Anyone can suffer from ingrown hairs on the neck but it’s most common with men due to this being a very common area for men to shave more than women. When the hairs on the neck are shaved, sometimes the short hairs can coil back into the skin, causing the hair to grow into the skin which causes a painful or irritable inflammation on the skin, also known as a red papule, or razor bump. Often times the razor bumps look like acne and many people actually think they have acne on their necks but more than likely the bumps are from shaving.
If you use a traditional, manual razor with shaving cream to shave your face, you may get a smooth, cleaner shave, but you will definitely get cuts as well, which can lead to those pesky razor bumps. Also, if you don’t change your manual razor regularly, germs and bacteria can start to build up on the blades as well. Though it’s not as clean of a shave with an electric razor, you will more than likely have less razor bumps because the electric razor will not cut your skin open. So trying an electric razor may be the trick…but if you refuse to switch, at lease dispose of your manual razor regularly!
The Mayo Clinic recommends trying to remove the ingrown hair by using either a sanitized needle or tweezers to free the tip from under the surface and then pulling the hair out with tweezers. Then cleanse the area with some rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball after removing the hair to avoid any infections from occurring. If you can’t see a visible hair, don’t try this procedure because you’ll more than likely irritate the papule.
Try using a clean, never been used SOFT toothbrush, and gently massage the papules/razor bumps with the bristles of the brush. This may sound ridiculous but it actually can work to help bring the hair through the surface of the skin. It is very important to be very gentle on the area when applying the toothbrush method. You don’t want to irritate the skin any more than it already is.
It is recommended by the Mayo Clinic to make an appointment to see a dermatologist so he or she can prescribe an antibiotic or topical treatment to reduce the inflammation caused by bacteria and infection on your neck. It will help for a quicker recovery and give you some relief physically. Avoid wearing any clothing with an itchy collar while dealing with ingrown hairs as to not further irritate the area.
Follow these steps and your neck will thank you!
Acne-prone skin needs extra special care. There are certain skincare regimens that must be followed both from the inside and out. Read on to learn about the basic skin care tips for acne-prone skin.
Skin care should start from the inside. Meaning, a healthy diet is vital to skin care. Keep your hormones in good balance by lessening your intake of sugar, starchy food, dairy products, alcoholic beverages, oily foods, and hormone treated meat products. Drink at least 8 glasses of water daily to keep skin hydrated.
Maintain regular skin cleansing and exfoliation with skin care products that are mild, fragrance-free, alcohol-free, and are non-comedogenic. Avoid rubbing and scrubbing your face to avoid irritation. Use a new face towel and wash cloth daily to keep unwanted bacteria from returning to your newly cleansed skin.
Follow your dermatologist’s recommendations and prescriptions on products that are right for your skin. Do not try to experiment on products and cosmetics that are not approved by your skin doctor.
Do not touch your pimples or acne-affected areas. The bacteria on the hands and fingernails can lead to worsening of acne. Therefore, keep your hands clean at all times and avoid touching your face.
Aim for total wellness. Avoid too much stress, get at least 6 hours of peaceful sleep nightly, stay away from polluted areas, exercise daily to sweat out toxins, and maintain a good healthy diet.
From now on simply follow these skin care tips and decrease the occurrence of acne breakouts.
All teenagers detest acne. Acne is one of the most common cause which leads to irritating behavior, low self-esteem and lack of confidence among teenagers. Acne is a skin problem that affects almost all teenagers. Read on to learn about the various ways on how to cope with acne in teens.
The hyperactivity of the oil glands is the main culprit for acne breakouts. Acne is closely associated with the hyperactivity of the oil glands of the growing adolescents. The action of hormones on the skin’s oil glands called sebaceous glands is rapid during teenage which leads to acne breakouts. Acne problems are also associated with puberty.
Teenage Acne: Causes
Besides the normal cause of human growth due to hormonal imbalances, there are other reasons that aggravate acne. Changes in lifestyle including dietary habits and stress in life trigger acne growth. Teenagers generally have a busy lifestyle. They stay awake till late night. Lack of sleep and rest is not at all good for health. Teenagers tend to eat more junk food and fried stuff too. Therefore unhealthy food habits, lack of rest, in combination with hormonal imbalances leads to teenage acne.
Teenage Acne: Treatment
Ayurveda and alternative medicines suggest that imbalance in blood is caused by impurity in blood which is one of the biggest reasons for acne. Hence they recommend healthy lifestyle and food habits. Intake of sufficient water and juice helps purification of blood and circulation. Stress management, exercises and proper sleep are highly recommended in Ayurveda treatment.
The best remedy suggested by Ayurveda and Siddha is application of a paste of sandalwood and turmeric. It has been proved very effective for not only healing acne but also for removing the scars.
Another natural remedy which is very effective to treat acne is by using ingredients right from your kitchen cupboard. Make a paste with lentil, curd and a few drops of neem oil. Regular application of this paste on the face helps not only to cure acne but also makes your skin soft and smooth.
Proper hygiene, along with healthy dietary habits can really help to reduce teenage acne. Do not get depressed by acne problems. Acne is one of the most common skin ailments which affect both men and women. Do not make your acne a cause of tension and stress. Try to relax and follow a healthy lifestyle and food habits to cope with Teenage Acne.
