Acne Scar Treatment

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Feb 202012
 

There are four chief acne scar types, each requiring a different type of acne scar treatment.  Each type of scar has a different cause.  Identifying the kind of scars you have can help you in discovering which treatment alternatives can help you get rid of unsightly acne scarring.  The four kinds of acne scars requiring scar treatment include boxcar, icepick, hypertrophic (keloid), and rolling.

About Acne Scar Types

Boxcar acne scars are scars that look a lot like the small marks left behind from a severe case of the chickenpox.  Boxcar acne scars will commonly appear on the cheeks and/or temples.  This type of scar is caused when inflamed skin eruptions damage the skin tissue and create a sunken appearance in your skin.  Boxcar acne scars have an angular like structure and leave a depression in your skin that can be oval.  The depth of the formation will vary from one scar to another and depends greatly on the amount of damage done to the surrounding skin area.

Icepick acne scars are scars that have an extremely narrow appearance.  Icepick scars are considerably deep and can leave behind a hole that makes the skin look as if it has been punctured with a sharp tool; hence the name icepick acne scar.  These scars are caused by the formation of a cyst or deep skin infection that eventually comes to the skin’s surface.  While the infection works its way to the surface of your skin it destroys surrounding tissue and causes a narrow passage to form.  When the infection clears up the narrow open passage remains behind.

Hypertrophic or Keloid acne scars are scar formations created out of raised skin tissue.  Keloid scarring forms around the original acne eruption.  Unlike other forms of acne scarring, there is no tissue loss or damage during the formation of a keloid acne scar.  Instead, there is an excessive amount of collagen produced in the skin surrounding the acne outbreak.  The collagen remains under the skin creating a hard mass of swollen tissue.  Keloid scarring is more prevalent in males and it commonly appears on the torso.

Rolling acne scars look like a combination of boxcar and keloid scarring.  Parts of the scar will have deep skin indentations while other parts of the scar will be raised; this gives the scar an undulating, wavy appearance.  A band of fibrous tissue forms between the layers of your skin and cause parts of the scar to be pulled inward, creating depressions, while leaving other areas of the scar raised.

You can take steps to prevent severe acne scars from appearing.  You should never pick at or attempt to pop an acne eruption since this is one of the prime factors in the development of acne scars.  In addition, if you do develop mild acne scars, you should treat the scars as soon as possible to prevent the scars from worsening.

Acne Scar Treatments for Shallow Scars

The minute you develop a wound from acne eruptions, you should treat the wounded area.  The infected area has to remain clean and disinfected to prevent scars from occurring or getting worse.  You can try an acne scar treatment like Neosporin to keep the affected area clean, bacteria free, and to prevent the onset of infection that can later lead to destroyed skin tissue and scarring.  Alternatively, skin exfoliation with a mild exfoliating product helps remove dead skin cells and surface scar tissues.  Using products containing glycolic acid or salicylic acid can help in keeping the surface of your skin refreshed and healthy as well.

You can work on healing acne conditions internally too by making sure you are getting enough vitamins.  Vitamin supplements are a form of all natural acne scar treatment.  If you lack adequate vitamins in your system, it can take you longer to heal.  Increase your intake of B5, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E, so that your skin has the best chances of healing without scarring.  Vitamin C increases your immune system functioning, and Vitamin A and E are important in skin regeneration.  Vitamin B5 promotes adequate circulation thereby lending to faster healing too.

Acne Scar Treatment Options for Deep Scars

Boxcar acne scarring can repaired with punch elevation procedures or they can be managed with dermabrasion.  A dermatologist uses equipment that has a wire wheel or diamond brush capable of spinning between 30000 to 60000 rpm.  The tool is used to remove the surface layer of skin and part of the boxcar scar formation.  This procedure may require repeat treatments until all scarring has been repaired.

Punch excision and punch elevation procedures are two treatment options for icepick scar formations.  Punch excision is a surgical treatment involving the removal of the acne scar; the surround tissue is then sewn closed and allowed to heal.  Alternatively, punch elevation is a process where a health professional cuts the bottom, depressed area of the scar, freeing it to rise to the level of surrounding skin.  Another punch technique used for icepick scarring is called punch grafting: this procedure involves taking some skin from somewhere else on your body and placing it over the icepick scar.

