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What are whiteheads?
Whiteheads, also known as closed comedones, are follicles that are filled with the same as blacheads, but have only a microscopic opening to the skin surface. Since the air cannot reach the follicle, the material is not oxidized, and remains white. Signs & Symptoms Non-inflammatory acne often takes the form of a closed comedo, or pimple. This occurs when the plugged hair follicle stays beneath the surface of the skin, and appears on the skin as a small whiteish bump. An open comedo, or blackhead, occurs when the plug enlarges and pushes through the surface of the skin. Its dark appearance is not due to dirt, but rather to a build up of the dark pigment of the skin called melanin. Blackheads are also a type of inflammatory acne. The mildest form of inflammatory acne is a papule, a small, firm, pink bump appearing on the surface of the skin. These bumps can be tender to the touch, and are often considered an intermediary step between non-inflammatory and inflammatory acne. Pustules are like papules in that they are small, round lesions. Unlike papules, pustules are clearly inflamed and visibly contain pus. They may appear red at the base with a yellowish or whiteish center. Pustules do not generally contain a great deal of bacteria, but are inflamed due to chemical irritation from sebum components. Nodular or cystic acne is usually very painful. Nodules are inflamed pus-filled lesions lodged deep within the skin. They develop when the contents of a comedo has spilled into the surrounding skin and immune system responds, producing pus. The most severe form of this type of acne may persist for weeks or even months, eventually hardening into a cyst. Both nodules and cysts often leave deep scars. Acne conglobata, a rare form of inflammatory acne, forms primarily on the back, buttocks, and chest. It is characterized by pustules and nodules, and severe bacterial infection may ensue. Acne cosmetica is a relatively mild form of acne caused from topical cosmetic products. It is characterized by small pink bumps, and local inflammation on the cheek, chin, and forehead. It may develop over the course of a few weeks or months, but usually does not cause scarring. Since it can persist indefinitely, it is important to find out which topical products are causing the problem and eliminate their use.
Who are prone to whiteheads?
All of us are prone to getting acne at some stage of our lives, especially during puberty. Acne is usually a result of over stimulated hormonal activity which cases the oil producing glands, or the sebaceous glands to produce more oil than necessary. There are many people who are prone to get acne. Adolescents: Prime targets of acne are pubescent adults. The body is experiencing many changes at this time and hormonal activity is at its peak. Some teens experience only a mild outbreak while in other acne can be severe and chronic and requires the attention of a dermatologist. Adolescent women also often experience acne during their menstrual cycle, again due to hormonal activity. Women can also get acne as a reaction to the cosmetics they use. Teenage boys are more likely to have severe and persistent acne problems. Adults It is not uncommon for people in their thirties and forties to experience acne problems. As with teenagers, here too hormones are the offenders. Androgens, the male hormones that are responsible for teen acne are to blame for adult acne. Acne can even be seen in post menopausal women, when the body reduces the production of estrogen, which stimulates the androgen to over produce sebum from the sebaceous glands. Babies Acne in babies is a common problem and usually begins after the baby is a few weeks old. It is probably triggered by the maternal hormones, which cross over to the baby through the placenta in the final moments of the pregnancy. Among other positive effects, like maturing the lungs, these hormones stimulate the oil glands on the skin, eventually giving rise to baby acne. Baby acne does not require any treatment except gentle cleansing with water and maybe a mild soap.
What Causes whiteheads?
Prevention: During adolescence, the body often produces excess amounts of sebum. The sebum combines with naturally occurring dead skin cells to block hair follicles which prevents the sebum from escaping. The resulting block up of oil beneath the surface of the skin provides an ideal environment for bacteria. The bacteria multiply and the skin area becomes red and inflamed resulting in what is commonly called a pimple. We were rather indecisive on where to stop in our writings of acne treatment. We just went on writing and writing to give a long article. What we have written here about acne treatment can be considered to be a unique composition on acne treatment. Let’s hope you appreciate it being unique.
