Author Archive
Birth Control for Acne
It seems like many birth control pills on the market today are really hyping the acne treatment aspect of their use. I just don’t know if that’s such a good idea. I mean it is probably true that the estrogen and progesterone in those pills can do great things for a woman’s skin but the pills do have side effects. I’m not sure it would be my recommendation for my daughter.
Another Good Tip I Learned
One of those make-up people in the mall told me another good secret: exfoliate twice a week. Exfoliating basically removes dead skin cells from the face so they can’t clog up the pores and lead to pimples. When I combined exfoliating with Murad acne products, I started having much clearer skin.
Stopping Those Unwanted Zits
What I’ve learned is that you really have to be gentle with your skin if you want to prevent those awful breakouts from occurring. One of the things I like to do now is use a homemade facial treatment. I alternate between a lemon and oatmeal facial and a strawberry and yogurt treatment that I make at home in my blender. I try to do this twice a month to keep my skin looking healthy and to complement my other beauty products.
The Horror of the Pimple
Have you ever woken up in the morning with something incredibly important to do and saw a huge zit on your face? Why do these things happen? Did you do something dreadful in a past life? There are some ways to reduce the risk of this happen but you have to know what they are.
Dealing with Acne Vulgaris
Thankfully, most of us only suffer from acne vulgaris and typical whiteheads, blackheads, papules, and pustules. These can be a pain but they are nowhere near as horrible or as challenging to treat as the more severe forms. You can find good quality acne treatments over-the-counter that will do the trick.
Even More Severe Acne
Guys can sometimes get the worst types of acne. That might be a relief for women but it’s bad for the guys who have to deal with things like Acne Conglobata and Acne Fulminans. Both of these types are very severe and result in large patches of outbreaks they are very likely to leave behind permanent scarring, even on the face. Medical treatment is usually needed for these types of acne problems.
Different Levels of Acne Severity
When I was growing up, I never really thought about there being different types of pimples or acne. I just assumed everyone was having the same types of breakouts. But, of course, that’s not the case. Nodules and cysts, for example, are larger than normal pimples and they form under the skin. They are usually painful, especially in sensitive locations of the body. These can also longer and may need a cortisone injection to bring down the swelling.
Using Dermabrasion
Another acne solution is dermabrasion which involves a rotating wire brush that peels away your skin. Most people need some type of anesthetic because it does hurt and your skin is red and swollen for several days afterward. Even then, your skin will be very sensitive for at least one to two weeks while the new skin layers grow. Plus, you could get an infection that could lead to health problems far worse than acne.
Using Chemical Peels
Chemical peels are also a treatment sometimes used for acne. If you’ve never heard of them, glycolic acid, carbolic acid, or other types of acid are applied to your skin. The acids create a “wound” as WebMD so sweetly describes layers of your skin being destroyed. Then when the skin heals in a couple of weeks it should have less acne. Seems like a lot of trouble and discomfort to me.
Treatments for Acne Scars
My last post got me thinking about what treatments are available for acne scars. Some of the most common ones I’ve come across sound awful. Chemical peeling is used and that’s basically burning off layers of your skin. You can use dermabrasion, too, which is another way of removing your skin. It sounds awful!