Archive for November, 2009

There are lots of people who are prey to acne and would do anything to cure it forever. A number of acne treatments exist which can be got done depending upon the price which you willing to shell out. If you are desperate enough to go to a clinic and get the acne treatment done, then there are a number of remedies which can be done for around $300. But then, most people cannot afford this type of money for acne treatments and are very much happy with the ways to cure acne naturally.

http://sensibleacneadvice.com/

There are a lot of benefits of using homemade acne treatments as they do not cost as much and also are very safe. They do not hurt like the medical practices do such as laser treatment methods and dermabrasion. There are mixed effects of using such methods. Some of them hurt very much while some don’t. But there is also the problem of bleeding which might occur if your blood does not clot well. Also, there might be some infection on the face which might pose additional problems while the acne scars get healed.

As a result, though microdermabrasion is very effective in clearing the acne, many people still rely on homemade techniques to get their skin rid of acne. These methods are safe, cost very less and have no side-effects. Some of them include taking zinc and vitamin C supplements every day to keep the skin clear. The other methods include using sulfur treatment methods and Aloe Vera for clearing the skin. Apart from this, there are a number of natural ingredients which can be used to help clear the skin. There are times when the dermatologist might recommend going for acne laser treatment methods but remember that he might be looking out for his paycheck rather than your best interests.

Numerous methods are used in the treatment of acne, such as topical and oral medications, but not many acne treatments were found to rid acne forever. The problem may be due to the fact that there are different types of acne. Inflammatory acne, for example, is usually treated with antibiotics taken orally. This is where the acne laser treatment comes in.

The laser treatment may be used to reduce the amount of medication taken to treat acne and improve acne scars. Acne laser treatment is quite recent. Many researchers have long been investigating better ways to treat acne. They came across this new acne-treating tool called acne laser treatment a couple of years ago and has been used since with a high rate of success.

Laser treatments have been known and applied for quite some time, but only a few years ago did they discover the efficiency of laser treatments when treating acne patients. Doctors discovered that a good number of acne patients showed extraordinary results after being exposed to the laser treatment. Before this discovery, laser treatments were mostly used for anti-aging purposes.

Laser acne treatments are used in very specific situations, such as in the reduction and elimination of scarring due to severe acne and in the treatment of active acne. The acne laser treatment has increased in popularity among acne patients since its first introduction a few years ago. This treatment is used on teenagers when other forms of treatment have been used without success, whereas adults will tend to opt for the acne laser treatment as being the acne treatment of choice.

Laser acne treatments may be used to reduce acne-causing bacteria or shrink oil-producing glands. Both approaches are efficient to get rid of acne, but many specialists believe that eliminating the oil-producing glands is the best route to an acne free skin.

How does acne laser treatment work? Depending on the approach, a different set of acne treating lasers and lights will be used. For example, if you want to eradicate acne-causing bacteria, a laser emitting yellow light will be used.

This yellow laser light interacts with prophorine, which is a substance found inside the acne-causing bacteria, to produce oxygen and consequently kill the bacteria. The yellow laser light also has a dual effect of favouring the formation of collagen, which in turn will help prevent scarring due to severe acne.

Acne laser treatment is still in its embryonic stage, much research is being done at the moment. Researchers are encouraged to further investigate acne laser treatments due to the acne problem being so widespread.

Consequently, newer and better methods are always being tested. Specialists often use a combination of different types of acne treating lasers and lights in order to get the most out of this laser technology when treating a patient. Of course, the methods used depend on the acne patient?s condition.

After numerous studies conducted to see the effectiveness of acne laser treatment, experts have found this treatment to be localized, secure, and producing no systemic side effects. More and more, lasers are being used in the treatment of acne scarring and in the treatment of active acne.

