Acne: Types of Acne, What causes Acne, How to get rid of Acne, Acne Home Remedies

Acne: Types of Acne, What causes Acne, How to get rid of Acne, Acne Home Remedies

Introduction

Effective home remedies for acne and Natural Acne Treatments to have clear and smooth skin permanently. Get rid of whiteheads, blackheads, pustules, nodules, cysts and more.

What Causes Acne

All acne is a disorder of the pilosebaceous unit, which is made up of a hair follicle, sebaceous gland, and a hair. These units are found everywhere on the body except on the palms, soles, top of the feet, and the lower lip. The number of pilosebaceous units is greatest on the face, upper neck, and chest. Sebaceous glands produce a substance called sebum, which is responsible for keeping the skin and hair moisturized. During adolescence sebaceous glands enlarge and produce more sebum under the influence of hormones, also called androgens. After about age 20, sebum production begins to decrease.

Acne & Bacteria

A bacteria, known as Propionibacterium acnes, is a normal inhabitant of the skin. It uses sebum as a nutrient for growth, therefore increases in follicles during puberty. People with acne have more Propionibacterium acnes in their follicles than people without acne. The presence of bacteria attracts white blood cells to the follicle. These white blood cells produce an enzyme that damages the wall of the follicle, allowing the contents of the follicle to enter the dermis. This process causes an inflammatory response seen as papules (red bumps), pustules, and nodules. The bacteria also cause the formation of free fatty acids, which are irritants, increasing the inflammatory process in the follicle.

Types of Acne

There are many variations of acne, ranging in severity from mild to severely disfiguring.

• Acne Vulgaris - mild/moderate
  Acne Vulgaris is the most common form of acne. Acne vulgaris lesions include blackheads, whiteheads, papules, pustules, nodules and cysts.
• Acne Vulgaris - Severe
  Severe acne vulgaris is characterized by nodules and cysts
• Acne Rosacea
  Acne Rosacea can look similar to the aforementioned acne vulgaris, and the two types of acne are sometimes confused for one another.
• Severe forms of acne
  Severe forms of acne are rare, but they inflict great hardship to the people who experience them.
  
  
  1. Acne Conglobata: This is the most severe form of acne vulgaris and is more common in males. It is characterized by numerous large lesions, which are sometimes interconnected, along with widespread blackheads.
  2. Acne Fulminans: This is an abrupt onset of acne conglobata which normally afflicts young men. Symptoms of severe nodulocystic, often ulcerating acne are apparent.
  3. Gram-Negative Folliculitis: This condition is a bacterial infection characterized by pustules and cysts, possibly occurring as a complication resulting from a long term antibiotic treatment of acne vulgaris.
  4. Pyoderma Faciale (Rosacea Fulminans): This type of severe facial acne affects only females, usually between the ages of 20 to 40 years old, and is characterized by large painful nodules, pustules, and sores, all of which may scar.

How to Get Rid of Acne

Unclog your pores with salicylic acid. Acne begins to form when pores get clogged with a "plug" of keratin and sebum. Salicylic acid loosens the plug by softening the keratin (it's a keratolytic). Make sure you use sunblock simultaneously, however, because salicylic acid makes your skin more sensitive to UV light.

Use a gel, cream, or soap containing benzoyl peroxide twice a day. Benzoyl peroxide is a "bactericide" that's particularly effective against Propionibacterium acnes. The drawback is that it often irritates your skin, resulting in dryness and redness, so you should supplement this treatment with a non-comedogenic moisturizer. If your skin still gets irritated, use a product with a lower concentration. Also be careful when using it, as benzoyl peroxide bleaches fabric and hair.

Look for products with triclosan or chlorhexidine gluconate, which also kill Propionibacterium acnes. They are less effective than benzoyl peroxide, but they are gentler on your skin.

Clove oil has also been shown to be effective against Propionibacterium acnes.

Be consistent and patient. Most acne treatments take time to work. It usually takes between two and eight weeks before you see any significant improvement, so you are going to have to maintain a routine.

Consult a dermatologist. There are many effective treatments which are only available with a prescription, since the side effects can be harmful. For example, mild antibiotics can help reduce acne but its overuse (taking antibiotics when you really don't need them or for something they don't treat) and misuse (not taking medication for the specified amount of time) can lead to the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria (which translates into especially stubborn, untreatable acne).

Home Remedies for Acne

1. Make a thicker paste out of baking soda and water. Apply to face for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water. Follow up with a light moisturizer.
2. Make orange peel paste by grinding it in some water. Apply on and around pimples.
3. Rub garlic on and around pimples.
4. Pulverize 1/3 cup uncooked oats and then add ¼ cup of water. When it becomes the consistency of paste, add approximately 1/4 cup honey and mix thoroughly and allow to cool then apply on the pimples for 10-20 minutes. Do not leave it on too long or it will become difficult to remove. You can also try oatmeal, yogurt and sour cream with a few drops of lemon juice. These ingredients are mixed together and applied on affected areas for 15 minutes and then rinsed with water.
5. Mix equal parts lemon juice and rose water. Apply directly to skin. You might feel an initial sting from the lemon juice. Rinse after 15-30 minutes. Be careful of exposing your skin to direct sunlight if you have been using lemon juice on your face. Also, though a strong reaction is unlikely, do not continue this treatment if it irritates your skin.
6. For acne scars, “Tomato is known to remove acne scars”. You can easily get tomatoes from your kitchen and slice it. Apply the tomato slices to your scars. Regular application of tomato slices on your scars can visibly give you excellent results. Another technique frequently used to get rid of acne scars is rubbing ice cubes against the pimples to reduce inflammation and slowly erase the scars.
7. Aloevera for Acne
   There are hundreds of varieties of aloe that grow all over the world. Most have medicinal properties. However, it is aloe barbadensis that is known as aloe vera, the species with the most value as a natural remedy. Transparent gel from the pulp of the meaty leaves of Aloe vera has been used topically for thousands of years to treat wounds, skin infections, burns, etc. Use aloe vera juice on the pimples daily morning and night or as long as necessary (perhaps five months or longer). It is also a natural antibiotic
8. Mint for Acne
   M. balsamea (peppermint) Peppermint is preferable to spearmint as a medicinal herb because it contains menthol which is a natural analgesic and anti-inflammatory.
   
   • Take a handful of mint (pudina) leaves and crush them thoroughly with a mortar and pestle.
   • Rub the leaves and juice on affected skin and leave for 5-10 minutes.
   • Rinse with cold water.
   • Repeat as often as desired to alleviate pain and inflammation.
9. Make a paste by mixing honey and cinnamon powder. Apply the paste while sleeping and wash the face next morning as this is a good natural remedy for acne.
10. Drink a glass of wheat grass juice daily to remove acne.
11. Apply a paste of fresh fenugreek leaves in water, keep it overnight and wash the face with warm water next morning.

Some Useful Tips

• Reduce the oiliness of the skin.
• Remove the blackheads regularly.
• Have a well-balanced, regular diet with lots of fresh fruit juices.
• Try to avoid chocolates, nuts, fried and fatty foods.
• Diet for Acne - Vitamin C and vitamin E are antioxidants that rejuvenate the skin, so the diet rich in these vitamins should be included.
• Vitamin E is also important to prevent scarring from acne and removing old scars.
• The mineral zinc is also beneficial in the treatment of acne. It should be taken in a dose of 50 mg three times a day. The dose can be reduced with the improvement in the acne.