Among various acne products, acne face wash is one of the most used acne treatment. It helps one get clear skin within short time.

Acne vulgaris is one of the commonest skin conditions for which daily numerous people seek treatment. Most people wander here and there and do not choose a single line of treatment because of short term results. However, most skin specialists recommend that one should give sufficient time for a specific treatment to effect the result.

Not only people seek treatment for facial acne but also for body acne, as they are also unsightly and painful. The acne wash is the most commonly used treatment option by many. As the treatment is topical, there are fewer chances of side effects; this is the reason why many people opt for acne washes.

Why people use acne body wash?

The body wash is meant for areas other than face and help tackling nasty acne on chest, neck, back, buttocks, etc. These acne lesions usually are connected deep inside the skin and thus leave unsightly scars. The major active ingredients of acne body wash or face wash are salicylic acid or benzyl peroxide.

The washes with salicylic acid are mostly used for body wash and that with benzyl peroxide is used as face wash, though variations do occur. It is said that those people who use products containing Aloe vera and vitamin E after application of acne body wash or face wash, the over all effect is boosted well.

What are the different body wash and face wash available in the market?

Among a wide range of products, following are widely used and recommended-

• Neutrogena body clear body wash: one of the widely used body wash available in the market today. It is a refreshing body wash containing salicylic acid with some other inactive ingredients. It actively halts the acne break outs on chest, shoulders, back and buttocks. Massaging over the body with washcloth or puff will accentuate the effect.
• Murad acne body wash – This is a triple action body wash containing finely grained date seed powder, salicylic acid, and triclosan. This helps in exfoliating, deep pore cleaning, and preventing future breakouts. Thus it is a rage among teenagers. Redness and irritation is reduced faster and the because of humectant moisturizers, the skin is not rendered dry after use.
• Zenmed botanical body acne wash: the Zenmed acne mask is used initially which is washed away with the body wash. It acts as a very effective cleansing agent with finely grained walnut shells for better exfoliation of skin. The high concentration of salicylic acid helps prevent bacterial infection and inflammation thereof. One should use the product at least for 2 months for concrete results.
• Clearasil daily acne face wash: As most skin specialists recommend fragrance free face wash, here is such a product, Clearasil acne face wash. It cleanses away bacteria without over-drying the skin.
• Alfa hydrox foaming face wash: this is a very good cleanser that can be used to remove dirt and make up from face without any trace. The skin looks and feels soft and fresh. No irritating residue is left after cleansing.
• Nutrasi bio active herbal face wash: the botanical extracts of essential clove, lavender, and manuka oils in the Nutrasi bio active herbal face wash provides very good antibacterial care for your skin.

Thus, varied acne body and face washes are available in the market. One can consult his or her physician before opting for any and embark on a journey towards flawless skin!

Among universal problems affecting teenagers, acne vulgaris is the most commonly encountered problems. Almost 90% of people suffer from acne at some time or the other during their life. Thus, it is one of the most scared diseases in the world. No wonder teens flock the skin specialists’ clinics to get the envious skin they dream everyday. The skin specialists if asked say that daily they encounter many acne patients with wide variations. There are different types of acne found in different people. Let’s see what they are-

Types of acne –

Depending upon the pimples and type of skin damage they cause, different types of acne have been defined. They are as follows-

• Pustules: these are nothing but pimples that are pus-filled and inflamed comedones with reddish edges.
• Papules: The pinkish bumps seen on different parts of skin are called papules.
• Nodular acne: Solid and painful skin lesions that are deep within the dermis are called nodular acne.
• Cystic acne: this is severe form of acne in which the infected content of a pustule erupt below the skin. This makes body defend this infection, thus leading to inflammation with redness and swelling. This many times leaves an unsightly scar.
• Comedones: the subnormal eruption of acne is comedone with the enlarged puffy hair follicle. If it is under the skin, it is whitehead and when it erupts to surface, it becomes blackhead.
• Acne rosacea: these are usually adult acne occurring between ages 30-60. It usually accompanies acne vulgaris and presents itself with patchy red bumpy skin of face, neck and/or chest. Red oily skin with scars is usually present.
• Acne cosmetica: due to use of excess or wrong cosmetics, sometimes skin gives rise to allergic acne, which are called acne cosmetica. Usually this is short term outbreak and not very severe.
• Acne conglobata: numerous pustules and nodules covering back, chest, buttocks etc especially in males are called acne conglobata. Because they are connected beneath to the lower skin layers, they leave excessive scarring. If this becomes very severe with infected nodules, fever, joint pains, and weight loss, it is termed as acne fulminans that is a medical emergency. Though very rare to happen.

