Copyright 2005 George ForganSmith

Acne is, perhaps, the single treated skin disorder and has been
addressed in a wide variety of ways. Often the wisest step is to
develop a program in consultation with a dermatologist or
medical practitioner. Even with help, there may be a
trial-and-error process in finding the right solution. There are
also some solutions advised by alternative medicine
practitioners of various sorts and we will also touch on them.

Some mild washing of the face may be useful. But vigorous and
frequent washing is discouraged by dermatologists. Topical
creams may be helpful but overuse can lead to side effects and
problems. One popular home treatment is salicylic acid, found in
face washes and medicated facial pads. It curtails the hair
follicles from shedding excess skin, which leads to the clogging
of pores. Another home treatment is benzoyl peroxide, found in
certain soap and face wash products, but also in topical creams.
It can produce excessive drying and redness- so it is often
recommended that one begin by trying it once a day and, then, if
that works, try it twice. Results should be apparent after a few
weeks.

In the world of orthodox medicine, there are various types of
prescription medications and face washes. If you go to your
local drugstore or supermarket, you can find lots of different
products whose objective is to treat acne. None of these
products produce instantaneous results and one part of a
sensible prescription for treatment is patience. Since some of
these products may have side effects, you should know their
contents and possible effects. Over-use of the wrong product can
actually exaggerate the condition.

Experts generally think that acne is caused when an excess of
oil, secreted by tiny glands surrounding the hair follicles
combine with dead skins to clog the pores of the skin. Bacteria,
chiefly Propionibacterium acnes or P. acnes develops in these
pore pockets which leads to the blackheads, white heads and more
common pimples that we associate with this unpleasant form.

Some of the prescription topical solutions include antibiotics.
Antibiotics, along with azelaic acid can impede the development
of the bacteria, reducing the ugly inflammation that
characterizes acne.

Comedones, which are the compromised hair follicles, plugged
with dead cells and sebum, that cause blackheads, which
penetrate the surface of the skin, and whiteheads, which operate
at semi-surface levels. They can actually be treated by
retinoids, which are Vitamin-A like biochemical formulations,
which actually help to unplug comedones, paving the way for
topicals, including antibiotics, to enter into the follicles and
do their damage. Dermatologists sometimes use the newer
retinoids to curtail further comedone development.

In the case of severer forms of acne, dermatologists may
prescribe the less physically invasive route of oral medicine.
Some common antibiotics, used to curb the development of the P.
acnes bacteria and reduce inflammation are doxycycline,
tetracycline and minocyclyine. The common topical, benzoyl
peroxide, may be used with antibiotics such as sulfur,
erythromycin or clindamycin. There can be disturbing side
affects to antibiotics, depending on the drug and the
individual’s sensitivity. Changes in skin color, an increased
propensity for sunburns, dizziness, stomach problems can occur.
Tetracycline is contra- indicated in children and pregnant
women. The antibiotic route must be taken with caution and with
awareness of problems. Substances such as minocycline and
tetracycline can even affect the potency of oral birth control
methods.

In very serious cases of nodular or cystic acne that seems
resistant to treatment, a dermatologist may prescribe
isotretinoin or “Accutane,” a retinoid that might be taken once
or twice a day for up to twenty weeks. Oil glands actually can
be shrunk by Accutane and there is a marked effect on the growth
of bacteria. Its great advantage is that it can prevent scarring
and markedly disappears the acne in something like 90 per cent
of patients.

The downside of isotretinoin is that it can cause birth defects
in an unborn child if it imbibed by a pregnant woman. So woman
undergoing this treatment often have two take several forms of
birth control to make sure they don’t get pregnant while
undergoing therapy.

Are there natural treatments for acne? Alternative medical
practitioners recommend such substances as pantothenic acid, a B
vitamin, said to combat stress, a factor that aggravates acne,
grapeseed extracts and grapefruit seed extracts; various
essential fatty acids like primrose or flax seed oil which can
allegedly clear the pores of the skin, colloidal silver, said to
be a powerful natural antibiotic; tea tree oil soap- whose main
active constituent is tea tree oil, said to be made from a
natural antibiotic.

