The results?
As always doctors claimed that acne quickly cleared up, oil production was decreased, and everyone was happy. Further, doctors claimed there was a dramatic improvement in skin texture. The results were infinitely better than the blue or red light alone. These researchers claim that red and blue light get absorbed better in oil glands once the photosensitzer is applied and light therapy targets the acne lesions. Not mentioned was the severity of pain when intense light therapy is administered- rest assured it hurts like hell. No mention was made if the doctors were paid consultants
by the light therapy companies.
So what should the consumer do?
A word of warning- newer medical treatments are always hyped up and lots of false promises are made. This is especially true when it comes to treatment of acne. Therefore, the best advice is not to rush. Wait and see what happens. Read testimonials and ask questions. Remember, cost of this therapy is not going to come cheap. Cosmeticians and skin doctors are not into this profession just to rid of acne, but make money. If there is no acne, there is no money to be made.
So for the moment, continue washing your face, stop mucking around with your pimples, discontinue the habit of using a new type of treatment every week and never rush to get the latest acne therapy.
If your acne is excessive, use a retinoid. If your acne is mild, use home remedies and if you have only one zit, keep away from doctors- chances are they will make your face worse.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Blue light therapy and Acne- a newer version?
If a therapy was great for acne, then one would leave it alone, market it and make a lot of money- right? Well, in my last article I wrote that intense blue light was as good as garbage. Despite claims by physicians that it works, less than 5% of individuals ever see any benefit. Even individuals who responds to blue light soon develops acne recurrence. Therefore, spending a fortune on blue light therapy is at best considered a waste of money.
Anyway, now blue light therapy for treatment of acne has been modified. At the recent meeting in San Francisco, the skin doctors got together and discussed all the new therapies for acne. The latest is combining intense blue light with a photo sensitizer. A photo sensitizer is simply a chemical that has the ability to attract light. For example if you have a small skin lesion, you apply the photo sensitizer on skin followed by light. The photo sensitizer will attract light only to the painted area and the skin lesion will be destroyed by intense localized heat. Photo sensitizers have been used to destroy various cancers- the results are not always great or reproducible.
In this study, researchers combined blue and red light to treat acne. Only 10 patients with mild to severe acne were followed. The photo sensitizer used was amino levulinic acid (ALA). This chemical was painted on acne lesions one hour prior to light therapy. Then a numbing cream was applied and both red and blue light were used to zap the acne lesion.
Anyway, now blue light therapy for treatment of acne has been modified. At the recent meeting in San Francisco, the skin doctors got together and discussed all the new therapies for acne. The latest is combining intense blue light with a photo sensitizer. A photo sensitizer is simply a chemical that has the ability to attract light. For example if you have a small skin lesion, you apply the photo sensitizer on skin followed by light. The photo sensitizer will attract light only to the painted area and the skin lesion will be destroyed by intense localized heat. Photo sensitizers have been used to destroy various cancers- the results are not always great or reproducible.
In this study, researchers combined blue and red light to treat acne. Only 10 patients with mild to severe acne were followed. The photo sensitizer used was amino levulinic acid (ALA). This chemical was painted on acne lesions one hour prior to light therapy. Then a numbing cream was applied and both red and blue light were used to zap the acne lesion.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Acne Facials: part 3
So how do acne facials work?
To control oils on face, the therapist may use some type of chemical peel like salicylic or azelaic acid. Hot steam therapy opens up pores and allows for easy extractions of blackheads and comedomes. This is then followed by a cosmetic mask to help dry up the oils. The mask as always is nothing simple- it is always made up of exotic and naturally occurring substance like clay, sulfur, extracts of tea or seaweed. Once the mask is completed, an oil free moisturizer is applied on the skin to help prevent dryness
How often should one undergo acne facials?
As always when there is money to be made, many sessions are required. The therapists claim that one needs an acne facial every 6-8 weeks to look great.
Is there anything one can be done at home?
Most therapists also recommended that one practice face cleaning at home with an acne cleanser such as benzyl peroxide. Please consumers do not buy acne facial kits for home use. They do absolutely nothing, are expensive and a waste of time. It is like giving your hard-earned money to Mr. Bernie Madoff.
What are results like?
You have to be realistic in expectations. Results of acne facial are quite variable and depend on severity of your acne and when treatment is sought. There are many types of acne facials and one should try out a few to select the best one that works. This usually means that nothing ever works.
What is cost?
In general, acne facials are not cheap. The basic treatment can cost $50. Depending on what the therapist does and how much mucking around is done, it can easily cost anywhere from $150-$1,000. Acne facials with physicians are even more expensive because you also have to pay to listen to crap.
