Sleep works not only as an effective tool to cure acne but to completely worsen it. In fact, experts also suggest that sleep deprivation can also hinder other treatments for acne cure. Sleep is absolutely essential for mental and physical fitness and we all know that. But there aren’t number of hours that can give you specific rest. For example, one can sleep 8 hours and feel fit and the other 6 hours and he keeps going. The importance is therefore, not to just get sleep but to get quality sleep.

Acne is supported by two factors – inflammation and insulin resistance

Inflammation, Acne and Sleep
Scientists from the University of California found that lack of sleep increases pro-inflammatory cytokines in the blood, which can worsen the inflammatory and hence the acne condition in a person.

Insulin Resistance, Acne and Sleep
Insulin resistance is a condition when the cells are not able to take in glucose because of sleep deprivation. Being too sides of the same coin, insulin resistance and inflammation work and support each other in a way which aggravates acne conditions and makes other treatments for acne feeble in front of their vicious cycle.

Research claims that deprived sleep can lead to additional health burdens such as diabetes, poor mental and cognitive performances and more. Sufficient and more importantly, quality sleep can help fight acne.

Though people remain confused about whether acne is a result of genes; experts say yes heredity can cause acne. So if one or both you parents have or are prone to acne, you are most likely to develop acne conditions starting as early in you teens to later years. A prolonged family history of acne is also said to purport acne in young teens and adults.

Also, as acne is a result of the over production of oil glands in the skin or oily skin, in other words; it is heredity again. A study published in the March 2009 Journal of Investigative Dermatology suggests that the incidence of acne occurrence increases if the mother had acne at any point in her life. This brings us to the conclusion that acne is passed on by the x chromosome.

Treatments for Acne
If acne is caused by heredity, one cannot do much about it but treat it. Look at the treatment options available and maintain a healthy diet for clearer skin. Some topical over the counter medications include:

• Salicylic acid
• Benzoyl peroxide
• Sulfur
• Resorcinol

Prescribed medications for acne treatment include:

• Azelaic acid
• Topical retinoids
• Topical antibiotics

Though mild acne can be cured at home with regular cleansing and exfoliation, severe cases of acne have to be diagnosed and medically treated.

Many patients feel that sunlight improves their acne lesions and go to great lengths to find sources of ultraviolet light. There is no proven effect of sunlight on acne. In addition, ultraviolet light in sunlight increases the risk of skin cancer and early aging of the skin. It is, therefore, not a recommended technique of acne management, especially since there are many other proven forms of treatment for acne. Moreover, many acne treatments increase the skin’s sensitivity to ultraviolet light, making the risk of ultraviolet light exposure all the worse.

We all love to holiday in the sun. Sunshine feels great as it rejuvenates the body. A little amount of sunshine helps in absorption of Vitamin D. But excess sunshine is definitely harmful to the skin.

There are a lot of sunscreen lotions in the market, which claim to protect your skin from harsh sunlight from blocking sun’s rays. Many youngsters believe that regular exposure to sun helps cure acne.

Initially sunlight may dry your skin, but being in the hot sun for a long time may aggravate your skin condition.

In fact, there a lot of acne medication which may induce sunburn. UV light also increases the peril of skin cancer and wrinkling of skin.

During summer skin tends to get clearer. So it is natural for patients to believe that they have overcome the problem of acne. But, after summer, there is recurrence of acne. Moderate sunlight is a temporary solution to acne. Sunlight induces exfoliation and there is decrease in the redness. But in autumn, acne aggravates and the skin sheds the dead cells that are formed by sun.

Its very important to care for your skin during summer. Use the right kind of sun screen lotion which gives maximum protection from UV rays. Choose your moisturiser wisely. Avoid harsh scrubbing of skin in an attempt to overdrying your skin. Following these tips may well take care of your skin and prevent excessive damage to your skin.

Howevwer beautiful and trendy, a tan could look, there are certain risks linked with increased tanning.

It is of great importance to educate people about acne and spread awareness about these dreaded zits. There are a lot of myths that surround acne and people are bogged down by shame, misery and guilt when acne flares up on their skin.

