Acne Treatment And Help

We will provide acne help by showing you how to treat skin impurities and guide you to the best products for acne prone skin.

What types of acne are there?

Acne can be really frustrating to deal with, especially in our teenage years. To decipher what the best acne treatment is it's important to identify which type of acne you have.

There are various characteristics: mild cases of acne cause blackheads and spots. In severe case, painful inflammations and pustules like abscesses can occur, which can require additional acne help.

Acne vulgaris

Approximately 70-95% of young people suffer from acne vulgaris during puberty. The skin produces too much sebum, which, when combined with a hornification disorder, cannot drain away. As a result, the pores become blocked. Whiteheads and blackheads form, as do pus-like spots. In this type of acne there are basically three characteristics to differentiate between them:

Acne comedonica is the mildest form and is distinguished by its un-inflamed blackheads.
The medium-severe form, acne papulopustulosa, penetrates the deeper layers of the skin with its irritated spots and, in some cases, inflammations.
Acne conglobata is the severest form of acne vulgaris – this presents lumps, abscesses and pustules that can result in noticeable scarring.
Acne vulgaris usually disappears once puberty is over. If acne occurs after you've turned 25, it is known as late onset acne or “acne tarda”. The same acne treatment for "acne tarda" often applies to "acne conglobata", so be sure to read through our acne help regardless of your age.
Acne inversa
This chronic type of acne occurs in phases. The symptoms are more severe and can be seen in more areas of the body such as the shoulders or groin. In this type, small lumps form under the skin that can develop into abscesses or pustules.
Mallorca acne
Small spots can form on the skin a few days after having been exposed to intense sun radiation. Such skin reactions occur due to UV rays interacting with oily sun protection products. It results in an inflammation in the hair follicles caused by free radicals.

If you have one of these types of acne, it's likely you've already sort out an effective acne treatment, and not every type of acne requires the same type of skin care.

ACNE CAUSES

There are many causes of acne but most people will experience it in their adolescence.

Hormones
- Hormone levels fluctuate more so when going through puberty. You'll likely begin producing hair around your body and face that wasn't there before. Their hair follicles can trap dirt and grease as hormones affecting oil production go into overdrive, causing excess oil on your face which combined can clog your pores. These hormonal changes can also occur during pregnancy which may see acne re-emerge if you're pregnant.

Blocked Pores
- A big cause of acne is blocked pores, this can be dirt, excess oil, dead skin cell, pollution or make-up. This build-up promotes bacteria growth and can cause spots on your face.

Environment
- Your environment contributes to your skin health and it's important to identify whether it's negatively impacting your skin and a causational factor in your acne. If you live or work near major roads and cities your skin is exposed to pollution as well as more dust & dirt in the air. This can cling onto the oil on your skin and build-up to clog pores. Especially if you don't wash your face at the end of every day.

Genetics
- Genetics can play a massive part in the extent acne affects you. Genetic predisposition can be the difference between how badly you are effected both by environmental factors and experiencing acne in your teenage year.

Other Factors
- Diet, washing makeup brushes, leaving makeup on, products that don't suit your skin type (find out your skin type) can all affect acne.

Regardless of the cause there is often acne treatment and remedies that can provide benefits to the skin.

Acne – what can you do?

Acne develops for various reasons: Genetic predisposition, stress or hormonal fluctuations can all be triggers of this skin problem. Caring for your skin correctly is particularly important for acne treatment with this type of skin.

Things to avoid if you have acne

There are small steps you can take to address your acne, acne treatment can take the form of little lifestyle changes to help alleviate some of the symptoms.

Don't pop or squeeze spots this can actually make them worse and cause permanent scarring
Wash spots with a mild soap/cleanser suitable for sensitive skin with lukewarm water such as NIVEA Sensitive Cleansing Milk
Don't overwash, we can't emphasise this enough. Washing more than twice a day is overkill and can cause your skin to overproduce sebum. Exactly what you don't want when trying to control acne
Avoid using too much makeup when suffering with an acne breakout. This can help cover up spots but may do more damage in the medium/long term as pore end up blocked. Try looking for non-comedogenic, water based makeup
Don't go to bed with makeup on
Exfoliate your skin to clear blocked pores every few days (depending on your skin type)
Eat healthy, less oily fast foods
Use acne treatment products and face care products designed for your skin type
Regular exercise can help improve blood flow and improve your mood. Just make sure to shower afterwards
Wash your hair and if you're a man, beard. Oils from your hair can contribute to acne
Regular wash your pillows - oils and dirt from your face can transfer easily across to your pillows. Making sure to regularly wash them can help clear up your skin.

