With all the information on acne causes and treatments in books, magazines, or on the Internet, it’s difficult sometimes to know what is fact and what is myth.  Acne treatments range from home remedies, herbal medicines, creams, gels, vitamins, antibiotics, hormonal treatments, retinoids, laser treatment and the list goes on.

First of all what is acne? Acne is the result of hair follicles and skin pores getting clogged when the body produces too much oil which builds up which then leads to swelling, pimples, zits or whiteheads.  The oily substance is called sebum, which lubricates and moisturizes the skin and hair.  Normally, sebum produces small amounts of oil, but sometimes, although no one knows for sure why, starts over-producing oil.  Hormones play a part in the amount of sebum that is produced during adolescence.  The male hormone androgen can cause sebaceous glands to enlarge leading to the increase of more sebum.

Some FACTS about acne:

• Popping pimples can lead to infection and scarring.
• An acne treatment that works for one person may not work for you.
• If other family members have/or had acne, it’s more likely that you will, too.
• People of all races and ages can get acne.
• Oil build-up in the skin can contribute to pimples.
• Acne is more common in males than in females during adolescence.
• Some birth control pills can help acne by slowing down over-producing oil glands in the skin.
• Acne has nothing to do with lack of cleanliness.
• Acne is not contagious.

Some MYTHS about acne:

• The sun is good for acne.  A tan can temporarily cover up blemishes, but the sun may actually make acne worse.
• Eating chocolate and sugar causes acne.
• Acne is a result of poor hygiene.  Although, proper cleansing is essential for treating an acne condition.
• Acne is not caused by dirt.
• Stress causes acne. However, research suggests that for people who have acne, stress can make it worse.
• Any acne medication works instantly.
• Washing many times a day will minimize acne.
• Washing with rough soaps and aggressive scrubbing will clear up acne on the face.
• Picking your acne will make it disappear.
• Once acne has cleared up, it will never come back.
• Teenagers are the only ones that get acne.

CoralActives Retinol Exfoliating Cleanser
When I was younger I would often use Oxy cleansing pads or their topical creams to treat pimples that always seemed to emerge at the worst possible times. What I hated most about it, was that it dried out my skin. I would apply it in a circle covering the pimple and within a day I would have a circle of peeling skin. So if people weren’t staring at Mount Vesuvias on my face, they were staring at my peeling, dry skin no thanks to Benzoyl Peroxide, which is known to dry out skin.

MORE>>>

When you are living with acne it’s hard to think about anything else.  Your life exists around getting rid of and concealing your pimples.  This can lead to other areas of your life to suffer.  For a few folks, if their acne is bad enough they will decide to stop socializing, lose interest in friends and family, and become depressed.  There’s hope.   These days there are many varieties of treatments for acne.  Doctors understand more of the causes of acne and ways to treat it.

Living with acne once meant that you had to live with the scarring that it causes.  When acne gets severe and is out of control, the skin begins to develop pits and scars.  These blemishes never depart and can stay on your face all your life.   These days there are things you can do to prevent and treat scarring. Special facial treatments have been developed, new products to treat scarring have been developed and best of all new treatments for acne are coming out every day.  Let’s treat the acne before scarring occurs.

Look, living with acne can be rough.  It has lasting effects on many people.  The most effective method to combat acne is to stop it dead in its tracks.  Develop lifelong cleansing practices that keep oils and harmful bacteria from invading your pores.  The things you are doing daily will have an effect on when and if you get additional pimples.  Wash your face and use the right treatments that will help you stay acne free for the remainder of your life.  Find what works for you and your skin and stick with it.

Acne can be embarrassing and painful—those large red spots and lumps under your skin can hurt and take away your self confidence.  There are a lot of acne products on the market.  They come in a variety of forms and all have some benefits.  But, the best method of treating acne is to ensure that you stick to a regimen of washing your face daily.

Step one – Find the right acne product.  There are a lot out there.  Look for a good quality benzoyl peroxide product that doesn’t irritate your skin.

Step two – Wash your face daily, preferably at night.  The acne medication you searched high and low for has some powerful ingredients.  However, if you do not wash your face before applying them you are dramatically reducing their effectiveness.  The creams and gels will help your acne, but only if the excess oil is first removed with a cleanser.

One thing to remember – soap can dry your skin, so try to use a specially-formulated cleanser.  The best idea is to choose the same manufacturer as the cream or gel your have purchased.