Acne is a skin condition which affects around 80% of teenagers to some degree. It most often commences during puberty and can continue well into adulthood, it’s course and duration being unique to each individual sufferer. Despite it’s widespread occurrence, there is no definitive cause of acne and to date no universal cure. However there are known factors which contribute to the outbreak of acne and many treatments available which may help.
The symptoms of acne are spots, redness and inflammation of the skin. Most commonly affecting the face and neck, the spots can also extend to the chest, back and upper arms of the sufferer. Most people have a combination of whiteheads, blackheads, red spots and hard red nodules just below the skin which are often painful. Acne is caused when the sebaceous glands, located just below the surface of the skin produce too much of an oily fluid called sebum. The excess production of sebum blocks up the tiny pores of the skin which contain the hair follicles. This leads to the formation of whiteheads and blackheads. Bacteria begin to thrive in these conditions and the bodies immune system kicks in to combat this. It is the bodies immune response which causes the redness and inflammation found in acne.
There are some factors which are known to contribute to acne. Hormones, for example testosterone, known to be high in both boys and girls during their teenage years seems to aggravate acne. Stress is also a contributing factor, one theory being that stressed people touch their face frequently and so help to spread bacteria. Acne also seems to have a genetic cause, since if your parents had acne, you are more likely to suffer from it too. There are however a lot of misconceptions about acne - that it is caused by poor hygiene, or eating chocolate, for example, these are not true.
Fortunately there are a variety of treatments available for sufferers of acne. The first port of call should be your doctor who can judge the severity of your acne and prescribe medication if appropriate. There are also a number of things you can do at home to help your acne. It is important to try to reduce the number of bacteria on the skin, so you should wash twice a day with a gentle cleanser and try to wash your hands before you touch your face, for example when applying make up.
Steaming opens up the pores on the face and increases sweating. The sweat acts in two ways, firstly washing the excess oil, grime and dirt out of the skin and secondly, since it contains salt it has a antibacterial effect, reducing bacteria levels in the skin and giving a thorough but gentle cleansing. Steaming also stimulates the circulation blood to the skin resulting in a greater supply of essential oxygen and nutrients and it moistens and softens the skin too.
To increase the effectiveness of a home steam, some people add herbs or essential oils to the water. These can have very beneficial effects. Rose hip for example is high in vitamin A and useful for skin regeneration. Mint can help to break down the dirt and oil in your pores making it easier for them to be flushed away. Since stress is thought to play a role in acne outbreaks, adding lavender a known relaxant to your steam treatment may help.
There are a variety of ways to steam your face. Perhaps the most basic is to do it yourself at home over a very hot bowl of water! However, there are a selection of fantastic facial steamers available to buy, which can make the job a whole lot simpler and safer too, no wandering about with kettles of boiling water. Perhaps the cheapest model available is the portable steamer. This is lightweight and very easy to use, just fill up the reservoir with water and turn it on. You can safely add essential oils to the water reservoirs of commercial steamers and one great advantage is that you can control the steam volume, having either a fine mist or a strong steam spray delivered. Some facial steamers are designed to be used with ozone which is antibacterial and dries the skin, giving even greater benefits to users.
For those with problem areas on the back or chest, using a steam room in addition to a facial steamer can bring noticeable benefits, although you will need to regularly use the steamer for a few weeks to see the best results. Which ever kind of steam treatment you choose, it is vital to wash your face or shower immediately afterwards, in order to remove all the dirt and grime which has been drawn out by the steaming process. If left on the skin this can actually make the condition worse.
