Know the Acne Facts

Pimples, zits, whiteheads, blackheads - no matter what you call it, if you suffer from acne you speak the same language as millions of Americans: misery. Whether you're a 13-year-old facing a ferocious outbreak hours before your first date or a 35-year-old executive about to face a boardroom of movers and shakers, acne can undermine your self-confidence and interfere with your life.

Acne is the single most common dermatological problem in America, one that virtually everyone will experience at some point in their lives, according to Dr. Alex Khadavi, a board-certified dermatologist and expert on the treatment of acne. For some who experience occasional mild outbreaks, acne is inconvenient and painful. For others, who suffer for years with severe breakouts, acne can be scarring, both physically and emotionally.

"Skin problems are more than just skin deep," Khadavi says. "Study after study shows that severe acne can cause long-term harm to our self esteem. The good news is, medical science has made many strides in recent decades towards treating this problem."

When it comes to fighting acne, it's important to sort truth from myth in order to identify the treatment that's right for you. Here are five important facts you may not know about acne:

1. Acne can't be cured.  Only time and changing body chemistry can end your acne, and for many people it never really goes away. It is possible, however, to treat the causes of acne and control symptoms that lead to breakouts.

2. It's not what you eat.  Eating chocolate, or oily or spicy foods does not cause acne. While improving your diet to eliminate excess sweets and fats can have many health benefits, including improved overall skin health, diet alone is not an effective treatment for acne.

3. Washing can make it worse. True, acne begins when overproduction of oil produced by the oil glands causes pores to become clogged. But because the pore is deep within the skin, you can't wash pimples away. In fact, excessive washing may dry the skin, increasing the likelihood of clogged pores.

4. Not all acne is equal.  There are three basic types of acne: non-inflammatory, inflammatory and severe inflammatory. Non-inflammatory is the most common type and causes relatively mild breakouts. With inflammatory acne, whiteheads become infected with bacteria and swell, producing pimples and pustules. Severe inflammatory acne can cause disfiguring cysts and deep scars, and requires a dermatologist's care.

5. Oil glands hold the key.  Overproduction of oil in the oil glands is the root of acne, and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which comes from testosterone, influences the rate at which the skin produces oil. Regulating the body's production of DHT can help control acne symptoms.

"Clearogen, is a unique acne treatment which controls DHT to reduce excessive oil production and stop acne before it even starts. Clearogen also opens pores, kills bacteria and reduces inflammation, and is effective in fighting both non-inflammatory and inflammatory acne," Khadavi says. "For severe inflammatory acne, Clearogen can help prevent future breakouts once the initial problem has been addressed under a dermatologist's care."


New patients can receive a 2-month supply of Clearogen Acne Treatment Starter Kit for $69 by visiting www.Clearogen.com. Use coupon code clr0 to receive free ground shipping in the United States. The site also offers information on the causes, symptoms, types and treatments of acne. Copyright © 2008, ARAnet, Inc.