How To Get Rid Of Acne?

Accutane Side Effects Exposed: Side Effects of the Miracle Drug and the Alternative to Accutane

2009-09-16T20:51:00.002-04:00

If you suffer from severe case of acne that has failed to respond to conventional treatments such as antibiotics, then your dermatologist may recommend the use of the popular Accutane or Isotretinoin. Accutane is a potent oral drug from Hoffman-LaRoche that has been proven highly effective for reducing acne symptoms dramatically after only one course of 15-20 weeks.

With its undoubting success at battling even the toughest cases of acne and ever-growing popularity among teens as a miracle drug, why is Accutane still considered the most controversial pharmaceutical on the market? The answer: a documented list of severe and sometimes permanent side effects.

Although some of the side effects associated with the use of Isotretinoin are mild and tolerable (dry lips, dry eyes, nosebleeds, extremely dry skin, increased sensitivity to the sun and thinning hair) there is in fact a long list of serious side effects that have been reported due to the use of Accuttane which persisted even after the drug therapy was stopped. Among those are: Severe aches and pains in the lower back and large joints, severe allergy reactions that include moderate rashes and difficulty to breath, vision problems, hearing loss, permanent liver damage, persistent migraines and headaches and skeletal hyperostosis which is an excessive bone growth that occurs along the sides of the spine.

But perhaps, the two most bothersome of all Accutane side effects are its potential to cause severe birth defects if taken by pregnant women or women that became pregnant while taking the drug and the suggested link between the intake of Accutane and the changes in mood, severe depression and suicidal thoughts.

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Since, Isotretinoin can be harmful to the fetus, it should not be used during pregnancy and women should avoid pregnancy for at least a month after the use of Accutane. Additionally, because of its severe side effects, nursing mothers must avoid the drug completely.

Although researchers still argue whether Isotretinoin causes depression or not, Roche the manufacturer of Accutane, openly shares information claiming that Accutane and its generic, isotretinoin, can alter mood: "Synthetic derivatives of vitamin A, can negatively impact brain chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin."

The FDA website warns: "All patients treated with isotretinoin should be observed closely for symptoms of depression or suicidal thoughts, such as sad mood, irritability, acting on dangerous impulses, anger, loss of pleasure ... mood disturbance, psychosis, or aggression."

Moreover, statistics show that between 1989 and 2003, there were 216 reported drug-linked suicides among U.S. teens younger than 18. Of these, 72 suicides were linked to Accutane (isotretinoin). The next highest number of suicides in that time period -- 55 -- involved Prozac (fluoxetine).

Accutane works by reducing the size and output of the sebaceous glands and thus stops excess oil production. The problem is that Accutane damages your skins sebum glands and liver function in the process. By the time you stop taking the drug, your skin oil glands will return to function but your liver will not be able to properly balance your hormones and prevent the over production of sebum.

Isotrteinoin also normalizes your keratinization (the shedding of dead skin cells), improves fat metabolism and reduces inflammation. But all of these benefits can be easily achieved using all natural dietary, supplementation and skin care alternatives and without the side effects. For example: Foods that are rich in Vitamin A and Beta Carotene can help reduce the secretion of oil by the sebaceous glands. Simple home made peels made of Papaya can easily replace the peeling action of Isotrerinoin and sleep optimization, and regular exercising including vitamin, C, E, Zinc and Colostrum can boost the immune abilities of the body and thus reduce inflammation.

Accutane is not the solution to acne. Not only does it treat the symptoms of the disease and not the internal cause, stopping your skin's natural oil production, can in most cases, result in extra dryness combined with the acceleration of the skin's aging process (yes! your skin will look older). Moreover, Accutane severely damages your liver function among other side effects, which in turn destroys your delicate inner balance and your natural healing abilities. Hence, it is doing the opposite of curing.

A long-term acne solution should address the internal cause of acne by tackling all acne contributing factors and neutralizing the acne environment - the only, safe, natural and effective way you could ever achieve lasting acne freedom.

Mike Walden is a certified nutritionist, independent medical researcher, natural health consultant and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, "Acne No More- Open The Door To An Acne Free Life." Mike has written dozens of holistic health articles and has been featured in ezines and print magazines, as well as on hundreds of websites worldwide. For information on Mike's Holistic Clear Skin program, visit:
http://www.acnenomore.com

Acne Cures: Is there a Natural Acne Cure that Works?

2009-09-15T02:27:00.005-04:00

Acne Cures: Is there a Natural Acne Cure that Works?

