The age of puberty also brings with it a number of problems and the chief among them is the problem of acne vulgaris. Acne can cause a number of devastating problems and chief among them is the loss of self confidence and depression. Acne is the bane of the teens and often exerts a very negative influence in their life.

Acne can be caused by a number of reasons and the chief cause is the over activity of the sebaceous gland. The sebaceous glands release an excess of sebum and if the skin pores are blocked the released sebum gets oxidized and becomes black and expresses itself as black heads. If blackheads get infected by bacteria it manifests itself as acne or pimples. Pimples are blackheads which have been infected by the bacteria. The oils and he sebum is perfect breeding ground for pathogens such as bacteria and fungi. The worst thing about the acne is the tell tale marks which it leaves behind as a scar. However there is a way out of this predicament is Honey which not only exerts its antiseptic properties, but also helps to rebuild the tissues which are destroyed by the incidence of acne or Zits.

Honey can help to fade away the scars formed by acne. Honey by its unique property to rejuvenate the tissue formation can actually help to remove the scars caused by acne. Honey is also very efficient in destroying the pathogens which infect the skin pores and cause the acne or pimples. Honey not only helps to regenerate the tissues which have been lost due to acne, it also creates situations which is not suitable for the growth of the pathogens. Honey not only helps to mask the acne scars, but at the same time it also provides nutrition to the skin cells making them supple and more lively and gives the skin a healthy glow.

Acne is a very chronic ailment which is seen mostly in persons at puberty age. The causes of Acne are many, but the most important cause is the hyperactivity of sebaceous glands. The excess sebum which is released by the glands start to accumulate in the skin pores due to their blockage. It also can become infected and cause acne or zits.

Tea tree oil has been hailed as a very good treatment for acne. It is one of the nature’s best healing oil. Tea tree oil is extracted from the leaves of the Melaleuca tree (Melaleuca Alternifolia), which is found predominantly in Australia. Some of the best Tea tree oil comes from this area. One of the most important ingredients in the Tea tree oil is the Terpenoids which have been acknowledged for its potent anti- bacterial action. It also possesses strong astringent and anti-inflammatory properties and helps to reduce the swelling and inflammation of the pimples. Therefore Tea tree oil is a perfect panacea for all kinds of Zits and acne.

It has been proved in a study that a 5% solution of Tea tree oil is as effective an antiseptic as a Benzyl Peroxide and is rapidly cidal against all forms of bacteria including acne causing bacteria. The action of Tea tree oils is slower than Benzyl peroxide but at the same time it does not cause any serious side effects which are seen in the case of Benzyl Peroxide such as irritation and dryness. A 5 % solution of Tea tree oil can effectively kill most of the disease causing pathogens. However it is advisable to use the diluted form of the Tea tree oil since it can be irritating at high concentration. The best thing is to test the oil on a small portion of the body and if no side effects are seen then proceed with the treatment. If you find the 5% dose strong you can use a 2% solution or mix the Tea tree oil with a little paraffin wax.

Acne and pimples is the bane of the teenagers. It often affects the self confidence to the extent of causing them to go into a depressive cocoon. Acne as everyone understands is the infection of the skin, skin pores to be more accurate. These pores are filled with oil and sebum from our sebaceous glands. These glands become over active during puberty and it is this secretion which gets invaded by bacteria and cause pimples or acne. Acne is more common in teenagers and it is a phase which goes in three or four years. Pimples mostly occur on the face, neck and body.

There are many effective, herbal anti acne treatment which can be used for treating acne-

• Apply tomato or cucumber pulp for an hour and then wash it off.
• Garlic crushed into a fine paste and applied to the acne will desiccate the acne and also kill the pathogens.
• Garlic juice is also beneficial for treating acne. However it must not be kept for more than an hour and should be washed off later.
• Prepare a paste of neem leaves and turmeric powder and apply it on the acne. Let it dry for about 30 minutes before washing it off.
• Tea tree oil is also very effective in resolving the symptoms of acne.
• Crushed Nutmeg with raw milk can be applied on the acne for relief.
• Applying overnight, a mixture of honey and cinnamon powder on the acne and washing it off in the morning will surly reduce the incidence of acne.
• A mixture of 1tbsp of groundnut oil+1Tbsp fresh lime juice is a very good panacea for blackheads and acne.

Crush Drumstick pods and leaves and mix with lime juice. Apply it on the pimples, the acne and blackheads will get resolved in a month.

Acne on face not only irritates but also lowers confidence level and makes one conscious. Occurrence of acne though very common but if not treated properly may cause permanent spots on the face. Creams and lotion claiming effective treatment needs to be used with caution and after due consultation and under guidance of proper dermatologist.