Acne can oftentimes be an expensive problem and if you don’t want to spend money on acne laser treatments, you may want to consider homemade acne treatments instead.  Granted, homemade treatments may take longer to actually show their effects, but they do work and the important thing is that you are not spending too much money.

http://sensibleacneadvice.com/

Everyday home objects

There are so many things in your house to help you fight the spread of acne.  Things like lemons, oatmeal, potatoes, etc.  These kitchen items are all natural acne treatment sources that you can take advantage of.  These things can help you to cure pimples and zits.  Some of the items can even help you to get rid of acne scars.

Fruity treatment

Got acne scars and blemishes?  There’s nothing better than a natural cure for acne that can be found in citrus fruits.  Lemon juice is one of the best things that you can use to exfoliate your face.  You can get rid of black scars and pimples, and the best thing of all is you can either pick lemons from your own tree or buy them in the supermarket.  There’s nothing better than easy access to help cure bad acne.

The bathroom

There are even more items to help you get rid of your acne in your own bathroom.  One great source of acne medicine is toothpaste.  It can help to reduce the swelling of pimples and zits and it is actually one of the most common items that people use to battle severe acne.  Of course, the toothpaste that you need to use should be the paste and not the gel kind.  After using the toothpaste, you can then proceed to wash your face with salty water.  The water should be warm and it will help you by keeping your face oil-free.

Cosmetic surgery is usually something that seems costly and dangerous.  However, there are some therapies that will actually help to improve specific conditions on the human body.  One of these conditions is acne.  Acne can lead to various problems including scarring.  But with the right acne scar therapy removal techniques, one can be sure of improving his or her overall look and attitude.

To make this possible, Acne scar therapies include the use of various modalities including chemical peels, microdermabrasion, laser peels, fractional laser therapies  Each of these therapies must be carefully chosen for each clients unique needs. Some therapies are mild with not discomfort or down time and some may cause mild discomfort with some down time. Generally the more significant the scarring the more aggressive the treatment must be to correct the problem. The same is true for the number of therapy sessions that are needed.

There are also other ways to correct these acne problems beyond the usual chemical peel and dermabrasion techniques, including:

•    Collagen injections

•    Laser resurfacing

Acne therapy-scar removal can only be performed by your physician based on certain factors.  These factors may include:

•    Your age, health and history

•    How severe your acne scars are

•    The type of scars you have

•    Your tolerance for certain medicines, processes and therapies

These scars can only be treated properly by the properly chosen procedures and by the right physician.  Choosing the right specialist is important even if you are just dealing with acne. You need to find someone who is well experienced and trained in the field.  Advanced Laser of Long Island has some of the most advanced therapies and experienced staff to treat your acne concerns

Acne Specialist believes there is a correlation between Vitamin B5 deficiency and acne (the most common skin disease), due to modern food processing.

Vitamin B5, aka pantothenic acid, serves the body in many ways. It is a member of the nutritionally elite group of eight vitamins lovingly called the Vitamin B complex. This powerful group of vitamins has a role in nearly every major body system and process. The Vitamin B complex keeps both body and mind functioning and in good health.

Vitamin B5, like all of the vitamins in the B complex, is essential to the body for a number of reasons (also see other sections of acne-specialist.com for more information):

-Pantothenic acid as coenzyme A is closely involved in adrenal cortex function and has come to be known as the “antistress” vitamin. It supports the adrenal glands to increase production of cortisone and other adrenal hormones to help counteract stress. Coenzyme A is vital in the synthesis of fatty acids, cholesterol, steroids, sphingosines, and phospholipids. It also helps synthesize porphyrin, which is connected to hemoglobin.

-Through the above mechanism, Vitamin B5 is also thought to help prevent aging and wrinkles and is important for hair and healthy skin. As you can imagine, it is used in a variety of cosmetic products.

-It has the ability to utilize the food it takes in as fuel for its myriad of processes, great and small. As the coenzyme, Vitamin B5 is important in cellular metabolism of carbohydrates and fats to release energy.

