Mar 17 2009
Treating Acne
Of all the things in life that have to be dealt with, acne has got to be one of the most frustrating. It seams to never want to let go once it gets started and seems to just pop up suddenly without warning. How to get rid of acne is one of the hardest questions to answer but there are some things that you can do to help keep those pimples under control. First, however, we need to fully understand what acne is and how we get it.
Acne is an inflamed disease of the skin, and it has many causes. One such cause is bacteria breeding in the pores of the skin. When the body’s immune system is weak, it becomes allergic to this type of bacteria. Blood cells are attracted to fight the allergy, and the pores become blocked. Oil secretions begin to build up at these pores and provide a breeding ground for even more bacteria. Eventually, pimples form.
When faced with a bacteria causing acne, it is likely that you will begin to panic. Just imagine when you have red bumps that resemble small boils on your face. These red bumps get filled with a nasty puss caused by the body fighting the infection of the bacteria. What can you do to get rid of pimples ? Well, there are a number of things that you can do to fight the bacteria.
Treatments that kill the bacteria that cause acne included the use of antibiotics like tetracycline, doxycycline and minocyclne. These are to be taken orally. Also topical antibiotics or bactericides like Benzoyl peroxide or erythromycin can help. The bacteria also known as “P. acnes”, does however become resistant to the antibiotics eventually. However Benzoyl peroxide, an oxidizer, does not seem to generate resistance by the bacteria. While the acne will come back, it is a short term and temporary cure and is applied topically.
Gently exfoliating the skin can also help. This method can be done by using a cloth or a liquid scrub, or by using certain chemicals. Chemical exfoliating substances include salicylic acid and glycolic acid . Both of these agents cause a peeling of the top layer of skin, which prevents a build up of dead skin.
However, natural health practitioners prefer to recommend the use of natural acne treatment. Tea tree oil is gaining in popularity. It kills the bacteria and also reduces redness and inflammation. It works much the same as Benzoyl peroxide but causes less skin irritation. Tee tree oil can be easily found at health food stories.
Light therapy is another of the natural acne cures that fight the bacteria that has many adherents. Many people believe that the bacteria that causes acne insensitive to light in the blue wavelength of the light spectrum. Light therapy means shining blue light onto a patient for fifteen minutes at a time twice a week, usually for four weeks. This treatment can be expenses, running about $150 per treatment. Not all patients have had good results, but some have. Also since light in this wavelength is not harmful to the skin, there are no side effects or after effects.
Some people think that acne is caused by poor hygiene and by eating certain foods. There is no scientific evidence linking diet to acne. But a good diet sure will not hurt in skin repair and damaged tissues. Good personal hygiene also goes a long way in your acne treatment. Also using makeup that doesn’t clog pores helps prevent the spread of bacteria and acne from getting worse.
By simply following the procedures mentioned in this article you will find you acne outbreak to be coming under control or not coming back. Just remember that once the acne gets a foothold it will take some time for your skin to clear up completely. The skin has to heal from the infection of the bacteria but once it does you won’t have to be wondering how to treat acne ever again.
