New Technology Heals Cystic Acne Scars
Cystic acne can leave deep, unsightly scars if the acne is severe enough. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, scar revision is among the top 5 reconstructive procedures performed. In the following interview between Medscape and Dr. Tretti Clementoni, new technology is discussed that allows plastic surgeons to heal severe scars from burn injuries, surgery, and acne.
Medscape: Why is this new technology so important to your practice as a plastic surgeon?
Dr. Tretti Clementoni: I can manage some situations with surgery, skin expanders, flaps, and the other usual tools, but on very contracted thick and wide scars that have already been treated, I often need to go deeper to reduce the contraction. With this new device, I can go very deep and treat very thick scars. I can obtain the functional improvement that I would not have otherwise been able to obtain.
Medscape: Is there a learning curve with this new laser?
Dr. Tretti Clementoni: For all new technology there is always a learning curve. It is not very steep for skillful doctors who already use CO2 lasers, but for doctors who do not have experience with this type of laser, I do not think that this is the machine to start with. It allows doctors to do exactly what they want, go where they want to go.
The most important thing is to customize the treatment for each individual patient. You have to understand the scar, the thickness, the age and evolution of the scar, and then you can decide how much power and how much ablation you want for each patient. Even in one scar, you can have different situations; you have to change the settings, depending on those differences.
Its good to know there are advances in technology that can help remove the deep skin scars created by accidents, injury or acne. I suspect that the availability of this technology will grow as more doctors and dermatologists get the proper training and equipment.
Related Articles
Categories: Cystic Acne Tags: acne, cystic acne, cystic acne treatment
Cystic Acne Treatment From Within
When topical treatments for cystic acne don’t help clear your skin, then it’s time to look at cystic acne treatments from within. In the video below, Dr. Neal Schultz does a nice job of explaining how oral antibiotics help clear cystic acne.
It’s comforting to know that clearer, less painful skin can be just a few weeks away with the proper cystic acne treatment. Be sure to talk to your doctor or dermatologist to find the best treatment for your skin.
Categories: Cystic Acne Tags: cystic acne, cystic acne treatment, cystic acne treatments
Cystic Acne Treatments
The range of cystic acne treatments often start with homeopathic remedies and often move up to prescription drugs and even surgery in the most severe cases. Treating cystic acne should begin with understanding this painful skin condition and the factors that contribute to it. The following overview includes the causes, diagnosis andvarious treatments for cystic acne.
Cystic Acne – Causes And Treatments
… While there are a variety of different types of acne, cystic acne is one of the most severe. Fortunately, cystic acne is treatable. However, understanding the causes and dangers of the condition is essential to ensuring appropriate care. Individuals with chronic cases of cystic acne should seek medical assistance to avoid permanent damage. …
Causes of Cystic Acne
As with milder forms of acne, cystic acne most commonly develops when follicles become plugged with dead skin cells and sebum, a naturally occurring skin oil. When a type of bacteria known as Propionibacterium acnes is exposed to these blocked follicles, redness, irritation, and inflammation soon occur. Changes in hormone levels have also been closely linked to the development of cystic acne. Increases or decreases in the amount of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and insulin-like growth factor 1 are also associated with this condition. …
With a little patience, care and a better understanding of cystic acne and the treatments available, you’ll be enjoying clearer skin in no time.
Categories: Cystic Acne Tags: cystic acne, cystic acne treatment, cystic acne treatments
Proactive Reviews – The Best Acne Treatment?
The fight against acne can be a difficult one and finding a product or method to reduce or eliminate these skin blemishes can be very time consuming and expensive. There are so many pharmaceutical companies that develop and release new products to fight acne that it becomes overwhelming trying to figure out which product or treatment to use. One of those products is Proactiv® from Guthy-Renker. This article discusses various Proactive reviews, the product itself and independent testimonials to help you determine if it is the best acne treatment for you.
Proactive has become popular due in part to the celebrity endorsements from Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and Avril Lavigne. This is significant as these celebrities would not likely associate their name with the product unless they felt it actually worked and that the majority of Proactive reviews were favorable.
Causes of Acne
Our skin is constantly going through a process of shedding dead skin cells as new skin develops and producing oil to keep the skin moisturized. Acne develops when excess oil and the dead skin cells plug the hair follicle pores. This in turn, allows bacteria to grow behind the plugged follicle pore, which triggers inflammation and swelling. The result is an acne blemish.
The Proactive Product
The 3 step skin care regimen begins with their Renewing Cleanser. This is an oil and soap free medicated exfoliating cleanser that kills bacteria with prescription-grade benzoyl peroxide.
Step 2 involves using the Revitalizing Toner, which is alcohol-free and contains glycolic acid to exfoliate dead skin cells. The toner also soothes and hydrates the skin using a botanical rich formula.