Now when we know the types of acne, let’s see what the basic causes for this disfiguring acne lesions are -

• While listing the causes, mainly our skin itself should be blamed for causing acne. Yes, because of the sebaceous glands in the skin, the oil or sebum is produced. This sebum is the major cause for acne. When the sebum clogs the skin pore, a bacterial infection may occur that leads to acne.
• However, this excess sebum production is the result of hormonal influences. So, now hormones get the blame. The hormones, especially the androgenic hormones that work aggressively during puberty lead to enlargement of sebaceous glands leading to more sebum secretion and more acne lesions.
• Heredity: If father or mother has suffered severe acne in their teens, there is more likelihood of their offspring suffering from it during teenage.
• Progesterone: many adolescent girls’ acne flair up before menstrual cycle. This is the result of hormone progesterone playing mischief. Also for the same reason, some pregnant women keep developing acne throughout the pregnancy. Also start or stop of birth control pills result in acne at times.
• Drug acne: certain drugs like barbiturates, testosterone, lithium, anabolic steroids etc can lead to severe acne at times.
• Stress: modern day stress and strain is said to be the exciting cause for acne. Though definitive evidence lacks, it is seen especially in acne rosacea that emotional and psychological disturbances aggravate the condition.
• Some people correlate the acne flair up with faulty irregular diet, drinking less water, irregular sleep habits leading to stress, and even vitamin deficiency.

Understanding the types and causes of acne is very important from treatment point of view. Eradicating the cause definitely increases the chances of acquiring flawless skin at the earliest!

Acne vulgaris is one of the most common problems cropping up every now and then in young as well as old. Though the problem is persistently high in young teenage population, elderly people also may suffer from acne rosacea due to various physiological changes.

It is well said that skin is the mirror of mind. That’s why in this era of fast foods and excessive anxieties, skin is the seat of manifestations for many bodily ailments. And so, it is important to annihilate the maintaining cause for acne in order to treat it completely without recurrence.

Why acne is so common in teenage?

Teenage is almost synonymous with acne age. Yes, it is the age group when most young people keep trying different solutions and creams in order to control the effervescent acne problem. This is also the age when the youth wants to be at their best and skin with acne is the last thing they want.

But as with all other bodily changes, skin is also prone to many changes during this age group. Because of hormonal influences of especially androgens, the sebaceous glands especially in the skin of face, neck, posterior side of neck etc secrete much mucus.

Because of this oiliness, the pores of the skin get clogged and dust gets entangled here leading to bacterial infection. This terminates in formation of acne.

Also with the changing lifestyles and junk foods, the skin texture is changing fast. Even the effect of different habits like alcohol, cigarette smoking etc is seen on the facial skin. That’s why the teenage acne is very common.

Why in other age groups also, at times, acne problem crops up again?

Well, there are hormonal influences on the body all throughout life. These influences are the major reason for acne crop ups at the ages other than teenage. And this acne that crops up at other times may be in mid forties or fifties are dreaded by people, because they are at times much more severe than teenage acne. Especially the variety acne rosacea can crop up in elderly. Though the exact cause is unknown, hereditary factor has been stressed. Also, the gastrointestinal disorders with helicobacter pylori, stress, anxiety, fear, exercise, alcohol consumption etc are some of the triggers for acne rosacea in middle age. Thus no age is barring for the menace of acne, though the type and severity may vary depending upon many factors.

What are different treatment approaches?

The acne problem is being solved by different people since time immemorial. There are lot of theories and speculations about the treatment of acne. Everyday, a new acne treatment comes into picture. Though many researchers have researched many types of treatments for different type of acne, the baseline remains same, that is, unless the root cause is treated effectively, permanent cure is not possible.

Also, some believe that for severe acne, temporary recession should be aimed at by short term treatments like laser treatment. Also, the hormones are thought of as important tools in the treatment of acne. No wonder antibiotics are used much effectively to tackle the bacterial infections. Alternative therapy is also one of the most widely used approaches to the acne treatment, as most of the times; they give radical results without any side effects.

If you have acne problem, before labeling it as acne vulgaris, it is better to consult a dermatologist or your family physician and get proper guidance not to make it worse!