What is Acne? Acne is a skin disease that is caused by the changing structures of the skin and the oils secreted by glands which when mixed with dead skin cells and an excess of oil plug the pores of the skin which become inflamed and results in the creation of pustules also known as “pimples” which are filled with pus. When ruptured with the pressure of fingers or other instruments, scars can occur depending on the damages that resulting from the extraction process if not done properly. This condition is often treated with a variety of Acne skin care products which can be successful in certain cases and not in others.

What are the causes of Acne?

There are several factors that may be responsible for causing Acne such as:

- Certain types of steroids

- Certain medication

- The presence of bacteria in the pores

- Hormone levels

- Excess of natural oils produced by glands

- Being exposed to high levels of chlorine based compounds

- Irritation of the skin

- Scratching a lot

- Dead cells accumulation

- Stress

Myths about Acne

Several myths exist about Acne which may even mislead the person affected by Acne to use the wrong skin care products or treatments which could cause damages in some cases or basically does not solve the problem.

Contrary to current beliefs, chocolate, chips and sugar have not been proven to cause Acne while milk and seafood contain ingredients that may be responsible for Acne in some people.

Acne is not caused by a poor hygiene of the skin. In fact, rough cleansing of the skin may make matters worse or dry your skin. Soap should be avoid, especially highly perfumed ones. Ask your pharmacist for the best skin care products available and suiting your type of skin. Always remove makeup before going to sleep as your skin needs a break too, just like the rest of your body.

Celibacy or masturbation is not responsible for Acne. The only correlation between sex and Acne is the fact that it produces higher levels of natural oils.

Treatments that are currently available

For smaller cases of Acne, you can ask a pharmacist for some suggestions but it is always a good idea to see a dermatologist so you can have personal advice that is specific to your skin condition. Among the treatments that may be recommended to you are:

Antibiotics that will kill the bacteria that may affect your skin.

Reduce the production of oils by swallowing some vitamin A derivates on a daily basis which can have side effects and should be monitored by your dermatologist.

Medication to regulate the lifecycle of follicle cells.

Using over the counter exfoliating skin care products which will rid the skin of dead cells but their use should be done according to the directions or your dermatologist’s advice as otherwise it may cause other problems.

Hormonal treatments can also be used to balance the level of hormones, especially the level of androgen which can be responsible for Acne.

Phototherapy is also another option but besides the high level of UV rays which can cause damage by itself, the cost of this type of therapeutic approach can be expensive as well.

Other treatments include the use of azelaic acid, zinc or alternative treatments such as the ones introduced in Nicholas Perricone’s book: “The Acne Prescription”.

Ways of the future!

Among the treatments that will more than likely be available in the near future as they are currently being studied and tested now, you may eventually be able to use the following skin care treatments:

- Laser treatments

- Gene therapy

As you can see, there are quite a variety of treatments, therapies and Acne skin care products that are available on the market. With some professional advice from either a dermatologist or pharmacist, being a teenager with an Acne problem is not as scary or without solutions. Depending on the severity of the Acne, there is a solution available to suit your needs or the ones of your teenager.

For years I taught to teenagers and I have noticed their struggle with Acne and Acne skin care products. If you wish to learn more about Acne skin care products that are both available on the market and effective, I invite you to visit our site which is at: http://skin-care.findoutnow.org

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To achieve a more radiant skin and beautiful complexion, it is vital to use only the purest skin care products, particularly those made only with raw, living and natural ingredients. In this article, I explain why this is the best external skin care possible, which, together with a healthy diet, right lifestyle and a positive mental attitude, helps the skin to become softer, firmer and achieve an unmistakable glow.

From the outset I’d like to emphasize that becoming more beautiful is available to anyone now, regardless of their present health, condition or age, who is willing to create beauty through changes in the diet, external skin care and mental outlook.

What we put on our skin is just as important as the food we eat. The skin is the body’s largest organ and plays a crucial role, not only in the elimination of toxins and in regulating our internal temperature, but also in terms of absorption.

Therefore it is critical to use skin and personal care products that, first of all, are free from toxic chemical ingredients. Some of these ingredients include:

a) Propylene glycol: Found in practically every skin moisturiser, propylene glycol is used as the base ingredient in the manufacture of brake fluid and industrial anti-freeze. It greatly damages and ages the skin. It also causes rashes and dry skin.

b) Lauryl sulphates: These corrosive chemical ingredients used in industry to manufacture garage floor cleaner and engine de-greasing are also one of the main ingredients in practically every major brand of shampoo, bubble bath, face wash, shaving gel & toothpaste. Lauryl sulphates eat away at the mucous lining of the skin, are highly irritant to the eyes and cause urinary tract infections.

c) Parabens: synthetic chemicals which have been linked with breast cancer. They are used as preservatives in many shampoos and personal care products.

Secondly, it is important to use skin care products that are made only with raw, living and natural ingredients such as raw cacao (cocoa) butter and cold-pressed oils. This is because the skin greatly nourishes from the life force, antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and essential fatty acids present in the natural ingredients.

The benefits are numerous. The life energy in the ingredients is highly nourishing and healing. Antioxidants for example, help to reverse skin ageing and inflammation and help heal scar tissue. Minerals play a key role in beautifying the skin, hair & nails. Sulphur, for instance, is a central component of collagen & connective tissue, which provides elasticity & flexibility to the tissues. Vitamins such as A, C and E are moisturizing, soothing and healing to the skin. Essential fatty acids help to remove toxins from tissues.

To ensure that the life force and all these nutrients are retained, skin care products must be made at temperatures below 40C. If ingredients are heated above this level during the manufacturing process, most of the antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and the life force in the ingredients are destroyed. A good example of this is cold-pressed olive oil, which has long been considered a topical remedy for wrinkles and facial lines. Not surprisingly, olive oil is the best source of raw vitamin E. However, it is also is extremely sensitive to temperature and light and becomes completely corrupted when heated.

Heated oils and fats when used in skin care products -even in the so-called most natural ones- are actually one of the worst offenders to skin beauty. They contain highly toxic transfatty acids, which may be absorbed into the cell membranes, causing them to become porous and weak. Heating oils and fats also leads to the creation of free radicals, which are unstable oxygen molecules that have lost an electron. Collagen, a protein molecule that constitutes 80% of the dermis, is particularly susceptible to free radical damage, which includes wrinkles, lingering scars and stiff collagen

In contrast, cold-pressed fats and oils kept at low temperatures help to beautify the skin, strengthen the cell membranes and restore nutrients to the tissues.

In short, the best external skin care is to use products made using only 100% raw and living ingredients. At present, the only company in the world producing a range of such products is Raw Gaia. More information can be found at http://www.rawgaia.com

(c) Hector Bolanos, 2006.

Hector Bolanos is the sales & marketing director at Raw Gaia, a natural skin care company. He can be contacted at enquiries@rawgaia.com and on +44 (0)1273 311 476

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