There are however, very effective time-tested traditional treatments are available. If you are suffering from acne problem do try following simple home remedies.

Take ten grams of lemon juice, filter it properly. Mix it with equal amount of rose water and good quality glycerin. Keep the mixture in clean glass bottle. Apply the lotion by massaging it gently on the affected place before going to bed for at least two week. It is rather suggested to apply gently by massaging the lotion on whole face as besides you will get rid of acne; the lotion will also reduce the spots and marks on the face. It also brings in glow on the face and makes the skin very soft, smooth and silky. The lotion also helps in reducing wrinkles on the face. This lotion is so natural and effective that it can be used in all seasons to keep your face young and glowing.

Olive oil if applied regularly will reduce the acne and even diminishes the acne marks.

Take a clean rough stone and a nutmeg (commonly called Jaaiphal in India). Rub the nutmeg on the stone by adding drops of pure and uncooked cow milk. Prepare the thick paste and apply it on the face and relax till it dries up. After some time rub it off from the face gently. Wash the face with gentle warm water. Repeat the same twice in a day for two to three days.

Every person wish to look good and fresh and harping on this desire market responded and filled a plethora of solutions. Though few of them a convenient to use but may cost too much or take a long time to achieve desired result.

In many Asian countries people uses very simple but effective solution for getting rid of acne and more importantly the facial acne. One also fear of adverse effect of creams and lotions being offered as a solution. Here are the few tips which use only simple things mostly available in almost every home.

Take the pulp of ripened tomato add few drop of lemon juice in it. Apply the paste on the face in the morning and clean with normal cold water. Repeat the same for two weeks and you will find a glowing with diminishing acne.

Take few drops of normal cold water on a clean and rough surface. Rub a small piece of a sandal wood on it. Continue the process to prepare a semi liquid paste of sandal wood. In case of dry skin, mix the sandal wood paste with milk and in case of oily skin the, mix the paste with water prepared with rose petals (one can find it in market). Apply the mixture on the spots and acne and wash the face with normal cold water after an hour. Continue the same for one to two week to get rid of spots and acne. For quick and better result apply the mixture directly on the spots due to bruises and burns and clean it after an hour.

Take out Lemon extract with Basil leaves extract in equal amount in a glass bottle. Apply it over the face with the help of cotton before going to bed. Clean the face with normal cold water in the morning. Repeating the same will give desired result of glowing wrinkle free skin.

One of the most important tasks is to control the acne and prevent any scar formations. The acne scars are seldom formed by the simple acne which any adolescent acquires during his puberty. The scars are formed when the acne gets infected with bacteria leading to inflammation which produces an intense itching which further makes the acne worse. If you suffer from any such aggravated state of acne, the best is to seek urgent consultation with a skin specialist or dermatologist.

One of the most common and effective form of treatment of acne scars is Dermabrasion. Dermabrasion as the name hints is a procedure of removing the outermost layer of the skin with the use of a very fine wire brush. The outermost damaged skin layer is removed and the lower layers of the skin promote the growth of a healthy and blemish less outer most skin layer. The process is painful and requires some care till the skin heals and the new skin is formed.

One of the latest and very effective methods of treating acne scars is the fractional laser therapy.  The greatest advantage of this form of treatment is that it treats the causes of acne scars in the deeper layers of the skin and hence is less invasive. There is no injury to the external layers of the skin and hence require lesser time at the hospital and quicker prognosis. All these methods can be tried to treat rolling scars or acne scars.

However if all these measures fail, the only solution is to go for invasive surgery like plastic surgery or collagen injections in the deep scars. However it must be remembered that any form of invasive surgery is fraught with risks of infections and aggravation of the condition and the risk/benefit ratio must be fully understood before giving in to such procedures.

Acne is a scourge, especially for the adolescents who hate it since it spoils their looks when they need it the most. I had said in my earlier blog post that the worst part of any acne breakout is the scars which it leaves behind to haunt for the rest of the life. Most acne scars are of two different types-

• Rolling scars- There is a gradual depression on the skin surface.
• Deep Scars- These scars are formed in severe forms of acne like cysts or nodular acne.

One must also understand that there are different forms of acne treatments which are effective under different skin conditions. Therefore you must find out the best cream which has ingredients which are most suited for your skin condition. However these methods are preferred only at the preventive levels of treatment and once the damage is done and the scar is formed, you would need to look for other forms of treatments to remove the acne scars. There are invasive as well as non invasive methods of acne scar treatments. The success of these treatments depends a lot on the age and the general body constitution of the patient.