Final point
Before you enroll for facial acne, get an opinion from a friend, college, or better still talk to an aesthetitician/dermatologist. Everyone is offering acne facials these days. Therapists, Technicians, Filipinos, Thai, Vietnamese, Italians, French, and even unemployed cooks. Acne facials make you feel good, and do make your face look clean for a few hours. As far as acne is concerned, it is rubbish (or should I say crap). People who go for acne facials have money to waste. If you really want your acne to go away, start with cleaning your face at home 2-3 times a day, wash the oils off regularly and keep the face clean. Eat healthy, exercise, do not smoke, and use a retinoid (e.g. accutane). I am not sure if this will completely get rid of your acne, but it will save you from being ripped off by scam artists in the field of cosmetics.
To control oils on face, the therapist may use some type of chemical peel like salicylic or azelaic acid. Hot steam therapy opens up pores and allows for easy extractions of blackheads and comedomes. This is then followed by a cosmetic mask to help dry up the oils. The mask as always is nothing simple- it is always made up of exotic and naturally occurring substance like clay, sulfur, extracts of tea or seaweed. Once the mask is completed, an oil free moisturizer is applied on the skin to help prevent dryness
How often should one undergo acne facials?
As always when there is money to be made, many sessions are required. The therapists claim that one needs an acne facial every 6-8 weeks to look great.
Is there anything one can be done at home?
Most therapists also recommended that one practice face cleaning at home with an acne cleanser such as benzyl peroxide. Please consumers do not buy acne facial kits for home use. They do absolutely nothing, are expensive and a waste of time. It is like giving your hard-earned money to Mr. Bernie Madoff.
What are results like?
You have to be realistic in expectations. Results of acne facial are quite variable and depend on severity of your acne and when treatment is sought. There are many types of acne facials and one should try out a few to select the best one that works. This usually means that nothing ever works.
What is cost?
In general, acne facials are not cheap. The basic treatment can cost $50. Depending on what the therapist does and how much mucking around is done, it can easily cost anywhere from $150-$1,000. Acne facials with physicians are even more expensive because you also have to pay to listen to crap.
Final point
Before you enroll for facial acne, get an opinion from a friend, college, or better still talk to an aesthetitician/dermatologist. Everyone is offering acne facials these days. Therapists, Technicians, Filipinos, Thai, Vietnamese, Italians, French, and even unemployed cooks. Acne facials make you feel good, and do make your face look clean for a few hours. As far as acne is concerned, it is rubbish (or should I say crap). People who go for acne facials have money to waste. If you really want your acne to go away, start with cleaning your face at home 2-3 times a day, wash the oils off regularly and keep the face clean. Eat healthy, exercise, do not smoke, and use a retinoid (e.g. accutane). I am not sure if this will completely get rid of your acne, but it will save you from being ripped off by scam artists in the field of cosmetics.
Acne Facials: Part 2
Acne facials
For many years, acne facials were hyped up to as a method to clear up acne scars and blackheads. Before you read more on about acne facials-, it is not a cure for acne and rarely helps the majority of individuals with this skin disorder.
During an acne facial, the therapist simply extracts the black head. By the way, you will get a nice facial steam bath with some aromatic oils and herbs. As always, these exotic herbs and oils will have been obtained from the Amazon rain forests, the Dead Sea or from the gall bladder of the hippopotamus (a bunch of BS).
To be fair to the acne facial treatments, the process does help get rid of excess oil, clean skin and help open up pores. Massage therapy should not be done during acne facials as it can worsen acne.
To make it look fancy and exotic, you will be treated with tender loving care and pay a fortune. You can extract the black head at home with a comedome extractor-, which costs less than $2. Acne facials do nothing for your acne, acne scars or nodular acne. Acne facials are just a gimmick and do nothing really significant.
Mucking around with pimples and squeezing them with instruments only leads to one thing worse than acne- acne scars. So if you have any common sense, forget acne facials.
For many years, acne facials were hyped up to as a method to clear up acne scars and blackheads. Before you read more on about acne facials-, it is not a cure for acne and rarely helps the majority of individuals with this skin disorder.
During an acne facial, the therapist simply extracts the black head. By the way, you will get a nice facial steam bath with some aromatic oils and herbs. As always, these exotic herbs and oils will have been obtained from the Amazon rain forests, the Dead Sea or from the gall bladder of the hippopotamus (a bunch of BS).
To be fair to the acne facial treatments, the process does help get rid of excess oil, clean skin and help open up pores. Massage therapy should not be done during acne facials as it can worsen acne.
To make it look fancy and exotic, you will be treated with tender loving care and pay a fortune. You can extract the black head at home with a comedome extractor-, which costs less than $2. Acne facials do nothing for your acne, acne scars or nodular acne. Acne facials are just a gimmick and do nothing really significant.
Mucking around with pimples and squeezing them with instruments only leads to one thing worse than acne- acne scars. So if you have any common sense, forget acne facials.
Acne Facials- another crappy treatment?
