Category: Health

Acne Scar Products

Experts agree, picking at your acne to make it go away is a bad idea. Picking leaves scars that may never heal. Better to keep your hands in your pockets and find a product to do the job.

There are plenty: Clearasil Clearstick, Kelo-Cote, Neutrogena Oil-free Acne Wash, Neutrogena Men Skin Cleaning Face Wash, Neutrogena Clear Pore Treatment, Neutrogena On-the-Spot Acne Treatment Vanishing Formula, Proactive Solution Acne Treatment, Klear Action Acne Treatment System, and Dermaclear. Many contain Benzoyl peroxide and Salicylic acid, excellent for unclogging blocked pores and killing germs. Sulfur lotions also reduce and check acne formation. And Retinoid, which is a variant of Vitamin C and available in creams, can be used to remove scars.

Besides these essential ingredients, scar-removing Dermaclear also contains Laurel Sulphate; Tartaric Acid, which improves skin quality; Allantoin, to reduce dryness; and 8 HO Quinoline, to fade scars.

Burt’s Bees Doctor Herbal Blemish Stick with Tea Tree Oil and Zia Natural Skincare Acne Treatment Mask are natural ways to combat acne scars. Enriched with Tea Tree Oil, an excellent shield against germs and bacteria, the these products reduce the appearance of blemishes. ZEN MED Scar and Hyperpigmentation Treatment Kit consists of ZEN MED Dermabrasion Complex with active ingredients Green Tea and Comfrey, and ZEN MED Skin Eraser for fading blemishes. Syprex and Sycream Scar Cream, Stretch Mark Cream, and Alpha Lipoic Acid also help erase scars, while Derma e Microdermabrasion Scrub lifts dead cells to make scars appear lighter.

So rest assured, there are many products available to help you make acne scarring a memory.

Acne Product Reviews

When it comes to acne product quality, savings and efficiency, research is a consumer’s most valuable tool.

And brands like ZEN MED and Proactiv have been well-researched. ZEN MED Derma Cleanse is a completely natural acne treatment featuring topical creams to unclog pores, herbal tablets to purify, add essential vitamins and fight bacteria from within. Proactiv with Benzoyl Peroxide, consists of cleansers and cream to cleanse pores leaving only a slightly dry skin.

Exposed, another herbal product has produced few side effects and is especially suited for those who may find Proactiv somewhat harsh. Among natural products composed of essential oils such as Tree Tea Oil, vitamins, and herbs, Desert Essence, Kiss My Face, PhytoMe, Bio Skin Care, Burt Bees, and St Ives offer a variety of cleansers, toners and scrubs, which gently clean pores.

Affordable favorites among teens are Clearasil, Clean &Clear, Cetaphil, and Neutrogena, for face and body in cleansers, lotions, pads, toner, face washed and more. Those with sensitive skin have found Cetaphil cleansers especially soothing, while those with oily skin have preferred Clean & Clear and Neutrogena. Those who have tried Murad and Klear Action products found a clear difference and felt improvement within weeks.

Products, such as Actimine, AncEase, and 10 1E Acne Getaway, which are based on essential ancient Chinese herbs, have also been highly rated in clearing acne-prone skin.

With so many choices available, a smart consumer will shop around to find her best route to a flawless complexion.

Acne Medication

A variety of acne medications with proved efficacy are used in the United States. The selection of the prescription medication for the patient is based on the severity and type of acne. Patients with mild to severe acne can be treated with topical or oral medicines. Although systemic therapy is mainly used for treatment of severe acne, it is sometimes needed for moderate cases.

A variety of systemic agents used to clear acne include interlesional corticosteroid injection, isotretinoin, oral antibiotics (tetracycline and erythromycin) and oral contraceptives. Interlesional corticosteroid injection is a much – diluted corticosteroid injected by the dermatologist to treat severely inflamed cysts and prevent scarring. It helps treat acne by “melting” the cyst over a period of 3-5 days. Isotretinoin (a derivative of vitamin A) is a very effective oral drug that can help prevent scarring but because of its potential for serious side effects it is contraindicated in pregnant women and in many other conditions. Isotretinoin acts by reducing the size of the sebaceous glands thus preventing the excess secretion of oil and thereby decreasing the growth of bacteria. It has been estimated that up to 90% of patients’ treatment with isotretinoin result in complete or almost complete recovery from cystic acne.