Chemical peels can sometimes be used to manage icepick scarring, if the scarring is not too deep.  With a chemical peel, a special chemical is applied to the skin’s surface to force the removal of the uppermost layer of skin.  Laser resurfacing, another surgical acne scar treatment, involves the use of a laser to remove scar tissue.  This type of treatment helps in dealing with blood vessels that may be bleeding beneath the surface of the skin.  The laser emits a targeted light that heats up scar tissue so it can be destroyed; laser resurfacing has proven successful in the management of deep boxcar acne scars.

An acne scar treatment for keloid acne scars is aimed at reducing tissue swelling.  A trained professional can inject steroids into the scar to help minimize the appearance of inflamed scar tissues.  This process often has to be repeated several months in a row before the results are permanent.  Keloid acne scars also prove responsive to cortisone tapes and creams that help the scar to eventually flatten and shrink.  Cryosurgery is another alternative acne scar treatment for keloid scarring: the health professional freezes the scar tissue, forcing it to die off and to be replaced with fresh, new skin.

Rolling acne scars are sometimes treated with punch treatments or dermabrasion.  An alternative acne scar treatment for these types of scars is called subcision.  Through subcision, a health professional cuts any “bound” acne scar tissue away from surrounding tissue.  Blood is then allowed to flow into the cutaway scar area and to heal.  A similar treatment called skin needling or rolling involves the use of a needle to pierce the acne scar tissue; once pierced the area is allowed to heal on its own to reveal a smoother complexion.

 Posted by admin at 11:00 am  Tagged with: , ,

Best Over the Counter Acne Treatment

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Dec 302011
 

What is the best over the counter acne treatment product? You might look at all the products available and feel slightly overwhelmed.  There are so many over the counter acne treatment options, you might not know where to begin when it comes to select the best product.  You will need to choose a product based upon your skin condition, your skin sensitivity level, and the potential reasons why you have acne eruptions forming on your skin.

If you are dealing with mild acne eruptions, sometimes called grade 1 acne formations, you can often use affordable, conservative at home treatment methods.  Many over the counter acne treatment options can deal with the occasional, mild acne outbreak.  In fact, if you notice you have mild acne, you should deal with the issue immediately: this will prevent the likelihood that your condition will become more severe or even chronic.

Acetone/Alcohol OTC Options

Many over the counter acne treatment options contain acetone and/or alcohol.  Both help to clear away dead skin cells, to diminish the presence of oils in and on the skin, and they also help in pour tightening.  Alcohol also helps in the destruction of acne-causing bacteria, while acetone works as an oil remover.  These ingredients are often included in cleansers, astringents, skin clarifiers, and toners.  Bear in mind however, the products containing alcohol or acetone may not always prove ideal for anyone with skin sensitivity.

Benzoyl Peroxide OTC Options

Some of the leading acne control products include an ingredient identified as Benzoyl Peroxide, which works best for inflamed acne.  These products include over the counter acne treatments like MD Formulations, Glytone Gel, Benzaderm, and Proactive.  You can also find a number of generic products with Benzoyl Peroxide as the active ingredient; the ingredient is commonly added to things like topical creams, lotions, and facial cleansers.  Most products have anywhere between 2.5 and 10 percent Benzoyl Peroxide in them.  Benzoyl Peroxide destroys the Propionibacteria acne that causes eruptions.  It diminishes inflammatory conditions, cleans out the pores, and it also has a drying effect that diminishes excessive oils in and on the skin. In addition to causing dryness and peeling, Benzoyl Peroxide might also make your skin more sensitive to the sun, so it’s important that you wear sunscreen every day.

Salicylic Acid OTC Options

Another of the common over the counter acne treatment ingredients is identified as Salicylic Acid.  Like Benzoyl Peroxide, this product dries the skin and gets rid of accumulated skin cells and/or oils.  This ingredient proves best if used to deal with wnon-inflamed pimples, blackheads and whiteheads.  It is offered in 0.5 to 2 percent strengths in treatment pads, lotions, and cleansers, and you will find it in over the counter acne treatment products like Dermalogica Gel, Noxzema Pads, Noxzema Gel, Stridex, and Oxy acne fighting products.