The excess production of sebum is caused by the male hormone testosterone. Testosterone is present in both males and females, but during puberty, the body changes the way it reacts to the presence of testosterone. It is this abnormal reaction, characteristically appearing during adolescence, that causes the skin (especially on the face and upper torso) to become excessively oily. By the early 20s, the body usually normalizes its reaction to testosterone and acne clears up. Suppressing our knowledge on acne treatment is not our intention here. In fact, we mean to let everyone know more about acne treatment after reading this! Acne seems to be partly hereditary, but we don't know exactly why some people are affected by it and others are not. Some of the factors which seem to aggravate acne conditions include stress, diet, skin irritation, certain medications, and hormonal activities such as menstrual cycles. Medications that are associated with acne include anabolic steroids used for bodybuilding, lithium, barbiturates, halogens, and androgens. Dietary links seem to be mostly related to skim milk products. Many people associate food like chocolate and fast food with pimples, but there is no statistical evidence that this type of food causes or aggravates acne. Recently, scientific attention has been focusing on the possibility that narrowing hair follicles could be at least partially to blame for acne. The hair follicles may become restricted due to several possible causes including excessive shedding of cells within the follicle, abnormal cell binding, or water retention which causes the skin to swell. The narrower hair follicles prevent dead cells from being expelled from the body, causing an excessive buildup underneath the skin, which combined with sebum creates the conditions for acne. Many people are tempted to pop or squeeze their pimples, but this may only serve to spread the bacteria to the surrounding skin area making the condition even worse than before. Popping pimples may also lead to scarring which in severe cases can be permanent. Simply touching the face can also make acne become worse. It is a difficult habit to overcome -- most of us touch our faces repeatedly throughout the day. The problem for acne sufferers is that the hands also contain oils and bacteria which will exacerbate acne symptoms. In fact, all objects that come into contact with the face must be clean. This includes eyeglasses and telephone handsets. Hair (especially long hair) also comes into contact with our faces so it is important to keep hair clean and oil free. Clothing accessories like headbands or hats should be avoided or used as little as possible. When to seek Medical Advice: Don’t be surprised if you find anything unusual here about acne treatment. There has been some interesting and unusual things here worth reading. At the onslaught of puberty, many teens suffer from various radical changes - physical, physiological, emotional.. you name it! Of course, one of the most apparent transformations is that of the physical changes.
Aside from the males developing more muscles and moustache and females developing their breasts and hips, there's this one change that commonly annoys an enormous portion of the adolescent population. Acne vulgaris! Acne Vulgaris is also known as acne or pimples in more common terms. Overproduction of oil that suddenly happens to teenagers and sensitivity to dirt are the precursor to this menacing skin disorder. But those two or their combination are not the only cause of breakouts. Many other factors could trigger acne. Genes, weather conditions and certain substances from food may set off the invasion or just the presence of acne. Dermatologists and researchers have been trying to discover the best acne medication. Acne, no matter how miniscule a disorder it may seem, needs adequate attention. These tiny bumps on one's face could elicit major effects on a person. Not only vanity motivates experts to find or formulate the most excellent acne medication. Ridicule for having a pockmarked complexion is often one of the leading causes of low self-esteem among adolescents. What's worse is that this lack of confidence may be brought until one reaches his maturity. The most recent forms of acne medication are the following: The more you read about acne treatment, the more you get to understand the meaning of it. So if you read this article