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Acne Treatment Products

By admin on Thursday, November 26th, 2009 | 3 Comments

Do Acne Treatment Products Work?

Not everyone was born with beautiful skin. Those who have never had to deal with pimples, blackheads, and other blemishes should count themselves lucky, because for many people, fighting problem skin is an ongoing battle. More often than not, it feels like a losing cause, as most over-the-counter acne treatment products prove to be ineffective at providing a long-term solution for particularly troublesome cases. So what can you do to clear up your face once and for all?

There are a couple of different options that go beyond acne treatment products like Clearasil, Oxy, and Proactiv. The first involves seeing a dermatologist. I know many people try to avoid this, either because their insurance doesn’t cover such visits or because they think they can’t afford the consultation. But I think you’ll be surprised at how affordable some dermatologists are, even without insurance. For instance, there’s a clinic near my home that accepts walk-in patients for a $59 consultation fee. That’s not bad at all, especially when you’ll be getting a diagnosis from a trained medical professional who will then recommend prescription acne treatment products for you.

Some typical prescription acne treatment products include topical creams such as Differin (Adapalene) and Clindamycin. Differin is a retinoid, while Clindamycin is an antibiotic. Both of these topical creams are far more effective at clearing up problem skin than treatments you would find on the shelves at your local beauty supply store. Antibiotics in particular are important for a clear skin regimen because they help fight bacteria that cause pimples. Your dermatologist might even give you oral antibiotics to take as part of your regimen, and those have received positive results as well.

Another alternative to OTC acne treatment products is something called blue light therapy. This method involves exposing your face to a special high-intensity light source to zap bacteria and clear up your skin. The light is not UV light, and thus far doesn’t have any detrimental side effects. (It should be noted, however, that this is a relatively new procedure, so there hasn’t been enough time to study long-term effects.) At any rate, many patients have responded well to blue light therapy, so it’s definitely something to consider.

There is a major drawback to blue light therapy versus more traditional acne treatment products, and that’s the cost. Blue light therapy requires a series of treatments, which, depending on the severity of the problem, can cost more than $1,000 before all is said and done. That price is pretty steep, but then again, if you’ve got the money, then it might be worth a shot, especially if you can get rid of your pimples once and for all.

The bottom line here is that most of the acne treatment products you’re familiar with probably aren’t going to do very much to get your skin problems under control. If you’re troubled by stubborn, persistent pimples and blemishes, try one of the alternatives I mentioned above.

Acne Scar Removal

By admin on Saturday, October 17th, 2009 | 4 Comments

Have you ever met a computer geek? I am not talking about the professionals that are hired on the geek squad to go out and help people with computer problems; I am talking about a geek that sits in a room filled with computer equipment and runs his life. My sister’s son fits into this category. In some ways his life is a bit sad and in others he is a bit scary. He was a normal healthy child who developed a bad case of acne when he was fourteen. He was so embarrassed and self conscious about the acne that he started communicating with others in chat rooms rather than facing them. Through this he spent a great deal of time on computers and found that he had great computer skills. He began making money off the internet by age eighteen and basically lived his life in his parents basement.

My sister knows that I am a therapist and so she asked me to intervene with her son. He claims to be happy with his life; however he spends almost no time outside the basement. My son, his cousin, is the same age. My son has invited him to many activities through the years, but he is always turned down. I told my sister that I thought the key was to start with the acne scar removal and to work from there. It was the acne that caused him to go into his shell in the first place so I thought this needed to be addressed. If he would go through the acne scar removal then he may gain the confidence to face people and start to live a more normal life. He was extremely successful at making money on the internet. At the age of twenty he was making over five thousand dollars a month. My sister wanted him to enjoy spending his money off the internet and out of the basement. I told my sister that in addition to arranging the acne scar removal she should also tell him that he needed to move out of the basement. Forcing him to find a different place to live would help him have new surroundings around other people. He could afford an apartment or to buy a home of his own if he wished.

My nephew was very upset when he was told that he needed to move. He agreed to go to the appointment to discuss the acne scar removal, but he insisted this was not why he spent time alone. Once he started the laser procedures on his face he was a different person. His skin improved drastically and so did his self esteem. He is still working on the internet and doing very well; however he is also socializing and getting out more.