ACNE.
If you have Acne then it can make your life 100% more stressful or daunting then it need be.
Acne comes in many different forms, Severe, Moderate, Mild, Bacne and more.
Acne is a chronic skin condidtion and more than likely affects most people at at least one point in their life. Acne appears on skin in different places on the body including, face, chest and back.
Acne is commonly thought to be related to Horomone Changes and when a person hits Puberty.
AM I ALONE?
NO. You are not alone, I promise you that. Infact, I myself have mild/moderate bacne.
Acne is the most common skin condition, targetting older children, teenagers and young adults.
Did you know that aroung 80% of 11 to 30 year olds have acne?
Did you know that acne most common in girls occurs between the ages of 14 - 17?
Did you know that acne most common in boys occurs between the ages of 16 - 19?
Most people find that their acne will repeatedly flare up and they will have multiple break outs, but as they get older their symptoms will subside and once they're in their twenties they will probably stop experiancing acne.
However, in a couple of cases acne continues into adulthood. Around 5% of women and 1% of men over the age of 25 continue suffering from Acne.
THE MYTHS.
"If you have Acne then that means you don't wash."
This is not true. Did you know that most of the Biologoical reactions that cause Acne occur beneath the surface of the skin so it really is not caused by your personal hygiene. However, you should still wash daily, twice a day, but not any more than that as more washing will just aggravate your skin.
"Just squeeze your blackheads, whiteheads and spots, it gets rid of them quickly and is the best way!"
Please don't do this. Squeezing your spots will more than likely make your symptoms worse and can lead to permanant scarring.
"Ew, don't go near her! Look at her spots, you'll catch them if you go near her."
Acne is not infectious. You cannot catch it. It is caused by your own body horomones so please don't judge someone with Acne and single them out.
Why do I only get Acne at certain times?
You may have noticed that you only get Acne breaks outs during or leading up to your 'time of the month'. This is because during puberty both male and females produce more of the male hormone testorone.
This increases the production of seburn in your skin, making in greasy and encouraging spots to form.
Homormone changes during your period may cause acne breakouts.
You will commonly get spots on your chin if it is hormone related.
Help?
By keeping your skin clean you can help to prevent spots forming. Gently wash spot-prone areas with a mild soap or an unperfumed cleanser in lukewarm water about twice a day. Try not to wash the affected areas more than this, or scrub too hard, as your skin needs a certain amount of oil to maintain its natural condition. Acne isn't an infection, so extra washing won't help.
You may also be able to try an over-the-counter treatment that contains benzoyl peroxide (eg Oxy, Clearasil) - this has an antibacterial action and encourages your skin to shed its surface layer of dead cells. Together, these effects reduce the inflammation in existing spots and prevent new ones forming. These treatments are available from pharmacies and larger supermarkets.
Treatments containing benzoyl peroxide may cause your skin to become irritated (slightly reddened), especially to start with. This tends to settle down if you reduce the number of times you use it. You can then build up your use gradually.
I can't afford to spend money on any spot treatments..
If this is the case then there is a couple of things you can do.
Go into your bathroom and get a small amount of toothpaste (contaning Benzoyl) and dap a thin layer onto the infected area. Leave to dry and once it has and has started cracking gently wash away with a damp, warm wash cloth.
Sudocrem is also a brilliant alternative for spot creams, and is a personal favourite. I use this daily and it keeps my skin relativly clear and gorgeously soft and glowing. It also helps my makeup apply alot smoother. Get a small amount of sudocrem and dap a thin layer onto the infected area, before I do this I personally rub a thin layer onto my whole face (but thats just personal preferance). You then leave it soaking into you spot and wash off a couple of hours later or in the morning (its best to do this overnight) with a warm, damp wash cloth.
You can also do Hot and Cold compresses. To do this get an ice cube and hold on your spot for 6 minutes. Then get a hot (as hot as you can bear it) and hold it on the same spot for 6 minutes. Repeat until the spot as shrunken rapidly in size as is no longer visible.
Please I want you to know that if you are feeling down or have any more questions about acne or anything else atall you can talk to me. I'll always be here to listen to you and I will keep things confidential. I'm here for you.
beautyblogger2011@hotmail.co.uk
