Tips for acne troubles in summer

During summers, sweat and oil secretion increases and get deposited on the skin. An oily and sweaty skin also attracts more dirt and pollutants.

Which is why summers aggravate acne problem because of heat and sweat. Following are some tips to prevent skin from acne during the heated climate:

Cleansing is the keyword

Daily cleansing and skin care, with appropriate products, is the only way of protecting the skin from eruptions and oily-skin problems. The pores must be kept free of hardened oil and the oiliness of the skin surface must also be reduced.

If your skin is oily, an astringent toner should be used after cleansing. Wipe the face with it, using cotton. Some home ingredients can also be used. Rose water can be mixed with cucumber juice and applied on the face to reduce oiliness. Night-time cleansing is a must, to remove the pollutants that have been deposited on the skin during the day.

Wash your face with plain water

During summer, people tend to wash their face too often with soap and water. This actually destroys the normal acid-alkaline balance of the skin, since most soaps are alkaline in nature. If there is rash, pimples or acne, the face should be washed with a medicated soap, or medicated cleanser only twice a day, morning and night. You may wash the face several times a day with plenty of plain water.

No blackheads, no acne

Preventing blackheads help in the prevention of acne. If there are blackheads, a facial scrub should be used on the blackhead-prone areas. But do not apply scrubs on acne, pimples or rash. Mix rice powder with rose water. Apply it on the areas with blackheads daily. Rub gently on the skin with circular movements. Leave on for five minutes and wash off with water. This can be done after cleansing in the morning.

Avoid use of oily creams

If the skin is oily and prone to eruptions, avoid the use of oily creams and moisturisers. If there is dryness of the skin, it is usually a superficial dryness of the outermost layer. For this, mix one teaspoon each of honey and curd and apply daily, washing off with plain water after 20 minutes.

A paste of fresh methi leaves can also be applied on the skin. Keep it on for 15 to 20 minutes and wash off with water.

Neem leaves can also be used to treat rashes, pimples and acne. A handful of neem leaves can be simmered on very low fire in four cups of water for one hour. Leave it overnight. Next morning, strain and use the water to wash the face. Make a paste of the leaves and apply on pimples, rash and acne.

It is also important to make sure that the hair and scalp are kept scrupulously clean. If the scalp is oily, or if there is dandruff, it can lead to pimples and acne. Keep the hair away from the face while you sleep.

Cleanliness is an important aspect

If your skin is prone to pimples, wash your pillow covers and towels often in warm soapy water, after adding two teaspoons of an antiseptic solution.

Also remember to wash your cosmetic brushes very often and dry them thoroughly before putting them away.

Drink plenty of water

Acne can out of a congested system also. So, include fresh fruits, raw salads, sprouts and curd in your daily diet and drink 6 to 8 glasses of water. Add lime juice to a glass of water and have it first thing in the morning.

Last, but not the least, if acne makes an appearance, get professional care at right time, because acne can spread and cause extensive scarring.

Different Types of Acne Scars

Any burn, injury, or trauma like surgery can cause scars on skin. Of all kinds, acne scars are most distressing and widely discussed topic in the world.

Acne scars are common to teenagers as well as adults. They are not just unsightly but can cost you your confidence too.

To treat them, it is necessary to know the type of scar one has. Yes! Scars too have types.

Essentially there are four type of major acne scars. They are listed below:


Ice Pick Scars

Deep, narrow scars that appear like the skin has been pierced with a sharp object such as an ice pick are called ice pick scars.

They seem to make a small but deep hole in the skin which may look like a large, open pore.

An infection from a cyst or other deep inflamed blemishes can cause ice pick scars. The skin tissue is destroyed leaving a long column-like scar.

This type of scar can be treated through punch incision or punch grafting.

Boxcar scars

They are round or oval incisions with steep vertical sides. These scars are wider than the ice pick scars and give the skin a pitted appearance.

When acne destroys the collagen, tissue is lost. The skin above this area is left without support and a depression is formed.

Boxcar scars can be mild to severe, depending upon the amount of tissue lost.

Treatment for Boxcar scars include elevation, dermal fillers and laser resurfacing.

