There I was. I had paid just under $400 dollars to get a bright, clear, zit and scar-free face. My appointment for a deep herbal skin peel had arrived. As my cognizant and trusted Russian aesthetician, Dana, glided me onto the spa bed, she warned, "This his going to hurt a lot, you must be strong."

Seconds later I am courageously, though mentally moaning to myself, ""Jesus! Uhhh! Iiiiiiiiiii! Help! It feels like she''s rubbing glass into my face.""

"You''re doing fine... Just a few more minutes and we'll be done. Yes, it is tough to be beautiful", coached Dana.

"I am out of my body, I am out of my body. I am free. I feel easy, light... Crap! This is not working, it still hurts like hell", I whimpered to myself.

A satanic eternity later, Dana was done. And all the Heavens rejoiced in my cosmetic liberation. To all appearances, Dana took my face from scarred and acneic to blistered and tamale red in a matter of 7 minutes.

"Here, take these home and use them as I have instructed. You must do as I say or you will damage your skin and it will not look like baby new skin when you return in four days. Be extremely careful with your skin, it is very fragile now, be gentle with it. Do not scrub or wash your skin for the next three days. Use only the materials that I have given you."

Dana''s words were all I could think about in the coming hours. As I rushed home from the spa looking like a red version of the Blue Men, I congratulated myself for following through on a decision that took over a year to make.

For the next three days I avoided the sun like a bat and hid away from society. If I did have to face the sun, even just for a few seconds, I slathered my skin with a physical sun block that contained titanium oxide that Dana gave me.

Day One After the Deep Peel:

My face is no longer red. It became extremely dry. My face is like a fish out of water, scaly. I use the thick cream Dana gave me as she foretold, "Your skin will become very dry and then begin to peel off in chunks. And then you will have nice, new and beautiful skin like a baby."

Day Two After the Deep Peel:

"It has begun! It has begun!" I scream like a mad scientist. The moment I was waiting for- my skin began peeling off in chunks. I could just lightly rub my face and dry scales of skin would come off. It was amazing all day long this was happening. Scales of dry skin coming off my face. It did not hurt. It was just amazing to witness first hand.

Day Three After the Deep Peel:

More of day-two type activity. My skin is peeling like crazy. I'm a happy because I can already tell that most of my scars are gone.

Day Four After the Deep Peel:

I return to see Dana. She gives me a facial to remove the excess dead skin cells from my face. Afterwards, Dana and I are both amazed at the results. She bemoans, "I wished I had taken a before and after picture, you look completely different now. Your skin is beautiful!"

I agreed with her 150%. I had new clear skin that was as soft and firm as a newborn baby's face.

This deep peel turned out to be a hasty move on my part, because just a few months later, my skin was just as scarred with zits as it was before I started the deep peel. I realized that I needed to have my acne under control before proceeding with serious, and not to mention expensive, skin treatments. I advise the same to all. Make sure your zit break outs are few and far between before you spend your money on scar removal.

In the United States alone, there are over 40 Million people who struggle with acne. Many of these people treat acne using chemicals such as antibiotics, prescription drugs, benzoyl peroxide, and salicylic acid.

However, there is a growing number of people who choose herbal acne treatments over traditional medications. Usually, herbal medications have far fewer side effects, and are not as dangerous as some of the prescription drugs.

The problem however, is that the United States does very little to regulate the herbal supplement industry. Unlike traditional chemical medications, herbal medications are not required to be clinically proven to work, or even to be safe. An example of this lack of regulation recently came to light with ephedra related deaths, and ephedras subsequent ban.

This lack of regulation results in many different acne products on the market. All of which claim to heal, prevent, or even cure acne with few, if any, side effects.

The truth is, there are very few herbal acne treatments that are scientifically proven to work. Traditional chemical treatments are still the most effective in stopping acne.

There are only 2 herbal treatments that have been clinically proven to help stop acne, tea tree oil and green tea cream.

Tea tree oil is a natural oil, derived from the Melaleuca alternifolia, a particular type of tea tree found exclusively in Australia. While it has been used from hundreds of years by the native aboriginals as a treatment for just about anything, it has only recently been accepted by modern medicine as being a viable anti-bacterial agent.

Even though tea tree oil has been suspected as an anti-bacterial agent for some time, A groundbreakings study was conducted in 1990 by I.B. Bassett, which compared tea tree oil to benzoyl peroxide in the treatment of acne. It was found that tea tree oil is as effective as a 5% benzoyl peroxide solution. It takes longer (6 weeks) for the tea tree oil to be as effective, but participants in the study reported none of the side effects associated with benzoyl peroxide, such as redness, skin irritation, or dry skin.