Tetracycline and erythromycin are effective broad-spectrum oral antibiotics used to treat moderate to severe inflammatory acne. Tetracycline reduces inflammatory lesions of acne but is contraindicated in pregnant and breast feeding women, and children of less than 8 years of age. Doxycycline and minocycline, the synthetic derivatives of tetracycline, are also used to treat acne. Appropriate oral contraceptives that are valuable adjuncts in the treatment of acne in females include: ethynodiol, norgestimate, norethindrone and norethindrone acetate. They act by inhibiting the overactivity of sebaceous glands (oil glands).

Azelaic acid, benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin, erythromycin, and sodium sulfacetamide are the prescription topical antimicrobials used to treat acne vulgaris in the United States. Azelaic acid is a naturally occurring acid that has bacteriostatic and keratolytic properties. Benzoyl peroxide is inexpensive and best at killing P. acnes. When used in combination with antibiotics (erythromycin, clindamycin), benzoyl peroxide increases efficacy and reduces antibiotic resistance. Clindamycin is a safe and well tolerated semi-synthetic antibiotic that acts by reducing P. acnes and decreasing inflammation. Topical erythromycin is an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agent but may cause skin dryness and possible irritation. Sodium sulfacetamide products mostly contain sulfur and are used in patients who cannot tolerate other topical antimicrobials.

Several types of prescription topical retinoids used to treat acne include adapalene, tazarotene, and tretinoin. Adapalene is a synthetic retinoid analog that unclogs pores and demonstrates anti-inflammatory properties. Tazarotene is a second-line retinoid option that helps treat acne by stopping the development of new comedones. Tretinoin is a natural retinoid that works to gradually unclog pores and keep them unplugged.

Acne Medicine

Acne is a combined term that is used to describe a number of skin conditions, like blackheads, blemishes, lumps, and whiteheads. Teenagers and adults can have acne. Stress, hormonal activity, bacteria, steroids, and overactive glands can cause acne.

The various forms of acne are:

Blackheads – due to melanin pigment

Whiteheads – due to the bacteria inside a blocked pore

Papules – are tiny, tender and red spots.

Pustules – are red spots filled with pus, and inflamed.

Nodules – are bumps under the skin which are large and hard.

Cysts – are nodules accompanied by severe inflammation and infection.

The different types of acne include:

ACNE VULGARIS: is a chronic inflammatory condition wherein fluid (sebum) is created by overactive oil and sweat glands.

ACNE ROSEACA: is similar to acne vulgaris, but people also experience skin flushing and a general redness of the area. Sufferers should avoid spicy food and alcohol.

ACNE COSMETICA: is due to the prolonged use of cosmetics, especially those containing isopropyl myristate or greasy ingredients such as lanolin. The best treatment is to stop using the cosmetic causing the acne.

ACNE EXCORIEE: is caused when the skin is damaged by the fingernails and unable to heal due to persistent scratching, which leaves a broad, shallow scar.

CYSTIC ACNE: Cystic acne usually occurs in males. It generally persists beyond 20 years of age and may lead to permanent scarring. This type of Acne can be medically treated with a specialist’s advice.

OCCUPATIONAL ACNE: This is a common condition suffered by motor mechanics who are frequently exposed to oils and grease.

CLIMATE CHANGE: Changes of climate can cause acne, particularly when one moves to a warm climate from a cool one. This is because warm skin releases more oils and sweat, to keep the body cool. One should use a light moisturizer and cleanse the skin regularly.

Ab Workouts

Our society has become more health-conscious today. There has been an increased focus on fitness and exercise. It is a common myth that thin and slim people are fit. Fitness refers to the fitness of mind and body. A good exercise routine goes a long way in maintaining good health. Exercise enables an individual to sustain the daily pressures of life look forward to the day with renewed vigor.

Abdominal exercises, or ab workouts, concentrate on a set of exercises for the abdominal muscles. These include rectus abdominous, serratus, linea similunaris, linea transversae, transversalis and intercostals to name a few. A few others are internal and external obliques, psoas, linea and the alba. Most people call it six-pack abs. It is important to choose ab workouts, which target all the muscles in the area of the abdomen. The stomach is usually a problem area for people. Stomach crunches are very popular among exercisers. They help in tightening the muscles. The right ab workouts can be an excellent part of cardiovascular workouts. However, incorrect ab workouts may result in unnecessary strain to the back or other muscles.

A fitness ball, which is also known as a stability ball, is an inflatable piece of equipment. It looks like an oversize beach ball after inflation. It is useful for workouts of core muscles like the abdomen, chest and back. While exercising, it creates instability and forces the exerciser to use core muscles to create a balance.

