Don’t Let Pimples or Acne Get to You

And to make matters worse, it usually tends to happen before that oh-so-important date with the hot guy or that big presentation at work. If you think that acne is a problem that you left behind with your teenage years, think again. Although acne usually transpires among teenagers, it also affects a large number of adults as well. So how do you ensure that you skin remains blemish free? Read on……!

Why it Happens?

A reputed beauty scientist says that there are four major factors responsible for causing acne, which act together to cause the pimples, whiteheads and blackheads associated with acne. Oil glands are located deep in the skin and are stimulated to produce oil by hormones. Acne also develops when some of the pores (through which oil normally flows from the oil gland to reach the skin surface) become blocked, resulting in trapping of oil within the skin pores. The pores are blocked by skin cells and a blackhead or whitehead will develop from this skin pore blockage. “Although acne is not caused by a bacterial infection, bacteria do play a role in making the situation worse. When oil is trapped in the hair follicles, the normal skin bacteria will grow in the blocked pore. The bacteria produce chemicals that alter the composition of the oil, which makes it more irritating to the skin and causes inflammation. Inflamed skin is characterized by redness, swelling, warmth and discomfort,” says the beauty scientist.

Zit, Zap, Zoom

A reputed cosmetologist suggests chemical peels and microdermabrasion for people who suffer from severe acne. “Chemicals, such as glycolic acid or salicylic acid, applied to your skin help remove dead skin cells, unclog pores, remove whiteheads and blackheads, and can generate new skin growth. These chemical peels are often used with acne creams or gels for better penetration of the medication. Microdermabrasion involves a hand-held device that blows crystals onto skin. These crystals gently polish the skins surface. Then, a vacuum tube removes the crystals and skin cells. The procedure exfoliates and unclogs pores,” says the cosmetologist.

Wash Well

“It is important to keep spot-prone areas clean, so wash the affected area twice a day with unperfumed and mild cleansers, which would keep your skin oil free for more than six hours. The skin needs a certain amount of oil free for more than six hours. The skin needs a certain amount of oil to maintain its natural condition, so avoid aggressive washing with strong soaps. It can take weeks, if not months, for significant effects to be noticeable. If home treatments have not worked after two months, or you have severe acne, you should visit you doctor,” says the director of a cosmetic clinic.

Acne usually begins at puberty and is gone by the early 20s. In some cases, acne may persist into adulthood. Such types of acne include severe forms that affect the body as well as the face. Vigorous washing and scrubbing will not clear your skin. In fact, the scrubbing can irritate your skin and make acne worse. Give acne products enough time to do their job. As a rule of thumb, it takes six to eight weeks before you start to see any improvement. And using more medication than directed will not improve results!