Best Acne Treatments

There are many possible causes for acne. People of all ages, lifestyles, and backgrounds can develop it, and the causes can be different for each. The first step to understanding what is causing your acne is knowing your skin type and how to care for it. If you have oily skin, you wouldn't want to use a facial cleanser containing oil because your body is already producing a good amount of it. Likewise, if your skin is dry, you wouldn't want to necessarily use a product that is oil free. Perhaps, one of the most common myths is that oily skin does not need to be moisturized. Oil is not moisture, and skin needs moisture. Determining the cause and caring for your type of acne, as well as properly caring for your skin is crucial in curing acne.

This article covers some of the possible causes of acne and how to help determine what might be causing yours.

The skin is the largest organ in the human body. Like all other organs, proper care must be given to ensure it works correctly.

Topical treatments are those used on the surface of the skin. By helping to keep pores open, eliminating excess dirt and oil, and getting rid of unwanted bacteria, these may do the trick. There are other medications that can be taken orally to help eliminate excess oils by keeping the body from producing it, along with various other medical remedies that help treat acne. Before you can treat it, however, you need to understand what is causing it.

Hormones can play a major part in causing acne. In adolescence, the changes the body goes through can cause constant breakouts, while in adult years, bodily changes, such as premenstrual and pre menopausal episodes, can cause breakouts to continue. While any hormonal excess can promote acne, the mail hormones are most notorious for doing so.

The body can then produce more oil, which can block pores and cause breakouts. Using products that help eliminate or control oil may be helpful in curing acne with this cause.

Stress can also be a contributing factor to the presence of acne. When you are stressed, the body releases certain hormones and chemicals which can produce toxicities that cause acne. Try to eliminate stress by staying away from stressful situations.

It is also believe that some foods, such as chocolate and sugar can cause acne. While this is commonly disputed and often thought to be a myth, it is unclear whether these foods are unable to actually cause acne. Ask a physician if you want to know more abo

Though all pimples form the same way, they often take on different shapes and characteristics, and react differently on different people. Acne is formed when a hair follicle becomes clogged and what is called a comedo is formed. As the follicle becomes clogged with more oil, the comedo becomes larger, inflaming the skin around the area and forming what we know of as a pimple. There are several types of acne, each requiring different methods of treatment. This article covers some of those types, explaining each and making treatment suggestions.

Non-inflammatory acne often takes the form of a closed comedo, or whitehead. This occurs when the plugged hair follicle stays beneath the surface of the skin, and appears on the skin as a small whiteish bump.

An open comedo, or blackhead, occurs when the plug enlarges and pushes through the surface of the skin. Its dark appearance is not due to dirt, but rather to a build up of the dark pigment of the skin called melanin. Blackheads are also a type of inflammatory acne.

The mildest form of inflammatory acne is a papule, a small, firm, pink bump appearing on the surface of the skin. These bumps can be tender to the touch, and are often considered an intermediary step between non-inflammatory and inflammatory acne.

Pustules are like papules in that they are small, round lesions. Unlike papules, pustules are clearly inflamed and visibly contain pus. They may appear red at the base with a yellowish or whiteish center. Pustules do not generally contain a great deal of bacteria, but are inflamed due to chemical irritation from sebum components.

Nodular or cystic acne is usually very painful. Nodules are inflamed pus-filled lesions lodged deep within the skin. They develop when the contents of a comedo has spilled into the surrounding skin and immune system responds, producing pus. The most severe form of this type of acne may persist for weeks or even months, eventually hardening into a cyst. Both nodules and cysts often leave deep scars.

Acne conglobata, a rare form of inflammatory acne, forms primarily on the back, buttocks, and chest. It is characterized by pustules and nodules, and severe bacterial infection may ensue.

Acne cosmetica is a relatively mild form of acne caused from topical cosmetic products. It is characterized by small pink bumps, and local inflammation on the cheek, chin, and forehead. It may develop over the course of a few weeks or months, but usually does not cause s