Poor diet, stress, lack of hygiene etc are some factors attributed to acne. However, not enough conclusive evidence is there to second these myths. But what is very important for acne patients is to realize that acne can be controlled.

Oil based facial make up or cosmetics may trigger off acne, hence patients are advised to use oil free cosmetics. Also care should be taken not to pop or squeeze the zits.

When over the counter drugs fail to control acne, consult an expert. He will be able to determine the right kind of treatment for acne after considering various factors like skin type, gender, age, etc. Creams may be used by patients with dry skin, but gels or solutions are suitable for oily skin. Choosing the right kind of treatment and medication can limit the side effects.

Comedones may be treated by Tretinoin or adapalene. Benzoyl peroxide, azelaic acid or a topical antibiotic is effective for mild inflammatory acne.

Moderate inflammatory acne needs to be treated by topical therapy, systemic therapy, or both. An anticomedonal agent coupled with an antibacterial agent can be used. For example, a topical retinoid and a topical antibiotic, or a retinoid and the benzoyl peroxide¬erythromycin combination. can be used for such acne.

These products are frequently used to open the pores (exfolients, various acid-based products, and retinoids) but can be very drying and irritating to the skin.

A lot pf drugs used as exfoliating agents and peeling of the skin can cause drying of skin and irritate the skin. Some of them may change the balance of the skin and the skin could become more prone to bacterial infections and even worsen the flare-ups.

Certain chemicals like zinc and sulfur are known to restore the balance of the skin. Zinc can reduce the redness of skin and heal the skin; sulfur has been used for ages as a healing agent.

Acne is a result of excess oil production in the sebaceous glands. Though Acne strikes teens more often than adults, it is not true that only teens have acne. Acne is more likely to occur in teens whose parent/s had a history of acne during their adolescence.

Puberty is the stage when there are a lot of changes in an individual. During these formative years, there are hormonal changes commonly linked with growth and there is increased sebum production because of the male hormones. At the onset of puberty, a lot of hormones are secreted in the body. The male hormone androgen is found in both boys and girls, but boys have more androgen. Androgen makes the oil glands to increase in size resulting in excess sebum production. The pores on the skin of the face, neck, back, shoulder may see the eruption of acne in the form of Comedones. Before their periods, girls are prone to break into flare-ups. Boys also get cysts and pimples during puberty.

In older women, birth control pills or other hormone supplements may cause acne. Consulting an expert before starting hormonal contraceptives is better.

There are a lot of drugs for treating acne. These may not control acne that is caused by hormonal factors. A physician who specializes in female hormone problems may be able to identify the kind of treatment for stubborn acne. Hormone levels need to be checked to determine the exact hormonal factor that causes acne, and then needs to be treated. Drugs, which can decrease the testosterone levels, can be administered. Treating the hormonal cause for acne can clear the skin. Even stubborn cysts are known to clear with these medications.

Hormonal irregularities, cysts in the ovaries may result in increased production of androgen and this in turn can lead to acne flare-ups. Nodules and cysts may not respond to hormonal treatment. At times, when the menstrual cycle is regularized, the skin may clear itself of acne.

Acne cannot be cured overnight. It may take several months to years for acne to be controlled. Even after there is considerable improvement a regular maintenance dose may be required to keep acne at bay. A combination of oral contraceptives and antiandrogens seems to be an effective drug for acne. This reduces oil secretion and unwanted facial hair growth. Testosterone levels can be lowered by oral contraceptives. Another popular drug is Spironolactone, which blocks aldosterone. Pregnancy is best avoided when on this drug.

The anti androgen drug spironolactone has been prescribed safely for several years now. Also, this may not cause increase in weight, because it is a diuretic.

An acne patient needs to visit the doctor regularly for effective treatment of acne.

What causes Acne? Is Stress responsible for Acne?

Acne is a result of infected sebum/sebaceous glands. Sebum is the oily substance produced by hair follicles. When a hair follicle is plugged, trapping dead cells and excess oil, it results in Acne. Acne can affect any person of any age or gender.

Acne patients are often plagued by guilt, as they erroneously believe that Acne is caused by their dietary habits and poor hygiene.

