What Is Acne and What Causes It?

If you're a teen, chances are pretty good that you have some acne. Almost 8 in 10 teens have acne, along with many adults.

Acne is so common that it's considered a normal part of puberty. But knowing that doesn't always make it easier when you're looking at a big pimple on your face in the mirror. So what is acne, and what can you do about it?

What Is Acne and What Causes It?

Acne is a condition of the skin that shows up as different types of bumps. These bumps can be blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, or cysts. Teens get acne because of the hormonal changes that come with puberty. If your parents had acne as teens, it's more likely that you will, too. The good news is that, for most people, acne goes away almost completely by the time they are out of their teens.

The type of acne that a lot of teens get is called acne vulgaris (the meaning of "vulgaris" isn't as bad as it sounds — it means "of the common type"). It usually shows up on the face, neck, shoulders, upper back, and chest.

The hair follicles, or pores, in your skin contain sebaceous glands (also called oil glands). These glands make sebum, which is an oil that lubricates your hair and skin. Most of the time, the sebaceous glands make the right amount of sebum. As a teen's body begins to mature and develop, though, hormones stimulate the sebaceous glands to make more sebum, and the glands may become overactive. Pores become clogged if there is too much sebum and too many dead skin cells. Bacteria (especially one called Propionibacterium acnes) can then get trapped inside the pores and multiply, causing swelling and redness — the start of acne.

If a pore gets clogged up and closes but bulges out from the skin, you're left with a whitehead. If a pore gets clogged up but stays open, the top surface can darken and you're left with a blackhead. Sometimes the wall of the pore opens, allowing sebum, bacteria, and dead skin cells to make their way under the skin — and you're left with a small, red bump called a pimple (sometimes pimples have a pus-filled top from the body's reaction to the bacterial infection).

Clogged pores that open up very deep in the skin can cause nodules, which are infected lumps or cysts that are bigger than pimples and can be painful. Occasionally, large cysts that seem like acne may be boils caused by a staph infection. That doesn't happen often, though.

Acne Problems

What�s Acne?

Acne is a term that�s used to describe whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples. (You may well recognize slang terms like spots, or zits). Most teenagers get the type of acne called acne vulgaris, which can show up on the face, neck, shoulders, back, and chest. Skin pores contain oil glands which naturally lubricate your skin and hair. But sometimes if a pore gets clogged beneath the skin with excess oil and bacteria, the dreaded acne is caused...

Whiteheads happen when a pore gets clogged, closes, and then bulges out. If a pore gets clogged but stays open, the top may darken and you've got a blackhead. A pimple happens when dead skin and bacteria work their way under live skin. This leads to a small infection that makes your skin look red. Get glowing!

What Causes Acne?

Although everyone is different, acne is usually caused by the build up of oil and dead skin in a pore. This build up of oil and dead skin is caused because of:

• Natural hormones. These are particularly active in your teens.
• Plugged skin. Lots of skin cells can close the oil glands or pores, creating blackheads or whiteheads, (as mentioned earlier).
• Bacteria. Bacteria can easily infect oil glands and pores and grow very quickly.
• Family background. If you have acne, your kids are more likely to have it too.

How To Reduce An Acne Problem

• You shouldn�t squeeze, pick, scratch, or rub your skin as it makes the problem worse, and it might even cause scarring.
• Regularly shampoo your hair, and try to keep it off your face if possible - especially at night.
• Keep a food diary to work out if you are one of the few people whose acne gets worse if they eat certain things.
• Exercise regularly to get the old blood flowing, and make sure you get a wash as soon after as possible.
• Avoid unnecessarily touching your face.
• If possible, try to minimize your stress levels.
• Avoid getting sunburned.
• Change your wash cloth every day, as bacteria can grow on damp cloth.
• Wash your face twice a day with a gentle soap like Dove or Lever 2000.
• Always rinse really well with lots of water.
• Only wear makeup on special occasions, and then make sure you remove it completely.
• Granular facial scrub can make acne worse by aggravating the skin.

