August 13, 2008

The Link Between Skin Blemishes and Physical Activity

by David Warple

Not only is a moderate amount of exercise good for maintaining a healthy body and for managing stress, it is also very beneficial to your skin. There are people who think that exercise makes their acne worse, but if your acne gets worse due to exercise, it is normally because of something you are putting on your body rather than what you are doing to it. There are certain factors to consider when determining if exercise is actually aggravating your acne.

An initial factor to examine is any cover-up or makeup applied to the skin. Though there are very light makeups available that contain no oils or work not to clog the pores of the skin, clogging and accumulation in the pores can still occur in strenuous activity. The best recommendation is to wear as little makeup as can be worn, and ensure that said makeup is cleaned off immediately after the activity is complete.

Secondly, overexposure to the sun could cause your skin to worsen in condition. Though some sunlight is beneficial to the skin, overexposure can result in damaging spots and pore damage beneath the skin's surface. Your medications and makeups can also make your skin more sensitive to the effects of the sun. As a result, wearing a sunscreen is a must for outdoor activity. In choosing a sunscreen, utilize a type that works well for your skin, with a SPF factor of at least 15 for both UVA and UVB rays. Again, as with makeup, wash your skin and the sunscreen off after exercising.

Clothing is another factor. Synthetic fabrics can trap heat and moisture against your skin, creating an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, thus contributing to acne. It is best to avoid clothing made exclusively with lycra or nylon. Loose clothing and natural fibers permit the skin to breathe. Lightweight, loose-fitting cotton is best for moderate exercise. If you follow a vigorous routine, you may consider trying the new fabrics that are designed to draw moisture away from the skin.

Ensuring that your outfits fit correctly is the easiest way to make sure you don't get breakouts that are caused by rubbing. For example, if your wetsuit is too tight under your arms, some friction may occur. Helmets should fit securely on your head without too much sliding occurring as you move. You can also line your helmet with an old cotton shirt that will absorb sweat.

A great tip for your after exercise routine is to remove the saturated clothing and get into the shower and then dry clothing quickly. Wearing wet clothes for a prolonged period of time can breed bacteria and worsen the blocking of pores in the skin. If showering isn't an option, cleaning the skin in places where irritation is common with a treated wipe or towel can reduce the amount of moisture on the skin and clean out any dirt or blockage of the pores. Pay particular focus to the face, making sure to blot the pores instead of simply wiping. This will ensure that any sunscreen or makeup that you have applied will not sink into the pores and dirt will be drawn out of the pores into the wipe or towel.

Showering right after a workout is the best possible scenario. You should, however, use a medicated exfoliate cleanser whenever you get the chance to bathe. Just keep in mind that you should treat your skin kindly. Hard scrubbing does not clean your skin any better, and it does not eradicate acne, either. It may actually cause more irritation.

Our health is greatly improved as a result of regular activity, and having a better skin condition is one benefit of this activity. Knowing about what is in your routine that could be an irritation to your skin blemishes is beneficial, as that awareness can allow you to adjust your routines to improve your skin's health. Through your awareness and your adjustments, your workouts will soon become better to your skin and to your health even further.

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August 7, 2008

Live Acne-Free with these tips

by Marcel Stephenson

Living acnefree may seem like a dream, but using some of these tips you will be able to be acne free, perhaps forever.

We need to understand the causes of acne before we can take on the problem. Oil and bacteria are the main causes.

As we're changing into adults these hormonal imbalances will cause your skin to secrete a more oily sweat.

Your sweat is saturated with bacteria your body wants to get rid of, and when it mixes with dead skin cells it clogs the pores, causing them to become inflamed and forms a pimple.

This is exactly what our first tip is about..

Tip #1: Do Not Scrub Hard Or Start Popping Your Pimples

By popping pimples when you see them you are making acne spread, not getting rid of it. So, if you are in the habit of popping pimples, stop, don't do it.

If you are patient, they will pop by themselves.

If you don't want to irritate your skin even further then you should not be scrubbing your face raw everyday. Rather, find a good defoliant that is recommended for removing dead skin cells.

Tip 2: Stay away from oily foods

You should try and avoid certain foods that are full of oils that find their way to your skin. If you consume too many of these foods, the oil in your body increases and you may find yourself depositing oil in the skin of your face, making it a perfect breeding ground for acne causing bacteria.

3rd Tip: Control the Bacteria

You should keep your face as clean as possible, using an antibacterial scrub at night is a good idea. Applying tea tree oil has a strong antibiotic effect and will reduce bacteria.

Tip #4: Don't Fall Victim To Advertising Hype

Some studies recently conducted have proven most acne products to be a complete waste of money.

Finally, if you avoid oily foods and keep your face clean you are very likely to live an acne-free life, all the best to you!

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You Can Find An Acne Treatment That Will Work

by Marcel Stephenson

Not everybody's acne is the same, if it were there would be a generic treatment that everybody would know about.

Everyone's body chemistry and genetic make-up differs. This is a great thing, because this makes us all, uniquely different. Yet, with acne, our chemistry and genetics can play hell with us, trying to find the right solutions.

This is the case with acne. It really is not the same for you, as it is for anyone else. Some individuals will only get mild outbreaks, while others can get severe reactions to acne. This can even happen within the same family.

If you get acne, it is important to get the correct treatment for the acne that you have. Getting the right treatment for your particular skin type is to find what is suitable for it's treatment and what will be effective.

Acne is not only caused by becoming a teenager, but also by some unknown reasons. One of the causes is the overproduction of hormones during the transition of becoming an adult. Too much sebum is secreted within the gland and when it mixes with bacteria and dead skin cells it clogs the pores. These pores then become infected with a pimple as a result.

To help cure the number one problem an acne sufferer experiences is to clean the pores, because to control oily skin is very difficult. The treatment will differ depending on skin- and acne type.

You cannot use heavy artillery to erase your pimples if you have sensitive skin. Harsh acne treatments are not the answer for your skin type because it may cause blemishes as a reaction to the medication.

Mild skin needs mild skin treatments, preferably natural treatments. Over the counter medication normally contains chemicals that will irritate the outbreak due to a reaction to the medication.

Be sure to check the label for the skin type listed, it will save you a lot of trouble in the future. If you find that your current acne treatment is irritating your skin, stop using it immediately.

It is important to remove dead skin cells, as this is part of the acne problem. Go with products containing salicylic acid, because it's great for unclogging the skin pores of dead skin cells.

Perhaps look at oral treatments. They will work to kill bacteria in the skin. Pimples are infected and spread because of the bacteria. There are treatments that can be taken orally.

Yet, it is not just the acne that you can visually see, that you need to pay attention to. In order to fight acne correctly, it is an ongoing regimen of using treatments that work for you, in order to stop the acne from returning.

You need to keep using the treatments that work to stop acne from reoccurring as it may pop up somewhere else.

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