Rolling Scars

This type of scar is usually wave-like motion across a normal appearing skin.

When the fibrous bands of tissue develop between the skin and the tissue living below it, rolling scars are formed.

These bands pull the epidermis, binding it to the deeper structures of the skin.

This pulling of epidermis from within creates the wave-like appearance on the skin.

These types of scars can be treated with subcision.

Hypertrophic or Keloid Scars

This scar looks like a raised, firm mass of tissue. They often grow larger than the original acne.

Hypertrophic scars are mostly found on the torso, especially in men.

These scars are caused by an over-production of soften scar tissue unlike boxcar and ice pick scars that are caused by a loss of tissues.

These types of scars can be treated with steroid creams or injections that help shrink and flatten the scar. Interferon injections are also used for this purpose.

What is Acne Rosacea?

Rosacea is a skin condition that affects parts of the face. Symptoms can include facial flushing, facial redness, spots, thickening of the skin, and eye problems such as dry eyes and sore eyelids.

American Academy of Dermatology describes Rosacea in detail.

There are so many signs and symptoms that rosacea has four subtypes:

• Erythematotelangiectatic rosacea: Redness, flushing, visible blood vessels.
• Papulopustular rosacea: Redness, swelling, and acne-like breakouts.
• Phymatous rosacea: Skin thickens and has a bumpy texture.
• Ocular rosacea: Eyes red and irritated, eyelids can be swollen, and person may have what looks like a sty. 

Types of Rosacea-

Some people have more than one rosacea subtype at the same time. Each subtype requires different treatment.

Subtype 1: Facial redness, flushing, visible blood vessels

Signs and symptoms

• Flushing and redness in the centre of the face.
• Visible broken blood vessels (spider veins).
• Swollen skin.
• Skin may be very sensitive.
• Skin may sting and burn.
• Dry skin, roughness or scaling.
• Have a tendency to flush or blush more easily than other people.

Subtype 2: Acne-like breakouts

Signs and symptoms

• Acne-like breakouts, usually where the skin is very red.
• Acne-like breakouts tend to come and go.
• Oily skin.
• Skin may be very sensitive.
• Skin may burn and sting.
• Visible broken blood vessels (spider veins).
• Raised patches of skin called plaques (plaks).

Subtype 3: Thickening skin

Signs and symptoms

This subtype is rare. When it does occur, the person often has signs and symptoms of another subtype of rosacea first. The signs of this subtype are:

• Bumpy texture to the skin.
• Skin begins to thicken, especially common on the nose. When the skin thickens on the nose, it is called rhinophyma (rye-NO-fie-ma).
• Skin may thicken on the chin, forehead, cheeks, and ears.
• Visible broken blood vessels appear.
• Pores look large.
• Oily skin.
•  

Who gets rosacea?

Rosacea is common. Most people who get rosacea are:

• Aged 30-50 years.
• Fair-skinned, and often have blonde hair and blue eyes.
• Family history of rosacea.
• Prone to acne cysts and/or nodules.
• Women are a bit more likely than men to get rosacea. Women, however, are not as likely as men to get severe rosacea.

What causes rosacea?

Experts are not sure what the exact causes of rosacea are. The following related factors are said to contribute:

• Abnormalities in facial blood vessels

Skin specialists suggest that a major factor is probably abnormalities in the blood vessels of the face, which cause the flushing, persistent redness and visible blood vessels. What causes the inflammation of the blood vessels is still a mystery.

• Light skin colour

A much higher percentage of people with fair skin develop rosacea compared to other people.

• Demodex folliculorum (microscopic mite)

Demodex folliculorum lives on human skin and usually causes no problems. However, patients with rosacea have much higher numbers of these mites than others do. Experts do not know whether the mites cause the rosacea, or whether the rosacea causes the overpopulation of the mites - i.e. whether the high population of demodex folliculorum is the cause or the effect of rosacea.

• H. pylori bacteria

H. pylori, a bacteria found in the gut, stimulates the production of bradykinin, a protein known to cause blood vessels to dilate. Experts suggest that this bacterium may play a role in the development of rosacea.