Medication For Extreme Cases

Oral antibiotics
Oral antibiotics have a high success rate, and can be safely used for up to a year. It can take up to six months to fully take effect, but there should be a noticeable difference within six weeks. Oral Antibiotics include erythromycin, minocycline and tetracycline

Antibacterial cream
Benzoyl peroxide kills the bacteria which causes inflammation. It is available over the counter in 2.5%, 5% and 10% creams and lotions. It is available in gels in the same percentages but only by prescription. Clinically, there�s not much difference between the effectiveness of the various strengths and types used.
NOTE: Unfortunately, there can be some �side effects� of the use of Benzyol peroxide, including hypersensitivity, irritation, and contact dermatitis (although these are very rare). Remember to always keep Benzoyl peroxide away from clothing as it has a bleaching effect.

HD Acne Scar Cream

HD Acne Scar Cream

Almost everyone has scars of some sort they wish they could be rid of once and for all. Whether it’s facial acne scarring, burn scars, stretch marks, scars from skin disorders, or surgery scarring, scars be unattractive and bothersome. With the brand new, revolutionary HD Scar Cream, however, your scar worries can be over forever

Best Rated Acne Solution Products

Best Rated Acne Solution Products

Are you one of thousand people suffering from acne? Don’t worry, as matter of fact there are approximately 60 million people in America who suffer the same way that you do. However, there are only six million people who opted to do something about acne. In order to be one of those you need to take action today, for that reason we have reviewed the best 3 acne solution products, make sure you check the 3 of them out, that way you will find the one that meets perfectly your situation.

Do these Zits Mean Anything? An Acne Treatment That Uses Modern Science and Ancient Wisdom

In 2001, after comparing over 250 studies and 150 drugs, a team at Johns Hopkins Children's Center still has no clue as to how to successfully treat acne. With this lineup of intelligence failing to cure acne, how can any average Jane expect to free herself from a zit affliction? Simple; crack the code of your zits.
An effective acne treatment has remained elusive because the deeper meanings behind the information-packed pimples are too often neglected or unexamined, until now.
"Listen to the messages of your zits" proclaims Naweko San-Joyz, author of Acne Messages: Crack the code of your zits and say goodbye to acne. Zits are smart and full of knowledge about you and your lifestyle. Those pimples on your face act as little messengers from the body to suggest beneficial changes to your lifestyle and areas of your life to which you should pay more attention.

Acne Messages guides the exacerbated acne sufferer to find out exactly what causes their unique case of acne. This is the shortcoming of most acne prescriptions and creams; they treat acne as a target as opposed to probing into what emotional, physical, psychological and or nutritional needs set off the acne trigger.
Once you decode you zit, the zit will reveal a wealth of practical information about you. For example, how well you cope with stress, whether or not your specific nutritional needs are being met, if your personal goals are being met, if your organs are functioning at optimum levels, and whether or not your self esteem is balanced are just of sample of the revelations communicated by zits. Using ancient wisdom and modern science San-Joyz helps people with acne pinpoint the root cause of their unique case of acne.

Acne Messages is designed for people with acne who can find no relief with drugs, special diets, or creams alone.
Do you let your zits tell you at least these five things about yourself before you pop it, slather it with creams, or ingest some acne wonder drug? If not, this could be why you are one of the 17 million people in the United States still coping with acne.
Read Acne Messages, decode the messages of your zits and say goodbye to acne. You can begin your own Acne Messages just $14.99 plus shipping and handling. Available at Noixia.com and AMAZON.com.