This study has helped tea tree oil become a recognized and legitimate herbal acne treatment. However, there is no need to purchase an expensive cream that contains tea tree oil. Just applying several drops of the oil directly on the acne has shown to be the most effective way to apply tea tree oil.

This was the only herbal acne treatment that had been proven to work until recently, when Dr. Jennifer Gan-Wong conducted a study that shows green tea can also effectively fight acne.

Dr. Gan-Wong compared a green tea cream with 3% green tea, to a 4% benzoyl peroxide solution, and found that the results in treating acne where the same for both the tea and the peroxide. These results were recently presented at the 2003 annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

These findings are relatively recent, and are not yet corroborated by additional independent studies. However, this evidence does demonstrate that the natural anti-bacterial properties of green tea can be effective to treat acne.

For those of you who are confused by the plethora of herbal acne treatments available, there really are only 2 that have been proven to be effective in fighting acne. Green tea cream, and tea tree oil. While many other herbal acne treatments may be good to moisturize the skin, or reduce oils, these are the only two that should be considered truly effective acne treatments.


http://astore.amazon.com/acnegenral-20

Puberty brought bouts of acne. In your 20s, finding Mr. or Mrs. Right was of 
chief consequence. When the 30s hit, you worked to raise little Johnnie or Suzie
  to be a model kid. Now that your hitting the fabulous 40s, you should be 
coasting through life, right. Well, why are you suddenly dealing with the 
cosmetic double whammy of acne and wrinkles? Even your insurance company figures
  that you should have gotten rid of acne by the age of 25.

 The number people over 30 needing acne treatments has climbed to the extent 
that a report published in Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 
recommends raising the age for insurance coverage of the acne drug tretinoin to 
at least 40. The authors of the report, Drs. Steven Feldman and Alan Fleischer, 
add that many insurance companies refuse to pay for tretinoin prescriptions for 
patients older than 25.

 Cosmetic Catch 22 
Even if your insurance company leaves you to fend for 
yourself, you still have options for freeing yourself from acne and wrinkles. At
  first, coping with acne and wrinkles may seem like a cosmetic catch 22. Do you 
dry your skin with acne cleansers containing benzoyl peroxide and salicylic 
acid, and worsen your wrinkles? Or, do you smear on the moisturizer to smooth 
the wrinkles, but cope with the zits brought on by the extra oil or sensitivity 
to a new product?

 There's a smarter way to handle acne and wrinkles.

 1.    Interpret the acne

 2.    Allow your skin to improve as you use self-awareness to remove 
zits.

 Interpret the acne

While dealing with acne and wrinkles, target the acne first because acne is 
an autoimmune disease. Having an autoimmune disease means that your thoughts, 
emotions, and/or environment are affecting you in an adverse way and require 
immediate attention. Thus, acne may reveal that you need to relax more, change 
your eating habits, reframe your interpersonal dialogue, stop dating that jerk 
from the office and/or make another beneficial alteration to your lifestyle.

 Zits arrive on your face to report on some unpleasant activities within your 
body and life. Once you get feedback from these zits, you can take action to 
send the zits away while augmenting your health in the process.

 Acne is usually an indication various hidden or overlooked health problems. 
Here's a sample of the questions you should ask yourself when dealing with acne 
so that you can unravel the mystery behind your zits. Are you:

 Regular?

 About 70% of your immune system is located in your intestines. If this area 
is blocked with waste, your immuno-defenses are down. So, instead of waste 
leaving your body via the rectum, it chooses to leave through the skin. Waste 
leaving the skin can cause an infection that presents itself as acne.

 Tense?

Tension likewise reduces the vigor of the immune system. Take a few deep 
breaths throughout the day to calm your body. Take a long walk in the fresh air 
to wind down.

 Eating nutritionally?

 Cases of acne have been improved with consuming foods containing zinc, 
essential fatty acids, vitamin A and a host of other nutrients. All of these 
vital nutrients are available in leafy green vegetables, fruits and olive 
oil.

 Worried about unresolved issues?

 Not resolving personal issues creates conflict and tension in the body. 
Again, these issues most be addressed to avoid undue stress within the body.

 Exercising daily?

 Exercise reduces stress and gives you an opportunity to subconsciously 
contemplate challenges that you may be facing. Physical activity also keeps your
  muscles and intestines toned, which keeps encourages regularity.

