Tag Archives: Skin irritation

Effects of Acne to the health of the skin

Effects of Acne to the health of the skin – Known signs and Symptoms

Effects of Acne to the health of the skin

Effects of Acne to the health of the skin

Being the largest body organ and very exposed to the surrounding, the skin is under high risks of various attacks and infections. Acne is just one of the many and it is an inflammatory skin disease affecting the pilosebaceous units (skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland). In this article, we are going to introduce the overview of the effects of acne to the health of the skin and latter progress with the discussion into the pigmentation disorders and treatment. On completion you will be well informed of all the effects of acne to the health of the skin so that you can take precaution in good time. In the meantime, the most common inflammatory manifestations of acne are pimples. No one would want to down the face infested by pimples and yet pimples are real and they our great concern. To deal with is problem (acne) among other skin health conditions, doctor Dalal Akoury formed AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center where focus is on transforming each individual’s life through increasing awareness about health and wellness and by empowering individuals to find their own inner healing power. Her practice focuses on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of patching up symptoms. This is what doctor Akoury wants to see happen in the lives of people concern of the good health of their skin.

Before we get into the symptoms, it is important to note that acne usually develops in puberty due to the flow of testosterone, which is a necessary (but not sufficient) causative factor in acne. Genetic predisposition is an important determinant of who develops acne and who doesn’t. In many people, acne disappears by early to mid-twenties. Others continue to experience it throughout adult life, even though adult acne tends to be milder. Acne is very common and this is what we want to reduce if not to eradicate. To help us start off, the knowledge of acne is very important, therefore the following are some of the signs and symptoms for acne

Effects of Acne to the health of the skin – Signs and Symptoms

  • Comedone /Microcomedone – Comedone is enlarged hair follicle plugged with oil and bacteria and it’s the first and smallest type of lesion. It is also called microcomendone since it is not visible by the naked eye.
  • Open comedone /blackhead – This is a plugged follicle that reaches the surface of the skin. Take note that even though dark in appearance, this doesn’t insinuate the presence of dirt. The dark color comes from chemically altered oils and bacteria.
  • Closed comedone/whitehead – Ordinarily, this is a clogged follicle which stays beneath the skin. Whiteheads usually appear on the skin as round, white bumps 1-2 mm wide.
  • Papules – These are inflamed lesions that appear as small, pink bumps on the skin. They do not contain any visible puss.
  • Pustules/pimplesPustules or pimples are inflamed pus-filled lesions red at the base
  • Cysts and nodules – These are large, inflamed, pus-filled lesions that are lodged deep and can drain, causing pain and scarring.
  • Scars – As they heal, acne lesions, particularly cysts and nodules and, less frequently, pistules may cause scars of various shape and size.

Effects of Acne to the health of the skin – How acne lesions develop

To understand the effects of acne to the health of the skin better, it will be important that we know how acne lesions are formed. For instance, excessive secretion of oils from the sebaceous glands combines with naturally occurring dead skin cells to block the hair follicles. Sometimes, excessive or altered keratinization (hardening and death of epithelial cells) leads to abnormal shedding of the skin lining of the pores. Oil secretions build up beneath the blocked pore, forming a comedone, which is a perfect anaerobic environment for the growth of the skin bacterium Propionibacterium acnes. Bacterial growth triggers inflammatory response, producing an inflamed lesion, such as a pustule or a nodule. After an inflamed lesion heals, a scar may develop.

Effects of Acne to the health of the skin – Causes of acne

The formation of acne is a joint force of various factors in line with genetics, age and gender. Also applicable is the lifestyle factors like diet or trainings which are also significant though in minimal portions. Some known factors which contribute to the development of acne may include:

  • Hormonal levels – Certain hormones, particularly androgens, such as testosterone and dihydro-testosterone (DHT), promote acne. Of importance are not only absolute levels of these hormones but also the levels relative to other hormones, such as estrogens and progestin’s. Acne tends to sparkle up when levels of androgens grow either absolutely or relatively to other hormones. This is one of the main reasons why acne sparkle-ups are linked to puberty and menstrual cycles.
  • Excessive sebum production – Excess sebum from overactive sebaceous glands is an important factor in acne. Excess sebum is most often caused by increase in absolute or relative levels of androgenic hormones. Remember that sebum production may also be increased by stress and heat.
  • Accumulation of dead skin cells – Excessive shedding of dead skin cells can plug the pore, creating a nutrient-rich anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment conducive to overgrowth of acne-causing bacteria.
  • Bacteria – Bacteria are part of the normal micro flora residing in pores. Under normal circumstances, the micro flora is in balance with the environment of the pore and does not cause any problems. However, various factors can tip the balance and cause bacteria to grow excessively. This triggers inflammatory response leading the acne lesions.
  • Skin irritation – Skin irritation does not generally cause acne by itself, but may induce a flare-up or exacerbate existing lesions.
  • Drugs, pollutants – Certain drugs and environmental pollutants have been linked to acne with varying degree of certainty like anabolic steroids, lithium, and barbiturates. Also remember that exposure to high levels of chlorine compounds, such as chlorinated dioxins, can cause severe, long-lasting acne, known as Chloracne.

Finally now that we have introduced the effects of acne to the health of the skin, I want to request you to stay on the link because we are going to discuss in the next article the treatment of acne. This is very crucial and you don’t want to miss it. In the meantime if you have any skin related problem and you are wondering how to go about it, worry no more. A phone call to doctor Akoury is all you need to schedule for that very important appointment of solutions.

Effects of Acne to the health of the skin – Known signs and Symptoms

 

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Skin Irritants: How to Get that Glowing Look

Fighting Common Skin Irritants for a Glowing Look – Prevention & Treatment of Irritants

Fighting Common Skin Irritants

Fighting common skin Irritants for a glowing facial look. And once you’re no longer exposed to the irritant or allergen, redness usually vanishes.

The beauty of the skin can easily be affected by a simple skin irritation and the sooner we get to serious business of fighting common skin irritants the better for a glowing and radiant looking skin. It is important to note that individuals with sensitive skin can easily trigger an irritation even by changing the kind of soap they use leading to an outbreak of redness, stinging and itching. Things that cause skin irritations are all around us even in our homes. In fact our homes harbor most of these common skin irritants including triple-antibiotic ointments, bandage adhesives, and jewelry that contains metals such as nickel. When your skin becomes inflamed after coming in contact with one of these substances or many more the condition is called contact dermatitis. People with sensitive skin can get two types of this condition:

Irrespective of the kind of dermatitis you’re suffering from doctor Akoury will be there to help you get well as well as fighting other common skin irritants for a glowing look.

Fighting Common Skin Irritants for a Glowing Look: Irritant Contact Dermatitis

This form of skin irritants is the most common one affecting about 80% of all reported cases. Like for instance when your skin get into contact with an irritating substance, you’ll often get a reaction that resembles a burn with red, chapped, and dry skin. This skin reaction tends to be more painful than itchy. Skin irritants contact dermatitis is naturally triggered by common substances we are exposed to in our day today life like:

  • Strong soaps
  • Acetone in nail polish removers
  • Drain cleaners
  • Acids
  • Detergents
  • Plants

How this affects vary depending on the sensitivity of individual patients skin. Individuals with high skin sensitivity can develop irritation from even mild soaps and detergents they use regularly. Besides that doing house activities where your skin can be exposed to cleaning products like detergents and waxes, this can wear down the protective barriers of your skin making your skin to be vulnerable for an attack by all these irritants. Typical irritant contact dermatitis symptoms include:

  • Dry, cracked skin
  • Mild skin swelling
  • Blisters or painful ulcers on the skin
  • Stiff, tight-feeling skin

Fighting Common Skin Irritants for a Glowing Look: Allergic Contact Dermatitis

This less common form is a true allergic reaction. In allergic contact dermatitis, the immune system responds to a substance that touches the skin. You can become allergic to the substance after one exposure or many. In fact, people can be exposed to a substance for long periods, even years, before developing an allergy. Common sources of allergic contact dermatitis include:

  • Fragrances
  • Preservatives
  • Cosmetics
  • Poison ivy
  • Topical antibiotics
  • Rubber or latex
  • Metals in jewelry, such as nickel

Some people are also allergic to over-the-counter topical triple-antibiotic ointments. All told, thousands of substances can cause allergic dermatitis. When a person who has become sensitized to an allergen becomes exposed by touching the substance, symptoms, such as itching and skin inflammation, are often delayed. They can show up anywhere from a few hours to as many as four days after contact. Symptoms of allergic contact dermatitis include:

  • Reddened skin
  • Darkened, leathery, cracked skin
  • Dry, scaly patches of skin
  • Burning or intense itching
  • Blisters that ooze
  • Hives
  • Sun sensitivity
  • Swelling in the eyes, face or genital area

In addition, some people get a form called photo allergic contact dermatitis. This type happens only after the skin touches certain substances and then comes in contact with sunlight. These substances may include:

Fighting Common Skin Irritants for a Glowing Look: Finding the Source of Skin Irritnts

If you suspect that a certain product or substance is causing your dermatitis, avoid it and watch whether your rash improves.

But it’s not always easy to pinpoint a specific cause. For example, your eyelids may be chronically dry, red and flaky, but what’s to blame: your eye shadow, eyeliner, makeup remover, or overnight eye cream?

Sometimes, people have no clue at all — they get a rash, but they can’t recall the substances that have touched their skin. Or their facial skin becomes inflamed, leading them to suspect a face product. In fact, they might have unwittingly transferred a substance from their hands to their face. The substance doesn’t affect the hands, but the more sensitive facial skin will react.

If you can’t figure out the source of irritation, see a dermatologist. He or she will quiz you about your job, household chores, hobbies, drug and cosmetics use, and other factors in order to gain clues about the root of the problem.

Your doctor may also do testing. No test can be performed for irritant contact dermatitis. But your doctor may do patch testing to see if you’re sensitive to various types of allergens that are known to cause dermatitis. Small patches of these substances are placed on your skin for one to two days so that your doctor can check if a rash develops.

Fighting Common Skin Irritants for a Glowing Look: Prevention & Treating Contact Dermatitis

To relieve itching, contact dermatitis is commonly treated with:

  • Oral or topical steroids
  • Oral antihistamines
  • Skin emollients
  • Oatmeal baths

Once you’re no longer exposed to the irritant or allergen, redness usually vanishes after a week. But itching, scaling, and temporary skin thickening may go on for days or weeks. You can also take steps to protect your sensitive skin from developing contact dermatitis. For example:

  • Once you’ve identified an offending substance, avoid it. Wear gloves or protective clothing to prevent exposing your skin to cleansers, weeds, and other substances during housework or yard work. If your skin makes contact, wash the substance off right away with soap and water.
  • Learn to recognize poison ivy and poison oak.
  • Use mild, unscented laundry detergent.
  • If you have sensitive facial skin, consider using gentle, soap-free, liquid cleansers. Or use a moisturizing soap that’s free of fragrance and dyes.
  • Don’t scrub your face vigorously with a rough washcloth or buff puff. Instead, cleanse gently and pat dry.
  • Avoid deodorant or antibacterial soaps.
  • Choose moisturizers, sunscreens, and cosmetics that are fragrance-free and don’t contain acids or botanical ingredients. Physical sun blocks that contain zinc oxide or titanium oxide are less likely to cause skin problems than chemical sunscreens.
  • Test cosmetics and personal care products before using. Apply a small amount of the new product twice a day to a small patch of skin near the inside of your elbow. If no irritation occurs in that spot after a week, you can try using the product.

Protect your skin by applying petroleum jelly or a thick, moisturizing cream two or three times a day. The objective of fighting common skin irritants may not be realized if the experts are not adequately involved. Therefore scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury an expert in skincare with over two decades experience of practice would be the starting point. The beauty of your skin is and must be your number one priority. Call doctor Akoury today for that very important appointment.

Fighting Common Skin Irritants for a Glowing Look – Prevention & Treatment of Irritants

 

 

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