For teenagers and young adults, there is no condition that is more agonizing than facial acne. Facial acne can make a mess of one’s personal life. It is an embarrassing skin disorder that often leads to isolation, withdrawal, and depression. Why acne happens in a few individuals and not in others is not really known. In general, acne is more common in men than in women.
Why does acne occur?
Acne occurs when skin pores get plugged with excess oil, debris, or dirt. When pores get blocked, this leads to small pimple formation. Once the bacteria start to grow in the oils, this leads to redness and tender pustules that appear “angry”. Acne sucks- there is nothing nice to say about this skin ailment.
Is there any treatment for facial acne?
The majority of over the counter medications and antibiotics rarely help and may in fact worsen acne in some cases. In many cases, medications cause skin dryness, worsen redness, and make the skin look like crap. Moreover, acne medications do not come cheap. For decades, there were no options for acne sufferers. Now we have acne facials
Why does acne occur?
Acne occurs when skin pores get plugged with excess oil, debris, or dirt. When pores get blocked, this leads to small pimple formation. Once the bacteria start to grow in the oils, this leads to redness and tender pustules that appear “angry”. Acne sucks- there is nothing nice to say about this skin ailment.
Is there any treatment for facial acne?
The majority of over the counter medications and antibiotics rarely help and may in fact worsen acne in some cases. In many cases, medications cause skin dryness, worsen redness, and make the skin look like crap. Moreover, acne medications do not come cheap. For decades, there were no options for acne sufferers. Now we have acne facials
Thursday, May 14, 2009
South Beach diet and Acne: part 2
This is not the first time a diet has been strongly suggestive of improving acne. Other studies on diets failed to live up to expectations. One has to remember the present study was all based on questionnaires. It was not randomized nor was the assessment of acne blind. All the answers were individually completed by participants. How valid such a study is remains questionable. Future research is on going to independently determine the role of nutrition, weight loss, and exercise in prevention of acne.
So what shoulder consumers with acne do?
The south beach diet has been around for many years and is meant for individuals who want to lose weight. The diet basically involves omitting all carbohydrates from diet – meaning no pizza, chocolates, no sugars, no desserts, not even fruit and definitely no alcohol. While the diet is quite popular, losing weight is not a guarantee. Most testimonials claim that it is hard to get off carbs completely.
There is really no harm in trying out the south beach diet. One does not get the hunger pangs felt with other diets and the diet is nutritionally adequate. Therefore, if you are overweight and have acne, here is your chance to kill two birds with one stone. Even if you only lose your acne- how bad can that be?
So what shoulder consumers with acne do?
The south beach diet has been around for many years and is meant for individuals who want to lose weight. The diet basically involves omitting all carbohydrates from diet – meaning no pizza, chocolates, no sugars, no desserts, not even fruit and definitely no alcohol. While the diet is quite popular, losing weight is not a guarantee. Most testimonials claim that it is hard to get off carbs completely.
There is really no harm in trying out the south beach diet. One does not get the hunger pangs felt with other diets and the diet is nutritionally adequate. Therefore, if you are overweight and have acne, here is your chance to kill two birds with one stone. Even if you only lose your acne- how bad can that be?
Can the South Beach diet prevent Acne?
Acne is an agonizing disorder for young adults and teenagers. Why the darn skin disorder occurs in some individuals and not in others is a puzzle. There are a few theories as to why acne occurs but there are hundreds of treatments for acne- and none is ideal. One area that has been debated for many years is whether acne is related to diet. Can a change in diet reverse acne?
At a recent meeting by skin doctors, there was some hint that perhaps the South beach diet may be beneficial to people who have acne. The south beach diet is essentially a low sugar diet that first originated in Florida. In essence, the south beach diet is unlike any western diet and is free of processed foods, cereal grains, dairy products, refined sugars, and saturated oils. The diet is basically entirely unprocessed fresh fruits (those without sugar), vegetables, lean meat, fish and sea food.
In the study presented at the meeting, people with acne who followed this diet revealed that their skin texture and outlook was much improved. The improvements in skin were observed within 3 months. Further, many individuals on this diet mentioned that they had been able to cut down on conventional acne medications because of skin improvement.
At a recent meeting by skin doctors, there was some hint that perhaps the South beach diet may be beneficial to people who have acne. The south beach diet is essentially a low sugar diet that first originated in Florida. In essence, the south beach diet is unlike any western diet and is free of processed foods, cereal grains, dairy products, refined sugars, and saturated oils. The diet is basically entirely unprocessed fresh fruits (those without sugar), vegetables, lean meat, fish and sea food.
In the study presented at the meeting, people with acne who followed this diet revealed that their skin texture and outlook was much improved. The improvements in skin were observed within 3 months. Further, many individuals on this diet mentioned that they had been able to cut down on conventional acne medications because of skin improvement.
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