Pregnancy and Acne

If you ordinarilly experience acne breakouts during your menstral cycle, pregnancy and acne might go hand in hand for you.  Keep in mind that acne is much more comon during early stages of pregnancy.  It is also possible that acne may improve during pregnancy.  One possible conclusion for this is the increase in progesterone which is normal during pregnancy.  Progesterone is a hormone that stimulates oil secretion from skin glands. 

Pregnancy and acne medication:  While most acne medications are completely safe during pregnancy, the one that is not is called Accutane or isotretinoin.  Accutane (isotretinoin) can cause severe birth defects in an extremely high percentage of women who take it, esspecially during the early stages of pregnancy.  If you are taking Accutane you should really consider using at least 2 different forms of birth control simulateously.  Retin A also contains tretinoin but is only used topically and is not as dangerous as Accutane, however Retin A does create some risks of fetal problems and should not be used during pregnancy.  The same suggestion for birth control applies to Retin A.

If you are pregnant and acne is a problem for you, there are plenty of over the counter acne medications that do not contain this dangerous ingredient and should be perfectly safe to use during pregnancy.  If you prefer a more holistic treatment for acne during pregnancy, please visit this blog often.  We will be covering several natural methods to combat acne during pregnancy.

Copyright 2009 www.health-speak.com Pregnancy and Acne

Acne is a menace. However, it’s not something that cannot be tackled. There are loads of acne skin care products around. We can classify acne skin care products into 3 broad categories –
* Preventive or general acne skin care products
* Over-the-counter, specialised acne skin care products
* On-prescription acne skin care products.

The general acne skin care products are the ones that are used as acne-prevention measure. These include cleansers, make-up removers and similar products that help prevent acne. In the real sense, these acne skin care products are just those that should anyway be part of your daily routine. However, some of these are more oriented to act like an acne skin care product. These acne skin care products act against the causes of acne e.g. limiting the production of sebum/oil and preventing clogging of skin pores. Basically, these acne skin care products prevent the oil from getting trapped in pores and hence hamper the growth of bacteria that lead to acne. The general acne skin care products also include exfoliation products like skin peels. These work towards removing dead skin cells, hence reducing the possibility of pore-clogging and bacteria development.

Then there are specialised acne skin care products that are available over-the-counter i.e. without the need of a prescription. These include products like vanishing creams which extract the extra oil from the skin. Most of these acne skin care products are based on benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, both of which are the enemies of bacteria (and hence acne). You should start with a product that has lower concentration of benzoyl peroxide (e.g. 5%) and see how your skin responds to it.  Alpha-hydroxy-acid based moisturizers are also popular as acne skin care products. You might have to try a few, before you zero-in on the acne skin care product that is effective for you. If nothing seems to work, you should contact a dermatologist.

On-prescription acne skin care products are the ones that are prescribed by a dermatologist. This can include ointments that can be applied on the affected area or oral antibiotics or just any topical treatment. Dermatologist could also suggest a minor surgical procedure to remove the contents of pustules.  However, never try to squeeze or do this by yourself, it can lead to permanent damage of your skin.  Your doctor could also prescribe a hormone-based treatment (since hormonal changes are also known to cause acne). Such acne skin care products are known to be very effective in some cases.
So, with all those acne skin care products, tackling acne is not that difficult.

Acne is a broad term which includes blemishes, blackheads, and whiteheads. Acne can strike at any age. Effective acne treatments are sometimes difficult to find, and understanding acne and prevention can be frustrating. Here are some acne treatmnt tips that have worked for many.Although acne isn’t life threatening it can be uncomfortable and hard on your ego. There has always been a debate about the actual cause of acne. The actual cause isn’t as important as finding a cure.

So is there a cure for acne. Well yes and no. There are many products available and for some they are a cure, for others they do not help. A cure is only a cure when you find a product that works for you.

Most acne treatments will take time to work. It usually takes around 8 weeks before you see any significant improvement so you are going to have to be patient. Once you’ve got your acne cleared up it’s important to continue with the treatment that’s working so it does not return.

If you have serious acne it is best to consult a dermatologist. However in milder cases you will often be able to get it under control by yourself just by preservering. Try these tips to conquer your acne.

Exercise Regular exercise helps keep your whole body in shape. It builds your immune system and helps eliminate toxins from the body. It’s a great start to fighting acne.

Diet You need to eat at least 5 servings of fresh fruit and vegetables each day. Fresh fruit and vegetables are full of nutrients that your body needs. They boost the immune system and are good antioxidants. They can work towards helping you get rid of the acne. Try to avoid refined sugars and fatty foods which are not good for you or your skin. You also need to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to flush your system of toxins.

Cosmetics Choose cosmetics that are water based and hypo-allergenic. Avoid oil free products, coal tar derivatives, and heavy creams. Make sure you wash your skin thoroughly every night to remove makeup residue.