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Posted by MC ChOpStiCkz on 08-17-2002 11:28 PM:

Acne n how 2 control it

The hair follicles, or pores, in your skin contain sebaceous glands (also called oil glands). These glands make sebum, which is an oil that lubricates your hair and skin. Most of the time the glands make the right amount of sebum, and the pores are fine. But sometimes a pore gets clogged up with too much sebum, dead skin cells, and even bacterial germs, and acne can happen.

If a pore gets clogged up, closes, and bulges out from the skin, you're left with a whitehead. If a pore gets clogged up but stays open, the top surface can darken and you're left with a blackhead. Sometimes the walls of the pore are broken, allowing sebum, bacteria, and dead skin cells to make their way under the skin - and you're left with a small, red infection called a pimple. Clogged up pores that open up deep in the skin can cause cysts, which are infections that are bigger than pimples.

Acne isn't caused by eating greasy foods like french fries or pizza, chomping on chocolate, or drinking dark sodas. It isn't necessarily caused by wearing makeup, especially if the makeup is labeled "oil-free," "noncomedogenic," or "nonacnegenic."

And stress doesn't usually cause acne in kids but can worsen it at times because more sebum is usually produced when you are stressed out. (Stress can cause acne in adults.)

To help prevent the oil build-up that can contribute to acne, wash your face twice a day with soap and warm water. Don't scrub your face hard with a washcloth - acne can't be scrubbed away, and scrubbing may actually make it worse by irritating the skin. Try using just your hands instead.

If you wear makeup, make sure it's labeled "oil-free," "noncomedogenic," (say: non-ka-mee-do-jen-eck) or "nonacnegenic." This means it won't clog your pores and contribute to acne. And when you are washing your face, be sure you take the time to remove all of your makeup. If you use hair sprays or gels, try to keep them away from your face, as they can also clog up pores. If you have long hair that touches your face, be sure to wash it frequently enough to keep oil away. Also wash your face after you've been exercising hard and sweating a lot. And try not to touch your face throughout the day.

If you look in the mirror and see a pimple, don't touch it, squeeze it, or pick at it. This might feel hard to do - it can be pretty tempting to try and get rid of it. But when you play around with pimples, you can cause even more inflammation by poking at them or opening them up. Plus, the oil from your hands can't help! More importantly, though, picking at pimples can leave tiny, permanent scars on your face.

Acne isn't really helped by the sun, either. Although a suntan can temporarily make acne look less severe, it won't help it go away permanently. And too much sun isn't a good idea, anyway, because it can cause wrinkles and skin cancer later in life. So don't soak up those rays - either under the sun or from a tanning bed - in an effort to help your skin.