-It works in the regular maintenance and repair of all bodily tissues, from the cellular level on up. This makes it a critical part of the body’s efforts to fight the physical damage to which excessive stress contributes.

-Vitamin B5 serves many important functions in the nervous system — for example, Vitamin B5 contributes to the production of neurotransmitters, which are important to the ability of the nerves to communicate.

-Through its adrenal support, Vitamin B5 may reduce potentially toxic effects of antibiotics and radiation.

-Vitamin B5, acting as a cofactor or partner to other members of the Vitamin B complex as well as other nutrients, has a great role in the functioning of the adrenal glands and also promotes normal growth of the body. This is due to its role in hormone production throughout the body.

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B5 is stable to moist heat and oxidation or reduction (adding or subtracting an electron), though it is easily destroyed by acids (such as vinegar) or alkalis (such as baking soda) and by dry heat. Over half of the pantothenic acid in wheat is lost during milling, and about one-third is degraded in meat during cooking. In many whole foods, Vitamin B5 is readily available.

Only recently the general public is becoming more aware of the importance of whole foods. Yet, diets of the majority of the population are still made up of mostly heavily processed foods (available Vitamin B5 activity is lost during refinement of foods) due to our fast pace, time poor lifestyle of the modern world.

“NO WONDER THE SERIOUS GLOBAL ACNE PROBLEM, PARTICULARLY AMONGST DEVELOPED NATIONS!!!”

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Vitamin B5 / pantothenic acid is found in yeasts, molds, bacteria, and plant and animal cells, as well as in human blood plasma and lymph fluid.

Good sources of pantothenic acid include the organ meats, brewer’s yeast, egg yolks, fish, chicken, whole grain cereals, cheese, peanuts, dried beans, and a variety of vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, green peas, cauliflower, and avocados. Vitamin B5 is also made by the bacterial flora of human intestines, another source for this important metabolic assistant or coenzyme.

Fatigue is probably the earliest and most common symptom of pantothenic acid deficiency. A diet high in refined and processed foods or a reduction or destruction of intestinal flora, most commonly by antibiotic use, can lead to a vitamin B5 deficiency.

Teenagers are more likely to experience a deficiency, because their diets often include high amounts of “fast foods” sugars, and refined flours (all low in B vitamins). And the problem may be compounded because the acne often associated with this type of diet is commonly treated with tetracycline antibiotics, which reduce the intestinal bacteria and thereby the production of pantothenic acid in the colon.

Studies of pantothenic acid deficiency in rats showed increased graying of the fur, decreased growth, and, in the extreme, hemorrhage and destruction of the adrenal glands. In humans, the decreased adrenal function caused by B5 deficiency can lead to a variety of metabolic problems. Fatigue is most likely; there may also be physical and mental depression, a decrease in hydrochloric acid production and other digestive symptoms, some loss of nerve function, and problems in blood sugar metabolism, with symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) being the most common. Pantothenic acid affects the function of cells in all systems, and a deficiency may reduce immunity, both cellular and antibody responses. Other symptoms of B5 deficiency include vomiting, abdominal cramps, skin problems, tachycardia, insomnia, tingling of the hands and feet, muscle cramps, recurrent upper respiratory infections, and worsening of allergy symptoms.

Therapeutic ranges are more like 250-500 mg daily and even higher, taken, of course, along with the other B complex vitamins. Individual needs vary according to food intake, degree of stress, and whether one is pregnant or lactating. Those people who eat a diet of processed foods, have a stressful lifestyle, or have allergies require higher amounts of pantothenic acid.

As with other B vitamins, there are no specific toxic effects from high doses of pantothenic acid. Over 1,000 mg daily has been taken for over six months with no side effects; when 1,500 mg or more is taken daily for several weeks, some people experience a superficial sensitivity in their teeth. However, it is possible that if B5 is taken without other B vitamins, it may create metabolic imbalance.

