Acne Vulgaris

Acne vulgaris is the most common form of acne, and is simply what we refer to as common acne. Acne vulgaris can affect anyone, and almost 100% of the population has had acne vulgaris at one time. Over 85% of teens suffer from acne, and although it is caused by an increase in hormone levels which affect and over-stimulate the sebaceous glands, the resulting acne is still called acne vulgaris.

Acne vulgaris is usually found on the face and upper body area including the back, chest, neck and arms. Both facial acne and body acne are considered acne vulgaris. In most cases, acne vulgaris will not cause scarring. Acne that scars is usually much more severe, when several papules or pimples join together causing cysts (known as cystic acne or severe acne). Acne vulgaris affects people of all ages, though it is mostly predominant in teenagers.

Acne vulgaris can be both prevented and eliminated by using a combination of pore-cleansing, anti-bacterial treatment and pore strengthening. ZenMed Derma Cleanse is a product that is able to clean pores effectively, while directly treating the blemishes, naturally using two pronged approach. We recommend the ZenMed acne system for people experiencing any level of acne.
Acne Vulgaris Treatment

Acne vulgaris treatment comes in many forms. Pharmacies and supermarkets are literally inundated with new products for fighting acne. It’s important to remember that acne products work differently for different people. Some topical acne treatments work well for some, but irritate the skin of others. Some ingested treatments work well for some but cause complications in others. Talking to your doctor and choosing the best medication for you is always the best method of choosing your acne solution. Some examples of the types of acne products available are:
Natural Acne Treatments

Within the last decade, natural medicine has made a significant comeback. Naturopaths are available for consultation in every town, as people begin to lose faith in ‘chemical’ products and their outlandish guarantees. Some natural products that have been used for decades to clear acne are rose water, milk of magnesia, lemon juice, tea tree oil and ginger root.

Topical medication

Topical medication is probably the most popular acne vulgaris treatment method. Topical medication can contain natural or synthetic ingredients (or both), and are used to kill the P. Acnes bacteria, clear oil from the skin, and generate healthier skin. Some topical medications are prescription based, and can only be obtained by a physician. Examples include topical steroids and antibiotics, and the chemical compound isotretinoin (retinoids) which is common for sever or chronic acne treatment.

Ingested Acne Vulgaris Treatment

In some cases, a doctor may prescribe an ingested medication for the treatment of severe acne vulgaris, but the practice is becoming rarer. Some examples of ingested or oral medication are antibiotics and retinoids. Antibiotics tend work only when being prescribed, and acne flare-ups can start again days after treatment is stopped. Antibiotics also lose their efficacy over time. Retinoids have also been shown to have side effects and cannot be used by pregnant women.
Laser Acne Therapy

Laser therapy is another acne vulgaris treatment that is gaining in popularity. Although pricey for some, laser treatment requires only a few visits. Lasers are used to burn away either one or more layers of the skin (resurfacing), the underlying layers of skin (fractional laser therapy) or the burning of follicles or sebaceous glands (cauterizing). Laser therapy is relatively painless and its side effects include a few days of redness of the skin and minor irritation.

When to See a Doctor

If you have acne vulgaris, and your pimples are getting worse by the week, it is always a good idea to talk to your doctor regardless. Further, if you notice that some pimples are banding together, forming even larger pimples, you should speak to your doctor or dermatologist as acne scarring may result. Always see your doctor if medication or acne vulgaris treatments are causing unusual side effects.

Types of Acne

There are many variations of acne, ranging in severity from mild to severely disfiguring. The regimen works well to combat moderate to light acne. Severe acne may require more aggressive treatment.

Acne Vulgaris (mild or moderate) is the most common form of acne which includes several types of pimples. These acne lesions include blackheads, whiteheads, papules, pustules, nodules and cysts.

Whiteheads: Whiteheads result when a pore is completely blocked, trapping sebum (oil), bacteria, and dead skin cells, causing a white appearance on the surface. These types of acne lesions sometimes seem to be begging to be popped. Make sure you read about how to pop a pimple before you attempt this. Whiteheads are normally quicker in life cycle than blackheads.

Blackheads: Blackheads result when a pore is only partially blocked, allowing some of the trapped sebum (oil), bacteria, and dead skin cells to slowly drain to the surface. The black color is not caused by dirt. Rather, it is a reaction of the skin's own pigment, melanin, reacting with the oxygen in the air. A blackhead tends to be a stable structure, and can often take a long time to clear.
Papules: Papules are inflamed, red, tender bumps with no head. Do not squeeze a papule. It will do no good, and may exacerbate scarring.

Pustules: A pustule is similar to a whitehead, but is inflamed, and appears as a red circle with a white or yellow center. Pustules are your garden variety zit. Before you pop or squeeze such a lesion, be sure to read about how to pop a pimple.

Acne Prevention

What's the best way to get rid of acne? Prevent the pimples from forming up in the first place! Articles below provide information and tips that will help you in preventing acne.

Acne prevention often becomes essential during our teenage years. It can cause great distress and embarrassment at an age when young people are very concerned about how they look. Almost no teenager – and many an adult on drugs like lithium – is spared a prolonged period of acne problems. Pubescent girls need to pay greater attention to acne prevention because of the hormonal upsurges associated with the onset of menstruation.

Increased hormonal activity is the root cause of acne occurrence. This in turn causes excess oil production in the skin’s sebaceous glands. It is a sad fact that the areas most affected by acne are those that are almost constantly visible with today’s youthful fashion trends. Most acne prevention and control compounds contain specific compounds to address the problem. The packaging will indicate the presence of these compounds. One of these is benzoyl peroxide (sometimes in combination with the antibiotic erythromycin). The popular Clearasil contains this agent.

Most affected teenagers address acne prevention with manic scrubbing and dieting. They do this because of a mistaken assumption that the problem is related to poor hygiene or improper nutrition. Avoiding fat-laden junk foods like cheeseburgers is definitely a step in the right direction for other health-related reasons. However, it will do little by ways of acne prevention. Skin hygiene is important, and one can prevent acne to a certain extent by increased and regular cleansing. However, one tends to go overboard and resort to using extreme measures like a face wash of strong toothpaste and other harsh compounds. This will only aggravate the problem by encouraging increased compensatory oil production in the skin.

The belief that astringents discourage excess oil secretion is nothing but a myth. Astringents do take care of superficial oils. However, they are of no use in acne prevention because they cause the skin to contract. This clogs pores and causes long-term aggravation for short-term cosmetic benefits. The best course of action is using a mild cleansing agent to wash town the entire face (not just the fabled T zone or only acne-affected areas) and regular shampooing of hair.

Oily hair causes facial oiliness. This is especially true for those who sport chin/shoulder-length hair. Most importantly, picking at or rubbing of acne blemishes is strictly contraindicated. Doing this can lead to permanent scarring and skin discoloration that will require measures like laser treatment to correct later on. Excessive exposure to sunlight is also a definite no-no - especially if one is using a compound like trenitoin, which increases the skin’s photosensitivity. Tanning lamps can cause the same harmful effect. Females affected with acne must rigorously scan the contents of their cosmetics before using them – only those without an oily base and with the tag ‘noncomedogenic’ (non-obstructing to skin pores) on the label should be used. It is also important to avoid sports headgear such as headbands and cycling helmets. Many fashion accessories that cover part of the facial skin can cause constriction or irritation, too.