Skin Care Talks

The Connection between Food and Acne

skeenz — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 20:30:02 +0000

You may have heard the saying "you are what you eat." Science has long debated whether or not the foods you eat correlates into the amount of acne that your suffer from. Previously, there appeared to be no connection, but newer studies are starting to show an association between the two.

If you are constantly suffering from acne, and traditional methods are not working to get rid of it, it may be time to take a look at what you are eating. Sometimes, a few simple diet changes can not only make you a healthier person overall, but can have dramatic effects on how your skin looks – even if you have been suffering from acne for years!

Not all dermatologists will tell you that your diet can affect how you look – especially since research done decades ago used to state that there was not a connection. But if what you eat can improve your digestive system, heart, or brain function, does it not make sense that it can improve your acne as well?

Some of the foods that you eat will cause acne, while other types of food that you eat can help you fight it. So obviously, if you are suffering from acne, it would make sense to eat more of the foods that help combat it and avoid the foods that cause it as often as you can.

Of all the foods that you eat, vegetable oil is the worst offender when it comes to acne. This is because it causes a shift in your hormones, upping your skin's oil production, which in turn clogs pores and turns into acne breakouts. Eating a greasy, fatty meal can cause an acne breakout to occur out of nowhere and turn into the painful pimples and cysts that you are trying so hard to avoid. If you start to read labels on the foods that you eat on a daily basis, you may be surprised at the amount of vegetable oil that you are eating. Finding ways to reduce or eliminate it can help you with your acne problems.

Some foods are worse than others when it comes to the amount of vegetable oil that they contain. Cooking oils are mostly pure vegetable oil, so you should avoid them as much as possible. Instead of deep frying foods, try baking, or stir frying with only a minimal amount of oil in the pan. Cooking this way will also cause your meals to be healthier overall and lower in fat content.

Junk foods are primary offenders as well. Avoid chips and greasy snacks if you can, choosing fresh fruits and vegetables instead. If you are having a hard time putting the snack food down entirely, try healthier options like plain popcorn or baked chips, as these often contain lower amounts of vegetable oil.

Watch your sauces and condiments. Here you may have to read labels carefully to decide which one is a better choice. For example, in general a marinara sauce will have less oil in it than an Alfredo sauce. However, different brands will have varying amounts. You can try making your own sauces from home, or choosing ones that are lower in fat and oils.

Acne Scars

skeenz — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 01:45:03 +0000

Acne usually varies from quite mild to tremendously severe. There are some instances that acne is very mild, resulting in a few lone blotches, and there are some times that it can be severe when it appears on the face, neck shoulders, chest, and back. Deeper cysts and pustules may also occur with extremely severe acne and if not cared properly, scarring may certainly result. If such happens, the acne scars may be evident for a lifetime. So as much as possible, do something that can help prevent the acne scars from forming and treat them if they develop. But, how can you treat acne scars?

Well, one of the key ideas to avoid acne scars is never to pick or squeeze acne blotches for this can lead to the spread of the disease as well as the building up of acne scars. So instead of that, a number of acne treatments are out there in the market these days to help you fight acne and the formation of acne scars. For a great emphasis, there are some herbs like the chamomile, lavender, dandelion root, bergamot, poke root, Echinacea, burdock root, and witch hazel that can be employed to lessen the toxicity and enhance the condition of the skin and later on treat acne. The formation of acne scars can also be prevented if you will avoid exposing your skin to the sun's rays. It is highly considered that sun exposure may dry out an acne blemish, but over time, the unprotected sun exposure can actually ruin the skin and further worsen acne.

There are actually three classifications of acne scars. This classification is identified through the development of the acne scarring classification system that assists the medical professionals in the diagnosis and treatment of a number of acne scars. It is given that acne scars can be ice pick, boxcar, or rolling. The ice pick acne scars, as their name implies, are thin and sharp scars. With this the skin actually looks as though it has been sliced with an ice pick. These acne scars are characterized by narrow but deep scars that are extending into the deep dermis or subcutaneous layer.

The boxcar scars then, unlike the ice pick scars, do not taper to a point. Instead, these acne scars are round pits which have sharp vertical sides. With this type, the skin resurfacing tactics like dermabrasion or laser resurfacing may be a helpful method for treating shallow boxcar scars, while deeper scars need full-thickness treatment tactics. Finally, the rolling acne scars typically appear to have a rolling or heaving surface. These acne scars are usually the outcome of folds in the skin to the subcutaneous tissue below. These scars can be treated by means of breaking up the fibrous bands that are causing the skin to fold or roll. And, one of the most common methods used to treat these acne scars is the subcutaneous incision.