Acne laser treatment is an innovative procedure that can help you get rid of acne and acne scarring once and for all. No more will you feel self-conscious from the blemishes on your skin. Let’s take a closer look at how laser treatment can help you.

If you have had acne in the past, you may have a good amount of scarring from it – whether it is scarring on your face, neck, arms, or shoulders (or even on other parts of your body). You may have scarred skin due to the fact that your acne consisted of pimples deep within your skin that formed cysts. Or, you may even have had scarring if you were impatient with your pimples to heal, and you popped them. No matter why your skin became scarred, it is most likely true that you don’t wish to go through the rest of your life with the scars putting a blemish on your image.

Dermatologists can treat acne scars with a variety of different cremes, topical solutions, dermabrasion treatments, and chemical peel treatments. But these things do not always work or work very well. Some of these procedures sometimes also cause additional scarring. However, acne laser treatment is one sure way to rid yourself from the scarring caused by acne.

Lasers are now used to treat acne scars. These lasers can make up to 83% of acne scarring go away during the first treatment procedure. Lasers first focus on the bacteria that is caused by acne. They zap away this unwanted bacteria, take redness out of the skin, and then focus on stimulating collagen production to make the skin healthier. The whole procedure is usually pain-free, and only feels a tiny bit prickly. Many patients that receive acne laser treatment require at least four to five treatments for the scarring to completely go away.

Oftentimes, after a patient has an acne laser treatment, he or she will leave the doctor’s office with extremely flushed skin. He or she may even have an acne breakout in the hours or days following the procedure. This is normal, and it often clears itself up soon after.

If you do have an acne laser treatment, you should be prepared to pay a high price of a few hundred dollars per treatment session. Also keep in mind that most health insurance companies do not cover acne laser treatments of any kind.

Once you have had your acne treated with a laser, it is best for you to take extremely good care of your skin. Make sure that it is always moisturized by using cremes and other topical solutions. You should also be sure to use a product – whether it is a sun screen or a type of creme – that has some sort of SPF protection from the sun in it. You should also keep your skin clean by regularly washing with moisturizing soaps and body washes. These things will keep your skin soft, healthy, and looking radiant.

It wasn’t that long ago when acne (Zits) was considered a curse for the many individuals that suffer from this problem; but there are now many treatments available which can help the condition so it is more bearable. It is one of those areas where research has continued to make advancements; the result of this effort is new, more effective, treatments are becoming available.

We can classify skin care products for acne into 3 broad categories:

* Drugstore or Internet: Preventative medication

* Over-the-Counter: Treatments for conditions that do not require prescription

* Prescription: Issued for specialized medication from a doctor etc.

Those that fall into the preventative category are based around general skin conditioning to help stop acne from forming; this sector deals with skin creams, lotions and cleansers that can help stop the problem. This is a market where many people use this type of product every day to condition their skin; many use these products to protect their skin from the environment even if they do not have the acne condition. Some of these products are designed to act like an acne skin care product and act against the causes of this complaint; they ensure the facial pores (and other areas) remain free of oil. Excess oil needs to be stopped from clogging the pores as this oil make it easier for bacteria to grow, exacerbating the condition.

Exfoliation skin peels have proved quite effective as a skin care treatment and at controlling the problem; these can be bought easily over the counter or on the internet. Dead skin cells and other atmospheric pollutants are removed cleaning the pores which reduce the chance of any bacterial growth. The growth of the skin care market has allowed even more specialized acne skin care products to be available without the need to visit the doctor. These formulations contain the chemical benzoyl peroxide and the naturally occurring salicylic acid; these ingredients are used to remove the additional oil in the pores of the skin. Therefore, there are a variety of very decent Toners And Cleansers For Acne readily available to buy off the shelf.

