Do Claims About Acne Creams and Lotions Add Up?
by J. Sheehan
February 26, 2007
http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2007/02/26/do-claims-about-acne-creams-and-lotions
If you are a teenager (or even if you aren’t), chances are that you’ve had to deal with acne at some point in your life. Whether it’s a few pimples here and there when you’re feeling stressed out or a full blown outbreak of cystic acne, it can completely disrupt your life. And, like most people do when faced with health problems, we tend to seek out solutions, even if they seem a bit “out there.” I noticed this myself recently when my wife was going through a stressful time in her life and her face started to break out with acne. She went through our medicine cabinet looking for anything that might help and came across an ancient tube of Clearasil Ultra Vanishing Acne Treatment Gel. She applied it religiously night and day, but the acne persisted. She looked up the ingredients on the internet (the usual salicylic acid, witch hazel extract, glycerin, and other stuff) but couldn’t find
In an attempt to combat the constant acne breakouts, I have tried a variety of different products and treatments in the hope that my skin would clear up. Unfortunately, the only results I have seen from these expensive potions are red and irritated skin.
I am not alone in my disappointment with acne creams and lotions. Many of my friends have also spent a fortune on these products, only to find themselves with even more pimples than before. These products do not seem to work for me or for anyone else I know, but advertisements for these products still claim that they do.
My blog will explore exactly how well popular acne treatments work by examining the scientific evidence regarding their effectiveness. By doing this, I hope to help people like me determine whether or not they should waste their money on these products and treatments.
The most common type of acne, blackheads and whiteheads are technically called comedones. When a pore becomes clogged with oil, dead skin cells and bacteria, it swells up to form a comedone. A whitehead is an open comedone that appears as a white bump on the surface of your skin; a blackhead is a closed comedone that appears as a dark bump on the surface of your skin. Blackheads can be more noticeable because they’re filled with melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color.
For most types of acne, over-the-counter creams and lotions may help treat your symptoms. If you have large, deep, painful cysts and nodules — which are often considered more severe forms of acne — you should see your doctor instead. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics or other medications to treat your condition.
The active ingredient in many over-the-counter acne creams and lotions is benzoyl peroxide, which has been shown to be effective in treating mild to moderate acne. It works by killing bacteria that cause pimples and reducing inflammation. If you’re using a product that has benzoyl peroxide, follow these steps for best results:
I’m sure that most of you have seen the commercials and ads where they claim to have the best acne products and that they will surely work. Well, I’ve tried some products and they haven’t worked or had any effect on my acne, so I decided to research it a bit.
Acne is a general skin condition caused by dead skin cells clogging the hair follicles, which are the small openings for hair. This condition can also cause blackheads, white heads, pimples, and other pimple-like bumps. Usually this happens on the face, back, neck, chest, and shoulders. Acne is common among teenagers because of all the hormones that teens have at this stage in their lives.
Now for the treatments; there are two types: over-the-counter treatments and prescription treatments (usually used if your acne doesn’t get better with over-the-counter remedies). The over-the-counter treatments usually contain medicines like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. These medicines dry up oily skin and/or kill bacteria on your skin that causes acne. There are many different creams that you can buy over-the-counter, but do they really work? We’ll find out!
The first product that I
I think acne is a problem a lot of people can relate to, and I wanted to address questions that people have.
I was interested in why products are so expensive and if they really work. Some of the research I found was not very convincing, and a lot of it had to do with marketing rather than science. It’s easy to make claims with words, but hard to back them up.
I’m not against companies making money or being successful, but some of their marketing claims didn’t go far enough.
Acne is the most common skin condition in the United States, affecting up to 50 million Americans annually. But it can be cured. For many years, dermatologists went about treating acne with prescription drugs, antibiotics and topical creams that were not particularly effective. Now, there are several new acne treatments available, including laser therapy and photodynamic therapy (PDT), which have shown great results in treating severe cases of acne.
Acne affects more than 80% of teenagers. It is usually a mild disease that goes away as people grow older. However, some people continue to have acne into their 30s and 40s and even beyond. Most people who have acne are bothered by blackheads, whiteheads and pimples (also known as zits) that appear on the face, neck, shoulders, chest or back.
When you are bothered by pimples or zits, you’re not alone! They are a common occurrence in teens and adults alike. In fact, they’re so common that nearly everyone will experience them at some point in their lives.
Acne is one of the most common skin conditions in the world, affecting more than 80 percent of people at some point in their lives. Over-the-counter and prescription medications can help treat acne, but there are many myths and misconceptions about the cause of acne and how it should be treated. This blog will clear up these myths and provide some great tips to keep your skin looking its best.
There are two basic kinds of acne: blackheads and pimples. Blackheads look like little black dots on your skin and are often mistaken for dirt or another material stuck in your skin. They are actually clogged pores that have become darkened with oil or dead skin cells. Pimples appear red, swollen, and irritated on the surface of your skin, but can be deeper than they appear. Pimples are filled with pus made up of dead oil, dead skin cells, and white blood cells. Both blackheads and pimples occur when hair follicles under your skin become clogged with oil or dead skin cells.
Acne is not caused by chocolate or greasy food. These foods do not cause an increase in oil production in healthy people, so they don’t cause acne either. Instead, stick to a diet rich in fruits and vegetables to keep your