A treadmill is a low impact exercise machine. It allows a person to jog, run or walk on a running or a moving belt. These treadmills can be manual or motorized machines.

Stationary Bikes, ab rollers and ab chairs are some of the popularly used ab machines. Sit-ups, crunches and various ab gadgets play a significant role in getting rid of the excess flab. Several people practice Yoga to achieve a perfect body and a peaceful mind. It is important to remember that exercise is a lifetime commitment and it should be included in a person’s daily routine for maximum effectiveness.

A Review of Popular Sunless Tanning Products

When the weather starts to warm up and the days get longer, we are all drawn outdoors to enjoy the sun. Many will recall seemingly endless hours outdoors, soaking up the sun’s rays without a care.

Unfortunately, sunbathing isn’t as carefree an activity as it used to be. These days, there’s more to worry about, such as premature aging, scarring and blemishes, or even skin cancer. With so many options for sunless tanning, finding the best sunless tanning products and methods can be confusing.

In terms of coverage, consistency of color, and follow up care of the tan, spray booth tanning is a good bet. Though it can be costly, and the convenience of home application is lost, many people report high levels of satisfaction from spray tanning. Fantasy Tan and Mist-On Tan are two popular systems. Costs will vary by region and depending on the facility.

Other products touted among the best sunless tanning are Bain de Soleil Tinted Self Tanner Foam (medium) for its quality of color and duration of the tan, and Bain de Soleil Faces Tinted Self Tanning Crème for its ease and smoothness of application and duration of the tan. Though considered high in cost, these are quality cosmetics, according to some.

Coppertone Sunless Tanner Spray (dark) is popular, because it is a spray, and it is applied in the home. No need for a salon visit. This product is appreciated for the quality of the tan, the ease of application (the spray mechanism doesn’t clog,) and how long the resulting tan lasts.

Sunless tanning is a large and growing industry, with advances being made regularly in blend and technology. There are products for every budget and lifestyle. The best sunless tanning is UV free, convenient, and looks great! Best of all, no one has to know where that beautiful tan came from!

A Review of Littman Stethoscopes

Dr. David Littman, a famous cardiologist, inventor, and Harvard Medical School professor, greatly improved the acoustic qualities of stethoscopes in 1963. He believed it was vital to have a stethoscope with two chestpieces, an open one used to hear low pitch sounds and a closed, flat chestpiece to pick up higher pitched sounds. His ideas enabled doctors to get quicker, more accurate readings on patient’s internal body sounds. Instead of only being able to hear low or high-pitched sounds exclusively, doctors were able to listen to both frequencies with one stethoscope. Littman Stethoscopes have evolved dramatically over the years. Littman Stethoscopes are great for general physical assessment and for cardiology.

There are many types of Littman stethoscopes on the market. 3M bought Dr. Littman’s Cardiosonics, Inc. company in 1967, keeping the doctor on as a consultant and designer. There are now standard acoustic Littman stethoscopes as well as newer electronic models that provide even greater amplification. One of the greatest improvements on the original design was the advent of the tunable stethoscope. A tunable stethoscope features the diaphragm and bell on one chestpiece instead of two. The doctor can lightly press the chestpiece to the patient’s skin to use the bell to hear low frequency sounds. Doctors who want to listen for high frequency sound apply more pressure to the chestpiece, which flattens it and makes a traditional diaphragm.

Littman stethoscopes are widely used by cardiologists and other specialists who need the maximum amount of accuracy and sound amplification from their instruments. While specialists worldwide trust Littman stethoscopes, general practitioners use them for routine physical exams as well.

3M’s Littman stethoscopes are highly regarded for their accuracy, dependability, and comfort for both the doctor and the patient. There are a number of models available that are designed for use in a variety of settings, from the operating room to the pediatrician’s office.

A Look at Whey Protein Powder

There are so many different whey protein powder products on the marketplace today that knowing which one is the best one for you is getting increasingly more complicated. To make things even more confusing, many of the competing brands use different suggested serving sizes, different measuring spoons and different container sizes just to make comparisons more difficult.

There is more to whey protein powder than nutritional-benefit appeal. Increasingly, food formulators are taking advantage of whey protein powder ingredients most functional properties, such as whipping/foaming, emulsification, gelation and high water binding capabilities, to improve the taste and mouth-feel of their new product formulations or to replace fat.

