known “cause” of the disease. However, this new disease illustrates how the medical community of the world collaborates to tackle new diseases. .