Today, a number of acne scars treatment are developed and some are still studied and tested for the same application. But although a number of them are there, the best thing to prevent acne scars is never to do actions that may harm your skin like picking and squeezing the acne blemishes.

Anti-Aging Skin Care Products: Do They Work?

skeenz — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 23:15:02 +0000

Anti-aging skin care products claim to provide relief from wrinkles and the crows feet. They claim that they can make you look younger than you are. But, do they work? There are many anti aging products available throughout the web. Most of them are able to provide you with some relief from the symptoms that we consider signs of age. But, they are far from the miracle cure that many individuals believe them to be. Learning more about these products will allow you to get the most out of them.

How They Work

Anti-aging products do work. The way they work, though, can be a little tricky. First of all, the skin care products work by helping to tighten the muscles under the skin that cause wrinkles. By doing this, they can help to stop wrinkles from getting worse and often can help to relieve wrinkles all together. For skin care products to work like this, though, you'll need to insure that they are used as directed as well as often as needed. Individuals who have deep set wrinkles often do not see immediate results or any results from anti aging products like that.

How To Select Skin Care Products

When selecting skin care products such as those like anti aging products, it is important to know a little about them. The good news is that there is quite a bit of information about them available to you throughout the web. Not only will you find websites promoting and selling anti aging products but you will also find a wide range of reviews offered by consumers who have used them in the past. Make sure that you find the specific brand in order to have information that is relevant.

Purchasing skin care products for the benefit of anti aging solutions is something more and more people seek to do. And, with a wide range of products offered, many people are seeing positive results from them. Even if you do not have wrinkles or age marks just yet, sooner or later you will. Using anti aging products now will help to reduce the age of your face considerably.

Finding the Right Treatment for Your Rosacea

skeenz — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 05:15:04 +0000

Rosacea may not have a permanent cure but there are several treatment options available that can help relieve symptoms and reduce the intensity and incidence of the skin condition symptoms particular to your type of rosacea.

Treatment will depend on the subtype of rosacea you have and the severity of each flare-up. Early diagnosis of the condition and the general health of the individual will have an impact on the treatments of choice. The key to minimizing the effects of rosacea and reversing the appearance of the symptoms of rosacea are dependant on catching the flare-up early.

The usual first symptom of the disease is the flush or blush that occurs in the affected skin area. This occurs before the pustules or red bumps and also before the blood vessels have a chance to further dilate or permanently dilate (which occurs when treatment is ignored).

Medications:

There are three general types of medications used to treat rosacea. The three types of medications include: oral antibiotics, topical antibiotics and shampoos. Some cases of severe rosacea are treated using topical steroids but this should be avoided if possible due to the fact that topical steroids can make dilation of blood vessels worse. Topical steroids can also actually cause something called, "steroid-induced rosacea".

The topical antibiotics used most often to treat rosacea are metronidazole and tetracycline stable such as doxycycline, minocycline and tetracycline. Antibiotics are the first line of defense prescribed by doctors and dermatologists. Antibiotics help to reduce the number of papule and pus that forms in them. Antibiotics can also reduce the amount of redness and flushing that occurs.

Laser Treatment

Extreme cases of papule formation or redness may require laser treatment. The subtype that generally may require laser treatment is phymatous rosacea. Carbon dioxide laser, vascular laser or intense pulse light may be prescribed in this case.

Self-care treatment options:

Avoid the things that trigger your rosacea flare-ups such as weather, skin irritants, cold or hot drinks and foods, alcoholic beverages and medications that contain vasodilating drugs or are topical steroids.

Use common sense in daily skin care by using products on your skin designed for sensitive skin, avoid hot or cold baths and showers, do not use loofahs or rough towels and also avoid all skin irritants like cosmetics, creams and lotions that contain dyes or perfumes and try to avoid environmental pollutant particles such as going outside on a windy day in areas where debris, and other irritants are likely to be flying in the air.

Keep notes on what treatments you have tried and what works and what does not work for you. It would be good to also keep notes regarding the household products that you use especially those that come in contact with your face (pillows that touch your face at night – what are they washed in?).

You, your doctor or dermatologist and their medical staff should all work together as a team to ascertain the best treatment options for your rosacea. Keep in touch with your team members so that as your rosacea changes your treatment plan can be adjusted so that you remain in control of your symptoms and your skin condtion.

