Treating Acne
Most teenagers can tell you about acne, the inflammation of the skin that causes blackheads and pimples. The onset of acne is a dark time for most, as the cloud of broken skin and oozing sores is the last thing that most would like to see when they look in the mirror every day. The idea of effective acne treatment was a long time in the making, as early acne treatments were less than successful. Some of the worst offenders actually made the user's acne even worse. But the problem inherent in many of these treatments is understanding the skin and what causes acne to form and become pimples and zits.
When pores get filled with dirt, they form what are commonly referred to as blackheads. The existence of blackheads in the skin is fairly common, as it is quite difficult to remove every speck of dirt from the face. Removal of blackheads is difficult and causes the surface of the skin to be broken, leaving a tiny pock mark that will likely never go away. But some treatments exist that remove the blackhead without squeezing, such as medicated pads and blackhead guns that work by using suction. These various treatments are somewhat effective, as removing blackheads is essential to preventing larger, more unsightly pimples and festering whiteheads from forming.
When blackheads are left to accumulate, they quickly become an advanced form of acne on the skin called pimples. Once a blackhead becomes infected, a common reaction of the skin to invading dirt, a small puddle of pus forms around the blackhead in an attempt to reject it from the body. At this point, the pimple will leave a larger pock mark that the blackhead would have made, had it been removed earlier. Getting the pimple out is much like the blackhead, except that it leaves a bigger mark. A good way to encourage the pimple to come out easier is to scratch and break the surface of the pimple, making it easier for it to escape the pore when squeezed.
If the pimple isn't caught in time and allowed to remain in the skin, it rapidly becomes a whitehead, a large, ugly sore filled with pus. Once again, the whitehead leaves a much larger mark than the pimple or blackhead would have if caught earlier. Removing the whitehead is similar to the removal of the blackhead and the pimple, simply break the surface and gently squeeze to allow the whitehead to ooze forth to the surface of the skin. This stage of the skin infection is far past what many would prefer, and most blackheads are removed while they are still blackheads.
Once the skin is free of blemishes and blackheads, the next logical step is cleansing the skin to reduce further outbreaks. While there are many commercial products that can assist in the fight against acne, most of them are based on the simple concept of cleansing with alcohol, which is a simple enough product to replicate at home. Simply add a few teaspoons of alcohol to a cup of warm water and mix. This solution can be made weaker or stronger depending on the user. Simply apply the water and alcohol solution to the skin two to three times daily.