and other related articles, you are sure to get the required amount of matter for yourself Oral Antibiotic Acne Medication. This type of medication should always be mediated by consulting a physician. Various acne medication antibiotics that may be taken by mouth are supported by researches. Assorted antibiotics that act as acne medication are intended for moderate, severe to persistent types of acne. It is very important that a doctor is asked first on which antibiotics for acne medication is right for you. The sources used for the information for this article on acne treatment are all dependable ones. This is so that there be no confusion in the authenticity of the article. Cortiscosteroids. Very severe acne may be prescribed with this acne medication antibiotic. This potent antibiotic is usually taken in a short span of time only. They have metabolic effects that make them inappropriate for long-term use. Oral Tetracycline. This antibiotic is one of the most popular oral acne medications. Moderate to severe acne may be treated with an initial dose of 500 to 1000 mg per day in a decreasing dosage as skin condition improvement is noted. This antibiotic is not for the pregnant women since it can cause skeletal defects to fetus. Children with age of under 8 years are also not advised to be given this medication. After many hopeless endeavors to produce something worthwhile on acne treatment, this is what we have come up with. We are very hopeful about this! Oral Minocycline and Doxycycline. These acne medications in the form of antibiotics are only derived from tetracycline. Research evidences tell that these acne medications are more effective than tetracycline. Doxycycline is reported to induce sunlight sensitivity. Both are advised not to be taken by pregnant women. Oral Erythromycin. This antibiotic that serve as an acne medication may be taken as an alternative to tetracycline since it is safer for pregnant women and young children. There is a lot of jargon connected with acne treatment. However, we have eliminated the difficult ones, and only used the ones understood by everyone. You must have searched high and low for some matter for acne treatment, isn’t it? That is the main reason we compiled this article for you to get that required matter! Opportunity knocks once. So when we got the opportunity to write on acne treatment, we did not let the opportunity slip from our hands, and got down to writing on acne treatment. Isotretinoin. This acne medication antibiotic is said to revolutionize acne treatment due to its potent effect in dealing with severe and treatment-resistant acne Reports has it that isotretinoin is very effective in treating all forms of acne. But it should be noted that many side affects are also attributed to isotretinoin. This includes severe birth defects to a fetus, dryness of the skin and mucous membranes. Therefore, pregnant women, breastfeeding women or those who are planning to become pregnant must not take isotretinoin as a form of acne medication. Treatment/Therapy: If you are experiencing a problem with whiteheads, there are many treatment options available that could clear your skin right up. Using a deep pore cleanser can prevent whiteheads from ever forming. It could also help to gently dislodge existing spots over time. Even though the chance of scarring from a whitehead is very unlikely, you should still never attempt to remove them yourself. It will only damage your skin and cause an infection. The contents leaking onto your skin can also cause more acne to form. A doctor can remove them individually for you in his office, using sterile tool. If you prefer to use a prescription provided by your dermatologist than deal with your whiteheadsa commonly prescribed medicine is Differin gel. It is a topical retinoid treatment that works to reduce inflammation involved with acne, as well as increases cell formation. It is more effective than other medicines such as Retin-A and it is also less irritating. It is alcohol free and it light and non-greasy.
For patients with extremely sensitive skin, there is also less-harsh Differin cream. Most people with whiteheads also suffer from other forms of acne that this medicine would be beneficial to use for as well. He/She may also choose to prescribe an oral contraceptive as a way to regulate hormones in females. This is also beneficial in clearing up most types of acne.
