Ways To Get Rid Of Acne

By Michael Smiles


Although most teenagers will suffer with it at some point, some adults are prone to acne as well. Everyone who has it wants to get rid of acne, which is unfortunately hard to do. However, there are a lot of ways to keep it under control and avoid flare-ups, and these are a lot easier to do.

Excessive oil production by the skin cells of the face is the main cause for the problem. Normal amounts of oil keep the skin healthy and protected. However, levels of oil production are determined by hormones, and during puberty and for a few years afterwards, the hormones are a bit out of whack. Excess oil gathers dead skin cells to it, and the combination blocks pores in the face and sometimes other skin.

Blocking the pores with oil and dead skin cells often leads to normal skin bacteria being trapped inside. Without competition and with lots of food (skin cells and oil), they grow out of control. The immune system responds with inflammation, redness, swelling, and immune cells. The result of this battle is pus, a mix of dead immune cells, dead bacteria, dead skin cells, and oil, within a whitehead or pimple.

Blackheads result when the pores fill with oil and dead skin cells, but do not get infected. The oxidation of the oil where it is in contact with the air at the surface of the pore results in the black color. The material that can be squeezed out of these blemishes is called sebum, and it is a mix of oil, skin cells, and other normal bodily products.

There are several ways to keep the condition in check at home. Most people wash their face more than enough when they suffer from skin conditions. However, excessive washing is just as harmful as not washing enough. One or two times a day is the minimum and maximum frequency. A special skin cleanser should always be used, as soap is harsh on the skin.

Because dead skin cells contribute to the problem, the use of a cleanser with a sloughing agent, such as salicylic acid, can be helpful. These can be drying, however, so add a moisturizer if you use them. Do not combine over the counter treatments without approval from your doctor.

In some cases, antibiotics in either topical or oral form are used to get rid of acne that is especially stubborn. However, the bacteria that cause the problem are naturally present on the skin, and do not cause a problem absent excess oil and skin cells. For this reason, doctors usually reserve antibiotics for the most severe cases that do not respond to other treatments.




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