How to Compare Acne Treatment Products

How to Compare Acne Treatment Products

At any given time, you can search the Internet for acne treatment products and find hundreds that all promise relief from this embarrassing situation. Some of these are effective; however, not all of work as they claim to. There are still others that will work for a small segment of consumers, but not for others. When it comes to comparing the different products, there are a few things that you should know. After all, who wants to spend the money on a product that simply doesn't work!

Compare Ingredients
Some of the products contain very harsh chemicals that may cause redness, burning and irritation. If your skin is very sensitive to beauty products, such as makeup and moisturizing lotions, you need to proceed with care. Look for all natural products first. Most of the over-the-counter acne products are rather mild, but some are not. Prescription medications are much stronger and can have quite a wide range of side effects. Make sure you speak with your doctor or pharmacists if you have concerns about these side effects. Some treatments can even make your acne worse.

Read Online Reviews
The Internet is full of reviews for many of today's most popular acne treatments. You can find out what other consumers think about a specific treatment and how it compares with other treatments they have tried. You can also compare prices, which is very important. Some of these treatments can cost you hundreds of dollars.

Be leery of reviews that are too full of praises. It could be nothing more than fake reviews from sales people. You should also be leery of exceptionally negative reviews in the midst of positive ones. These could be left by competitors in order to keep consumers from buying those products. You can usually tell which reviews, both positive and negative, sound legitimate.

How Long Is the Treatment Program?
Some of the treatments may work - that is until you stop using them. You want a product that works but you don't want one that you must use everyday for the rest of your life! If your acne returns, perhaps a more holistic approach to your acne treatment is needed. For example, your acne may be causes by stress, diet or environmental factors. By treating the whole body, including your emotional state, you may find that your acne is much easier to control or even to eliminate. Unfortunately, many people overlook this aspect of acne treatments and just continue to spend money on lotions, creams and other products. Perhaps it's time to take a new look at what really works.

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What Is Blue and Red Light Acne Treatment and How Does It Work?

Skin Light Acne Treatment

Since 2002 clinical studies have shown that light acne treatment (phototherapy or deep-penetrating light therapy) has been successfully administered to treat acne. This technique is a method to clear acne in a convenient, non-invasive manner through the use of intense blue light (405-420 nm). Blue light works by killing the bacteria, P. acne, which is responsible for causing pore clogs and inflammation. The specific wavelengths emitted from the light source exposes and a reaction takes place that ultimately kills the bacteria thus eliminating the usual inflammation and scaring that occurs. This in turn allows the acne to clear up. Blue-light products today do not contain ultraviolet (UV) light, which can damage skin. Typical devices are built around fluorescent lighting, dichroic blubs, LEDs, or lasers. Treatment used to only be available through professional services, but today there are many home products that are available to the consumer. The safety and benefits that light acne treatment provides allows it to be approved and licensed by the US FDA.

Blue-light treatment

Patients receive the therapy in increments of 15 minutes every day with the lamp placed about 1-3 feet from the body or face. Depending on the severity of the acne, typical treatments can last anywhere between 4-8 weeks. Side effects can occur such as swelling, rash, or dryness, but they are only temporary.

Blue and Red light mixture

Results have shown that Red light frequencies (660 nanometer), encourage the production of natural collagen and helps new skin cells regenerate and address fine lines, age spots, wrinkles, blemishes, and skin redness. Many devices and products provide a combination of the two or the ability to use each individual lighting type.

Summary and Benefits of Red and Blue light acne treatment

Easy at-home self-treatmentSafe for all ages and painlessRejuvenate and improve skin in 15-minute sessions100% natural, drug-free and non-invasiveRefresh skin collagen and treat acne at the same timeNo bad side effects

The availability of light acne treatments for consumer use at home have gained popularity in recent years. As advised, please consult your doctor or dermatologist to see what works best for you.

