• Obagi Medical Products 3Step Acne System Provides An Effective Approach To Treating Acne Without Topical Antibiotic … Centre Daily Times

  Obagi Medical Products, Inc. Nasdaq:OMPI, a leader in topical aesthetic and therapeutic skin health systems, announced today the interim results of a 10week study comparing CLENZIderm M.D.TM Acne Therapeutic Systems 3step acne system for normaltooily skin to a leading combination benzoyl peroxide BPO/clindamycin antibiotic product at the American Academy of Dermatology Summer Meeting …

• Obagi Medical Products 3Step Acne System Provides An Effective Approach To Treating Acne Without Topical Antibiotic … Business Wire Via Yahoo! Finance

  CHICAGOObagi Medical Products, Inc. , a leader in topical aesthetic and therapeutic skin health systems, announced today the interim results of a 10week study comparing CLENZIderm M.D. Acne Therapeutic Systems 3step acne system for normaltooily skin to a leading combination benzoyl peroxide /clindamycin antibiotic product at the American Academy of Dermatology Summer Meeting in Chicago.

• Acne And Rosacea Got You Seeing Red? Newswise

  By its very nature, skin of color is considered sensitive skin by dermatologists who regularly treat darkerskinned patients for a wide range of skin problems. Acne and rosacea can be especially problematic skin conditions for people with skin of color, as any skin irritation in these patients can cause pigmentation problems that can result in the lightening or darkening of the skin.

• American Academy Of Dermatology: Acne And Rosacea Got You Seeing Red? Patients With Skin Of Color Advised To Seek … PR Newswire Via Yahoo! Finance

  By its very nature, skin of color is considered sensitive skin by dermatologists who regularly treat darkerskinned patients for a wide range of skin problems.

• Movie Review: American Teen Entertainment Weekly

  Reviewed by Lisa Schwarzbaum A

• Movie Review: American Teen San Francisco Chronicle

  RATING: WILD APPLAUSEAmerican Teen: Documentary. With Hannah Bailey, Megan Krizmanich, Jake Tusing, Colin Clemens and Mitch Reinholt. Directed by Nanette Burstein. PG13. 95 minutes. At Bay Area theaters. The loveliest and most affecting character in a…

• Movie Review: American Teen A Refreshing View Of High School MinneapolisSt. Paul Star Tribune

  Five kids spend their senior year on camera in the refreshingly candid “American Teen.”

• It Cant Hurt To Laugh The Columbus Dispatch

  ts difficult to remember what was so funny about chemotherapy.

• Smells Like Teen Stereotypes The Globe And Mail

  Smells like teen stereotypes

• Suspiciously Slick, Teen Vividly Evokes The American High School Experience Seattle PostIntelligencer

  Teen angst is entertainingly explored in the Sundance Grand Jury Prizewinning high school documentary “American Teen.”

Acne, which encompasses multiple skin conditions, is caused when the pores in a person’s skin become blocked by dead skin or body oils. These oils, called Sebum, normally do the job of keeping your skin or hair from drying out. The most common acne in teenagers is

The clogged pores actually become infected and that is when the pimples come up. When this happens one of four things may occur — the infection either comes out as a whitehead, a blackhead, a pimple or a cyst. Although most people see these as the same, they are actually different.

A whitehead is a caused when the pore gets blocked and remains closed. A blackhead is just the opposite — a blocked pore that has remained open. A pimple, which usually looks pink or reddish, is what happens when the blocked pore finally erupts allowing everything that was blocking it to get under the skin. Finally, a cyst is like a pimple but is what happens if the pore bursts deeper under the skin. The deeper the infection is the more swelling there is likely going to be.

Now that you know what is on your face, shoulders or back what are you supposed to do about it? To begin with when you wash your face, or wherever the acne is, do it gently using warm water and a mild soap. This can help to contain the infections and often will go a long way to getting rid of the problem. Dermatologists will tell you not to pop them, don’t squeeze them or pick at your acne. This can be very difficult when you feel that it’s the only thing that might improve the way it looks. But skin doctors claim that by doing that you only risk spreading the infection from the oils and bacteria on your hands. This also can potentially make for scarring.

One other cause of acne can be a reaction to certain medications and for this one it doesn’t matter how old you are. Some of the medicines that can be a problem are seizure medications or drugs that affect hormone levels. If you suspect this might be your problem talk to your health care provider. They may be able to suggest another medication that doesn’t cause this reaction.