• Family history (inheritance, genes)

30% to 40% of patients with rosacea have a close relative with the condition. Unfortunately, scientists do not yet know how which genes are involved and how they are passed on.

Treatment of Acne Vulgaris

Acne Vulgaris or Acne cannot be cured but can be efficiently treated. If home remedies do not correct the problem, one must seek medical help.

Essentially three types of drugs have proven to be effective in treating acne. They are prescribed by the dermatologist depending on the severity of the problem. They are as follows:

Benzyl Peroxide

• It is a common topical treatment for acne. It kills bacteria, reduces inflammation and helps to unclog pores. It effectively clears comedones (blackheads and whiteheads).
• It is an over-the counter drug and does not need a prescription to be bought. It comes with different names and strengths such as- 2.5%, 5% and 10%.
• You must wash your skin before applying it. It may commonly cause mild irritation. You can try using the lower strength if irritation happens.
• To prevent irritation, you can start with 2.5% preparation first and then increase it later if you want.
• Apply once daily for several hours and wash off. You can gradually increase the time left on the skin.
• Once used to it, you can apply it twice-a-day also.
• It may bleach your facial hair, bed linen or clothes that come in contact.

Retinoids

• Retinoids are great at unclogging blocked skin pores. They include adapalene, tretinoin and isotretinoin which come in various brand names.
• They also reduce inflammation to some extent. This is why they are used early in acne to treat comedones and mild inflammation.
• A prescription is needed for all retinoids.
• They could make skin red and peel it off. This trend could settle over time.
• The spots could become a little worse before improving.
• Skin could become sensitive to sunlight. Therefore, it is advised to be applied at night and washed off in the morning.
• Burning, irritation and dryness are common side-effects. So, less frequent application and lower strength are advised initially.
• While on a treatment for retinoids, one should not be pregnant or lactating as it could cause serious birth defects in the unborn child.

Azelaic Acid

• This alternative mainly functions on the blocked pores and unclogs them. Just like retinoids, it clears comedones.
• It does relieve inflammation to some extent but not as much as benzyl peroxide. However, azelaic acid causes less irritation than benzyl peroxide.

Antibiotics

• Various antibiotics come handy in treating acne. They reduce the number of bacteria and intensity of inflammation. But they fail at unclogging pores.
• This is why, they may treat inflamed acne but comedones may remain.
• Prescription is needed to buy topical antibiotics.
• They may cause mild irritation but generally cause lesser side-effects than other topical preparations.

Once the spots have cleared, acne commonly flares up again if you stop treatment. Therefore, after the spots have gone or are much reduced, it is common to carry on with a maintenance treatment to prevent acne from flaring up again.

It is common to need maintenance treatment for 4-5 years to keep acne away. This is typically until the late teens or early 20s. In a small number of cases, acne persists into the 30s, or even later. For these people it is possible to continue to treat the skin to keep it under control.

What is Acne?

Acne comes from an old Greek word that means "skin eruption." It is a disease that affects the skin’s oil glands.

American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) and National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) describe acne in detail:

Acne facts:

Acne is a skin condition that consists of pimples, deeper lumps (cysts or nodules), and plugged pores (blackheads and whiteheads), that occur on the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders, and even the upper arms.

• Acne usually begins in puberty, but the condition is not restricted to any age group. Adults in their 20s, 30s, and 40s— even into their 50s— can develop acne.
• Acne is caused by three major factors:
• Overproduction of oil by enlarged oil glands in the skin.
• Blockage of the hair follicles that release oil.
• Growth of bacteria, called P. acnes, within the hair follicles.
• Scientific research has led to many new acne therapies and changes in existing treatment options.

How Does Acne Develop?

Sometimes, the hair, sebum, and skin cells clump together into a plug. The bacteria in the plug cause swelling. Then when the plug starts to break down, a pimple grows.

Types of Acne

There are many types of pimples. The most common types are:

• Whiteheads- These are pimples that stay under the surface of the skin.
• Blackheads- These pimples rise to the skin’s surface and look black. The black color is not from dirt.
• Papules- These are small pink bumps that can be tender.
• Pustules- These pimples are red at the bottom and have pus on top.
• Nodules- These are large, painful, solid pimples that are deep in the skin.
• Cysts- These deep, painful, pus-filled pimples can cause scars.

