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Acne Control and Complex
Acne control is very similar to acne cleansing, and is defined
as a way to either keep your acne symptoms from getting worse
(severe
acne) or for stopping an acne flare-up after a pre-existing
acne problem has been remedied. Many acne complex products help
in controlling acne, as do many cleansing routines. Regardless
of which method you choose (or both), there are three main targets
to acne control, which are summarized below:
•
Preventing the sebaceous glands from over producing sebum
• Increasing skin health (removing dead skin) and the
rate at which it replaces itself
• Killing acne causing
bacteria
Slowing Sebum Production
Preventing overproduction of oils from the sebaceous glands
will help keep your skin less oily, will shrink your pores,
and will reduce the chance that other debris will mix with the
oil in the pores which facilitates the growth of the bacteria
that causes
acne. Lowering the oil production is not necessarily easy
and is usually needed only in severe cases as an acne control
method. Because sebum production is directly related to hormones,
there are hormonal acne
treatments available to slow the production of sebum. Many
new acne complex products address the overproduction of sebum
and oil. Although acne is a possibility in adults, teen
acne is more prevalent due to the increase in hormones in
the system during puberty and adolescent years.
Increasing
Skin Health
By far the best way to increase the health of your skin is to
stay healthy with proper nutrition and exercise. When your body
gets all of its needed nutrients, the skin is able to heal,
repair and grow at its optimal level. Vitamin A in particular
(sometimes used in a synthetic form to treat and control acne)
is readily available in many foods and greatly increases skin
health, not to mention skin elasticity, preventing wrinkles.
Eating healthy does not necessarily mean staying away from some
fatty foods. Remember, eating ‘junk food’ does not
cause
acne!
Exercise is an effective supplement for acne control,
and is also highly under rated outside of health circles. Exercise
is natural; lethargy is not. When you exercise, your body produces
different hormones, extra proteins and ‘runs’ like
a well-oiled machine. When your body is in perfect health, all
of the facets of the body work correctly – including the
pores and the sebaceous glands. Exercise can be a way to normalize
the body. Further, exercise promotes and strong immune system
that can control acne-causing bacteria and other forms of infection.
Killing Acne-Causing Bacteria
Using a cleanser in a daily cleansing routine is paramount when
controlling acne. Find out which acne complex work best for
you. Some products are strictly astringents, while others are
less ‘drying’ and also contain moisturizers. Make
sure your cleansing product is oil free, non-comedogenic and
does not react poorly with your skin type. Many products contain
several ingredients for killing acne
causing bacteria – some examples include salicylic acid
and benzoyl peroxide. See our acne
products section for information on specific products for
acne control.
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