What Is Scalp Acne?
Scalp Acne is acne that develops on the skin under your hair, also known as your scalp. It is not nearly as common as the typical acne on the face, shoulders and upper arms, but it does affect a lot of people with other types of acne.
Scalp Acne isn’t as visible as acne in other places, particularly the face. While that’s great news, it also makes it somewhat harder to treat and keep clean. The sore bumps and cysts can also make daily hair care and styling painful.
Like any other type of acne, scalp acne is caused by bacteria that grow on the inside of pores that get clogged with oil and dead skin cells (or other small dirt particles). As the bacteria grow, they produce swollen, red and infected areas.
How To Treat Scalp Acne
Scalp Acne can be treated very much like any other form of acne. Start by drinking plenty of water and eating healthy. Avoid foods that are known acne triggers such as chocolate, potato chips and greasy foods in general.
Keep your scalp clean by washing your hair daily with a very mild shampoo to keep the oil on your scalp at bay. Don’t use a harsh shampoo (for oily hair). It could backfire on you by causing your skin to produce more oil.
Tea tree oil does wonders for your scalp. Make a solution of tea tree oil, a little lavender oil and olive oil and use it like any shampoo. Both tea tree oil and lavender have antiseptic properties that will help clear up any infections on your scalp.
You can also dip a cotton ball in a skin cleanser containing salicylic acid and apply on the acne area.
Do not use any acne cream/oil containing benzoil peroxide or other peroxide ingredients on the scalp because it may change the color of your hair. This is particularly important if you have colored or treated hair.
Melissa Rayn invites you to visit http://www.acneknowhow.com to learn more about the different types of acne and how to treat them. She recommends http://www.healthandbeautyinfo.com to find out more about health and beauty tips for women.

In the U.S. alone, more than 40 million people who struggle with acne. Many of these people treat acne using chemicals such as antibiotics, prescription drugs, benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. However, there are growing numbers of people who choose to treat acne on herbal traditional drugs. In general, herbal medicines have fewer side effects, and are not as dangerous as some prescription drugs. The problem however is that the United States does little to regulate the industry of herbal supplements. Unlike traditional chemical drugs, the herbal medicines are not required to be clinically proven to work, or even to be sure. An example of this lack of regulation recently came to light with ephedra-related deaths, and subsequent ban ephedra. This lack of regulation in many different acne products on the market. All those who claim to cure, prevent or even cure acne with few or no side effects. The truth is that there are very few treatments for acne herbal that are scientifically proven to work. Traditional chemical treatments are still the most effective in stopping acne. There are only 2 herbal treatments that have been clinically proven to help stop acne, tea tree oil and green tea cream. Tea tree oil is a natural oil derived from Melaleuca alternifolia, a particular type of tea tree found exclusively in Australia. While it has been used for hundreds of years by native Indians as a treatment for anything, has only recently been accepted by modern medicine as a variable anti-bacterial agent. Although the tea tree oil has been suspected as an anti-bacterial agent for some time, groundbreakings study was conducted in 1990 by IB Bassett, which compared tea tree oil to benzoyl peroxide the treatment of acne. We found that tea tree oil is as effective as a 5% benzoyl peroxide. It takes more time (6 weeks) for tea tree oil to be as effective, but participants in the study reported that none of the side effects associated with benzoyl peroxide, such as redness, skin irritation or skin dry. This study has helped tea tree oil become a recognized and legitimate acne treatment herbal. However, there is no need to buy a face cream that contains tea tree oil. Only by putting a few drops of oil directly on the acne has proven the most effective way to apply tea tree oil. This was the only treatment for acne herbal that had been shown to work until recently, when Dr. Jennifer Gan-Wong conducted a study showing that green tea can also effectively combat acne. Dr. Gan-Wong compared a green tea cream with 3% green tea, to a solution of 4% benzoyl peroxide, and found that the results in the treatment of acne in the same tea and the peroxide . These results were recently presented at the 2003 annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. These findings are relatively recent and still not corroborated by other independent studies. However, this evidence shows that the natural anti-bacterial properties of green tea may be effective in treating acne. For those of you who are confused by the many acne treatments available herbal, actually there are only 2 that have proven effective in combating acne. Green tea cream and tea tree oil. While many other acne treatments herbal can be good to moisturize the skin, or reduce oils, these are the only ones to be considered truly effective acne treatments. Greg Podsakoff is a former acne sufferer, and editor http://www.acne treatments-guide.com