Comedonal acne are whiteheads or blackheads that do not become inflamed. They are usually on the chin or forehead. This acne can worsen with high humidity, hormone fluctuations or the use of certain products on the face. Infantile acne is just what it sounds like, acne that only affects babies. It usually goes away in the first few months after the baby is born. Acne in pregnancy is also not unusual and has its own symptoms. A woman will often get a fairly bad outbreak in the first trimester but as the pregnancy continues and the hormone changes abate, it clears up. A pregnant woman should not use any kind of treatment until after her baby is born.

Acne conglobata is a form of acne vulgaris, but it is worse in its symptoms. This one is more common in males with the outbreak often being on the chest and back, with some on the face. Acne fulminans is actually an even more severe form of acne conglobata. Not only does it begin all of a sudden but it affects other things as well as the normal kind of pimple outbreak. With this a person will frequently have a fever, aching joints, weight loss due to a diminished appetite, and even a raised white blood count. This type of acne, more prevalent in males, can actually make a person ill.

There is also acne mediamentosa that is caused by a reaction to medications. These are usually medications that are hormone based like anabolic steroids or occasionally oral contraceptives for women. Oddly these very same contraceptives are sometimes prescribed to help women suffering bad acne outbreaks.

The last one is acne excori. It is more common in women and is the aftermath of pimples, whiteheads or blackheads that have been picked. Even after these have healed there are still sores, scars and marks. The best treatment for this problem is to completely stop picking the pimples.

Turmeric, a plant that is a member of the ginger family, is used in a few recipes for acne care. If you mix it with sandalwood powder and milk, this will make a cream that you can put on your face. Or try mixing turmeric powder with mint juice. Put this on your face where the acne is, leave for fifteen minutes and then gently wash it off with warm water. Repeat until the acne clears.

Instead of making a salad take your cucumber and puree it in the blender. Take the paste and put it all over your face and leave it there for twenty to thirty minutes. Remove it by gently rinsing with warm water. This will not only help to prevent acne but it will make your face feel fresh. While you have your blender out you may want to try taking orange peels and grinding them up. Put this on the areas where you have acne. This is known to be a fairly successful remedy.

You can also use herbs as acne remedies. Basil is a good example. Take a couple of spoonfuls of the dried leaves and let them steep in boiled water, just like making a cup of tea, for close to twenty minutes. Then let it cool and use a cotton ball to rinse your face with this treatment.

This one may sound a little odd as we’re taught not to mix things that can curdle. But in this case you should try to mix some fresh squeezed juice from a lime in with boiled milk and use it to wash your face. Or try taking some egg white and apply it softly to the infected areas. Leave it on for a minimum of twenty minutes during each treatment. Or you can try ground black cumin seeds mixed into a paste with vinegar. This has worked for others.

Any of these pastes, or liquids, that you put on your face must be gently washed off after the treatment period with warm water. Scrubbing them off will only aggravate the sores that you are trying to treat. As well, before using any of these remedies you should do a little research to find exact how long to leave them on your face. Most are fifteen to thirty minutes. Treatments will likely continue for several days until you have the desired results.

There are some things you can do to keep this under control and make it less uncomfortable. First, when you are feeling sweaty take a shower — more than once a day will not hurt you. When you shower use some type of back scrubber to help remove dead skin. Be careful when using the back scrubber not to rub too hard and accidentally rip open the acne.

Make sure to wear loose clothing which allows the skin to breathe. Additionally, changing your shirt frequently will help keep bacteria buildup under control and minimize the outbreak. Other useful tips include powdering your back after showering with unscented baby power which helps keep the skin from sweating. Some people even go so far as to spray their backs with antiperspirant. But this can have adverse effects if you sweat a lot.

Wearing clothing made from cotton is an advantage because it will also help your skin breathe. Although it is common sense to keep yourself clean and to change your clothes daily, if you have back acne you must make sure you put on clean clothes each day. This should include changing bras daily. Another point to remember is that when using exercise mats you should put a towel under your back to help absorb the sweat.

Another thing that might help treat back acne is a mixture of lye soap and tea tree oil. This ointment softens the skin, and helps to control oil production in the skin of the back. People who suffer with back acne should not sleep on waterbeds. The heat of the mattress irritates the skin and causes the sleeper to sweat which only causes more acne.

Acne on the back is more much difficult to treat than acne on the face. Often it requires prescription antibiotics from a dermatologist. Either minocycline or tetracycline may be suggested. Additionally, there are prescription washes that will help control bacteria that is causing the acne. After using the wash follow it with a prescribed cream or lotion. Given time and care an episode of back acne can be brought under control.