What helps acne? How to look after blemished skin

Your daily care ritual should include intensive facial cleansing with an antibacterial washing gel. Use a mild scrub once a week and a facial mask to calm the skin. You can find out more about caring for greasy and impure skin here.

Ask your dermatologist for acne treatment advice and help!
In addition to your daily skin care, severe forms of acne should be medically treated. There are many options for therapy and acne treatment depending on the degree of severity of the case and skin type. Together with your dermatologist, develop an acne treatment plan that is best suited to your needs.
Types of therapy for acne:

Local therapy: this acne treatment treats the affected areas of skin with balms, tinctures, gels or lotions.
Drug treatment: if local therapy is not successful, you should consider oral drug treatment.
Alternative medicine: Ayurveda, kinesiology, Bach flowers, traditional Chinese medicine and bio-resonance can also help combat acne.

Clear skin – be active!

Treating acne is often a length process and spots can cause psychological stress. But you are in control: examine your lifestyle habits. These can also be a cause of blemished skin, and simple lifestyle improvements can be a great tool for the best acne treatment.

Drink plenty of water or unsweetened tea. This will keep the body supplied with important minerals and flush out toxic substances. Avoid lemonade and fizzy drinks. Water also hydrates your skin, and as water is lost throughout the day through sweat, it’s important to replenish your supply. Any waste is flushed away with water and helps to combat your acne as a result. To reduce the blood-sugar level after a rich meal, try adding two teaspoons of vinegar to a glass of water.

Vitamin A reduces sebum production, and boosts healthy skin production while protecting against bacteria. To ensure a clear complexion, regularly include spinach, carrots, kale, papaya, honeydew melon or sweet potatoes in your meals.

Cocoa contains many active ingredients such as antioxidants, which can bind free radicals in your body. Cocoa also contains omega-6 which stimulates skin production and growth. Dark chocolate can protect your skin from damaging substances and works well as a simple tip for acne treatment. This is one time when snacking is allowed!

Vitamin C helps the skin to produce collagen. This results in a fresh complexion. Plenty of Vitamin C can be found in citrus fruits, broccoli and bean sprouts in particular. These foods also have a low glycaemic load, meaning that it won't raise your blood glucose level by much, meaning that sebum production isn't triggered, decreasing excess oil and sebum on your skin.

The unsaturated fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6 are very healthy and keep your skin supple as omega-3 regulates oil production while omega-6 stimulates skin reproduction. There is a particularly large amount of unsaturated fatty acids in salmon, nuts and olive oil.

Less is sometimes more with acne treatment

Avoid washing excessively, as skin that suffers from impurities is very sensitive. Excessive washing or even scrubbing makes the inflammation worse, use skin products for acne sparingly.

Food that is good for your skin

The right diet for acne treatment
In addition to consistent and tailored skin care, your diet also has an important effect on your skin. Vitamins and antioxidants from fruit and vegetables are great for your skin, and a great way to help acne treatment. Your blood sugar level also has an impact on the development of acne. Studies have shown that a diet with a low glycemic load keeps your blood sugar level under control and helps to alleviate acne. In terms of nutrition, “Glycemic load” means the amount of carbohydrates that can be easily absorbed by the blood. People who suffer from acne should pay attention to their daily diet to make sure that this is kept as low as possible.
Don’t stress!
Stress or negative emotions have an effect on our physical health. Headaches and skin problems are often caused by stress. To prevent spots, make a targeted effort to avoid anxiety and tension. Take some time for yourself! Just by going jogging three times a week, you’ll suffer much less from the daily symptoms of stress. Taking time to relax is such a great way to provide your body with key acne help.
Relaxing baths not only release psychological and physical tensions; they are also great for your skin. Meditation and autogenic training can also have a positive influence on your state of mind. Find out more about how to create inner balance with various options here.