Gentle Skin Care Key to Acne Treatment

By OHM Staff

It's the bane of teenagers: acne, zits, pimples. Many theories abound about the causes of acne: not washing often enough or eating too much fried foods or chocolate. However, acne is actually caused by three things: overproduction by enlarged oil glands; blocked hair follicles; and bacteria within the hair follicles.
While an untimely zit can make you feel ill at ease, you can take some comfort in the fact that nearly everyone, 85 percent of people, has breakouts at some time, making acne the most common skin disorder in the United States.

OK, so it doesn't help that much. So what can you do about the common pimple?

Avoid the temptation to pop, squeeze, or pick at your zits. This can cause scars. If you are concerned about your acne, see a dermatologist like Colleen Reisz, M.D. Dr. Reisz, a board certified dermatologist and member of the American Academy of Dermatology, sees "hundreds" of patients each year for acne treatment. "The treatments vary according to age, oiliness, and gender," wrote Dr. Reisz.

"Once patients make the decision to seek medical care, they can be offered an array of prescription retinoids that target and open the pores, minimizing the 'early' pimple and clearing it out before deeper inflammation sets in," stated Dr. Reisz.

Dermatologists often recommend topical creams to use on the skin. In the past, patients were prescribed oral antibiotics which helped clear up acne. However, that use is being reconsidered because of the risk of bacteria building a tolerance to certain antibiotics which can then lead to a "super infection" or antibiotic resistant strain of bacteria.

If you do not want to go the prescription route, Dr. Reisz notes "There are wonderful products in the over-the-counter market that do for teens what the three step process designed by Clinique did for young women in the 70's and 80's."

Keeping your skin clean is very important; however, it may hurt more to over-clean. "Gentle" is a key word when considering cleansers. While it is tempting to try to scrub away the zit, scrubbing can actually make acne worse because you can remove too much oil (lipid) which in turn can increase skin irritation. Instead, gently wash with a non-irritating, pH balanced cleanser.

Finding the right treatment may be a case of trial and error. What works for your friend may not work for you. If you can, sample the cleanser and other products before you invest in to an expensive skin care regimen.