It is important to note that there are significant price and nutritional value differences between the various whey protein powder supplements on the market. One containing 34% protein may cost up to 80% less than better quality whey protein powders with protein contents of 77% or higher. Most whey protein powders use a blend of different whey protein concentrates, isolates and hydrolysates, making it possible to hide inferior/cheaper proteins in a product. But there’s an easy way to find out. To determine the overall protein percentage of your supplement, whey or otherwise, simply divide the protein found in each serving by the serving size and multiply by 100.

Here is an example to help you figure out how much of your current whey protein powder actually protein is whey protein: 22g of protein per serving — 28.4g serving size x 100 = 77.5% protein. Keep in mind that it is impossible to end up with 100% whey protein. Flavors, colors, sweeteners, and micronutrients, that make these supplements nutritious and enjoyable to consume tend to displace some of the space that could be occupied by more whey protein. Nevertheless, it’s important to account for these fillers, since grams of whey protein powder per bottle is what most consumers are really after.

A Look at Various Wart Treatments

After you’ve been to the doctor and been diagnosed with some type of human pappilloma virus (HPV) infection that has caused an outbreak of warts somewhere on your body, you’ll eventually get around to discussing the possible treatments.

From simple creams and lotions designed to shrink or remove the food supply from warts and cause them to “die,” to other, more sophisticated chemical solutions designed to burn them off, there are a variety of treatments available to the HPV sufferer today. It all depends on the location and severity of the outbreak.

Outside the body, on the hands or the feet is the simplest form of warts to treat and, usually creams and lotions applied throughout the day are enough to make them go away. If they persist through the simpler wart treatments, there are more powerful chemicals available that starve the wart of blood supply, oxygen or other vital support, which will ultimately cause it to die. In addition, there are medicines that trick the body’s immune system into attacking the wart itself and hopefully, succeed in killing it.

If all else fails, and the location or severity of the outbreak warrants it, there is cauterization of the warts, freezing them and ultimately removing them surgically.

At home, treatments usually begin with salicylic acid, which is readily available over the counter at your local pharmacy. This treatment is very effective, however, it can take several months to completely remove the offending warts, causing many to seek alternative wart treatment. Ultimately, home treatment, which can be as successful as any other form of wart treatment, is easier, less costly and less painful than many of the other choices.

For those who do not like the thought of putting anything with the word “acid” on or in their bodies, there is the tape occlusion method. In this case, you merely put a piece of tape over the wart and keep it there, starving the wart of oxygen and light that it needs to live and grow. This is a slow but usually effective method and many people who have tried it have reported successful results.

Finally, there is a brand of home freezing for wart removal that should be investigated thoroughly before trying. Essentially, the user takes two chemicals and sprays them together, holding the mixture, which reaches a very low temperature briefly, on the wart, freezing and killing it quickly. This method is not advised for children.

A Look at Snoring Treatments

If your own efforts to stop snoring do not help, consult your physician or an otolaryngologist — or a doctor for the ear, nose, and throat. If you choose to try a dental appliance as a snoring treatment, you will need to see a dentist specializing in these devices. Some medical snoring treatments are continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), oral devices (including dental appliances and lower jaw positioners), and surgery.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure consists of sleeping with an air mask to maintain continuous air pressure in the throat. CPAP is a treatment for sleep apnea, as well as for snoring.

A wide range of dental appliances, oral devices, and lower jaw adjusters are available to alleviate snoring. Some people experience significant improvement with these oral appliances, which bring the lower jaw forward during sleep. Most of the products fit inside the mouth, but some products on the market are worn around the head and chin to adjust the position of the lower jaw.

As far as surgery goes, Thermal Ablation Palatoplasty (TAP) treats snoring and various types of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. The types of TAP include: laser-assisted uvula palatoplasty (LAUP) and radiofrequency ablation (or “somnoplasty”). Laser-assisted uvula palatoplasty (LAUP) vaporizes the uvula and a portion of the palate with a laser in the doctor’s office under local anesthesia. LAUP effectively removes obstructions to the airway, which may be causing snoring or sleep apnea.

Laser-Assisted Uvula Palatoplasty has a higher success rate than Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty for sleep apnea (UPPP), but it requires a surgeon with expertise in laser procedures. Radiofrequency ablation, or somnoplasty, shrinks excess tissue in the upper airway with a needle electrode. For snoring, the soft palate and uvula are reduced. For Obstructive Sleep Apnea, the base of the tongue is reduced. For chronic nasal obstruction, nasal turbinates are reduced. Somnoplasty does not require general anesthesia.

According to many experts, while other snoring treatments may help in cases of milder snoring problems, for heavy snoring, surgically correcting obstructive conditions in the nose, pharynx, or uvula may be the only solution.