Adolescents and young adults develop acne at some point of their lives and generally the lesions of acne leave behind lasting scars. The scars are one of the reasons why many people detest acne and complain about acne, though it fades away after some point of our lives. Read on to learn about how to cope with acne scars.
Special skin care products, medications, cosmetic procedures or a combination is all you need to remove your deep disfiguring acne scars. The post-inflammatory period of acne is crucial and the way you care for your skin during this period can determine the impact of scars. Medications combined with certain skin care practices play a vital role in reducing acne scars.
Your mother might have told you often not to pick up scabs and to avoid touching the acne. She was right! Picking up scabs of acne can delay the healing and remodeling of the skin underneath the scab.
You can also get rid of acne scars by practicing ice therapy. Take few ice cubes, wrap them in a kitchen towel or a very thin cloth and gently do ice massage on the acne scars for 10 to 12 minutes. Regular application ice massage therapy can really help you to remove acne scars. But remember not to rub the ice directly to your skin or acne scars. Ice massages should never done directly on the skin.
Unprotected exposure to sun rays also damages the skin, delaying the healing process. Make sure to use sun protection creams and wide brimmed hat when you are under the sun.
Acne Scar Treatments
Alpha-Hydroxyl Acids (AHAs) helps skin rejuvenation. The formulations with AHA reduce redness and increases collagen production allowing better tissue healing. Retinoic acid derived from Vitamin A used during post-inflammatory period produces smooth and firm skin.
Laser resurfacing boosts collagen production and reduces acne scars. The greatest advantage of this procedure is precision and only affected skin tissue is targeted. Depending on the depth of the scars, a few sitting treatment from a dermatologist can reduce scars. The scarred outer skin layers are burned off; the middle layers are tightened and replaced by fresh smooth skin.
Microdermabrasion is another cosmetic procedure to effectively remove older scars. Fewer treatments may be required for minor scars and this procedure gently exfoliates the skin.
Fractional laser therapy is another FDA approved treatment for acne scars. Healing time for this treatment is much shorter as top tissue layers are left untouched during therapy.
Acne scar removal is definitely possible. A combination of treatments coupled with appropriate skin care can really give you desired results. The Acne scar treatments really work effectively on even stubborn acne scars.
So from now on stop being stressed about the acne scars, but gear up to get rid from the acne scars by following these acne scar treatments.
Pregnancy acne is a common ailment just like nausea and morning sickness. During pregnancy it is observed that women become more prone to acne as pregnancy triggers acne or makes the existing adult acne worse.
Pregnancy acne can be mild, moderate, or even severe. Not all women are affected by acne during pregnancy. Acne can generally occur at any time during the pregnancy. In some cases it may come and go, or it may last the entire pregnancy period.
Increase in hormone levels causes acne in adolescence. The same occurs in pregnancy too. Especially in the first trimester due to hormone fluctuations, some women tend to suffer from acne breakouts. The rise in level of fluid retention also leads to zits. The flare up begins to subside by the end of the pregnancy and generally can be even less severe; in subsequent pregnancies.
Many medications used for treatment of acne are unsafe in pregnancy and during the breastfeeding period. Much of these medications can seep through the skin into breast milk, finally entering the bloodstream of the infant. So it is always best to stick to natural home based acne treatments if possible, especially during pregnancy to avoid harming your baby.
Good skincare practices can avoid breakouts to a great extent. Prevention is better than cure and this applies to acne breakouts in pregnancy as well.
Clean the face using a soap-free cleanser twice a day, in the morning and at night.
Take special care to clean jawline, an area that is more prone to acne breakouts. Wash your hair regularly to avoid to get rid of oil from the hair strands. Avoid facial massages which can worsen acne breakouts.
A shower after a long day or after a workout is essential as sweat combined with skin oils can trap dirt and bacteria in the skin pores. Above all, make sure to use clean pillowcases, combs and towels.
Being diet smart is a great way to avoid acne breakouts. Stay away from excess of sugar, refined food and trans-fat, all of which can worsen acne.
Boost the intake of vitamin A through healthy foods like liver, carrot, spinach, mangoes, sweet potato and egg yolk. These foods not only give you the right nutrients required during the pregnancy, but also give your skin a natural glow. But avoid using excess of vitamin A supplements since excess of it is known to cause birth defects.
Feeding your body with healthy fruits and veggies not only does wonders to your acne, but to your developing baby as well.
Erythromycin is the only antibiotic safe to be used in pregnancy. Both topical and oral erythromycin is safe, though oral erythromycin is less tolerated by women whose esophageal sphincter is relaxed in pregnancy. Both topical tretinoin and benzoyl peroxide are also safe to be used in pregnancy.
If you are really keen to use medications and over the counter products to treat pregnancy acne, it is strongly recommended to consult the doctor before use.
The best thing to do is to avoid any sort of acne treatment other than products such as tea tree oil or yogurt or any other natural product. Avoid medications, both topical and oral even before you conceive. Your baby means more to you than a short term nuance of skin blemishes!
Comments