 Changing pillowcase frequently?

Using a dirty pillowcase aggravates an acne condition. Your face naturally 
secretes oils during the night. These oils are sticky. So if you pillowcase if 
dirty, you are allowing your face to collect extra waste during the night, which
  could further clog your pores.

 Moving or changing your job/career?

 New demands or feelings of lose can sometimes accompany change. Transfer 
these emotions into something constructive by writing in a journal or 
envisioning how these changes are going to benefit you. Find comfort in these 
changes and opportunities for new beginnings.

 Experiencing excessive facial hair growth and erratic periods?

 Conditions such as acne, excessive facial hair, and erratic periods could 
indicate an androgen disorder or other underlying hormonal imbalances. Your 
doctor can provide you with a series of endocrine tests to ascertain your 
hormone levels and what corrective actions you should take. Ricardo Azziz, M.D, 
who serves as Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Director of the Center 
for Androgen-Related Disorders at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, estimates that 80
  percent of women with excessive androgen levels suffer from an endocrine 
disorder called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Dr. Azziz adds that women with
  PCOS often have insulin resistance and are at increased risk for developing
Type  II diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.

 Once the acne is under control you can move on to the wrinkles. Another 
reason for treating the zits first is because if you alter your lifestyle in 
such as way as to free yourself from acne, and you doing this in a healthy and 
patient fashion, you will actually lessen the number of wrinkles you have.


Health is wholeness and beauty is a reflection of robust health. You'll never
  buy robust health in a jar. It is a mind, body, spirit and environmental
support  system that garners full-bodied health. Lets look at want you actually
need from  a "beauty cream".

 Face Cream Education
There are five basic ingredients in any given 
anti-aging or anti-wrinkling cream.

 1.    The oil or moisturizer

 2.    The preservatives to keep the cream from spoiling.

 3.    A scent or flavor

 4.    A color

 5.    The active ingredient.

 Only one of these components is essential, the oil. The preservative is only 
needed to keep the cream useful. Your face does not need preservation because 
the skin is alive. Since some people have allergies to scents and colors in 
cosmetics, the body says that these two ingredients are not necessary. The 
active ingredient is usually the latest cosmetic drug or multivitamin that is 
supposed to lift or dramatically reverse your age by 5-20 years.
 
Researchers S. Jay Olshansky, Leonard Hayflick and Bruce A. Carnes bluntly 
comment on the antics of cosmetic companies in their report No Truth to the 
Fountain of Youth, published in the June 2002 edition of Scientific American. 
The authors warn everyone aiming to reverse the signs of times on their face 
that, "... anyone purporting to offer an anti-aging product today is either 
mistaken or lying".

 I bet you are thinking, "Won't that oil make acne worse?" The answer is not 
if you are using the right oil. Some essential oils such as bergamot, lavender, 
lemon, neroli, sandalwood, tea tree and ylang ylang have cleansing and 
antibacterial properties which help combat acne infections. Other essential oil 
like geranium, clary sage and orange regulate the production of oil on the face.
  When mixed with a carrier oil such as jojoba or camellia, these essential oils 
are ideal moisturizers.

 Nothing that you put on your face will truly change your appearance. Creams 
are useful, but they are only one instrument in an orchestra of anti-aging 
concerts. Health starts on the inside. If you want to improve your beauty start 
with how you treat yourself and feed yourself. I mean not only what foods you 
eat but what thoughts you eat.

 You may eat thoughts of the sort, "I can't...", "I had a stressful day", "I'm
  tired of...",  "I can't wait until...", "I'm getting old", "My body isn't as 
healthy as it used to be". The menu is endless. If you want to look young and 
healthy, you have to think young and healthy thoughts. Here's steps to jumpstart
  your quest:

 Start by changing your thinking. Develop your own youth model, i.e. with 
steps you'll take to maintain your vitality and stick to it.

Enjoy nutritious foods. A study in the Journal of American College of 
Nutrition found that eating a variety of fruits and vegetables and using olive 
oil every day could help keep wrinkles away. The researchers found that people 
who ate a diet rich in green leafy vegetables, beans, olive oil, nuts and 
multigrain breads, while avoiding butter, red meat and sugary goodies, were less
  predisposed to wrinkling. Researchers believe that antioxidant vitamins, such
as  A, C and E, which are found in fruits and vegetables, may help protect the
skin  from environmental damage.

 Use a gentle cleanser each day.