Most severe forms of acne scars require medical intervention and a visit to a dermatologist who will accordingly grade your scar and then recommend the suitable procedures to lighten it or fill it. There are different forms of treatment which you can try. Laser resurfacing is a form of treatment for removing acne scars. The laser is used to remove the outermost skin layers and thus giving the person a better and smoother skin. The procedure takes from a few minutes to 20 minutes and is painful necissating the need for pain killers to be taken till the new skin layer is not formed.

Acne scars can be very depressing and twice as worrisome since after dealing with the acne breakouts, you would have to deal with the acne scars. Acne scars are very nasty memories which can linger on for long and have a heavy bearing on your self confidence. Acne is of different etiology and has been classified according to the severity as mild, moderate and severe acne. Mild acne or the normal acne breakouts are suffered by almost everyone at some time in their life, usually during puberty.  This variety of acne do not leave any tell tale mark and the problem is resolved in a few years.

We are more concerned with the other two forms of acne –the moderate and the severe forms of acne. These forms of acne need special treatment and at the same time has the potential to cause acne scars, which will linger on for the rest of your life. Severe acne is caused by cysts which forms under the skin and also gets infected by an assortment of pathogens.  The cysts or nodules will inevitably leave scars behind to haunt you for the rest of your life. Acne which aggravates must not be neglected and a visit to a dermatologist is an absolute necessity. Treat acne with any OTC creams available in the market. However you would have try out different combinations since every skin is unique and behaves differently to any external application.

The remnants of the acne or pimples must never be handled or tweezed or else it can get infected and leave behind a scar. Repeated handling of the acne can make it infected with pathogens like bacteria which can lead to pus formation and ultimately a cyst or nodule which will the acne worse.  I shall be talking more about different types of acne scars and the treatment for each one in my next blog post.

There are many types of acne products available in the retail market. Some of these require a prescription from a registered medical practitioner while others can be purchased over the counter. It is the endeavor of every adolescent to have a flawless skin which grabs the attention of everyone, especially the opposite sex. Today I shall discuss some of the OTC creams and preparations which can be used effectively to treat acne and other skin ailments.

One thing which must be kept in mind before you try any OTC acne preparations is that no two person’s skin is exactly alike. Therefore the efficacy of the treatment can also vary from person to person. You would have to try the treatment for some time before you get the desired results.

Mederma – It is a very popular OTC medication for treating the acne breakouts. It has a number of properties which includes smoothening and removing the rough surfaces on the skin. Mederma can be applied directly on the skin. The product has been found to effective in removing the acne scars which fade after a few weeks of treatment. Mederma can be had from any retail counter without any prescription.

Microdermabrasion – This procedure is also effective in controlling the acne breakouts. The mode of action is very simple and envisages the removal of the outermost layer of the skin with the help of Aluminum Oxide crystals. Along with the outer skin the acne is also shed and a fresh and new skin formation is catalyzed.  The kit for Microdermabrasion can be easily purchased from any of the stores.

Chemical Peels – In this form of treatment a mild chemical is applied on the skin which peels off the outermost layers of the skin and along with it the acne is also shed. The chemical used for peeling of the skin is usually a derivative of glycolic acid.

If you try any of three methods, I am sure you will be able to control the acne breakouts to a large extent.

Acne is inevitable for most persons and can affect millions of people especially in adolescents and teens. The most common cause of acne is when the pores of the skin are clogged with Sebum which is produced far in excess to what is required due to the hormonal changes which occur during the period of puberty. The sebum along with the dead skin and oil becomes a perfect place for pathogenic infection and lays the keel for acne breakouts. It has not been conclusively proved that bacteria causes acne. However it is believed that bacterial infection triggers an inflammatory response by the body.

It is usually believed that acne arise only on the face. This is however not always true since there are concentrations of sebaceous glands on other parts of the body. The most notable is the chest and the back. Acne can also be found on these areas of the body. The acne which arise on the back are a bit different from other acne like on the face. It is a pity that there are no specific treatments for acne of the back. The acne breakouts on the face are usually caused by hormonal and dietary causes. The acne of the back is caused mostly due to stress and other reasons.

As it is true for acne breakouts on the face prevention and control is the most suitable measure. Clothing can play a very important part in triggering back acne. Synthetic clothes which do not soak the sweat provide a ready playground for pathogenic infections. Therefore prefer cotton clothes which are loose and airy to help the evaporation of sweat. Most synthetic clothes do not breathe well and do not allow the sweat to evaporate. Certain detergents and fabric softeners can also cause local irritation of the skin and cause back acne. In the next blog post I shall be dwelling more about back acne.