Acne treatment reviews

It is important to find a good scalp acne remedy if you suffer from pimples on the scalp. They can be irritating, painful and ugly. Because we tend not to see them ourselves, we often pick them open by scratching our scalp before we even know that they are there. Scalp wounds tend to bleed and this can make the spots visible, especially if your hair is thinning, fine or very short.

This article will look at scalp acne remedies, prevention and causes so that you can see what to do to solve the problem of pimples on the scalp.

Causes Of Common Scalp Acne

Most acne on the scalp has the same cause as acne on the face, that is, overproduction of sebum leading to blockages of hair follicles, which often become infected. In many cases, to go along with scalp acne you will have oily skin and a condition called seborrheic dermatitis which causes inflammation. The scalp will be itchy and red, and skin will flake off as dandruff.

Yeast has been associated with the condition of seborrheic dermatitis and so more serious cases are sometimes prescribed with an anti fungal agent. Topical steroids may be prescribed at the same time. These are in the form of solutions or ointments that are applied to the scalp.

Aloe vera gel has been suggested as an effective treatment for seborrheic dermatitis in some cases. This is a natural extract from the aloe vera plant.

Scalp Acne Treatment

The best scalp acne treatment is a shampoo that treats the seborrhea. This is usually marketed as dandruff shampoo. There are several different brands that contain different active ingredients. You may need to try more than one before you find the one that works best for you.

Prevention Of Acne On The Scalp

When you see a noticeable improvement in the condition of your scalp and your dandruff is gone, you can prevent further inflammation by continuing to use the shampoo from time to time. Start with once per week, increasing to once per fortnight and eventually once per month. Most people find this to be an effective scalp acne treatment after the condition is first brought under control.

Acne Keloidalis Nuchae

There is a more serious form of acne that mainly affects people of African descent, usually young men. This is called acne keloidalis nuchae and it is found mainly on the occipital scalp at the back of the head. The hair follicles become chronically infected. If untreated, disfiguring plaques form and hair will be lost.

Shaving the head or neck or clipping the hair very short makes the condition worse and may be a cause. It seems that when curly, coarse hair is shaved or cut close it can re-enter and irritate the follicle as it grows. Exercising in shirts with collars that rub against the neck, like a football shirt, can also contribute.

Therefore the condition is more likely in black athletes and men who have their hair shaved or cut short frequently. It is rare in women, perhaps because they usually have longer hair. See your doctor as soon as possible for scalp acne remedies if you think you may have acne keloidalis nuchae.

The first thing to remember when you are seeking out foods to prevent acne, is that particular foods do not have superpowers. The healthiest foods are good for us, not because they target disease and conquer it, but because they provide the building blocks that the body needs to produce and let loose its own disease-fighting forces. At the same time, unhealthy foods introduce toxins that the body has to deal with, using up its resources and adding to its problems.

So left to itself, in ideal conditions, the body operates what is called homeostasis, where it prevents and cures its own diseases. It does this via the immune response, which identifies and deals with viruses, bacteria, toxins or foreign substances.

Imagine that you eat something like the worst kind of snack food made almost entirely of chemical additives and refined starches and fats. When that hits the stomach, the digestive system hits the panic button because there are a ton of things there that it does not recognize as food. The immune response rushes in and identifies a few nasty additives that might need neutralizing, and pulls them out for the liver to detoxify before they are passed out through the kidneys. The digestive system deals with the rest of the stuff as best it can, trying to extract any traces of vitamins and minerals that might be in the food, storing excess fat by filling the body's fat cells or creating new ones so that the fat can be used for energy later if there is a famine, and excreting anything that is useless through the rear passage.

Now imagine that you eat a fresh apple. It's even an organic apple so there are no pesticides. When that hits the stomach it is instantly recognized. No need for the immune system to rush to the rescue. Foods to prevent acne are foods like that apple.

So when you eat fresh food that is not refined or processed, and some of it preferably raw, the immune system can get on with its real job of ridding the body of infections and toxins that come in through the skin. So the body will become something closer to the natural self healing organism that it was designed to be. And one of the things that it will heal, of course, is acne.

