Tips for Acne

‘Scar Face’ may have been a Hollywood classic but scarred faces are nightmares. Pimples are a nightmare come true for teenagers and young adults. You may have a mind blowing figure and be dad in the trendiest glad rags, but just a mere sprinkling of zits on your face …. and your appearance goes kaput!

Alongwith biceps and curves, pimples make an unwanted appearance at puberty and are often the bane of most teenagers. Tiny glands on the surface of the skin secrete a waxy material called sebum. As long as the sebum is below the skin surface they are called white heads. Those that make it to the surface are called black heads because of their colouring. And no, they are not black because of dirt and grime. It’s a pigment called melanin that gives them the black colouring. So don’t reach for the nearest bar of soap. Scrubbing your face with soap and water will only result in the depletion of essential skin oils, not to mention the sheer waste of soap and water!

It is only when the eruptions intensify that problems begin. These irruption’s are infected by bacteria that inhabit the skin leading to little dumps. These pustules ooze out a thick yellow discharge. In revere cases they are accompanied by bleeding. And as a parting moments, acts leaves behind an array of scars and puck marks making you moon faced – the skin looks like the crater riddled surface of the moon!

Funnily, pimples display a definite sexist bias. They are more severe and occur more frequently among boys than girls. The culprit is the male hormone testosterone. This is responsible for the production of sebum. While both, the male and female bodies, provides testosterone, the quantum is 10 times more in boys than girls! Alongwith the brown and muscles, pimples are an addition, albeit unwanted!

Acne could be a legacy of heredity. If both parents have a history of acne, chances are that their offspring too will have acne. Acne could also be the result of certain medications like antiepilepsy and anti T.B. drugs and anabolic steroids. Often, during the onset of menstruation pimples are aggravated. Female contraceptive pills, on the other hand, display a dual effect. While in some woman they aggravate acne, others benefit from these pills. And stress in the universal stimulant for acne! So stay cool and you will look cool!

Severe inflammatory acne needs medical supervision. Antibiotic tablets and creams can soothe the skin. Surgical procedures like sanding are recommended for reducing acne scars. In mild cases of acne, over the counter pimple creams do the trick. But more often than not a little self awareness goes a long way.

Begin with personal hygiene and cleanliness. This means so squeezing or scratchy your pimples with long, manicured nails. Avoid using cosmetics. Wash your face with cold water as often as you can. But remember dab your face dry with a soft towel. Do not embark on a soap and water-scrubbing spree. Soap suds and face washes will not wash away your zits. That’s just wishful and soapy thinking! Keep your scalp clean. Dandruff infested hair often aggravates the pimples. And keep all those lovely tresses away from your face.

Your skin reflects your diet to a great extent. Although there are not conclusive studies on the relation between acne and food, the experience of a couple of million pimple suffering teenagers recommended saying no to high fat and high salt foods. Graciously refuse a plate of oily french fries and restrain from gorging on chocolates and salty ‘namkeens’ and ‘farsan’. Instead, dig into a fresh fruit salad, sans the ice cream. Snack on salads, have fibre rich foods and go for vegetables with a vengeance. Your pimples might simply vanish away, leaving you with a radiant complexion. And as an added incentive you will be rating away to glory without being saddled with extra calories!

A little attention to personal hygiene and diet could work miracles. Your pimples can become a thing of the past, leaving you with a glowing and smooth complexion. So start paying attention and begin now!

ANJALI MUKERJEE, Nutritionist, Founder Director-Health Total, having health centers
in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Pune -manages obesity & other health related disorders.
Contact numbers: 1-800-843-0206/+91 86575 61727
For further information, Visit www.health-total.com