Sulfur and Resorcinol OTC Options

Some over the counter acne treatment products have Resorcinol and sulfur in their list of active ingredients.  Usually, you can get OTC products containing anywhere from 2 to 8 percent of these two ingredients combined.  Sulfur helps in drying the skin to reduce excessive oils and Resorcinol diminishes the presence of excessive skin cells.  Together, they offer a powerful defense against acne formations and you will find these types of ingredients in things like Glytone Lotion, Razamid, Clearasil Blemish Sticks, and Clearasil creams.

 

 Posted by admin at 9:43 pm  Tagged with: , , , ,

What Causes Acne

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Dec 302011
 

Nearly everybody suffers from acne, so at some point in time everyone asks the common question “what causes acne?”  The answer to what causes acne is really dependent on a variety of factors.  There is no single source or cause that is cited for acne outbreaks, this is because researchers are finding that there are multiple causes for the baneful, irritating, embarrassing skin condition.

So what causes acne to erupt?  Further, why are there some individuals that seem more likely to develop the skin condition?  In truth, no matter how well you tend to your skin and no matter how committed you are to your hygienic practices, you can still wind up with undesirable acne eruptions.  Even worse, these eruptions can occur anywhere on your body.

While there are many causes of acne ,there are three main reasons why the condition occurs.  Acne outbreaks are commonly caused by things like sebaceous glands that are overactive, when you shed skin cells abnormally, or you could get acne because you have bacteria in or on your skin.

Skin Shedding Abnormalities and Their Role in Acne Development

The uppermost layer of your skin is identified as the epidermis.  This upper layer is continuously renewed by the shedding of skin cells that have died that are replaced with new, living tissue.  The process of shedding dead skin cells is further identified as desquamation; the dead cells will eventually fall off the epidermis as they are freed from the outer layer of your epidermis or the stratum corneum.  New cells grow in and take the place of the cells that fall away from the epidermis.  In some individuals, there are far too many skin cells produced resulting in the eventual presence of excessive dead skin cells.  When this happens, the cells clog the pores and follicles in the skin, resulting in the presence of unsightly acne eruptions.

Also within the uppermost layer of the epidermis, there are lamellar granules.  These granules naturally generate special digesting enzymes that consume the substance responsible for holding skin cells together.  When these granules fail to produce enough enzymes or when the enzymes do not do their job effectively, the result is the accumulation of more dead skin cells on the surface of the skin.  As the cells accumulate they form whiteheads and blackheads.

Sebaceous Glands and Their Role in Acne Development

So, how do sebaceous glands play a role in the formation of acne? Sebaceous glands are within the skin; they produce a special oil identified as sebum.  This sebum is needed to keep the skin’s surface flexible, supple, and lubricated.  However, when there is too much sebum, this product will eventually clog pores and hair follicles.  Sometimes the sebaceous glands become overactive and produce far more sebum than you actually need.  The sebum gets into follicles and pores, and clogs them.  This produces comedones or whiteheads and blackheads.  It can also cause small pimples, large pimples, and rash-like conditions.

Bacteria and Acne Formations

Everyone has some kind of bacteria on their skin, some good, and some bad.  Bad bacteria can result in acne formations.  The presence of bacteria is particularly prominent in what causes acne with inflammatory characteristics. In fact, bacteria is the common cause for Propionibacteria Acne conditions; this bacteria lives inside hair follicles and is oftentimes harmless, but it can quickly grow in an out of control manner resulting in clogged pours.  If a person has excessive sebum, this contributes to establishing an environment that allows the Propionibacteria to thrive.

 Posted by admin at 9:40 pm  Tagged with: ,

Acne Treatments Overview

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Dec 302011
 

If you are looking for a real acne treatment, one that is powerful, efficient, expedient, and affordable, you first need to understand what is acne, how it is caused, and the types of acne treatment options available.  There are numerous acne treatments you can choose from, but you have to identify the cause of acne before you can choose the appropriate treatment method.

Understanding What Acne Is

Acne is actually a skin disorder; it affects your skin, the hair follicles, and oil glands.  This condition can manifest in a number of different ways like blackheads, whiteheads, blemishes, small pimples, lesions, cysts, or nodules.  If it becomes extreme, you can end up with serious skin discolorations and/or scarring.  Acne is not discriminatory; it can affect young and old, male or female alike.  Most commonly, the condition becomes evident in teens and young adults.  In fact, more than sixty-five percent of all people will develop acne conditions by the time they are thirteen years of age.