The final step is the Repairing Treatment which is a light, medicated lotion that kills acne-causing bacteria. It also contains benzoyl peroxide as the antimicrobial compound.
The Proactive Reviews: Best Acne Treatment?
The Proactive reviews and testimonials available from the manufactures website include comments from a user who claims after struggling with acne for 5 years and found no progress with over-the-counter products, that once she started using Proactive she started seeing a difference after just 3 days. In fact, there are quite a few Proactive reviews from users with before and after pictures. Some show quite a dramatic improvement.
Yet, other sites containing Proactive reviews appear to favor other products for their ability to fight acne. While scoring in the top 10 of tested products, Proactive scored 7th for overall effectiveness in one comparison. Murad Acne Complex and Exposed Skincare both scored higher in one of the Proactive reviews I researched, as did Dermagist and Acnezine in two other online Proactive reviews.
What might account for these differences? The truth is there are many factors that can lead to acne outbreaks on the skin, including fluctuations in hormonal balance, skin type, diet, and the use of cosmetics. Given this, it should be no surprise that the best acne treatment for one person may not work for another person. One thing I’ve learned from reading various Proactive reviews is that Proactive is more effective for sensitive skin, and is considered a more gentle treatment as opposed to an aggressive one. There are several acne fighting chemicals Proactive does not contain including Salicylic Acid (for unclogging pores), Sulfur (for drying sebum) and Azelaic Acid (for normalizing skin).
Conclusion
As you research further into the myriad of acne products available, it makes good sense to keep track of the active ingredients and their percentages within the medication. If an acne medication you are trying is not effective, try something with other or additional (or perhaps less) active ingredients. Be sure to consult a dermatologist should your acne become severe.
Related Articles:
- Article related to proactive reviews
- How To Reduce Size Of Acne Cyst
- Cystic Acne Treatment
Categories: Cystic Acne Tags: best acne treatment, proactive reviews
Treating Acne On Back For Blemish Free Skin
Causes and Treatment for Acne on Back
If you have acne formations on your back area, then you should treat them as soon as possible. If you do not take the necessary means to treat them and to prevent them from spreading further, you may experience outbreaks that will be much more difficult to cure. While acne on back areas typically concentrate on the upper body, these pustules can also appear as acne on back parts of our body including our buttocks. However, you should keep in mind that nearly everyone has to deal with this problem, at least once. Therefore, specialists have developed a great deal of treatments for acne on back.
What are the leading causes of acne outbreaks on your back?
As in the case of facial acne, it appears that the excess sebum of your skin, combined with clogged pores causes the acne on back. However, this is not the only cause of outbreaks, as other factors favor them as well. For example, if the shirt you wear is too tight, your skin cannot breathe and eliminate the sweat properly, thus the pores become clogged. At the same time, carrying a heavy bag around can irritate certain portions of your back area, creating the environment necessary for acne outbreaks.
What can you do to prevent acne on back outbreaks?
In order to prevent serious outbreaks on your backside, the best thing you can do is to shower after any activity that caused you to perspire excessively. If you are able to keep your pores from clogging with sweat, you will eliminate the most important cause of acne on back. At the same time, you should avoid anything that causes you rashes and irritations.
According to the American Dermatologist Association, 60 million Americans suffer from acne. And, 20 million have a severe enough form to cause scars, yet only 11% of those individuals seek help.
Dermatologists warn us that the development of acne on back areas of our body is very common for people who are under a lot of stress. Therefore, if your life has become more stressful than you can handle, it is time to turn it down a notch. Take a vacation from work, visit friends that you have not seen in years. To sum it up, do something that you enjoy or that you have always wanted to. Since the amount of sebum in the body is closely related to the hormone production, releasing some of the tension in your life can help you decrease the production.
How can you treat acne on back outbreaks when they occur?
You need to keep in mind that, at some point of your life, you will experience acne on back areas of your body. As opposed to the facial acne, this type is not localized on a particular area. Whether you will experience the outbreak during your puberty or your adulthood, you will need to treat it properly if you do not want acne scars.
Therefore, you need to purchase hygiene products that contain salicylic acid that can balance the amount of sebum and thus, tone down the acne on back outbreaks. It is common for this type of acne to itch. However, it is unadvisable to scratch it or to pop the heads, as you will spread the infection further and affect a larger part of the acne on back areas of your body.
At the same time, try to maintain a healthy diet, drink a lot of water every day and sleep at least eight hours every night. With a little determination you will be able to control the acne on back parts of your body.
