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Different Ways of Dealing With Acne
By: Greg Podsakoff
Types of Acne Acne is a general term used to describe the result of plugged pores on the face, back, or chest. Generally characterized by red bumps and whiteheads, acne also includes blackheads and lumps that form beneath the skin. The following conditions are generally referred to as acne, but each condition has particular traits. Comedo – The condition when a sebaceous follicle becomes clogged with a combination of sebum (released from the sebaceous gland under the skin), dead skin cells, tiny hairs, dirt, oil, and bacteria. When the comedo is open and exposed to oxygen from the air, it becomes dark in appearance, forming what is commonly known as a blackhead. A closed comedo forms a small bump beneath the skin, and takes on a skin tone or slightly white appearance, commonly known as a whitehead. Papule – A small, solid bump that elevates slightly above the skin surface. Typically the coloring of a papule matches that of the skin. Several papules grouped together are rough to the tough, having an almost sandpaper type feel to them. Pustule – A small, fluid filled bump that elevates above the skin surface and is topped by puss. This bump is filled with a mixture of white blood cells, bacteria, sebum, and dead skin cells. Nodule – Similar to a papule, nodules are solid bumps that elevate slightly above the skin. The main difference is that a nodule also develops deep into skin layers and is one of the leading causes of scaring from acne. This type of acne can be very painful and is more difficult to treat than other forms. Cyst - Similar to a pustule, a cyst is a fluid filled bump that elevates above the skin and is topped by puss. A cyst is also filled with a mixture of white blood cells, bacteria, sebum, and dead skin cells and becomes severely inflamed. A cyst will form deeper into the skin layers and can be quite painful and is the other leading cause of scaring from acne. Like nodule acne, a cyst can be difficult to treat. Macule – The red or pinkish spot left after an acne lesion has healed. Depending on the severity of the initial lesion, the discoloration may last for a few days to a few weeks before subsiding. The problem is, most people lump all these various types of acne into one group, and just call it acne. This wouldn’t be an issue, except that they each react differently to various forms of treatment, and what works for one will not necessarily work for all. This is further complicated because some people experience more than one form of acne at a time. It is very common to have both a pustule outbreak, and a cystic outbreak simultainously. Because of these facts about acne, treatment is not always simple and straightforward. Benzoyl peroxide, or tea tree oil are usually a safe bet when first trying to treat acne. Some people will never need anything more than this. However, for those of you who have tried 1, several, or many treatments without success, it may be helpful to determine the types of acne you suffer from, and treat each type as suggested by a dermatologist. Again, there is no 100% acne fix. However, knowing the type of acne you suffer from can help you find a treatment that will work best for you. BIO: Greg Podsakoff is a former acne sufferer, and currently provides information on treating acne, pimples, and zits, via an objective informational skincare website, http://www.acne-treatments-guide.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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How to Benefit from the Mind-Body Connection
(excerpt)
You are about to gain insight into the
mind-body connection. The number of
people who truly understand these principles on our
planet are relatively few.
There is an undeniable connection between our minds and
bodies, you can learn
to use this fact to your benefit.
Dr. Bernie Siegel, author of "Love, Medicine and
Miracles" was once a
distraught cancer surgeon until he
began to understand the greater principles
of the mind-
body connection. He felt dragged down by the artificial
barriers
that existed between patient and doctor, and the
helplessness he often felt as
a result of his inability
to effectively serve those patients. Eventually, those
barriers
were disintegrated by Dr. Siegel's recognition
and growing understanding of the
mind-body connection and
how it could serve his patients and himself.
Dr. Siegel, or Bernie as he began to have his patients
refer to him, had some
startling realizations as a cancer surgeon. He found that
there were actually
quite a few people in the world that successfully beat
the statistics on cancer
survival. He began to recognize that a patient's ability
to defeat something as
serious as cancer had to do with the patient's mind and
attitude about their
disease.
If you would like to see the rest of
this article, please go here:
http://www.tobeinformed.com/repository/mind-body.html
copyright 2004 - David Snape
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