There is also just regular infant acne that often shows up around the age of three weeks old. More prevalent on baby boys than girls, it also is mainly on the face, though sometimes it can be seen on the scalp as well. As this type of acne will go away without treatment, usually before the fourth month, it is best left alone. It’s a good idea to gently wash the baby’s face with a very mild soap then rinse with warm water at least once daily. Don’t use anything else on baby’s face like creams or lotions, as this is likely to cause more problems and will not hasten the acne’s departure.

Parents should not worry if their baby develops acne. It does not mean that they are not taking good care of their child. Some parents think it means that they are not cleaning their baby properly, but this is not true. Other parents feel guilty that if they had acne as teens, which most did, then it is their fault that the baby has acne. This also is not true.

There are other kinds of acne that an infant may get. One type is called milia. This type is not there when the baby is born but will appear usually after the first week. It can be caused by a baby having spent time in an incubator, wearing clothing that does not allow the skin to properly breathe or having a fever. This type also goes away quickly. You can help it do that by reducing baby’s sweating. Cool baths can help this.

Infantile acne is one more type of acne your baby can suffer from. This one has a slightly later onset, usually about three months of age. This type is more serious then the others and will have baby’s face covered with whiteheads and sometimes little pustules. They are most likely to be on baby’s cheeks and little nose. They will usually disappear by the time baby is a year old, although occasionally it will last into their third year. Treatment is not recommended in this case either other then the common sense use of gentle soaps to wash baby’s face. But if it is causing baby distress or discomfort using a little benzoyl peroxide can assist in easing the swelling. If this still does not seem to make baby more comfortable talk to your health care provider about some lotion or cream to use on your baby’s delicate skin. This isn’t serious and it will go away on its own.

A good example of this is toothpaste. Put toothpaste on your acne right before going to bed. Wash it off as soon as you get up in the morning. After you have used it for a few days you should find the pimples disappear. This is because toothpaste dries up the oils and so helps the acne heal.

There are many food-based remedies that people believe help counter acne outbreaks. One is tomato pulp. One home remedy recommends using the pulp on the face for an hour before being washed off. After a few uses the acne is supposed to go away. There are some who believe that applying the juice from a freshly squeezed lemon and allowing it to stay on the skin overnight will help. If you try this make sure to wash your face thoroughly in the morning. Others take this a step further by adding rose water to the lemon juice and letting this mixture sit on the face for about thirty minutes a day. In fifteen days the acne should be gone.

If food remedies interest you, here are a couple more: grate potatoes and put them on your acne. Or if you prefer something a little sweeter, mix cinnamon with honey then put this paste on before going to sleep. A towel on your pillow would be a good idea when using this remedy. Wash the paste off with warm water in the morning. If smellier remedies are your preference, rub fresh garlic all over the acne. Repeat until the acne clears up.

Other home remedies include using the essential oil of lavender on your acne. Maybe instead you’d prefer to drink something that can help you. Try wheat grass juice; this can both cure and prevent acne. Or drink a slice of lemon in boiled water when you would otherwise have a cup of coffee or tea. Try rubbing ice on the areas where you have acne before going to sleep.

Neem is a very useful ingredient in acne cures. There are soaps with Neem in them that you can use. Used twice daily they will help your skin. Neem also comes in capsules that can be taken daily. Neem is supposed to not only help cure the acne you have but to prevent further outbreaks. Why does this work so well? Neem is supposed to be a blood purifier and enhancer of the body’s immune system. It appears to fight the infections of the skin. Research has proven it to be very effective in treating skin disorders of many kinds.

To begin with that means that eating greasy foods like pizza, bacon, French fries or potatoes chips will not affect your acne either way. Neither will eating chocolate or drinking any kind of carbonated soda pop. Wearing make-up is also not likely going to affect your skin, especially if the make-up is the oil-free.

If your parents had acne as teens you likely will as well. But for most people, by the time they begin to ease into their twenties, it has already begun to disappear. There are some things that can be done to minimize an acne outbreak. Be sure to wash your face with warm water and a mild soap once in the morning and again at night before bed. Do not use a facecloth, as it could be too rough on your face and so aggravate the already tender skin — use your hands instead.

