Acne Skin Care

A skin condition commonly affecting people between ages 12 to 24 is called acne. The root cause of this skin disease is yet to be identified. However, over secretion of the sebaceous glands is pointed as the cause to trigger most acne outbreaks.

Pilosebaceous units are the combination of the hair follicles and oil glands in the skin. These are found on the skin tissue throughout the body except for the surface of the palms and the soles of the feet. These are responsible in secreting the oily substance called sebum. However, due to many factors (e.g. hormonal imbalances, stress and the skin's natural condition) the oil glands are induced to produce more sebum than what is normally needed. If this is the case, the excess oil plugs the skin pores thus bringing the effect of bacterial infection and the reaction of the immune system. This then causes acne inflammation.

Presently, acne is not yet totally curable but can be treated with several acne skin care methods. Acne skin care regimens usually come in forms of topical medications, which may be applied on the surface of the skin.

Usually, mild acne skin care is done with soap and water. The logic is to not remove the dirt (as the majority of acne-inflicted person perceive) but to remove the plugs on the skin pores, which may be a combination of dead skin cells, bacteria and hardened sebum. Although dirt is not truly the cause of acne, it may contribute to further infection through its interaction with skin debris and particles and extra oil in the skin.

You should not vigorously scrub the face as this may result into an accelerated spread of the infection to other areas. A mild scrub will do. Minimize the use of seriously abrasive acne skin care products. This may cause more harm than good.

One good way of acne skin care is to keep the pores open or to minimize the presence of extra oil in the skin. This can be made possible with washing the face with the hottest water the patient may withstand. Further, to remove excess oil, one must use topical cleansing pads that may contain one or the combination of the following: salicylic acid, sulfur and benzoyl peroxide.

Employing the use of acne skin care product like "pore strip pads", may remove whiteheads and blackheads but they would not have any effect on the excess sebum produced.

To further care for your skin, you should make use of the following acne routine:

• A healthy, well-balanced diet must be observed. Meaning, your food intake must incorporate all the essential nutrients the body needs for efficient functioning.

• Drink plenty of fluids like water, juices. Minimize the intake of carbonated drinks.

• Vitamin supplements must complement vitamins absent in your diet.

• Wash your face with mild soap and water.

• Minimize the use of abrasive cleansers and use acne skin care items that exfoliate mildly.

It is important to note that before applying any acne skin care products, you must first identify your skin type. A combination of skin types may be found throughout the body, which may demand varying levels of acne skin care.

Oily skin is more prone to acne than any other type. This is true because oily skin is more probable in acquiring acne because excess oil is already regularly produced in the skin tissues. Dry skin on the other hand, may not be as susceptible to acne but serious outbreaks may occur during winter. Normal skin is equally susceptible to acne but the level of severity depends on the variety of conditions. The acne skin care routine outlined above should help prevent and remedy acne of all skin types.