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Top 3 Questions You Need to Ask Before You Buy Adult Acne Treatments

Adults get acne, too. It's not just a problem that affects teenagers. Today's acne treatments are geared towards adults just as often as they are towards adolescents. Everyone wants a clear, beautiful complexion and unfortunately, many consumers are making their problems worse with the wrong treatment. Before you spend a ton of money on adult acne treatments, there are three questions that you should ask first.

#1 - What Ingredients does it Contain?
Many people find they are allergic to specific ingredients in acne treatments. The body's reaction to these chemicals and other substances can include redness, burning, itching, and even a rash. All acne treatments do not work the same for all people. If you have had a reaction to such a product in the past, it's best to proceed slowly to see if the new product will affect you in a similar way.

Some of the adult acne treatments contain much more potent chemicals than the products used to treat adolescent acne. However, you may find that skin reacts very poorly. If you have used a particular treatment for quite some time without any positive results, it's time to find another means of treating your acne.

#2 - Will It Interact with Other Medications?
Some of the medications used to treat adult acne are available only by a prescription from your doctor. There are different kinds of antibiotics that can interact with some of your other medications. Most of these also have warnings regarding sun exposure. If you are concerned about these and other side effects, make sure you speak to your doctor or pharmacist before starting any new treatment.

#3 - How Do I Use This Treatment?
Some adult acne treatments required an application only once a day; however, there are several that require you to apply one product in the morning and another in the evening. You may also find another lotion or cream to use once or twice a week or as blemishes appear. It's very important that you know how to use the treatments in order to get the most benefits. Otherwise, you may find you've spent your money for nothing!

In Closing
Adult acne treatments are quite prevalent on the health care market today. However, not all of them are effective and some are downright dangerous. If you have questions, find the answers before you start a new beauty regime. You certainly don't want to make your acne worse. If you aren't comfortable with the ingredients in many of these new products, perhaps it's time to look at a more holistic approach to your acne treatment.

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Types and Subtypes of Acne

Sebaceous glands (oil glands) in our skin that connect the hair follicles or pores are responsible for producing sebum (oily substance that lubricates the skin). While sebum is being distributed unto the surface of the skin, dead cells are getting driven out; however, if too much sebum is being produced some of the pores get blocked, preventing the dead skin cells from leaving these pores. To a further complication, as bacteria get built-up the result is acne. I will elaborate more on the latter in the paragraphs to come.

Unfortunately, we do not know what the exact cause of acne is, but some elements that are thought to have an effect in its development include: heredity, oily skin or hair, hormonal imbalances (especially in women during menstruation and sometimes pregnancy), stress, oily and highly chemical cosmetics, etc.

Types of Acne

1. Acne Vulgaris

Acne Vulgaris is considered to be the most common type of acne. Acne Vulgaris includes mild to moderate (blackheads, whiteheads, papules, pustules) to severe (nodules and cysts) lesions.

Mild to Moderate Acne Vulgaris

- Blackheads (open comedo): they are the result of partially clogged pores. The black color that appears is not because of trapped dirt, it's the reaction of Sebum and Melanin (skin pigments) with oxygen.

- Whiteheads (closed comedo): they are the result of the complete blockage of the pores. Once the partial blockage becomes complete the excess Sebum cannot get out at all, and together with bacteria called "Proprionibacterium Acnes" or "P. Acnes" that are normally present on the skin get trapped in the pores; an enzyme is produced and causes the Sebum to break down into "free fatty acids", which causes irritation, swelling, redness, and pus formation that we call whiteheads.

- Papules: they are inflamed, red, and tender bumps that do not have heads. It's important not to squeeze or press a papule to get rid of it, because as a result scarring may occur.

- Pustules: they are inflamed red circles with a whitish or yellowish center. Again we should not mess with a pustule, since possible scarring is likely.