Emotionally Dealing with Acne

It is a fact that nearly 17 million people in the United States alone currently have acne. Thus, acne is the most common skin disease. However, if so many Americans are afflicted with this skin disease, then why is there a social stigma with acne? Due to the ever increasing social and media pressure on Americans to become as beautiful as they can be, acne can be a detering blow.
If acne is untreated, then it can lead to disfiguration of the skin and permanent scarring affecting self esteem for years to come.
First, acne must not only be treated physically, but emotionally as well. Since acne predominantly affects teens during puberty, which is a stage of generally low self-esteem as the body develops, acne can cause deep emotional scars as well. How does a teen, who is constantly bombarded by media influences telling them that they have to look perfect, accept acne as a common problem that should have no effect on their personal worth?
There are several tips that these teens can do that can help overcome acne emotionally:
Attend Motivational Summer Camps, Join Clubs at School, Participate in Sports, Develop a Talent,Work at a Part-Time Job
These tips help build self-esteem that acne breaks down. For instance, if a teen participates in sports, then not only will they feel that they are part of a group (comradery) but also revel in the accomplishments of the team. A Part-Time job gives the teen a sense of worth, that they can be a valuable part of the work force. The money earned helps gives the teen more self-worth, that they have earned it. If the teen has a natural talent, such as music, the parents can encourage the teen to develop the talent.

Developing a talent not only instills within the teen a healthy work ethic (practice), but seeing the gradual improvement will help boost self-esteem.
Perhaps the largest resource that teens can use to overcome the emotional scars of acne is their parents. If parents talked to their teens regularly, and have open conversations with their teen about their acne, then the teen will feel less ashamed of their dilemma. Parents can also relate their own experiences with acne, since most Americans deal with pimples and zits at least in some point in their life. Parents can also get advice from other parents on how they have helped their teens deal with acne. In http://www.acnerelief.org there is a forum where both parents and teens can write about their own experiences with acne, and learn from what others have written.
While acne can be devastating for teens during the developmental years of puberty, the worst scarring can be emotional, not physical. Teens should always remember that acne is a common skin disease that affects many Americans. If acne is hurting their self-esteem, parents can boost their self-worth by maintaining open conversations with their children and encourage activities such as clubs, sports, and developing talents.

How To Use Fish Oil To Help You Stop Acne

If you want to control acne breakouts, you need to supplement your diet with fish oils which contain omega-3 and omega-6 oils. These fish oil also contains EPA and DHA fatty acids which are necessary for creating prostaglandins.
Normally, enzymes in your body break down omega-6 into DGLA, AA, EPA and DHA fatty acids.

Dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA), Arachidonic Acid (AA), Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA), Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA): These four fatty acids eventually change into prostaglandins.

What are prostaglandins?
Prostaglandins are chemical hormones that come from omega-3 and omega-6 oils and that help regulate every function in your cells and organs.
Postaglandins also keep androgen hormones in control so that excess sebum is not produce in the hair follicle, which results in acne.
This is the reason why Essential Fatty Acids - Omega-3 and Omega-6 - are critical foods to eat.

However, eating plenty essential fatty acids may not insure that you produce enough EPA and DHA, which produce the essential prostaglandins.
It is critical for acne and more importantly for your health that you get enough EPA and DHA in your cells and organs so they can produce the required prostaglandins.
To increase the prostaglandins in your cell walls, it is necessary for you to take a fish supplement, which contains both the EPA and DHA.
Of course eating salmon, halibut, and mackerel twice a week will be a plus in providing your body with more EPA and DHA.
Here's what I use daily. Spectrum Essentials puts out an excellent product called Omega-3 Norwegian Fish Oil. Two capsules contains EPA - 360mg, DHA - 240mg, Omega-3 - 892mg, tearic, Lauric, Palmitic Acids - 508mg
Using the Omega-3 Norwegian Fish Oil is critical in getting relief from acne, so take two capsules per meal.

When your body creates prostaglandins, it creates a good prostaglandin and a bad prostaglandin. Here's how to encourage the production of good prostaglandins:
Maintain a ratio of two times more omega-6 than omega-3 in your diet. eating too much omega-6 can lead to producing excess bad prostaglandins. take a multi-vitamin and minerals with your meals to provide these nutrients for breaking down the
Eat cold water fish at least twice a week to provide EPA and DHA to your diet,
Include at least 20% of your diet calories as good fats - omega oils and fish oil. This is essential for controlling the excess activity of your hormones and reducing the inflammation of your acne.