Steam your face everyday for 5-15 minutes, especially if your have acne. The 
steam removes waxy build-up on the skin while it stimulates circulation. This 
combo of benefits cleans to pores to reduce the possibility of acne while 
firming up the skin and facial muscles.

Exfoliate your skin daily.

 Moisturize your face in the morning and evening with natural oils. In 
addition to the acne fighting oils listed above, you can mix essential oils such
  as frankinsense, myrrh, neroli and rose to help encourage the growth of new
skin  cells. You can create a moisturizer by diluting 1-3 of your favorite
essential  oils in a carrier oil such as jojoba or camellia oil in a ration of 1
part  essential oil to 3 parts carrier oil.

Massage your face daily when you apply your facial oil.

 Lie down on an incline bench for 5-20 minutes each day to let the blood flow 
to your head.

 Wear a sunhat in the sun.

 Give yourself a light skin peel once a month.


Finally, forty can still be fabulous and your beauty-plan a lot less 
enigmatic. Just remember the basics, interpret the messages of your zits, and 
educate yourself about wrinkle creams- you don't need them.

 http://astore.amazon.com/acnegenral-20

There are literally hundreds of various treatments available to reduce acne. 
There is everything from all natural herbal remedies, to powerful chemical 
pharmaceuticals such as Accutane.

 However, the most commonly used acne treatments in the United States are over
  the counter acne medications. They are generally inexpensive when compared to 
prescription medications, and some work very well.

 Benzoyl peroxide is the most commonly used over the counter acne medication, 
and for good reason; Benzoyl peroxide is one of the most effective acne 
treatments available.

 A 5% solution is usually all that is needed to treat acne, and it has almost 
no side effects for most people who use it. Unlike antibiotics and other 
prescription medications, Benzoyl peroxide can be used for months, even years at
  a time, and there are really no long term side effects (including a tolerance) 
that can be associated with it.

 Furthermore, benzoyl peroxide has been compared to some of the prescription 
medications for acne, and it is nearly as effective as many acne antibiotics. 
Over all, benzoyl peroxide is the most successful over the counter acne 
medication.

 However, there are others that can be very beneficial as well, including 
salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid, and it works as an 
astringent to remove dead skin cells. By removing the dead cells, this helps 
eliminate clogged pores, as well as help the skin renew itself faster.

 Since acne is caused by p.bacteria that builds up in sebum in the pores of 
the skin, it is very important for the sebum to have a way of draining out of 
the pores before it becomes infected. Once salicylic acid is used to eliminate 
the dead skin cells, then the sebum is much less likely to become trapped under 
the skin and infected.

 Salicylic acid is often sold as a makeup remover, but it is most commonly 
used in acne treatment via stridex pads or oxy pads.

 Sulfur is also used in some over the counter acne medications. Sulfur is one 
of the oldest acne treatments, and reacts with the skin in such a way that it 
makes it dry, and peel. This works on acne by drying out the Sebum, and 
therefore, stopping the bacterial growth.

 Many soaps and facial cleansers have sulfur in them. Sulfur is effective in 
getting rid of whiteheads and blackheads. It doesn't work well against the more 
inflamed cystic acne. One of the drawbacks is that it can increase skin cell 
adhesion to the skin, and therefore help cause more pimples in the future. It is
  best to use a gentle exfoliator when using sulfur to treat acne.

 Sulfur also has a strong odor, and some people have skin that reacts harshly 
to sulfur, causing excessive redness and peeling.

 Resorcinol is another over-the-counter chemical that is used to treat a 
variety of skin conditions, including acne. It works by breaking down hard skin.
  For acne, this means less clogged pores, and faster skin growth. Resorcinol is 
commonly used with sulfur to treat acne. It is also good for eczema and 
dandruff.

 Because it is a strong chemical, don't use resorcinol with other astringents 
or cleansers unless advised by a dermatologist to do so.

 These are the most commonly used over the counter acne treatments. For anyone
  who is suffering from acne, these 4 over-the-counter treatments have a good 
chance of helping to reduce or eliminate acne.

 http://astore.amazon.com/acnegenral-20

One of the toughest periods in someone's life is time when puberty starts. 
This is the age in which people try to find themselves and develop their own 
distinct personality. Fighting acne problems is one of the most important 
aspects of this age. Acne is a really bad problem which could bother you a lot. 
This is why you need to opt for effective acne scar treatment so that you are 
able to have a healthy and glowing skin. For detailed information on this topic,
  you can consider seeking help from experts. Make sure you choose the right 
options in this regard so that no issues come up later on.


