Acne Magazine : Skin Care, Tips, Treatment Reviews

For many individuals itchy, dry skin is a natural occurrence during the winter months. However, when dermal tissue begins to develop rough, scaly patches it may signal the beginning of a more serious skin condition. In fact, this condition is serious enough the many doctors agree that keratosis could eventually progress into certain types of cancer.

In general, keratosis is a skin condition that is characterized by small patches of rough, dry skin. This patch can be completely flat or slightly raised and exists on the outermost dermal layer. In fact, these patches may often resemble warts in appearance, yet they are slightly larger.

Patches of dry skin may appear pink or brown in color; however, they may also simply match the color of the surrounding tissue as well. Common symptoms that patients report include itching and/or burning around the affected area.

The specific spots that form are known as keratoses and can be commonly found on the facial region, arms, scalp, neck, and back. In essence, these spots usually form on dermal areas that are frequently exposed to the sun.

While they may eventually go away on their own, keratoses often return after prolonged sun exposure. Individuals who are more susceptible to this condition include those over forty years of age, have histories of multiple sunburns, have lighter hair and eye colors, and have weak immune systems.

As with any other condition, the first step in receiving treatment is to visit your family physician. Healthcare professionals can answer any questions you may have regarding how to treat the condition and may ask further questions in order to understand how they can best meet your specific treatment needs.

Many doctors acknowledge the risk that keratoses can always turn into cancerous cells, so they usually treat patients by removing the tissue and performing a biopsy. This can usually be done in-office with the use of a local anesthetic.

Other treatment options may also include freezing the tissue off via the use of cryotherapy, scraping the cells off using the process of curettage, chemical peeling to blister tissue and encourage it to slough off, or laser therapy, which is used to remove the keratoses and underlying tissue.

Ultimately it is up to the patient and physician to decide upon the treatment method. In addition, patients should understand insurance may not cover all procedures, because they may be considered cosmetic in nature.

I just finished reading about a very interesting combination of two dermatologist therapies that are used for acne treatment as well as for other skin perfecting treatments. The two treatments on their own are IPL and Isolaz, respectively.

You may have heard of IPL, as it is a light therapy that is popular as a non invasive anti aging treatment for those trying to help tighten the skin and reduce fine lines as well as fade age spots and even out the entire skin tone.  It stands for Intense Pulsed Light, and it basically uses the power of light to help heal the skin and reduce imperfections. 

PDT treatment is very much like IPL, but it actually is used in combination with Isolaz because of its bacteria killing abilities.  PDT stands for photodynamic therapy.  The only thing you feel is generally something like a rubber band snap on the skin area that is being treated.

I’m sometimes a little leery of their descriptions of things being painless or minimally painful though, as when you read real people’s descriptions of how it felt, it is often more painful than the ones who are trying to sell the treatment claim!

Isolaz is a type of laser treatment.  It also uses a vacuum type of instrument to gently open and vacuum the oil out of the pores, so you get a very deep down clean. It then shines the light down into the pores, so that all of the bacteria which can eventually end up creating acne lesions, is destroyed.

As you can imagine, this type of light therapy and laser therapy combination can be quite expensive in the dermatologist’s office. Blue light therapy devices are also made for home use, and that may be an option for you to pursue, or an herbal acne remedy with topical products that can work on your acne may be a good option too.

The Isolaz and IPL or PDT treatments typically have the patient come in once a week for several weeks, and it has a fairly good success rate of over 70%  of patients receiving the combo treatment getting rid of their acne.

I’m a fan of IPL and blue and red light therapy, but it does not always work on everyone, so that’s just a word to the wise that not everything is made for everyone’s type of skin. It takes experimentation sometimes to figure out what ultimately helps your skin to stay clear.

As a 36 year old woman now, I still will get acne on and off. Although I’ve been able to successfully control acne when it does come calling (which is usually when I’m under stress or I’ve had too many stimulants – ie caffeine), is through natural hormonal acne treatments.

Another favorite way for me to help control both acne breakouts, and help smooth out wrinkles and fine lines, as well as to help further smooth out old depressed acne marks or redness, is the chemical peel.  Chemical peels are a great way to help treat adult acne because they help to really clear out the pores and get rid of all surface debris and dead skin.

A big part of why acne occurs is because of debris that is on the skin’s surface getting stuck in the over abundance of topical sebum (oil) left on the skin.  The debris then gets stuck in the pores, and a resulting infection occurs, with inflammation. This is why the skin becomes inflamed, and a bump becomes large.  Pus builds up, and an acne lesion forms.

Chemical peels that are done regularly simply help reduce the likelihood that your pores will become clogged. They also may temporarily reduce sebum, but they don’t address the actual underlying issue of the problem.