Following some tips on preventing and lessening the harm brought by acne. You should not wait for acne to appear before you actually cure it. The best way of getting rid of it is to prevent it from coming out in the first place. One thing besides keeping your face free from excess oil is to avoid pricking and squeezing your zits. This habit will just worsen your problem on acne. Let nature and time heal for you and you’ll see wonder results! You should also refrain from using products that can bring harm in your face. These include products with high percentage of isopropyl alcohol. Home remedies for the treatment of whiteheads and Blackheads. Diet change strategies: However, being healthy is not only constrained on having a perfect body. In fact, aside from having a perfect body, being healthy could also mean having a healthy skin as shown in the skin’s complexion. That is why, most people who are known to be health buffs are also known to be good-looking people. This is because the inner beauty radiates and exudes deep from within, even without the traces of make up. Nowadays, looking good is not anymore a factor of being vain but is already considered one way of staying healthy. This is because many medical experts are now insisting on the fact that good nutrition is, indeed, an important factor in having a good complexion and image. In reality, many people are not aware that good nutrition is a great factor in generating a healthy good-looking skin. They only thought that eating the right kind of food would make people healthier and live life longer. What they do not know is that good nutrition is also a big factor in having a good complexion and healthy skin. Therefore, for people who are not aware why good nutrition is important in maintaining a healthy skin complexion, here are some reasons that they should be aware of. 1. Eating foods that are rich in vitamin A is important in maintaining a healthy skin. A daily dose of vitamin A is proven to be an effective way of reducing the appearance of acne, wrinkles, and other skin problems. However, care must be properly observed when taking foods rich in vitamin A. Too much intake of this vitamin may result to serious problems like liver diseases. 2. Good nutrition replenishes the lost vitamins and minerals that the human body is not capable of producing. When people are exposed to the sun the skin’s reservoir of vitamin C goes down, and unlike most animals, humans cannot make vitamin C. Therefore, it is important to reproduce vitamin C by eating foods that re rich in vitamin C. In this way, the skin will be able to combat the harmful effects of the damages caused by the sun’s ultraviolet rays. 3. Eating foods rich in antioxidants is definitely good for the skin. In order for the skin to work against the upshots of oxidants or the free radicals that are manufactured when the body cells burn oxygen in order to generate energy, it is important for the people to eat foods that are rich in antioxidants. These foods are the “green, leafy vegetables” like the spinach. Antioxidants are also present in foods that are rich in carotenoids like beta-carotene. A good example of this is carrots. It can also be present in food supplements such as vitamins E and C. 4. Eating foods rich in fiber can also contribute to good skin complexion. Fiber, or roughage, is composed from the plant’s cell wall material. Whole grains, legumes, citrus fruits, nuts, and vegetables are all good sources of dietary fiber. On its basic sense, fiber is an example of complex carbohydrate that is relatively essential in the absorption of the other nutrients into the body. Without fiber, some of the nutrients will only be put to waste and will not be consumed by the body. Hence, with fiber, the skin’s complexion will be healthier looking and will even produce healthy glow. 5. For proper growth and production of new skin cells, proteins are the best sources in order to help in this process. Proteins are chains of amino acids responsible for the skin’s cell growth and maintenance. Protein in foods from meat, poultry, fish, and dairy is called complete protein because it contains essential amino acids necessary for building and maintaining skin cells. Thus, a properly maintained skin cell will result to a good skin complexion. Indeed, eating right does not merely produce a healthy body but a healthy skin as well. Hence, people should be more aware of what they are eating because it will surely reflect on their skin’s appearance. As most people say, “You are what you eat.”
Vitamin & Nutrient Associations
Winter Moisturizer 2 T. apricot kernal Oil ( or almond oil)
Combine the oils and stearic acid powder and heat over low heat until stearic acid powder is melted.
Honey And Almond Scrub
Whirl slivered almonds in a blender until they're as fine as freshly ground pepper. Mix with cold cream and add honey. Keep refrigerated.
Anti-Aging Face Mask Apple Mask For Normal Skin
Banana Mask for Dry Skin -Mash all ingredients together with a fork. Blemished Skin Mask
Even when we try to eat well, we're disadvantaged. The nutritional content of most food has been compromised over the years, not only by deficient soils and modern production, transportation, storage and processing methods, but also by the enormous amounts of chemical and artificial substances added to promote growth, storage life, taste and appearance. It's for this reason that more and more medical authorities are advocating the use of vitamin and mineral supplements. However, finding them in the right combination can be both confusing and costly. Further reading through our articles on health issues will give you a body of information that will help you decide what options you have to deal with the underlying causes of your problem through giving your body the nutrition products that will assist you body to heal from the inside out.
We wish you well in your search for solutions to this problem and your movement towards better health in all areas. More Resources available about whiteheads :
Natural Beauty Skincare Acne Vulgaris whiteheads Blackheads Acne Scars Anti-Aging Skin Care Age Spots or Liver Spots
pimples
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