Acne is caused due to various factors. It would surprise you to know that it is not poor diet but stress which could be causing Acne.

“I have my exams next week and I am very tense. To top it all my face and back are covered by red angry zits.”

“I have an appraisal coming up at work. My face is covered by Acne.”

A lot of people have identified stress as a cause for Acne. Research has proved that this could be a possibility. However, scientists are divided on this issue.

Stress causes acne in more than one way. It may stimulate the adrenal glands to produce more hormones and also may retard the healing process.

Norepinephrine and epinephrine are secreted by Adrenal glands, located above the kidneys; Stress can increase the secretion of the male hormones, which may result in the production of sebum, which in turn causes Acne.

Stress induces the adrenal glands to produce more cortisol, a steroid, and this induces the sebaceous glands to produce more oil. This results in painful pus filled papules rather than Comedones.

German researchers have found out that a stress hormone called corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) is released in the sebaceous gland — producing oily skin, and this results in Acne.

There are some scientists who dismiss this as absurd. They claim that Acne urticata is a form of eczema, and not acne. This is more prevalent in women. suffering from depression and stress; however, it is not yet definitely proved if stress is a factor for acne or vice versa. In spite of denials by certain experts about stress being a factor for acne, stress is something that needs to be reduced.

If indeed, stress were the culprit for causing Acne, the best thing to do would be to control stress. Eating nutritious food, getting your sleep regularly and sticking to your schedule is the best way to avoid negative stress. Exercise, relaxation, yoga and generally being happy is vital to a healthy you, and hence to your healthy skin.

It is also difficult to determine if acne flare-ups during exams are a result of changes in diet or lack of sleep, rather than stress. Or probably ignoring facial hygiene during exam could have triggered acne. But relaxation and stress reduction may be potent means to treat acne, even if it is practiced for about 15 minutes a day.

Why does Acne affect some people in extreme severity, whereas some are blessed with a peaches and cream complexion?

Everyone who has suffered from acne has probably asked this question looking into the mirror. Acne can occur in anyone on the face, chest, and back. These blemishes can occur as whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, papules, pustules, nodules or cyst. There are also acne look alike like rosacea.

Acne patients need to be aware of the various medications available for controlling Acne. They also need to stop believing the various myths that surround Acne. Acne is not fatal but is known to be traumatic to acne patients leading to acute depression and misery.

Which is the right time to see a dermatologist?
It is often difficult to decide when to see a dermatologist.

Acne patients are often embarrassed and shun social interaction. They become acutely depressed and pessimistic about life. They try over the counter drugs unsuccessfully and there is scarring on the skin. In addition to Comedones (black heads and whiteheads), pus filled lesions appear as red spots on the skin. Also for people with dark skin, a darker patch is observed after the lesion has cleared. These are sure indications to tell you that you need to seek expert opinion and visit a dermatologist.

Remember, dermatologists can treat and control acne. Preventing new lesions from appearing will reduce your chances of permanent scarring.

If you are using over the counter drugs, Caution should be taken to avoid drugs, which have side effects.

There are some topical medications for controlling Acne. The type of skin determines the use of these. Alpha Hydroxy Acids are skin exfoliators – and they are used by experts as peeling agents. Start using topical medication once on alternate days. If you find excessive peeling of skin, take a break.

Accutane is a popular drug that is often prescribed for Acne. It is found to be quite effective in controlling Acne; however, research has revealed that there could be some serious side effects with continuous use of Accutane. Diseases related to the kidneys, like irritable bowel syndrome, bleeding in the rectum, injuries to the musculoskeletal system, vision impairment, and liver damage.

Laser treatments are found to be effective in curtailing the production of oil. Laser treatment given to acne-affected parts for the duration of 4-5 minutes has proved effective. It has no known side effects except the skin turning pink for a while.

Acne found in teens and adults also respond to light therapy; but in cases of severe and persistent acne, internal medicines needs to be administered to reduce clogging of pores and reducing oil production.

Blackheads and whiteheads are removed surgically by experts. However, this may not be advisable for milder forms of acne.

You don’t have to suffer Acne. Acne can be cured!