Normal manifestations of common acne are blackheads, which like most acne, arise in the face and in people of all ages. Also known as open comedones, blackheads are wide-open pores not yet inflamed that have been clogged by sebum and keratin. Air is able to reach the keratin plug due to the open nature of blackhead openings and oxidizes the material, making it turn its blackish color. Whiteheads, on the other hand, occur in follicles that have a smaller opening. As the aperture is tiny, the clogged material within the follicle is not affected by air and is not turned black.

Read the rest of this entry

Pimples and acne are problems that are actually shared by both teenagers and adults alike. Skin spots, zits, blackheads and other skin acne related concerns have psychological effects in an individual that makes finding solutions to this common skin problem a very important undertaking.

There are lots of things that affect the skin’s health and a lot more that can be associated with the issue of skin acne; therefore, the question of how to prevent acne is not an easy one to answer. It has been shown that genetics play an important role in determining your predisposition to acne bit even though that is the case, there are still things that can be done thwart its occurrence and keep it from recurring as bad as it did in the past. Read the rest of this entry

Acne scars may seem like a double punishment. First you’re stuck with unsightly blemishes and now you have scars as a reminder. It is useful to know about types of acne in order to further understand acne scarring. The type and severity of acne is what determines acne scars as well as what treatment would be the most appropriate. The best way to prevent acne scars is always to treat acne early, but if you already find yourself with acne scars, there are treatments available to help improve their appearance.

Types of Acne

Acne begins when hair follicles get clogged with oil and dead skin cells. Bacteria can grow within clogged pores which causes acne breakouts. Acne can be mild which means that there are symptoms of minor whiteheads and blackheads. Moderately severe acne shows more signs of red inflamed pimples, papules, or red pimples with white centers, which are pustules. Severe acne is when someone suffers from nodules which are painful pus filled cysts or lumps. The worse the acne, the worse the scarring. Picking and squeezing acne can also make scarring worse and more probable.

Treating Acne Scars

Most of the time acne causes red or brown marks that get left behind after a pimple. This is called hyperpigmentation or acne spots that will fade with time without treatment. Acne scars characterized by a gradual dip or depression are Read the rest of this entry

The most acne affected population is teenagers. Almost every teen in the world will experience at least one breakout of acne during their adolescence. The condition of acne depends on the individual and can range from mild to severe acne in which teens experience blackheads, whiteheads, and sometimes cystic acne. Also common among teens is body or back acne that can affect the back, chest, and shoulders. Luckily there are a number of teenage acne treatments developed specifically for teen acne due to hormonal changes.

Causes of Teenage Acne

Teenagers experience a period of puberty in which their bodies undergo a great change in hormone levels. Unstable hormones can create effects such as growth spurts, body hair, moodiness, as well as highly active glands. The sebaceous glands are one of these active glands and are responsible for producing sebum, an oily secretion that moisturizes skin and hair. These glands get bigger and produce more sebum during adolescent hormone imbalance. Higher levels of sebum and heightened activity in the glands create risks for the development of acne. Read the rest of this entry