A Look at Rosacea

skeenz — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 08:00:03 +0000

Rosacea, a common skin disease, can be a devastating condition for many people. This condition affects about one-third of the face and leaves the sufferer with a red, acne-like rash on the forehead, cheeks and nose. It can leave a person feeling frustrated with treatment options, the recurrence rate and feeling embarrassed and self conscious. The good news is that there are treatments for rosacea and while the condition never really goes away completely, there are things you can do to help. Here is a closer look at rosacea.

What exactly is rosacea?

Rosacea is a common skin condition that affects more middle-aged adults than anyone else. It most commonly strikes people who are fair skinned and is more frequent in women than men. Men who do suffer from this problem find that their cases are often more severe than women. When rosacea strikes, it affects primarily the face. You can often see redness on the forehead, the nose and the chin. Often, the cheeks are also affected and can look similar to sunburn or an acne break out. During a breakout of rosacea, the tiny blood vessels in the face dilate and they become more visible on the face.

The exact causes of rosacea are unknown, but it is known that more middle-aged women than anyone else are affected. Those who blush easily are also affected by this condition. It is thought that certain triggers can cause rosacea. These triggers vary, but it is believed that emotions play a large role-stress, fear and even anxiety can trigger a rosacea episode. In addition, some doctors and researchers believe that mites that are often find the hair follicle may also relate to rosacea. Stomach bacteria may also be a cause, although there are no proven facts that support these claims.

When a person first experiences rosacea, they may mistake it for an acne break out. This is because the redness looks much like acne. This will lead people to treat it like acne, but this can actually exacerbate the problem. After the first breakout of rosacea, it is very common for the condition to appear for a time and then disappear for sometime. Many people will notice that their skin never really looks the same again and the color may be "off" or pimples could actually follow the rosacea. In fact, rosacea never really goes away. It can get better, but it will always be present and if it is left untreated, the patient will find that their condition worsens. That is why a good diagnosis is important.

Once you have been diagnosed with rosacea, you might want to consult a dermatologist for a treatment. You have many treatment options depending on the severity of your case. Your doctor will help you find the one that is right for you. Most of the time, a topical solution is given. A good moisturizer and lotions may help lessen the redness and irritation. A certain diet may also help during the worst breakouts.

Skin Cell Psoriasis

skeenz — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 21:15:03 +0000

Psoriasis is a common skin condition where the skin develops areas which become thick and covered with silvery scales. A common problem in the United States, the course of psoriasis varies greatly, but in most sufferers it is a chronic problem which continues for many years. The presence of psoriasis can cause emotional distress in most sufferers. Considered a skin disorder, psoriasis is actually the result of a disordered immune system. The T-cells are a type of white blood cell and become over stimulated. The cells then direct the skin to attempt to heal a non-existent injury. The skin reacts in the same way it does when there is a fungus infection present. It then grows very quickly, trying to grow the infection off of the skin. These areas then become the reddened and inflamed patches with white scale on them.

There are several ways in which psoriasis may start. In most sufferers, psoriasis is inherited, typically through multiple genes. It is not always clear from whom one inherits it as inherited psoriasis usually starts in older childhood or as a young adult. In some cases, children may be stricken with psoriasis due to a virus or strep throat which triggers a brief attack of tiny spots of psoriasis. Psoriasis flare ups are often triggered by changes in climate, stress, infections, excess alcohol, or a drug related rash and dry skin. Medications may trigger a flare up weeks to months after starting them and may include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Psoriasis tends to be worst in those with a disordered immune system for other reasons including cancer, AIDS, or other autoimmune diseases. Psoriasis areas are made worse by scratching or by minor skin injuries or irritations. Psoriasis may itch or burn and most often occurs over the elbows, knees, lower back, scalp, and palms or soles of the feet. The skin may split or crack in areas that bend. There are several forms of psoriasis, the most common form showing reddened areas a few inches across covered by silvery scales. Psoriasis may also affect certain joints causing discomfort and restricted motion or even distortion. This occurs in approximately 10% of people with psoriasis and is called psoriatic arthritis.

Treatment for psoriasis is based on the severity of the disease and its responsiveness to prior treatments. Topical medication is the lowest level of treatment and is applied to the skin. Treatments from each level are often combined or switched around every 12 to 24 months to reduce resistance and adverse reactions. A treatment plan that is effective for one person may fail for another so trial and error and personal preferences often guide the course of treatment. Over time, psoriasis tends to resist its treatments. The locations, size and amount of psoriasis, prior treatments, and the specific form of the disorder are factored into treatment options. Psoriasis sufferers may also find that a medicated bath may help soothe the skin, remove scales and help to reduce itching. These baths are done by soaking for 15 minutes in oatmeal, Epsom salts or Dead Sea salts.