Severe Acne Vulgaris

- Nodules: contrary to the aforementioned lesions, nodules are much larger, more painful, and last longer (it might take months to heal). Nodules are characterized as hard bumps under the skin. We must absolutely resist the temptation to squeeze nodules, because pressing them causes severe trauma to the skin, causing the lesion to take an even longer time to heal, and scar.

- Cysts: they are somewhat similar in appearance to nodules, but are pus-filled and a bit bigger (5mm in diameter or more). Do not squeeze cysts as this causes deeper infection and therefore a more painful inflammation will result, and will take longer to heal.

2. Acne Rosacea

This type of acne is very similar to Acne Vulgaris, which makes it confusing for us to distinguish them from one another. It affects mostly women (but when found in men it's usually more severe) and those aged 30 and above. It appears as red rashes on the nose, cheeks, forehead, and chin. People with Acne Rosacea end up having pimples, bumps, and skin blemishes, but blackheads are unlikely with this type of acne. It can also cause Rhinophyma (bulbous nose) if not treated.

3. Acne Conglobata

This is considered to be the most severe type of acne, and it is more common in males. It appears as multiple large lesions, which seem to be interconnected across the face (found also on the back, chest, upper arms, and thighs); also a large number of blackheads are common with this type of acne. Acne Conglobata causes harmful damage to the skin along with extreme scarring.

4. Acne Fulminans

This type of acne is usually found in young men. It is associated with severe cysts and ulcer-like acne. It could cause extreme and disfiguring scars.

5. Gram-Negative Folliculitis

This type of acne is considered to be a bacterial infection associated with pustules and cysts, believed to be the result of complications from longtime antibiotic treatment for Acne Vulgaris.

6. Pyoderma Faciale (or Rosacea Fulminans)

This type of acne is usually found in females (between the ages of 20 to 40), and is associated to large painful nodules, and pustules that may leave scars. Also it may take place on the skin of a woman who has never had an acne condition before.

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Acute Tinea Cruris, Cause, Symptoms and Treatment

Tinea cruris is a fungal skin infection of the groin. The fungi that can cause a skin infection can be divided into three groups according to their favourite hosts:

Fungi preferring earth (geophile)Fungi preferring animals (zoophile)Fungi preferring humans (anthropophile)

Anthropophile fungi usually cause an infection of the groin. The most common species are Epidermophyton floccosum and Tricophyton rubrum.

The scientific term for ringworm of the groin is tinea cruris.

Tinea cruris is caused by a fungus.Tinea cruris is not contagious; direct person to person contact rarely leads to spreading of tinea cruris.Itching in groin, thigh skin folds, or anus.Red, raised, scaly patches that may blister and ooze. The patches often have sharply-defined edges. They are often redder around the outside with normal skin tone in the center. This may create the appearance of a ring.Abnormally dark or light skin.

Your doctor will usually diagnose jock itch based on the appearance of the skin. Tests are usually not necessary. If tests are needed to confirm the diagnosis, either a culture or a skin lesion biopsy (for example, a scraping of the skin) may show the fungus that causes jock itch.

You can buy an antifungal cream from pharmacies, or get one on prescription. There are various types and brands. For example; terbinafine, clotrimazole, econazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, and sulconazole. These modern creams are good at clearing fungal skin infections.

Apply the cream to the surrounding 4-6 cm of normal skin in addition to the rash.Apply for as long as advised. This varies between the different creams, so read the instructions carefully. Although the rash may seem to go quite quickly, you still need to apply the cream for 1-2 weeks after the rash has gone. This is to completely clear the fungi from the skin which will prevent the rash from returning.

An anti-fungal medicine taken by mouth is sometimes prescribed if the rash does not clear with a cream, or if the rash is in many places on the skin in addition to the groin.

Keep the groin area clean and dry.Don't wear clothing that rubs and irritates the area. Avoid tight-fitting and rough-textured clothing.Wear loose-fitting underwear.Wash athletic supporters frequently.After bathing, apply antifungal or drying powders if you are susceptible to jock itch.

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