Are there natural acne cures that work or is it a new age myth? Is there a permanent cure for acne or are all acne sufferers sentenced to the Sisyphean battle of tackling the ‘on the surface’ symptoms? Is there an honest, natural and safer alternative to the endless use of over the counters and to the nasty side effects inflicted by conventional drugs, creams and topical acne treatments?

Most dermatologists and other western medicine followers have already answered that controversial question by claiming that acne, among other diseases simply cannot be cured.

There are 2 reasons for that:

1. Most dermatologists don't even know what the real cause of acne is. It's amazing but true. They are highly familiar with the symptoms of acne and they specialize in tackling the 'on the surface' symptoms, but unfortunately they cannot tell you what the internal conditions are that cause your acne to form in the first place. If you don't believe me just ask your dermatologist.

2. Most doctors work in conjunction with the pharmaceutical and drug companies and the latter is not motivated, so to speak, at discovering a cure for Acne or Aids or Cancer - simply because hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on finding treatments for the symptoms of diseases. Why? simply because their global aim is to make more profit by creating consumer dependency. By applying medications and creams that deal merely with the symptoms while ignoring the source or the internal cause of the disease, acne will never be cured. The average acne sufferer will become more and more reliant on drugs that temporarily calm the symptoms and that means steady income for the drug and pharmaceutical companies.

There's a lovely metaphor describing acne among other chronic diseases and the way modern medicine deals with these afflictions: If you manage to kill all the mosquitoes around a stale pond using chemicals, for a little while there will be no mosquitoes.

But since the source of the problem (what causes the mosquitoes to appear) is still there – the stale, disgusting pond where mosquitoes can find food and fertile ground for laying their eggs – mosquitoes will always come back!

The same thing happens with your acne!

Without eliminating the source of your acne condition, you will never get rid of your acne. Without fixing the internal problem that is causing your acne, you may find temporary relief, but your acne will always come back until you do something fundamental to eradicate the cause from within...until you make the pond (your body or internal system) a place where ‘mosquitoes’ cannot exist.

Ultimately, every disease results from a breakdown within your body. All major diseases and chronic conditions are warning signs of something very fundamentally wrong inside. Deepak Chopra refers to this as "The violation of simple laws of nature that make our body function."

The very surprising truth is that you are lucky for having acne. Let me explain...Acne, like constant headaches, irritable bowel syndrome or dandruffs is only a small message from your body that something is wrong internally and should be addressed and corrected.

Now, there are two choices you can make - you can:

1.Ignore that message - big mistake! The internal imbalance that caused your acne will, in most cases, turn into a chronic condition. Now instead of just having acne you'll start having other hormonal imbalance or toxic overload related symptoms in addition to acne. Because the internal problem is not fixed, the disease symptoms get more and more intense.

2.Listen to your body and start fixing the internal problem that causes your acne to appear in the first place; you will not only get rid of your acne you will also achieve beautiful, healthy, even toned clear skin complexion, re-balance your body and prevent future hormonal or toxic overload related conditions.

The simple truth is...you are out of balance. We now live a 'far-from-natural' lifestyle. There are over 300 synthetic industrial chemicals present in our bodies that did not exist 50 years ago. We are filled with toxins from the food, and medication we ingest and use.

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By fixing the internal condition that causes your acne in addition to adopting a healthy lifestyle (healthy diet & mindset, cleanse & detoxify, hormonal balancing etc.) you will put your body back into balance – holistically - your acne will cease to exist and you feel as healthy and attractive as ever!

It doesn't matter what type of acne you have. Whether you suffer from: acne vulgaris, acne Conglobata, acne Rosacea, Acne Fulminans, Blackheads, Whiteheads, Papules, Pustules, Nodules or Cysts: The principles required to cure your acne are basically the same. The "holistic" ways of treating people have been around for thousands of years, and they absolutely work whether you have teen or adult acne; whether you suffer from acne on your back, shoulders or chest or if you suffer from female related acne such as menopause acne or acne due to monthly cycles.

Whatever your acne condition is, when you finally decide to stop making the same acne treatment mistakes that have been holding you back and begin applying the holistic approach to curing acne, you can literally choose to become clear and stay clear. You will have the power to make it happen.

Mike Walden is a certified nutritionist, independent medical researcher, natural health consultant and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, "Acne No More- Open The Door To An Acne Free Life." Mike has written dozens of holistic health articles and has been featured in ezines and print magazines, as well as on hundreds of websites worldwide. For information on Mike's Holistic Clear Skin program, visit:
www.AcneNoMore.com

How to Get Rid of Scars and Cuts Left by Acne

2009-09-13T12:50:00.008-04:00

So you popped a zit, it starts to bleed, and then it turns into a wee scratch. To top it off, a few days later you have this little dry scab. Well, here are some ways to prevent the rupturing of Acne, and a bit of aid in the healing scars.