Acne Is Not The End Of The World

skeenz — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 16:00:03 +0000

As children grow into teenagers, their bodies change, their hormones rage, and they often develop a skin disorder called acne. Acne is marked by pimples and redness, typically on the back but it can also occur elsewhere on the body. Acne can be devastating for any teenager, especially since this is the age when a child is trying to fit in the most. It can cause teens to become withdrawn, depressed and it can cause them to miss out on a lot of fun. That's why, as parents, it's important to boost your teens self esteem. Tell them that this skin disorder is just a fact of life and it will usually go away after a few years. If it doesn't go away, however, then more drastic measures may be needed, but that's only for a dermatologist to decide.

Self Esteem

If your teen develops acne, make sure you let them know that it's usually only temporary. Just because they have acne doesn't mean that they are any less of a person. They are the same amazing person they've always been, and they will continue to get better with age, no matter what their skin looks like. If they don't feel like going outside, or out with their friends, don't force them but let them know that people don't like them because of their skin. If anyone doesn't like them because of their acne, they're not worth knowing anyway. It's important for your child to know that acne is only a skin disorder and it's very minor when compared to the grand scheme of things.

Get A Dermatologist's Opinion

If your child's acne is only marked by a few pimples here and there, then some over the counter creams and solutions can help. It's recommended that your child try these first before you make an appointment with a dermatologist. If your child's condition doesn't clear up, or if it appears to be getting more severe, then it might be time to get a doctor's opinion. Your doctor will examine your child's acne and will then determine if they're eligible for more drastic measures, such as a prescription strength medicine. These prescription strength medicines can clear up severe forms of acne but they're only recommended as a last resort. That's because many of these medicines affect the kidneys and can lead to long term problems. For this reason, make sure your doctor performs blood work on your child to ensure no problems develop.

All in all, however, acne is a minor problem that will clear up with age. Generally, it's due to hormone fluctuations. As long as your child learns and understands that, they'll have a better chance of coping, especially during this very stressful period of growing up.

Extinguishing St. Anthony's Fire – A Superficial Skin Condition

skeenz — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:15:03 +0000

Sometimes known as St. Anthony's fire, erysipelas is an acute skin infection which usually involves the lymphatic system, which is your body's infection drainage system through the veins. The rash that this infection causes is quite a bright red, which accounts for the "fire" nickname that was bestowed upon it years ago. Before antibiotics were invented, this erysipelas was a dreaded disease, particularly in the toddlers and infants. Doctors consider this skin infection a form of cellulitis.

The cause of erysipelas aka St, Anthony's fire, is usually from Group A Streptococcus bacteria although other forms of streptococcus and even staphylococcus can be contributors to this skin infection. Typically, erysipelas is preceded by some type of wound such as a cut, scrape or abrasion which opens the skin to infection. Occasionally, there may be no broken skin preceding the skin infection.

Emergence of the Skin Infection

The face is a popular area in which erysipelas presents itself although these days you can also find it on the legs and lower extremities. Wherever your lymphatic system is blocked is typically where the skin infection occurs. You will typically display a few symptoms several hours before this fiery rash occurs, typically anywhere from 8 to 48 hours. These symptoms include chills, fever, general malaise and vomiting.

When the rash presents itself, it is red, swollen and fiery looking that feels warm to the touch. This rash has borders which are clearly delineated and the appearance is that pebbly smoothness, like an orange peel. Typically the appearance of this distinct rash is enough for a doctor to diagnose erysipelas but a blood culture may be taken to rule out other conditions like sepsis. Occasionally, skin lesions or blisters may form at the rash site as well.

It is important to note that when this skin infection occurs on the body, it is typically on just one side of the face or extremities. A bilateral appearance, meaning occurring on both sides, while not rare, just doesn't occur that often.

Treatment of St. Anthony's Fire

The use of antibiotics is the best course of action in treating erysipelas aka St. Anthony's Fire. Typical antibiotics used may be erythromycin, penicillin or one of the cephalosporins. In rare cases where the erysipelas is not responding to the oral antibiotics or the condition turns septic, antibiotics given intravenously at the hospital are required.

As many as 30% of the cases of erysipelas will experience one or more recurrences, simply because the lymphatic and immune systems were previously compromised leaving the person still susceptible to illness. Of course, when the lymphatic system is involved, the first case of erysipelas is laying the foundation for more episodes.

Those people with recurrences may have to stay on a course of daily low-dose antibiotics to prevent this skin infection from cropping up again. In rare cases, the erysipelas can turn into sepsis which is an infection of the blood which could then travel to the organs of the body. It is important to catch erysipelas in its early stages to avoid the rare but serious side effect of the skin infection.