It is often a good idea to start with a product that has lower concentration of benzoyl peroxide (e.g. 5 percent) to see how the skin responds; should a reaction occur, products containing alpha hydroxy acid are generally safer. It might just be a case of trial and error to find an acne skin care product that works; if finding something that works is proving difficult, your dermatologist should be able to help. On-prescription treatments are prescribed by a dermatologist and can include ointments that can be applied on the affected area or oral antibiotics or just any topical ointment.Under certain circumstances, having the infected material removed from the pores under a local anesthetic may be suggested by your dermatologist; specialists never recommend the sufferer tries this themselves as it can cause permanent skin damage.

An alternative that has been shown to work well is hormone therapy; this type of skin care treatment has been very effective in many cases. Finally, if you would like a more expensive, but highly reviewed treatment, you may want to opt for Acne Laser Surgery. This should be investigated before you commit to it and you must certainly find a reputable company with a good name first.Tackling and stopping acne is not the problem it once was and if treated properly, permanently marked skin does not have to occur.

There are a lot of acne scar treatments you could opt to use when you are affected by the acne problem. Before going for treatment you must consider some factors like your skin type, your budget and what results are you expecting from the treatment. It is best that you prepare yourself for everything that has to do with the treatment. Ample preparations would manifest your willingness to go for whatever cure your dermatologists would recommend.

Preparing for acne scar treatment

Dermatological surgical treatment could be considered once you feel that your acne is severe, that is, they can no longer be cured by natural treatments. There are several questions when preparing for this kind of treatment, like:

· How am I being affected by the acne scars? You have to weigh how acne has changed your emotions and psychological capacities. You have to know whether or not you could live with the scars or just wait for them to disappear.

· How severe are my scars? You have to know whether your blemishes are mild in nature, which means you could go for other treatments other than the surgical ones. Assess whether your acne scars are already damaging to your appearance thus causing you to have lack of self confidence.

· Is an acne scar treatment really for me? You have to consult your dermatologist for expert advice. He knows whether a scar treatment should be done and which among the scar treatments would work effectively for you.

Kinds of acne scar treatments

Acne scar treatments are used in order to at least restore your physical appearance though there is not much guarantee that you would look exactly the way you used to. Dermatologists have the following solutions to your acne scars:

· Collagen injection. Collagen may be taken from humans or cows. The process is done by injecting collagen under the skin to fill up the deep acne scars. A single treatment may last for three to six months and a follow-up may be done in order to maintain its benefit.

· Dermabrasion. This is regarded as one of the best acne scar treatment in town. In the procedure shallow scars are removed while deeper ones may be reduced in depth. It may not work for all types of acne scars and additional treatment may be required for any changes in the pigmentation of the skin.

· Skin grafting. This is recommended for those who underwent dermabrasion but has not achieved the results they want primarily because there might be some extensive tunnels which were not addressed by the procedure. This process may be done in order to cover the tunnels.

There are a lot of other acne scar treatments you could choose from like laser treatment, skin surgery and microdermabrasion. Your dermatologists will surely discuss all these things to you when you go for consultation.

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Acne Laser Treatments

Acne scars can be so damaging psychologically, that acne sufferers feel compelled to seek laser treatment. Laser treatment may not be their first option, but the unrelenting disease of acne doesn’t let up.

The movement away from customary topical treatments for acne should not be taken lightly. Serious consideration and consultation must be sought. A laser treatment for acne puts you at the doorway of surgery. This must not be taken lightly.

Today the human face is operated on so much more than any other body part. The vast majority of the work done on the face is elective work. Which means, in almost all cases, you have to pay, there is no insurance coverage.

If you’re contemplating seeking this form of treatment, ask your insurance company whether they pay for this type of work. You need to be financially fortified when you wade into these waters.

Botox injections, laser hair removal, chemical peels, laser skin resurfacing, eyelid surgery, and acne laser treatment represent only a few of the elective areas. When you hear the word elective from you insurance representative, you need to reach into your own pocket.

To the women who suffer with acne and acne scars, I feel your pain. 90% of all cosmetic procedures performed in 2004 were performed on women. The most startling aspect comes when we hear that compared with 2003, that figure represents a 50% increase!

