subject: Causes And Treatments For Acne [print this page] Acne is that four letter word that ninety nine percent of us have come to know and hate. Acne is the thing that obsesses most of our teenagers and causes self consciousness. There is no cure for acne but there are ways to treat it so that the outbreaks will be less severe. Acne can range from almost nonexistent in many teenagers to quite severe in others. We need to define the term acne before we discuss the factors which contribute to its cause and the treatment methods.
Acne is the most common skin disorder there is and it is prevalent in teenagers. Acne can consist of a variety of symptoms which can also appear in different combinations depending on the physical and genetic makeup of the affected person. Acne may consist of blemishes, bumps, spots, blackheads, zits, etc., which will erupt on the skin. These eruptions are the symptoms of the underlying problem caused by the secretions of the sebaceous glands. These glands are located below the skin in the hair follicles and secrete sebum which is an oily lubricant. The secretion of sebum in itself is a good thing but the problem arises when it becomes infected. Dead skin cells and bacteria can get involved to cause an infection. The resulting visible infection is the visible form of acne.
The infection rate of teenagers with acne is about 80%. It is more prevalent in males but females are often affected also. Part of the reason for acne is the increased production of hormones during the teenage years. The prevalence of acne among teens is directly correlated to the hormone production cycle of the body. Increased hormone production translates to the increased production of sebum which raises the probability of infection.
Many have erroneously thought that acne was directly related to the consumption of certain greasy foods because it is directly correlated to the presence of the oily sebum. Diet in and of itself is not the cause of acne although there may be some sort of underlying effect. Many people have a genetic predisposition to have acne. This is one of the factors which cant be prevented but we can use various treatment methods to help to control the acne.
There are many ways to treat the outbreak of acne and many times drugs may be used. These can help but remember that when you use drugs you are interrupting the natural order and processes of the body. Antibiotics can be used to treat the infection but this should only be done in extreme situations.
The best single way to treat acne is to use an astringent several times per day to deep clean the skin. Doing so should remove excess oils and bacteria from your skin thus decreasing the opportunity for germs and dead skin cells to give you problems.
In addition, you need to apply a topical germ fighter like tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is probably the best natural remedy because of the way that it kills germs and fungus. Tea tree oil is absorbed very easily into the skin so it will get down to the place where the problem begins and fight infection there. Tea tree oil is not oily but has a very light consistency which allows it to be absorbed into the skin very easily.
Tea tree oil is composed of many complex chemical germ fighting compounds. It is composed of so many different germ killing compounds that germs cant mount a defense to its killing powers. Many germs will figure our how an antibiotic is killing them and adapt in order to survive but germs cant adapt to the effects of tea tree oil. I use this product on my skin to prevent razor bumps when I shave. My skin is very sensitive and I have not been able to find any other product which works as effectively. If you suffer from acne it might be exactly what you need. Fragrance Oil Express