That is why you will often be told that it is important to eat a healthy diet to prevent acne, but without naming any particular foods. Food should be as close to its natural state as possible but you can eat a wide range of whole, healthy foods.

Dairy foods can be included if they are organic, so that they do not contain the sex hormones that are fed to most cows. Sex hormones are the reason that the body starts producing excess sebum in puberty, causing acne, so we have enough of our own without adding to them by drinking them in our milk.

So the best foods to prevent acne include fresh fruit and vegetables, meat that is not blackened or fried (frying meats and fat can produce toxins), whole grains like corn, brown rice and whole grain pasta, nuts, seeds, beans etc.

Medical treatment for acne vulgaris is often recommended by doctors and dermatologists for moderate to severe cases of acne. If you just have mild acne, the best treatment is usually home acne treatment such as washing with a mild soap and having a healthy diet. The diet should include plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit, and less processed and sugary foods.

Medical treatment for acne vulgaris can take several forms. The first stage is to try applying certain topical treatments. You can try each of these in turn for a month to six weeks. If the acne improves, continue. If not, move on to the next option.

1. Benzoyl Peroxide

This can dry up acne vulgaris for many people. Products containing benzoyl peroxide include Brevoxyl and Benzac.

2. Salicylic Acid

This is another option which many people find helps their acne. Products containing salicylic acid include Propa pH and Stridex.

Aspirin is a derivative of salicylic acid and that is why some people treat pimples at home with soluble aspirin dissolved in a few drops of water to make a paste. However, it is more convenient to buy a commercial acne treatment. It looks pretty weird walking around with white aspirin paste on your face!

If neither benzoyl peroxide nor salicylic acid works for you, you will need to have a prescription medication.

3. Topical Antibiotics

The first step for a medical practitioner is often to prescribe antibiotic creams, gels or lotions which are applied directly to the pimples. These are for external use only.

4. Oral Antibiotics

In some cases you may be prescribed a course of oral antibiotics that you take internally. This treatment often helps acne scars to heal so it is more likely to be used where the acne is deep or is producing scarring.

If you take oral antibiotics, be sure to follow up with a course of probiotics afterward. You can buy probiotics from any health food store. This repopulates the healthy bacteria in the stomach. These can be killed off by antibiotics and the result can be an overgrowth of candida, leading to yeast infections.

If you think that you already have an overgrowth of candida, it is better not to take antibiotics for your acne but treat the candidiasis first. You may find that acne improves or even disappears when the yeast is under control. Candidiasis is not so likely to be a problem for teenagers, but is sometimes involved in adult acne.

5. Prescription Retinoids

Retinoids are related to vitamin A and they have many applications in medicine, one of which is treating acne. As with antibiotics, you can get topical retinoids in the form of creams or gels which are applied directly to pimples (e.g. Retin-A, Differin, Tazorac). Retinoids can irritate the skin so in some cases the acne gets worse before it gets better.

There are also oral retinoids that you take internally, such as Accutane. These usually take several months to have an effect. Oral retinoids should only be taken under medical supervision. There can be side effects and overdose is dangerous. Women taking retinoids must not get pregnant because they can cause birth defects, so oral retinoids are more likely to be prescribed for men as a medical treatment for acne vulgaris.

Laser acne treatments are used for two main purposes in health care: first for the treatment of acne itself and second to improve the appearance of acne scars. They are very popular but can be expensive and are not right for all conditions. So what are laser acne treatments and what can you expect if you choose them in consultation with your doctor or dermatologist?

What Is A Laser?

Lasers were developed in the 20th century after Albert Einstein outlined the theoretical basis for them. The word 'laser' was formed from the initial letters of its description: Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. This is not radiation in the sense of radioactivity. All light radiates, as does heat (that is why we call some heaters 'radiators'.) So a laser is just a highly focused beam of light.

Lasers have many applications including munitions and defence, recording CDs, laser printing, bloodless medical surgery, and skin treatments including acne. They cut by burning within a very closely defined area. That is why we talk about 'burning a CD'.