The worst thing here is that nobody can explain the condition to you or the 
reason it occurred. Acne scar treatment can really prove to be a challenging 
process and this is why you need to opt for the right treatment method which is 
not just effective but quite convenient as well. You should first know your 
needs about such a treatment. You should also consider planning your budget 
beforehand so that you don't end up spending too much money.


We all know that taking good care of your skin is an extremely good idea as 
it can help you in fighting acne problems with great ease. You need to talk to a
  skin care expert if you want to find out more about the right acne scar 
treatment. You just have to get the simple and basic things right and once you 
do this you will be able to generate some fine results on the go.


Sometimes, applying exfoliation cream can prove to be quite amazing. It can 
give you some quick results and so you need to make sure that you opt for the 
right options every single time.


You just have to find the apt items for yourself and make sure that you pay a
  lot of attention towards your options while you are shopping for some creams
and  medications on acne scar treatment. Always buy good quality products that
can  offer you best results in quick time. The best thing which you can do for a
  healthier skin is to visit a trained expert.


A professional skin specialist can really offer you some great information 
about this topic. He can even offer you some treatments at affordable rates. You
  need to put forward your problem and I am pretty convinced that the doctor will
  recommend you something good.


So, this was all that you need to know about effective acne scar treatment. 
You need to ensure that you opt for the right options every single time. For 
better results you can consider talking to an expert online. Internet is also a 
great place to look out for some key information about this topic. You can 
easily consider visiting a dermatologist. He is going to perform a treatment on 
your skin so that you are able to get rid of acne problem with great ease. Enjoy
  your rejuvenated skin.

 Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hermione_Cruz
 

Chemical peels for acne scars can be a very beneficial process for your skin.
  Winning the battle against acne may seem like the last of your troubles. 
However, until you've gotten rid of facial acne scars you haven't won the 
war.

 Acne can be embarrassing and may cause depression and low self-esteem. Even 
worse are the scars and marks left behind that can take weeks or even months to 
fade away.

 Sometimes these scars can easily diminish through the natural processes of 
skin regeneration. However, for most of us our skin needs a little help dealing 
with this nuisance. So what treatment options are available for facial 
scarring?

 Phenol Peels

 One chemical procedure that is used is a phenol peel. This type of peel is 
only carried out in a doctor's office with numbing agents on the areas prepped 
to be peeled before the chemical is applied. The phenol chemical penetrates very
  deeply and into the dermis layer of your skin.

 Typically, this type of peel is only needed for bad cases of pitted acne 
scars and has the side effects of causing discoloration on your skin. 
Furthermore, you have to keep the treated areas clean by washing your face often
  to prevent causing an infection.

 Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA) Peels

 Another chemical agent that is used to reduce scarring is Trichloroacetic 
acid. TCA is used for moderate facial scars and is relatively safe. This 
treatment goes beyond a superficial procedure and actually penetrates past the 
epidermis. It is very effective at removing scars, but also has the benefits of 
diminishing fine lines, sun spots, discoloration and blemishing.

 You can perform TCA peels yourself. However, you must use the appropriate 
concentrations of the chemical to prevent causing chemical burns on your face. 
In addition, if you notice continual redness or dryness of the skin, the 
concentration of the acid is too high. Usually preparations that are 25% or less
  are the safest. Frosting on the top layer of skin is normal and expected for 
both phenol and TCA treatments and is part of the chemical peel process.

 Alpha-Hydroxy Acid (AHA) Peels

 Other options that can be utilized for home treatments are glycolic acid or 
salicylic acid peels. These peels are much milder and safer than phenol peels 
and so can be performed in the comfort of your home. It is very popular to 
incorporate both Alpha-Hydroxy and Beta-Hydroxy acids for treating facial 
scarring. Glycolic and salicylic acid peels are used for very light to moderate 
cases. In combination, these chemicals are small enough to seep into the pores 
of your skin and help your face release dead skin cells which in time will fade 
scars.

 Because the acids do not penetrate beyond the outer layer, or epidermis, of 
your skin, these peels require the least amount of recovery time. Furthermore, 
the acids are derived from sugarcane and fruits so are very natural. Some people
  find it useful to combine both AHA and TCA chemical treatments.

When using any chemical peels to treat acne scars it is important to keep 
your skin moisturized and to stay hydrated. Furthermore, your skin could become 
extra sensitive so avoidance of sun exposure or wearing sun screen may become 
necessary.

 Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Meike_Monrow