Acne is the scourge of the teenage years and a source of great distress and embarrassment at an age when young people are most conscious of their appearance. Almost no teenager, or adult for that matter, is spared a prolonged period of acne problems.Acne is the scourge of the teenage years and a source of great distress and embarrassment at an age when young people are most conscious of their appearance. Almost no teenager, or adult for that matter, is spared a prolonged period of acne problems.
Pubescent girls are generally affected to a more serious degree because of the hormonal upsurges associated with the onset of menstruation. Basically, acne is the result of increased hormonal activity, which causes excess oil production in the skins sebaceous glands. Unfortunately, the areas most affected by acne are those which are almost constantly visible with todays youthful fashion trends.
In extreme and far from rare cases, acne can lead to extensive and permanent scarring. Because of the emotional trauma attached to this disorder, it has assumed top priority status among problems that must be avoided at all costs, but this is easier said than done.
It has now been proved that oil-saturated foods, chocolate, poor skin hygiene and emotional upset actually play no role in acne occurrence at all, so there go a number of time-honored prevention targets. In fact, the most widely employed means of addressing the problem of acne – camouflaging cosmetics – are actually among the main acne aggravators. Many of them cause subtle skin changes that exacerbate acne occurrence. They can also cause the obstruction of the sebaceous glands, thereby preventing the free drainage of excessive oils. Often, this even applies to some of the so-called acne-prevention compounds.
While there is apparently very little an individual can do to prevent acne, there are now effective methods of treating it medically. However, for optimal results, these must necessarily be employed before serious disfigurement can take place. Since these treatments may involve hormone manipulation, they must take place under strict medical supervision.
Most aghast teenagers address acne eruptions by manically scrubbing and dieting under the mistaken assumption that the problem is somehow related to poor hygiene or improper nutrition. While avoiding those cheeseburgers is definitely commendable for other health-related reasons, it is going to have no effect on the acne. As for skin hygiene – while increased cleansing is definitely called for, laying on a face wash of harsh toothpaste with a pumice stone is hardly constructive.
Another mistaken assumption is that astringents will discourage excess oil secretion. Astringents clean off superficial oils while causing the skin to contract, thereby clogging pores and causing long-term aggravation for short-term cosmetic benefits. The best course of action is using a mild cleansing agent to wash down the entire face, not just the fabled T zone or only acne-affected areas and regular shampooing of the hair. Oily hair will directly translate into facial oiliness, especially in people with chin or shoulder-length hair.
Most importantly, picking at or rubbing acne blemishes must be strictly avoided, since this can lead to permanent scarring and skin discoloration that will require measures like laser treatment to correct later on. Excessive exposure to sunlight is also a definite no-no, especially if one is using a compound like trenitoin that increases the skins photosensitivity. For that reason, tanning lamps must also be given a wide berth.
Females affected with acne must rigorously scan the contents of their cosmetics before using them – only those without an oily base and with the tag Сnoncomedogenic (non-obstructing to skin pores) on the label should be used. Finally, sports headgear such as headbands and cycling helmets as well as fashion accessories that result in constriction or irritation of facial skin must be avoided.
Acne can be treated and prevented by following these steps. It is likely that everyone will have at least one acne outbreak in their lives, but it need not be a cause for alarm.

For those of us who know what it feels like to suffer from acne, nothing could be worse. Although it is not a painful condition like most other skin diseases, it is an acutely embarrassing one. And it attacks at an especially vulnerable age – when the hormones are raging and one is trying to look ones best. It is a double whammy like no other.


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Acne is the eruption of lesions on various parts of your body. You could have acne on your face, on your chest, on your back, on your neck, on your shoulders, and even on the upper part of your arms. These acne lesions might appear as blackheads, whiteheads, nodules or cysts. Most people get acne in their teen years. Some get it in their forties.