Mind you, medical science has made fantastic strides via new technology, but someone has to make the choice to lie on the table. Medical research is driven to were the niche markets are. (Hey! That’s internet talk!).

The year over year increase for nonsurgical procedures rose by approximately 60%! That is surprising but understandable. The mind boggling technological breakthroughs in medicine are surely undergirding that figure. But again I say, people are making the decision to climb up on these tables.

Americans spent over $13 billion last year on face work. Guess what? A whopping 30% of the pie came from the doctor’s office. They’re smiling all the way to the bank with those types of figures. Almost makes you feel like they’re not going to try and stamp out the acne goose. It lays the golden egg!

The final decision to seek laser procedure for your acne scars is totally yours. But it should be taken in consultation with family and appropriate medical professionals.

Consider the following possible complications which may arise using a laser procedure.

Milia, they’re small white bumps. It’s possible they may appear in the lasered area.

Hyperpigmentation, lighter skin discoloration, and sometimes hypopigmentation, darker skin discoloration. May arise in the laser-treated areas.

Return of the dreaded cold sore. Again around the laser-treated area.

You may need to take an antibiotic for seven to 10 days afterwards, to cover the risk of infection.

Swelling is common after the procedure.

Scarring may occur, although this is rare.

Smokers will have to drop their habit during this procedure. This is probably far and away the best ‘complication’ of all.

There is so much more to consider when contemplating using laser-treatment on acne scars. Always seek consultation before you make any final decisions.

Acne is one of the most common problem teenagers are facing today. Adolescents are more prone to it because of the active hormonal changes present during the adolescent stage, this stimulates the oil glands to produce more sebum (oil produced by the adrenal glands to keep our skin moist) which gets trapped in our pores. With the presence of bacteria it creates the familiar swelling known as blackhead, whitehead or pimple. The good news is, for some cases acne disappear as you grow older.

The severity of infection varies from person to person, some worse than others. If not treated, acne will leave an ugly scar in your skins which are hard raised areas on the skin’s surface or pits of different depths.

There are different methods of treating acne and one of the most effective and has immediate results is laser treatment.

Laser acne treatment usually starts out with a review of your medical history and your physician will ask for any medication that you’re currently taking (this is important to determine if it is safe for you to undergo the treatment). The area needing attention will then be cleaned and a gel will be applied, your physician will then start the treatment by gliding the laser hand piece on the areas needing treatment. Depending on the size of the area that needs attention, each session could take up to 20 minutes.

How Does Laser Help Treat Acne?

An FDA approved laser system called Aura targets an organic compound produced by the Propionibacterium Acnes (p. acnes) bacteria called Porphyrin. This is done by delivering laser light impulses through the infected skin’s surface. These Porphyrins generate singlet oxygen 102 when targeted by the light pulses; this kills the p. acnes bacteria causing the infection.

The number of treatments needed will vary depending on the severity of the infection but it usually starts with a twice a week session for two weeks. Future sessions will then be determined by your physician depending on the outcome of the initial treatment.

Most people get good results after two weeks of treatment and rarely had to undergo another session, some people are unlucky though that repeated treatments are needed to maintain the desired result. There is no question about the effectivity of this procedure, recent clinical study shows that patient’s acne became 81% less severe following the treatments.

Is Laser Treatment Painful?

It will feel like a rubber band snapping against your skin but will be a bit more uncomfortable for severe conditions. A topical anesthetic may be advisable to make it easier. A normal swelling and redness on the treated areas will be noticeable after every session but it eventually fades out after a few days.

Costs associated with the procedure will vary depending on the physician or treatment centers that are offering the service. However the costs are usually outweighed by the benefits of undergoing a laser treatment. It provides a quick and noticeable result in as little as two weeks and if you follow your doctor’s advice in preventing future infections, you will not see any reason for you undergoing another treatment.