Steps

Stop popping! It's tempting, but honestly, it make things worse. If you absolutely must pop, make sure that the area and your fingers are clean and disinfected. Best method of dealing with acne scars and cuts is just to let your body do the works. Keep the irritated area clean and use as little make-up on the area as possible.
Use a Scar Treatment. For post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation (brown or red marks on the skin) try something like "Zenmed's Scar Treatment Kit", Neutrogena Advanced Solutions Acne Mark Fading Peel. Mederma is also a good "spot" treatment. For "ice picks" or "crater-like" scars, which are actual dents in the skin, often the most effective treatment is seeing a doctor.
Moisturize and protect. Always use an oil-free moisturizer that has SPF. Try Body Guard Exquisitely Light SPF 30 For Face & Body.
Triple Antibiotic ointment If you put this on overnight, it will fade your scars and get rid of them. Don't put too much on in one spot, it can cause your skin to get overly oily.

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How to Heal Acne Scars - cosmetic options

Tips

Avoid touching your face. Your hands can transfer additional oil to an infected area.
Scars tend to be more noticeable on pale skin. You can combat this with a safe self-tanner (not to be confused with tanning booths which are unhealthy for your skin). You could also buy a natural redness - countering concealer.
Neosporin is ideal for speeding up healing time thus causing lesser scarring. There is also Neosporin Scar Solution.
You can use plain yogurt to help fade scars. Apply it to your face twice daily. It will moisturize your face, purify it and your skin will heal much faster.
Apply aloe vera or vitamin E; it will speed up the healing process.
Cocoa butter is a rich moisturizer that is very effective. Try Palmer's Scar Serum. It contains Cocoa butter, Vitamin E, Shark Liver Oil, Silicone, and Allium CEPA and is around $15 available from most chemists.
Use lemon on scars daily, but use moisturizer before going to bed as the lemon may cause dry skin.
Honey Mixed with lemon & almond oil and milk = acne free
Moisture helps scars heal, so be sure to moisturize (But be careful of heavy moisturizers that can clog pores).
Do TCA peels of 12% three weeks apart. Amazing, effective, and inexpensive.
Aloe-vera often helps. If you rub the gooey inside of an aloe-vera plant on the affected area, you will see results in a matter of days. Do it once or twice a day, and simply leave it on. Aloe-vera also helps to eradicate acne scars.
For mild scars and cuts, using Neoporin works well. Put a little on each morning and night after cleansing your face.

Warnings

Picking at the scabs and scars will only make things worse.
If your acne ruptures even when you don't touch it, you need to see a dermatologist. Bleeding or excessive acne is not natural, and may be the result of an infection or allergies. Get treatment as soon as possible.
Acne is caused by a bacterial infections - more times than not. So understand that popping zits only spreads the infection.
Excessive sun exposure without using SPF can make scars darker and more permanent.

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Get Rid of Scars and Cuts Left by Acne. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Acne Don’ts: The 7 Things You Should Never Do To Your skin When You Have Acne (And Even If You Don’t)

2009-09-10T23:56:00.005-04:00

You skin is the largest organ in your body. Besides helping the body in the process of toxic elimination (One of the main acne contributing factors), it also protects your body against temperature changes, and from harmful invaders.

By working with your skin and not against it you pave the way to an enhanced healing of the skin. Your skin will look and feel better; it will become more even toned and vibrant.

On the other hand, by constantly doing the following, you are weakening the natural protecting capabilities of your skin, you are slowing the healing process of your skin, and are making your skin look bad and making your acne worse:

1.Smoking

Besides lung cancer, heart disease and early aging of your skin (e.g. wrinkles), smoking causes the contraction of the small capillaries and blood vessels of the skin, thus depriving your skin from the essential oxygen I needs for the creation and maintenance of healthy cells.

2. Using Topical Steroids

Over the counter or prescription cortisone based creams, especially the potent types, can eventually thin your skin and worsen your acne condition in the long run in addition to the irritation, redness and other side effects steroid creams can cause. Moreover, topicals by definition address the symptoms of acne (inflammation, itching, puss), they do not treat the root cause of the disease. Nevertheless, taking care of your skin externally is highly recommended but should be performed gently using pure natural ingredients such as diluted tea tree oil.