Anything that you put on your face, including your makeup, sunscreen, or moisturizer should be oil free. Make sure you always remove all of your makeup before going to bed. When you exert yourself in any way and you are sweating because of it, make sure your wash your face. Keep your hair off you face. Your hair has its own oils and you don’t want them rubbing onto your face. Make sure you wash your hair regularly to avoid the oils aggravating your skin. If you use any hair care products like sprays or gels to keep your hair in place do your best to keep these off your face as they can also block your pores. If you must wear caps or hats, keep an eye out to make sure that they don’t encourage acne along the hairline.

Another important thing to remember is not to touch your face excessively. Touching transfers the dirt and oils from your hands to your face. Equally important is to refrain from picking, touching, popping or squeezing the pimples which can cause them to get much worse.

You can find many different acne medications at your local drug store. There are many to choose from and you may find that what works for your best friend may do nothing for you. The best have benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid in them which help to dry out the skin and shrink the offending pimples. Make sure you follow the directions carefully. Do not overuse the products or you can damage your skin.

If you don’t find something that works over-the-counter, arrange to visit your dermatologist who will be able to prescribe something stronger.

To begin with that means that eating greasy foods like pizza, bacon, French fries or potatoes chips will not affect your acne either way. Neither will eating chocolate or drinking any kind of carbonated soda pop. Wearing make-up is also not likely going to affect your skin, especially if the make-up is the oil-free.

If your parents had acne as teens you likely will as well. But for most people, by the time they begin to ease into their twenties, it has already begun to disappear. There are some things that can be done to minimize an acne outbreak. Be sure to wash your face with warm water and a mild soap once in the morning and again at night before bed. Do not use a facecloth, as it could be too rough on your face and so aggravate the already tender skin — use your hands instead.

Anything that you put on your face, including your makeup, sunscreen, or moisturizer should be oil free. Make sure you always remove all of your makeup before going to bed. When you exert yourself in any way and you are sweating because of it, make sure your wash your face. Keep your hair off you face. Your hair has its own oils and you don’t want them rubbing onto your face. Make sure you wash your hair regularly to avoid the oils aggravating your skin. If you use any hair care products like sprays or gels to keep your hair in place do your best to keep these off your face as they can also block your pores. If you must wear caps or hats, keep an eye out to make sure that they don’t encourage acne along the hairline.

Another important thing to remember is not to touch your face excessively. Touching transfers the dirt and oils from your hands to your face. Equally important is to refrain from picking, touching, popping or squeezing the pimples which can cause them to get much worse.

You can find many different acne medications at your local drug store. There are many to choose from and you may find that what works for your best friend may do nothing for you. The best have benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid in them which help to dry out the skin and shrink the offending pimples. Make sure you follow the directions carefully. Do not overuse the products or you can damage your skin.

If you don’t find something that works over-the-counter, arrange to visit your dermatologist who will be able to prescribe something stronger.

Myth No. 1 – Diet Causes Acne False - you’ve probably heard that sodas, chocolate and fatty foods cause acne. This is not true. Studies have proven that the only thing in your diet that can aggravate your acne is iodized salt. Diet is completely unrelated to acne outbreaks. Enjoy the foods you love to eat. If you suspect that something you eat is affecting your acne what you are likely seeing is a food allergy. Talk to your health care provider at once.

Myth No. 2 - Only Teenagers Get Acne This is not true either. Twenty percent of all infants have an episode of acne. Five percent of all women over forty still deal with acne problems and will until menopause. At the same age one percent of men still have some acne problem.

Myth No. 3 – Poor Hygiene Causes Acne Many of you will have heard that poor hygiene cause acne. Actually, it doesn’t. Usually people with acne actually over wash their faces trying to rid themselves of the blemishes. This actually isn’t good as it can irritate the acne. Acne is caused by an overproduction of body oils that clog the pores and no amount of washing or scrubbing can change that. At the same time acne sufferers believe that lying in the sun will benefit their skin condition by drying out these access oils. Unfortunately, the suns rays do nothing for your skin accept cause wrinkles, and potentially lead to skin cancer.

If you are taking antibiotic medication to help clear up your acne once the acne is gone do not stop taking the medication. Many people think that is okay to stop since they cannot see any reason to take it once the blemishes have cleared. This is wrong. You must never stop taking any kind of medication without your doctor’s agreement. Stopping the medication before its time could easily cause it to come right back.

Miscellaneous Myths Other odd myths that people still believe include:

• Sex causes acne - false. • Stress causes acne - this too is incorrect although stress has been known to make acne worse. • There is a cure for acne - sorry but that one isn’t true either.