Related Articles
- Related Acne On Back Article
- Reducing Acne Cysts Size
Categories: Cystic Acne Tags: acne on back
Reduce Size Of Cystic Acne
One of the most serious forms of acne breakouts is known as acne cysts. For those that suffer from this it is unfortunate as the cysts are usually very visable, often appearing on the face and can be very painful. The red pus filled postules can be up to 5mm in diameter and usually break out in groups but can sometimes be a single cyst.
For teenagers this is especially difficult as the appearance of acne cysts can feel disfiguring, if not treated properly or in a timely manner can lead to scaring, and can be difficult to control for some individuals. It is important that you do not try to squeeze the cysts to rid yourself of them as this can make the condition worse and exacerbate the scaring.
As with any skin condition it is important to talk to your doctor or dermatologist before starting any treatments using over-the-counter drugs as each person is unique and the dermatologist can take these factors into consideration to match a treatment to your specific condition.
Benzoyl Peroxide is a popular ingredient in many over-the-counter medications for acne. To help reduce size of cystic acne, you may want to look for topical medications with this ingredient. A concentration of 10% is considered the highest level available in various creams and gels. Be sure to follow the package directions as some have experienced irritation from using products with these ingredients.
One homeopathic approach would be to apply tea tree oil on the affected area to reduce size of cystic acne. This technique involves cleansing your face with a pH neutral gentle facial cleanser twice daily, followed by applying a clarifying lotion or toner using a cotton ball onto your face. This assists with exfoliating your skin so dead skin cells dont clog pores – leading to more acne.
The next step is to apply a dab of Tea Tree Oil on the affected area. Tea Tree Oil has antibiotic agents that help destroy the bacteria with in cysts. Follow this with applying a moisturizer to your skin. Without this, your body may produce more skin oils to compensate which can lead to more oily skin.
If the tea tree oil is irritating your skin, you can dilute it with 5 parts water or 3 parts water. Everyone’s skin reacts differently, so try different combinations as you see fit.
By the next morning you should find your acne cyst has reduced in size.
Categories: Cystic Acne Tags: reduce size of cystic acne
Cystic Acne Treatment – Clearing The Worst Types Of Pimples
Many people suffer from acne at one time or another, many during their adolescent years or even as adults. Whenever acne shows up, it’s no fun. Cystic Acne is among the most severe forms of this skin condition characterized by the large red cysts that appear on the skin. To find the best cystic acne treatment it is important to understand what causes the outbreaks and how diet, living conditions and your gender and age figure in to the picture.
Some of the factors that lead to cystic acne are stress, overactive skin oil glands, fluctuations in hormones, the accumulation of dead skin cells and diet. Given the many different factors that can lead to acne, the cystic acne treatment that is most effective will be one that addresses each of these conditions as they apply to you, if not all of them.
Acne develops as a result of the skin pores becoming clogged with dead skin cells, oils or other materials. Bacteria build up and the body’s immune response causes inflammation with redness, swelling and pain. Cystic acne is characterized by red, large (5 mm diameter) lumps that are often painful and unsightly.
Cystic Acne Treatment
A common approach to curing cystic acne is to start with home remedies and work your way up if necessary to medicines or treatments recommended by your doctor or dermatologist.
Home Remedies For Cystic Acne Treatment And Other Types Of Pimples
Below are several home based cystic acne treatment options that you can try …
Apple Cider Vinegar
Drink a Mix of 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar with 8-10 oz. twice per day.
After washing face with a neutral pH soap, dab apple cider vinegar on affected areas and allow to dry. Do this once each morning and evening. It is the anti-bacterial properties of apple cider vinegar which, as an cystic acne treatment, have helped many control the outbreaks.
Turmeric
The anti-bacterial properties of turmeric have also been known to help reduce the appearance of cystic acne. Try this cystic acne treatment by mixing the following ingredients below and drink before bedtime.
1 tsp Turmeric
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1 c Hot Water
1 tsp Honey (to taste)
2-3 tbsp milk (to taste)
Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil contains an ingredient called terpinen that has antimicrobial properties. Applying a 5% solution to acne lesions has been a popular cystic acne treatment and has helped many with a reduction of inflamed and non-inflamed acne.
Cystic Acne Treatment Medications
There are a variety of over-the-counter products you can try for your cystic acne treatment. Their effectiveness will depend on the severity of the acne and how well your body reacts to the medications. Many of these contain Benzoyl Peroxide as the active ingredient. Before starting any over-the-counter cystic acne treatment be sure to read all the information and possible side effects associated with the over-the-counter medications.
For more severe cases, a dermatologist can prescribe antibiotics or other medications available only through prescription. Often these medications will have side effects that you will want to be aware of before starting them. Be sure to have your doctor or dermatologist explain all known side effects before starting any prescribed medical cystic acne treatment.
Related Articles
Categories: Cystic Acne Tags: cystic acne treatment, types of pimples
