Acne Treatment Options

Acne – What causes it?

Most people are affected by acne during their adolescence, sadly, it is even more common than ear infections. Caused by the increase in male sex hormones, it affects both genders during puberty. While some people may experience a drop in the amount of acne they are plagued with as they get older, some people continue to have acne even during their adult years.

It is said that the predisposition of some people to have more acne than others is due to hereditary factors. Another reason for acne to appear is hormonal fluctuations. While it is commonly known that puberty can lead to an increase in acne, menstrual cycles also increases the sebum productions in the follicular glands, thus making it more likely that acne eruptions will occur.

Acne is also caused by inflammation or skin irritation, such as scratching the skin or even washing it with a substance that irritates the skin. Another common cause of acne is stress, as this increases the output of hormones.

Most people believe that a diet that contains chocolate can cause acne. This statement, while commonly believed, has never been backed by scientific research. Research does, however, say that a diet rich in high glycemic foods can cause acne. This means that people who eat a lot of simple carbohydrates can have an increase in acne.

Acne – Treatment Methods:

Since acne is such a common problem, there are numerous sensitive skin care treatment methods depending on the severity of the problem as well as the amount of money you are willing to spend on it.

The quickest way to reduce a pimple is to take a cortisone treatment. Often found as over the counter creams, cortisone helps reduce the presentation of acne.

Another over the counter treatment is through an antibacterial that contains benzoyl peroxide. This, when rubbed a few times over the skin daily, reduces acne flares. You can find this antibacterial in many items such as creams, soaps and even washed. Other antibiotics that are used to treat acne include erythromycin, clindamycin, stieyamycin and tetracycline. These drugs are also available in oral forms.

Topical retinoids, which normalize the follicle cells lifecycle, are also commonly used to reduce acne. Oral retinoids, such as a daily intake of Vitamin A derivative isotretinoin are also known to reduce acne by reducing the secretion of oil from the skin glands.

People who are plagued with severe acne and can find no relief from it even after trying all these treatments can use much more expensive treatments like phototherapy or laser treatments.

Acne – Natural Treatments:

If you are not comfortable with using drugs to reduce acne, you can use products found in your kitchen to help with you acne outbreaks. Besides this, a few changes in your diet can also reduce your acne presentations.

If you have acne outbreaks, the first thing you should do is see if your diet is causing your breakouts. If you are eating a diet rich in carbohydrates, you can try and change it for a few weeks to see if a diet rich in low glycemic foods can help reduce your acne.

A common home treatment is mixing honey and cinnamon powder into a paste. You can apply this paste before you go to sleep and wash it in the morning with warm water. This paste is supposed to reduce your acne over a period of two weeks. Another remedy with cinnamon includes mixing equal parts cinnamon powder and lemon juice. However, you should never use lemon juice on sensitive skin as it can lead to skin irritation and an increase in acne.

You can also use ingredients you use in cooking in helping with acne. If you rub some fresh garlic on your skin around any pimples, it will reduce their size. A paste made out of orange peel and some water will also do the same thing. Papaya juice will also reduce swelling in pimples. Applying tomato pulp on acne for one hour will also help in reducing the redness.

It is also possible to buy many treatments and creams from your local store which help combat acne without introducing any chemicals into your body. Look for products with Tea Tree Oil, Clove Oil, Lavendar and Rosewood.

Drinking a large amount of water can also help reduce the toxicity levels in your skin and reduce acne. Drink at least six to eight glasses of water every day, more if you work out regularly.

The best acne treatment for small amount of acne is changing your lifestyle. By eating healthier, avoiding starchy foods and keeping your skin clean and healthy, you can avoid acne breakouts. However, people with unmanageable amounts of acne, or where acne makes you feel uncomfortable in social situations, need to go to their dermatologist for a treatment.

Update: If you are interested in learning about acne scars then visit my latest hub how to get rid of acne scars.