Three Terrific Tips In Treating Acne Scar

skeenz — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 11:00:02 +0000

Acne is a problem that we all want an immediate solution to. As such, we resort to a variety of methods to help us get rid of the same at the soonest possible time. While some avail of modern procedures like medication, specialized treatment techniques, and even laser technology, others try to remedy the situation by pricking the pimples themselves. This could lead to disastrous results, like infection, and worse, lasting scars. So the question in many people's minds is this: how exactly does one treat acne scar?

There are many ways to treat acne scar, but the best one is prevention. Indeed, you could avoid acquiring acne scar by observing diligence in treating acne. Acne scars are usually caused by abrasions during the lifespan of the inflammations, leading to irritation. Additionally, when the pimples dry out, the scraped surfaces leave marks that we have come to know as acne scars.

Assuming that prevention is no longer an option, some popular techniques to treat acne scar still exist. Here are three of the more popular methods that you could decide to use.

1. Intake of Vitamin A, C, and E. Vitamin E is a natural antioxidant that would help the body get rid of unwanted free radicals. Free radicals are foreign particles that result from exposure to air pollution, peroxides and radiation. A better alternative is alpha-tocopheral which is a potent form of Vitamin E. Vitamins A and C, on the other hand, help regenerate skin cells. These combines would allow your acne scars to heal faster. These vitamins can be derived from their natural sources, or from widely-available supplements.

2. Intake of collagen supplements. Collagen supplements stimulate the body's production of collagen. Collagen is an insoluble fibrous protein that expedites the repair of dead tissues and skin cells. As with the vitamins enumerated above, collagen would also help your acne scars heal at a faster rate. Collagen supplements come in ointments, or through laser technology using soft, red light.

3. Good skin care. Acne scars can heal naturally, minus other intervening conditions like diabetes or some form of skin disease. Healing time is estimated at 6 to 12 months. The important thing to remember as you wait for your acne scars to heal is that you shouldn't do anything that would aggravate the situation. Proper skin care can help your acne scars heal properly, and perhaps even faster.

The body has what it takes to deal with acne scars. Knowing you body and what would aid in its processes is the key to quicker rejuvenation.

Skin Complications with Diabetes

skeenz — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 01:19:14 +0000

Diabetes is not just about fluctuations in your blood sugar. This disease can also affect blood circulation and the skin. About 33% of the people with diabetes will have some sort of skin condition. In fact, sores that are slow to heal as well as other wounds are also a sure sign of diabetes if the disease has not been diagnosed. With due diligence, many conditions of the skin that diabetics get can be prevented or treated with ease when caught early.

Many skin conditions that diabetics get, others can get as well. The only problem is that diabetics have more trouble with them. Fungal infections, bacterial infections and even the symptoms like itching and burning are more troublesome because of the circulatory problems.

Bacterial Infections in Diabetics

Diabetics get several different types of bacterial infections and staph is one of them. Cuts can become inflamed and the area can become warm to the touch as well as painful. Boils occur as well as styes and even carbuncles. All of these can be detrimental to a diabetic if their blood sugar is not in control. Luckily, many people with diabetes take careful control of their treatment regime and antibiotics also help in the event of bacterial infections.

Fungal Infections

Candida is a major contributor to many fungal infections in diabetics. It is a yeast type of fungus and causes rashes in the moist areas of the body like under the breasts, armpits, and fat folds. This rash has scales and blisters and can be very itchy. This type of rash could also be found around the nails, groin area, athlete's foot and even vaginal yeast infections.

These rashes often cause extreme itching and the diabetes makes it worse. Sometimes, it is due to the reduced blood circulation and other times it is a combination of that along with environmental factors like low humidity and dry skin.

Another skin condition that diabetics get is called dermopathy. These are scaly, brown patches that are round and resemble age spots. These spots can occur on the legs and crop up due to changes in the blood vessels. Luckily, these spots rarely itch and they do not hurt.

The texture and condition of your skin can change as a diabetic because atherosclerosis, thickening of the arteries. This condition narrows the blood vessels which in turn causes the skin to become shiny and hairless as well as thin out. Toes get less blood circulation and feel cold which in turn thickens the toenails. Exercise can be painful as the muscles do not get the oxygen needed via the blood vessels. In addition, any skin injuries do not heal as quickly as before.

The fact of the matter is, diabetics are more prone to infections, specifically skin infections simply because of the slower blood circulation. By practicing preventative measures, you can avoid many skin infection problems to stay healthy. Keep your blood sugar under control, take your medications as prescribed and immediately clean any wounds. These steps can keep your skin healthy and clear.