That’s where the natural hormonal acne treatments come in. If you address the root of adult acne, which is an imbalance in the hormones, which causes the oil glands to become overactive, at the root cause, then you have a much better chance of solving the problem on a more permanent level.

A chemical peel can really help refresh your skin and make it look radiant though. It is one of my favorite ways to make my skin look really glowing and fresh since it does take off so many dead skin cells and helps to increase skin cell turnover as well as increase collagen production.

I’ve blogged a few times about how I have a little beauty routine that I do when I work out at my work gym, and have been doing for some time. It’s not just to clarify and beautify my skin though, it’s actually really relaxing as well.  As soon as I walk into the sauna at work, after it’s been heated to a toasty hundred and some degrees while I’ve been hard at work on the treadmill, recumbent bike or elliptical machine, it’s like a wall of very dry heat hitting me.

And as soon as it hits me, my body goes limp. My shoulders and tight neck and back instantly relax from the day at the desk, and I feel like I could go to sleep – right after a workout mind you. So it’s not just about the intense heat helping to kill bacteria on my face and help with any future acne breakouts, it’s also about the relaxation aspect of it.

Relaxation of the body and mind are another great acne buster as you may know, because stress really wreaks havoc on the skin, and a lot of people with acne can tell you that stress and anxiety make them break out because it causes hormonal imbalance which leads to acne.

So really, hitting the sauna after my hard workout is like a one two punch against acne.  Saunas can help your skin look better because they not only are such a high heat that they do help kill that acne causing bacteria on the surface of your skin, but they also help to open the pores, and detoxify the skin of impurities.

Not only that, but they help to increase your circulation, which makes your skin look more radiant and colorful and also helps to detox further because when your circulation is better, you transport any toxins out of your body more easily.  It’s sort of the same principle as massage, which also is supposed to help detoxify the tissue through manual stimulation and circulation promotion.

I have mentioned before that I do something that may be questionable, but I make sure I really limit the time I do it since it’s such intense heat. I put my face nearer to the coals since it’s a traditional sauna, and get a sort of steam/heat facial in the process. It really makes my skin glow for a day or two, but you have to be careful not to burn yourself – just get a pleasant heat and steam bath, and back away after about 30 seconds or so, and if you feel any discomfort don’t do it at all.

I just happened to run across a new device (at least new to me) called ANSR, which is a small, round hand held device that emits one half blue light and one half red light for intense photo therapeutic acne treatment, and a shot of anti aging treatment in there as well with the red light. We’ve talked about blue light therapy for acne before, and how incredibly effective it can be, especially when paired with other acne treatments or supplements, or even just the right diet and lifestyle to treat your acne and keep it at bay.

This little device is just a tad over a hundred bucks, and it has really gotten some rave reviews so far from it’s users, both those that are using it for acne and those that are primarily using it for the anti aging properties of the red light.

Blue light is best for acne, but combined with red light, you basically get the best of both worlds because you are treating your skin with blue light to help kill surface bacteria, which will keep your skin free of the bacteria that causes acne lesions, bumps and lumps and redness, and with the red light, you are giving your skin a nice infusion of collagen boosting every day, making your skin plumper, more resilient, and ready to defend itself against the ravages of aging and gravity every day.

Basically, the reason our skin starts sagging and looking worse as we age is because it lacks the abundant collagen that it once had when we were kids and teens. This device may be the perfect inexpensive alternative to acne AND anti aging for those of us that are maybe in our thirties or even forties and still have acne but also are starting to show the signs of aging. Heck, even if you’re in your twenties, this ANSR device might be good for keeping wrinkles, lines and the other sagging that comes with aging at bay.

I have not yet tried this device, as I do have a hand held red light laser already and sad to say I lack the discipline to use it every single day, but I can tell you that when I do use it, it has a great effect on my face and the way it looks. I say if you’re looking for an acne hand held, inexpensive alternative to getting blue light treatments in a Doctor’s office, you may want to at least look into the ANSR device.

Unfortunately, acne is very common skin problem which most of us have experienced in some period of our life.  If you choose the right treatment that suits you, you can keep acne under control.  In today’s market, professionals and sufferers are quickly recognizing the amazing benefits of the light therapy, making this cure system one of the most requested skin care treatments on the market. It is the latest device for treating acne. It’s a painless treatment with quite short sessions. This system is the fastest growing natural health alternative of the new millennium.

Blue light treatment can be the best treatment for the patients who have a minimal success with some medical and natural products. This is the most comfortable treatment available! Most of us know that when you expose the skin on the sun usually helps clear up acne at least a little. That’s because the light kills bacteria. It will clear acne, reduce pimples, removes sun damage underneath your skin.

