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Thought this may be useful.
from http://lookingoodblog.blogspot.com/2...ting-acne.html
NOTE: I tried to source all claims, and they are listed at the bottom. I did find a lot of contradictory information, however, so while these are all sensible and come from reliable sources, take it with a grain of salt.
Treating Acne
- Acne is caused by sebum (glandular oil), bacteria, inflammation, and clumping of shed cells.
-Touching acne excessively will just irritate the skin and cause the zit to become even more red and inflamed; this will just cause the healing process to be longer.
-Harsh manual exfoliants and scrubs can keep your skin glowing and help to hold off breakouts, but they should never be used on blemishes. These harsh treatments will just irritate the skin, make it red, and exacerbate the problem. When you do scrub, the gentlest choice is a scrub with sodium tetraborate decahydrate granules, which soften and dissolve as they are used, or polyethylene beads, which are smooth, round and gentle.
- Just because something is labeled as noncomedogenic/nonacnegenic does not mean it won't clog pores. Manufacturers base this claim off of each ingredient’s traits, or whether each individual ingredient is known to be comedogenic. However, the most accurate way to determine a product's comedogenicity/acnegenicity is lab tests.
- Acne in women over the age of 30 has not been shown benefit from a special age-specific treatment. The best way to treat acne in this age group would be oral antibiotics or hormonal therapy (birth control/estrogen replacement).
- Food and diet has not been shown to help acne. While a balanced diet is good for your overall health, no food “causes†acne, and no food can clear it up.
- If you are on an oral medication, increasing the dosage of the medication will not help clear your acne any faster. In fact, the opposite may occur: the skin will get more irritated, and red and it will take longer to see results.
- Dirty skin is not what causes acne, and washing your face more often will not have any positive effect on the condition of your acne; it may only irritate the skin. A recent study at Stanford University confirmed the benefits of extra face washing are minimal at best.
Another Stanford study confirmed there is no corroboration between exercise and acne.
- Benzyl Peroxide and salicylic acid are two great topical treatments for moderate acne. There is no need, however, to spend tons of money on these two treatments. They are non-changing; spending more money won’t make it any more effective.
-Using drying, irritating ingredients like sulfur and alcohol (specifically SD, isopropyl, denatured, ethyl, methanol, ethanol, benzyl) won’t do anything for acne except irritate it. Instead, treat with spot treatments containing benzyl peroxide or salicylic acid.
- As far as cosmetics go, the less you put on your breakouts the better; nothing is ever completely noncomedogenic, keeping makeup off your face will help to clear up acne faster.
- In many acne drugs, the initial reaction will be a worsening of the condition as your skin adjusts to the medication and should be expected. This will follow be a gradual clearing up of the acne.
- When on acne drugs, be extremely careful with sun exposure and other treatments. Always check with your dermatologist if you are unsure of a products safety in combination with an acne medication. Drug interactions can cause severe peeling, dermatitis, extreme redness, sensitivity to touch, and other side effects.
Sources:
http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/acne/acne.htm
http://www.aad.org/public/News/NewsR...e/stubborn.htm
http://www.skincarephysicians.com/acnenet/FAQ.html#2
http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic502.htm
http://telepicturesblog.warnerbros.c...d_popping.html
http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic508.htm
from http://lookingoodblog.blogspot.com/2...ting-acne.html
NOTE: I tried to source all claims, and they are listed at the bottom. I did find a lot of contradictory information, however, so while these are all sensible and come from reliable sources, take it with a grain of salt.
Treating Acne
- Acne is caused by sebum (glandular oil), bacteria, inflammation, and clumping of shed cells.
-Touching acne excessively will just irritate the skin and cause the zit to become even more red and inflamed; this will just cause the healing process to be longer.
-Harsh manual exfoliants and scrubs can keep your skin glowing and help to hold off breakouts, but they should never be used on blemishes. These harsh treatments will just irritate the skin, make it red, and exacerbate the problem. When you do scrub, the gentlest choice is a scrub with sodium tetraborate decahydrate granules, which soften and dissolve as they are used, or polyethylene beads, which are smooth, round and gentle.
- Just because something is labeled as noncomedogenic/nonacnegenic does not mean it won't clog pores. Manufacturers base this claim off of each ingredient’s traits, or whether each individual ingredient is known to be comedogenic. However, the most accurate way to determine a product's comedogenicity/acnegenicity is lab tests.
- Acne in women over the age of 30 has not been shown benefit from a special age-specific treatment. The best way to treat acne in this age group would be oral antibiotics or hormonal therapy (birth control/estrogen replacement).
- Food and diet has not been shown to help acne. While a balanced diet is good for your overall health, no food “causes†acne, and no food can clear it up.
- If you are on an oral medication, increasing the dosage of the medication will not help clear your acne any faster. In fact, the opposite may occur: the skin will get more irritated, and red and it will take longer to see results.
- Dirty skin is not what causes acne, and washing your face more often will not have any positive effect on the condition of your acne; it may only irritate the skin. A recent study at Stanford University confirmed the benefits of extra face washing are minimal at best.
Another Stanford study confirmed there is no corroboration between exercise and acne.
- Benzyl Peroxide and salicylic acid are two great topical treatments for moderate acne. There is no need, however, to spend tons of money on these two treatments. They are non-changing; spending more money won’t make it any more effective.
-Using drying, irritating ingredients like sulfur and alcohol (specifically SD, isopropyl, denatured, ethyl, methanol, ethanol, benzyl) won’t do anything for acne except irritate it. Instead, treat with spot treatments containing benzyl peroxide or salicylic acid.
- As far as cosmetics go, the less you put on your breakouts the better; nothing is ever completely noncomedogenic, keeping makeup off your face will help to clear up acne faster.
- In many acne drugs, the initial reaction will be a worsening of the condition as your skin adjusts to the medication and should be expected. This will follow be a gradual clearing up of the acne.
- When on acne drugs, be extremely careful with sun exposure and other treatments. Always check with your dermatologist if you are unsure of a products safety in combination with an acne medication. Drug interactions can cause severe peeling, dermatitis, extreme redness, sensitivity to touch, and other side effects.
Sources:
http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/acne/acne.htm
http://www.aad.org/public/News/NewsR...e/stubborn.htm
http://www.skincarephysicians.com/acnenet/FAQ.html#2
http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic502.htm
http://telepicturesblog.warnerbros.c...d_popping.html
http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic508.htm