Who Gets Acne?

Acne is the most common skin disease. People of all races and ages get acne. But it is most common in teenagers and young adults. An estimated 80 percent of all people between the ages of 11 and 30 have acne outbreaks at some point. Some people in their forties and fifties still get acne.

What Causes Acne?

The cause of acne is unknown. Doctors think certain factors might cause it:

• The hormone increase in teenage years (this can cause the oil glands to plug up more often)
• Hormone changes during pregnancy
• Starting or stopping birth control pills
• Heredity (if your parents had acne, you might get it, too)
• Some types of medicine
• Greasy makeup.

How Should People With Acne Care for Their Skin?

Here are some ways to care for skin if you have acne:

• Clean skin gently. Use a mild cleanser in the morning, evening, and after heavy workouts. Scrubbing the skin does not stop acne. It can even make the problem worse.
• Try not to touch your skin. People who squeeze, pinch, or pick their pimples can get scars or dark spots on their skin.
• Shave carefully. If you shave, you can try both electric and safety razors to see which works best. With safety razors, use a sharp blade. Also, it helps to soften your beard with soap and water before putting on shaving cream. Shave lightly and only when you have to.
• Stay out of the sun. Many acne medicines can make people more likely to sunburn. Being in the sun a lot can also make skin wrinkle and raise the risk of skin cancer.
• Choose makeup carefully. All makeup should be oil free. Look for the word “noncomedogenic” on the label. This means that the makeup will not clog up your pores. But some people still get acne even if they use these products.
• Shampoo your hair regularly. If your hair is oily, you may want to shampoo daily.

What Things Can Make Acne Worse?

Some things can make acne worse:

• Changing hormone levels in teenage girls and adult women 2 to 7 days before their period starts
• Pressure from bike helmets, backpacks, or tight collars
• Pollution and high humidity
• Squeezing or picking at pimples
• Hard scrubbing of the skin.

Prevention from Acne

You may not be able to completely eliminate acne, but proper care can help to prevent acne outbreaks.

Most people note improvement in acne with treatmentb but after acne improves or clears, you may have to practice self-care measures and continue your acne medication or other treatment to prevent new acne breakouts. 

Try these ways to prevent acne:
 
•    Wash your face twice a day with a gentle cleanser. Use a mild, non-drying soap and wash gently because vigorous scrubbing can irritate the skin. 

•    Regular washing helps to removes excess oil, dirt and dead skin cells. This doesn’t however mean that you must wash your face 10 times a day or whenever your face is oily. 3-5 times is more than enough. 

•    Always wash your face before going to bed to remove all dirt or make-up. It’s necessary to wash after exercising or any strenuous activity. But avoid excessive or repeated skin washing as too much washing can lead to irritation on skin. 
 
•    If you have oily hair, shampoo daily. Tie your hair to keep it out of your face and avoid tight headbands.

•    Do not touch the pimples and avoid squeezing, scratching, or picking the pimples. It can lead to skin infections and scarring. 

•    Use water-based cosmetics or creams and avoid greasy ones. Do not use heavy make-up, instead go for light make-up. 

•    Remove the make-up at night as sleeping with make-up on can clog tiny openings of the hair follicles (pores) and aggravate acne.

•    If you continue to have acne despite caring for your skin try over-the-counter acne medications meant to be applied on the skin.    These topical medications may contain benzoyl peroxide, sulphur, resorcinol, or salicylic acid. 

•    The medications help to kill the bacteria, dry the excess oil, and can lead to peeling of the top layer of your skin. Consult your doctor before using these medications during pregnancy.

•    Eat nutritious food to keep the skin healthy. Consume fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Try avoiding sugar, fried and processed foods.

•    Exercise regularly for better blood circulation in the body and skin. After exercise take a shower to wash off the sweat.

•    Avoid sun exposure as much as you can. Wear sunscreen every time you step out which will protect your skin from the harmful rays of sun.

  
Some people may need to continue use of prescription topical medication on acne-prone areas, or other treatment like oral contraceptives. Consult your doctor on ways to prevent new eruptions if pimples continue to be a problem.