The less severe type of acne is non-flammatory in nature: this condition appears as a blackhead or whitehead.  Blackheads and whiteheads are identified as comedones: whiteheads are closed and blackheads are open.  Both are produced by a follicle that has been clogged.  A whitehead is called such because the clogged follicle fills with a white colored substance, and a blackhead has a tip that is dark.  The darkened coloring of a blackhead is caused by excessive melanin accumulation in the follicle.

You can also end up developing inflammatory acne; this condition can appear in the form of a papule, a pustule, a cyst, or a nodule.  Inflammatory acne tends to present itself in stages ranging from moderate to severe.  The Papule is what appears during the first stages of inflammatory acne conditions; they are tender, sore, raised, inflamed, and can range in color from light pink to dark pink.  As the condition worsens, pustules form: this looks like a raised, pink colored papule only a pustule is a deep red color and hosts a white or yellow center formation comprising of pus.  Cysts or nodules are incredibly painful; they can last for days, weeks, or months, can cause scarring, and they can spread to surrounding skin areas.  They are large and filled with pus; they may be pink, red, or they may have no color at all.

Identify the Types of Acne You Have

As you search for the best acne treatment for your skin, you really need to identify the type of acne you have developed.  You will want to stay away from products claiming to be a cure all for all types of acne.  Instead, you need to find a quality treatment to deal with your specific condition.  You should base your product selection on whether you have developed inflammatory or non-inflammatory conditions.

The ideal non-inflammatory acne treatments are those that can be topically applied to the affected area; when you apply a cream or product to the affected area, the product can go directly to work by helping to unclog the pores causing small pimples, whiteheads, and blackheads.  These products help to banish the dead skin cells that accumulate and cause the non-inflammatory acne condition in the first place.

When it comes to inflammatory acne conditions, you need an acne treatment that can go deep into the skin and treat the condition from within or internally.  You will also want to seek out products with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial properties such as Benzoyl Peroxide, so you can properly deal with the condition.  There are a number of outstanding treatments that you can use to unclog follicles and pores, to exfoliate dead skin cells, to dry up excessive sebum, to destroy acne-causing bacteria, and to help your skin become clear, clean, and attractive.

No matter what product you do choose as an acne treatment, you have to use it as you are directed to do so on the packaging of the product.  Do not expect an overnight miracle when it comes to getting your acne under control either.  It can take several weeks to several months before your skin condition reveals any improvement at all.  In fact, when treating acne the condition tends to worsen before you will note improvements: this is because as the product you use works on getting rid of acne, it will help to push/draw out what is causing the acne, making your condition seem worse than before; you can relax and rest assured in knowing that this is a transient effect of the product’s use.

Over the Counter Acne Treatment Options

You have a lot of over the counter treatment options for acne too.  You can try products that are tested and approved by the FDA.  Some of the products you can try include ingredients like Sulfur, Salicylic Acid, Resorcinol, Benzoyl Peroxide, Acetone, and/or Alcohol.

Sulfur is commonly mixed with other ingredients, due to its strong odor; this product is put into soaps and creams so that it helps in breaking down comedones. Salicylic Acid is an ingredient found helpful in unclogging follicles and in getting rid of excessive dead skin cells.  Benzoyl Peroxide is a popular product; it also helps in clearing away dead skins cells so that comedones do not form.  This product can cause your skin to dry out and if you get it on your attire it can bleach or stain your clothing.  Both Salicylic Acid and Benzoyl Peroxide have to be used for an extended period of time to gain any benefits from their use.  If you have oily skin, you will want to try a degreasing agent containing acetone and alcohol.

There are other acne treatment options you can benefit from including things like herbal or organic solutions, prescribed medications, oral antibiotics, topical antibiotics, and topical retinoid medicines.  Some women get rid of acne when they are on a low dose of birth control such as Yaz, Ortho Tri-Cyclen, or Estrostep Fe.  Sometimes Androgen Blockers like Spironolactone also help in diminishing acne conditions.

 Posted by admin at 9:37 pm  Tagged with: , , ,
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