Monday, December 1, 2008

The Right Way to Deal with Acne Scars

By Jeff T. Roshwood

At a time when teenagers are already struggling to cope with adolescence, the last thing they need is an outbreak of severe acne. An even worse scenario develops when they see an adult who is badly scarred from their own teenage acne. If left unchecked, mild embarrassment can soon progress to a state of serious mental anxiety, at which point, one should practice caution before making any harsh decisions regarding treatments.

There are a lot of options and weapons that you can have at your disposal to fight back against the affect of acne. But probably the most important weapon you must have to find the best treatment for scars is patience.

In so many instances, it is said that one should follow your instincts but when it comes to acne treatments, this couldn't be further from the truth. Why? Simply because if we did, we would often be inclined to opt for surgery as a first option when in fact, this should be your very last option. There are just too many other alternative options available to justify surgery and what's more, they are far less expensive as well. Yes it is tempting, especially when you see marks which look like scars, but you have to resist the urge at all costs.

Above all, don't act too hastily when you initially see the potential scar. The best thing the skin needs right after it sustains damage is the chance to heal naturally. This means giving your skin plenty of air, moisture and nutrition. It will do no good to try to keep your skin healthy if you are not eating healthy and even sleeping healthy.

The skin is an organ that responds to your total health picture. So live well and give your skin some time. Very often, the scars diminish or disappear entirely just from the natural recuperative power of the skin.

It simply cannot be stressed enough what a monumental effect a suitable diet can have on your skin, so much so, that this should ideally be your first line of defense. Of course, one of the very first steps is to completely eliminate all those harmful fatty foods from your diet. After all it stands to reason, as an acne sufferer, the last thing you need to be doing, is putting an extra burden on your skin.

If you've come this far then you ought to already be feeling good about yourself but the truth is, in addition to avoiding certain foods, one also has to increase your intake of other more desirable foods, such as plenty of fresh vegetables and of course fruit, as both are an essential source of vitamins. Ideally, no matter how much fruit and vegetables you're eating, a vitamin supplement may well be a wise decision as well.

After giving that some time, if you still are not satisfied, get some medical advice. Better to have your dermatologist prescribe some good creams that both moisturize the skin and help it heal than to guess and delay your recovery even further. From there you can go to prescription medicines and then, and only in extreme cases, surgery. But by taking it slow and trying the natural methods first, you give your body a chance to take care of the problem itself. That is the mature and educated way to proceed.

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