The whole process for the patients using blue light treatment lasts for about thirty minutes. Like we said it is a very quick and safe treatment. The instructions may include avoiding certain medications, like not smoking and protecting the skin from the sun for the appropriate period of time, because it can be damaging for your skin.

Patients should wash and dry their faces before exposing their skin to blue light. Blue light therapy can be dangerous for the eyes, so eye protection is always necessary.
Although blue light systems can be purchased and self-administered at home, a dermatologist should oversee its use and set-up the equipment. If you want your treatment to be successful, it is advisable to consult your physician. A number of dermatologists use this light treatment for acne because this process seems to be safe and successful.

More and more people are starting to learn about this method of blue light therapy treatment for acne. Acne light treatments have been getting more attention in recent years, because blue light therapy is proving to be successful.  Are the results positive? This will vary according to skin type and lifestyle, but following a course of treatments you can expect to see an overall improvement in the appearance of the skin.

We can certainly recommend this kind of treatment as we this is the most advanced technique available today for improving the health condition of your skin and face in general.

Hey, real quick, there is a new page here at Acnemag that I wanted to point out to you. It’s just an uber quick overview of what Chinese medicine strives to do for acne sufferers. I kept it pretty simple since Chinese medicine has it’s own language, and it’s basically unintelligible to those of us that are used to western medicine.  So here it is – enjoy!  Chinese Acne Remedies

I use a combination glycolic and lactic acid peel once every few weeks on my skin. It had been a while since I had done my initial 5 treatments five weeks back to back, so I figured my skin needed a little freshening. By the way, I would never recommend doing these fairly serious peels when you have large, open acne wounds on your face,as they will burn like a you know what, so make sure your face is relatively free of any large acne sores before you do any sort of peel.

I had a few little minor – very minor acne lesions on my face (I told you I’d been breaking out lately thanks to mega stress) when I did the peel last weekend. I noticed that the peel really BURNED a lot more than it usually does this time, and I chalked that up the fact that I hadn’t done it in a while. These peels are not mild, they are very serious, so you can only keep them on your face for a few minutes at most. They are uncomfortable almost from the outset, creating a tingling and burning sensation instantly, so it can be a challenge to keep it on even for a few minutes.

Your skin looks bad when you first do it, but you do notice an improvement a few days later in the clarity and tone. This time, I noticed that the peel seemed to literally “melt” some of my zits so that I was left with a tiny little speck of scab on my face, so I’m thinking I may have left it on too long this time. That, and the fact that my face was beet red when I was done and still significantly burned afterward sort of tipped me off to that fact.

If you’re looking to do a peel in your own home, you can ones that are almost identical to the ones you get in a professional’s office, you just have to use extreme caution and due care in how long you leave it on for. If you have sensitive skin, instead of going with glycolic acid, which is probably the most harsh and deeper penetrating option, you should go with something like lactic acid only or salicylic acid only to make sure you don’t inflame or irritate the skin too much. These peels are great for keeping clear pores and ensuring your skin cells turn over, for fresh, radiant skin allover your face.

I just happened upon an interesting therapy for acne, which happens to include one of my favorite relaxing treats to myself – massage. If you’re a fan of going and getting massages, then you know the ultimate health and mental benefits massaging on a regular basis can impart into your life. Massage undoubtedly has the power to relax and detoxify me, and I think that it has multiple implications when it comes to your overall mental health, especially if you lead a high stress life, tend to get stressed out easily, or have a very anxiety-producing job, which is pretty common.

And guess what? Anxiety leads to acne, so anything you can do that can naturally eliminate, reduce, or make your anxiety tolerable and lower, is going to ultimately benefit your skin. Have you ever heard people refer to the “happy glow”? Well, when your mind is at peace or happy, your skin tends to follow suit. Of course there are other elements like diet, exercise and hormones that enter into it, but funny how these all tend to follow one another when you’re in your best states of mind. You tend to eat right, exercise more and look better when you’re happier, and vice versa.

Ayerveda, an indian philosophy in medicine and natural treatment of one’s body and mind, employs a specific type of massage with essential oils that benefit those with acne, to help one get rid of acne naturally by giving their body what it needs to fight acne, which is calming, anxiety and stress reduction, and essential oils that help to fight acne on the external body. The rest is all internal, which is what supplements like my favorite one by Zenmed help to do – they help to calm those raging hormones inside that tend to get out of control when our emotions are out of control.

Through massage, you not only get the benefit of some detoxification and stress reduction and ultimately peace of mind, but you also get the benefit of increased circulation, which can help your skin looks it’s best and most glowing at all times, and gives your skin the tools it needs to internally fight acne off and to have clear, clean skin with reduced oil production more often. Plus, massage feels awesome and makes you feel like a million bucks. Hence, it’s a huge industry with lots of customers in this wild and crazy life we have these days of no rest and running all the time.