3. Taking Antibiotics

Antibiotic treatments like tetracycline aggravate your acne in the long run and also severely damage your internal system in the process. Antibiotics destroy all the bacteria in your system including the good, probiotic bacteria like acidophilus that have many essential qualities that promote clear skin. One of these qualities is the ability to protect your digestive tract from parasites and fungus (that constantly stress and damage your liver, one of the most important organs responsible for the healing process of your skin).

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4. Shaving with Four-In-One Razor blades

Never use these four-in-one razor blades when shaving especially if you have large bumps and painful cysts. The reason is that blades that guarantee the “closest shave” will cause severe irritation and will damage your skin. Always use a single blade when having “live” acne.

5. Picking Your Skin (popping and squeezing included)

Never, never and ever touch, pick or squeeze your blemishes, regardless of how temping and “safe” it may seem. By doing this unprofessionally, you make your acne worse by aggravating your existing inflammation and pushing the puss deeper and wider into the skin. There are in fact very effective and safe ways of dealing with small whiteheads or blackheads but I would strongly recommend leaving that to the professionals if you care for your skin and wish to prevent further scarring.

6. Taking excessive amounts of Vitamin A

Vitamin A from natural sources (green leafy vegetables and beta carotene fruit and veggies) and in small quantities can significantly enhance the healing process of your skin but when taken excessively it can seriously damage your liver and cause severe health problems and side effects.

7.Use over the counters for your Rosacea

That one is a no-brainer. Taking over the counters that by definition make your skin red and irritating is definitely not something you want to do when surfeiting from rosacea. If you suffer from rosacea, always consult your dermatologist prior to applying over the counters on your already inflamed and highly sensitive skin.

Mike Walden is a certified nutritionist, independent medical researcher, natural health consultant and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, "Acne No More- Open The Door To An Acne Free Life." Mike has written dozens of holistic health articles and has been featured in ezines and print magazines, as well as on hundreds of websites worldwide. For information on Mike's Holistic Clear Skin program, Click Here! to learn more.

External Acne Care: The Pros and Cons of Washing Your Face

2009-09-04T12:33:00.001-04:00

Acne is basically an internal condition triggered by several underlying factors. However, there are additional external acne symptoms that may enhance the formation of acne or interfere with the healing process of your existing acne on the external level (e.g. the external acne environment). Without handling these external triggers, it will be very difficult for anyone to overcome their acne challenge, especially when the holistic treatment is performed while the individual still suffers from “live” and “evolving” acne.

Clogged or very large pores, oily or very dry complexion and bad skin hygiene do not cause acne but they interfere with the healing process of the skin and make your external acne environment more prone or “susceptible” to acne.

Taking care of your skin on a daily basis by incorporating simple and easy to follow protocols may not only enhance the healing process of your existing acne it will also balance your skin ph levels, making it smooth, even toned, radiant and healthy looking.

Although there are many types of cleansers available for different purposes (exfoliation, clean, medicate), washing your face twice a day using a gentle antiseptic and anti-bacterial 100% natural soap like tea tree oil soap, or Cetaphil soap can help reduce inflammation, swelling and redness and significantly improve the overall appearance of your skin without the irritation, allergy reactions and over-dryness that over the counters like Benzoyl Peroxide can cause.

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Washing your face should always come after a good 5 minutes steaming routine. After the steaming, follow these 3 easy steps:

1. Use lukewarm water to get the soap wet.

2. Apply the soap to your face using your fingertips in a circular motion.

3. Wash your face gently and pat your skin dry using a cotton towel.

If your sebaceous glands are producing too much oil (due to hormonal imbalance that should be fixed internally), then you probable have excessively oily skin and large pores. To tackle that problem externally, do not use alcohol and water astrigent, instead use soap like Neutrogena clear pore oil Controlling astrigent or even better apply an all natural mask made of bentonitre or egg whites.

An extremely dry skin can also be treated internally through balancing oil secretion protocols and dietary changes and supplementation, including the regular intake of 10 glasses of pure water on a daily basis. As for the external care, applying lots of good quality moisturizer such as 99% Aloe Vera gel while avoiding harsh and un-natural external care products; can significantly reduce your dryness.

Warning: Excessive washing of the face can cause mild to moderate irritations and increase redness and inflammation, defeating its own purpose.

If you have sensitive skin, the best practice is to test each product prior to using it, using dollar size amount on your chin, regardless of its quality or the nature of its ingredients.

Mike Walden is a certified nutritionist, independent medical researcher, natural health consultant and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, "Acne No More- Open The Door To An Acne Free Life." Mike has written dozens of holistic health articles and has been featured in ezines and print magazines, as well as on hundreds of websites worldwide. For information on Mike's Holistic Clear Skin program, Click Here!