Acne is a skin condition which affects around 80% of teenagers to some degree. It most often commences during puberty and can continue well into adulthood, it's course and duration being unique to each individual sufferer. Despite it's widespread occurrence, there is no definitive cause of acne and to date no universal cure. However there are known factors which contribute to the outbreak of acne and many treatments available which may help.
The symptoms of acne are spots, redness and inflammation of the skin. Most commonly affecting the face and neck, the spots can also extend to the chest, back and upper arms of the sufferer. Most people have a combination of whiteheads, blackheads, red spots and hard red nodules just below the skin which are often painful. Acne is caused when the sebaceous glands, located just below the surface of the skin produce too much of an oily fluid called sebum. The excess production of sebum blocks up the tiny pores of the skin which contain the hair follicles. This leads to the formation of whiteheads and blackheads. Bacteria begin to thrive in these conditions and the bodies immune system kicks in to combat this. It is the bodies immune response which causes the redness and inflammation found in acne.
There are some factors which are known to contribute to acne. Hormones, for example testosterone, known to be high in both boys and girls during their teenage years seems to aggravate acne. Stress is also a contributing factor, one theory being that stressed people touch their face frequently and so help to spread bacteria. Acne also seems to have a genetic cause, since if your parents had acne, you are more likely to suffer from it too. There are however a lot of misconceptions about acne - that it is caused by poor hygiene, or eating chocolate, for example, these are not true.
There are a number of treatments available for acne and your doctor will be able to advise you of these. In addition there are things you can do yourself to help improve the condition. Cleansing the skin is obviously very important as this helps to reduce bacteria levels. You should use a gentle cleanser twice a day and a facial steamer two to three times per week.
Steaming opens up the pores on the face and increases sweating. The sweat acts in two ways, firstly washing the excess oil, grime and dirt out of the skin and secondly, since it contains salt it has a antibacterial effect, reducing bacteria levels in the skin and giving a thorough but gentle cleansing. Steaming also stimulates the circulation blood to the skin resulting in a greater supply of essential oxygen and nutrients and it moistens and softens the skin too.
To increase the effectiveness of a home steam, some people add herbs or essential oils to the water. These can have very beneficial effects. Rose hip for example is high in vitamin A and useful for skin regeneration. Mint can help to break down the dirt and oil in your pores making it easier for them to be flushed away. Since stress is thought to play a role in acne outbreaks, adding lavender a known relaxant to your steam treatment may help.
You can steam your face at home over a bowl of very hot water, with a towel covering your head. However, there are facial steamers available which are more effective, convenient and indeed safer to use. Since these are relatively cheap to buy, they can prove to be a wise investment, bearing in mind that they will be used on a regular basis. Facial steamers come in a variety of designs. Some facial steamers are made to be used with ozone which has a drying and antibacterial effect. Others are portable and these tend to be small and quite handy to use, all you have to do is fill up the reservoir and turn them on. One advantage of a bought facial steamer is that you can choose to have a mist or full steam delivered to the face. Facial saunas are also available to buy and these too are a great way of detoxifying the skin and improving your complexion. In addition to a facial steam, using a steam room can also help acne found in other parts of the body. Generally steam treatments need to be done 2-3 times per week for the most beneficial results.
In addition to a facial steam, using a steam room can also help acne found in other parts of the body. Generally steam treatments need to be done 2-3 times per week for the most beneficial results. Whatever kind of steam treatment you use, it is important to wash your skin immediately afterwards with a gentle cleanser to remove all the impurities which have been flushed out. As with all acne treatments, you may have to continue for a few weeks before seeing results, but since using a facial steamer is a relaxing and enjoyable experience, you should easily be able to stick to this regime. Good luck! - 15359
The symptoms of acne are spots, redness and inflammation of the skin. Most commonly affecting the face and neck, the spots can also extend to the chest, back and upper arms of the sufferer. Most people have a combination of whiteheads, blackheads, red spots and hard red nodules just below the skin which are often painful. Acne is caused when the sebaceous glands, located just below the surface of the skin produce too much of an oily fluid called sebum. The excess production of sebum blocks up the tiny pores of the skin which contain the hair follicles. This leads to the formation of whiteheads and blackheads. Bacteria begin to thrive in these conditions and the bodies immune system kicks in to combat this. It is the bodies immune response which causes the redness and inflammation found in acne.
There are some factors which are known to contribute to acne. Hormones, for example testosterone, known to be high in both boys and girls during their teenage years seems to aggravate acne. Stress is also a contributing factor, one theory being that stressed people touch their face frequently and so help to spread bacteria. Acne also seems to have a genetic cause, since if your parents had acne, you are more likely to suffer from it too. There are however a lot of misconceptions about acne - that it is caused by poor hygiene, or eating chocolate, for example, these are not true.
There are a number of treatments available for acne and your doctor will be able to advise you of these. In addition there are things you can do yourself to help improve the condition. Cleansing the skin is obviously very important as this helps to reduce bacteria levels. You should use a gentle cleanser twice a day and a facial steamer two to three times per week.
Steaming opens up the pores on the face and increases sweating. The sweat acts in two ways, firstly washing the excess oil, grime and dirt out of the skin and secondly, since it contains salt it has a antibacterial effect, reducing bacteria levels in the skin and giving a thorough but gentle cleansing. Steaming also stimulates the circulation blood to the skin resulting in a greater supply of essential oxygen and nutrients and it moistens and softens the skin too.
To increase the effectiveness of a home steam, some people add herbs or essential oils to the water. These can have very beneficial effects. Rose hip for example is high in vitamin A and useful for skin regeneration. Mint can help to break down the dirt and oil in your pores making it easier for them to be flushed away. Since stress is thought to play a role in acne outbreaks, adding lavender a known relaxant to your steam treatment may help.
You can steam your face at home over a bowl of very hot water, with a towel covering your head. However, there are facial steamers available which are more effective, convenient and indeed safer to use. Since these are relatively cheap to buy, they can prove to be a wise investment, bearing in mind that they will be used on a regular basis. Facial steamers come in a variety of designs. Some facial steamers are made to be used with ozone which has a drying and antibacterial effect. Others are portable and these tend to be small and quite handy to use, all you have to do is fill up the reservoir and turn them on. One advantage of a bought facial steamer is that you can choose to have a mist or full steam delivered to the face. Facial saunas are also available to buy and these too are a great way of detoxifying the skin and improving your complexion. In addition to a facial steam, using a steam room can also help acne found in other parts of the body. Generally steam treatments need to be done 2-3 times per week for the most beneficial results.
In addition to a facial steam, using a steam room can also help acne found in other parts of the body. Generally steam treatments need to be done 2-3 times per week for the most beneficial results. Whatever kind of steam treatment you use, it is important to wash your skin immediately afterwards with a gentle cleanser to remove all the impurities which have been flushed out. As with all acne treatments, you may have to continue for a few weeks before seeing results, but since using a facial steamer is a relaxing and enjoyable experience, you should easily be able to stick to this regime. Good luck! - 15359
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Are you fed up of your spots? Find out about the amazing benefits of using steam for acne and how it can really improve the condition of your skin at http://steamforacne.com