Laser Acne Treatments

Lasers have three main applications in the treatment of acne itself.

First, they can be used to burn away the hair follicle. Most pimples form when sebum clogs up a hair follicle, so destroying the follicle will prevent any more acne on that site. This is good for any area on the face where we do not want hair, but there are a huge number of hair follicles in the skin so it can take a while.

Second, they can be used to burn away the sebaceous gland, where the sebum is formed. Many people produce excess sebum, especially during adolescence and young adulthood, so the removal of some of the sebaceous glands can help to prevent acne in many people. There might be a possibility of this causing dry skin later in life, however.

Third, they can be used to oxidize the bacteria in an infected pimple. This kills the bacteria, but does not prevent other pimples forming later.

Laser Acne Scar Treatments

Lasers are also used in the treatment of acne scars, in two different ways. First, there is laser resurfacing. This removes the top (scarred) layer of skin and at the same time, tightens the middle layer so that new healthy skin forms. This is usually done in the doctor's or dermatologist's office with just a local anesthetic. The procedure can take anything up to an hour depending on the size of the area to be treated. Skin will take from 3 to 10 days to heal.

Second, there is a new form of acne scar treatment called fractional laser therapy. This works at a deeper level and does not damage the top layer of skin. It is an expensive procedure and is not usually covered on health insurance, unlike some other laser acne treatments

Probiotics and Prebiotics – Ask your healthcare provider about using probiotics and prebiotics. Probiotic supplements can assist with replenishing helpful bacterium in your digestive system that aid in effective processing and elimination of food, vitamins, minerals and nutrients; these helpful bacterium are often lacking when you’re taking antibiotics for acne treatment, thus further backing up the system, clogging pores. And similarly, prebiotic foods can assist with replenishing these helpful bacterium; bananas, onions, honey and artichokes are examples.

Supplements & Misc Products – Here are some supplements and miscellaneous products reported to help cover the bases when dealing with acne issues to make sure your body is getting what it needs.

Maca — some report that this powdered Peruvian root vegetable, rich in essential amino acids, fatty acids, minerals like calcium, magnesium, iodine, iron, potassium and silica, and phytochemicals, helps with stabilizing the body's systems and hormones. Add it to smoothies for a little extra sweetness and flavor.

Manuka honey — This is reported to have strong antibiotic, antiseptic and antiviral properties. Many recommend it for good skin (externally) and good digestion (internally).

Nature's Living Superfood — This nutrient-dense foodstuff is reported to be full of minerals and a complete range of nutrients; vitamins and trace minerals.

Neem soap — This soap is said to house these qualities or properties: antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antiparasitic and antiviral- - helpful for the prevention and treatment of acne. Users report calm and soothing skin effects.

Pure Synergy — This foodstuff reportedly contains a variety of valuable micronutrients and antioxidant phytonutrients effective in acne control.

Vita Synergy? for Men — This supplement, made with antioxidant botanicals, spices and flowers, (some culled from ancient healing traditions) is said to offer strong, effective, restorative overall energy.

Vita Synergy? for Women — Somewhat similarly to the product for men, this supplement, made with antioxidants, adaptogenic and herbs, is said to offer hi-level nutritional support to women. It helps them reach their top performance levels.

Peel-off face and body masks — Depending upon the brand and ingredients, these products are said to help exfoliate dead skin cells and unplug clogged or inflamed pores. The results are smoother skin with an anti-bacterial effect that prevents and clears spots and gets rid of bacteria. Popular varieties contain vitamin E, 2 percent tea tree oil and other essential oils.

Tea tree oil and its body products — These products are reported to not be made of any harsh ingredients that would irritate skin. Tea tree oil is known helpful, healing effects and contains these properties: antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, antiviral, also antimicrobial agent and deep cleaning – great for acne treatment and prevention.

They are used over various parts of the body, even the face. Popular versions are in the form of facial cleansers (applied with Q-Tips or cotton swabs), bubble baths and shower gels

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