American Academy of Dermatology Issues Updated Position Statement on Vitamin D

Schaumburg, IL (Jul 14, 2009) — The American Academy of Dermatology (Academy) recently issued an updated position statement on vitamin D after an updated review of the increasing body of scientific literature on this vitamin and its importance for optimal health.

The Academy continues to recommend that the public obtain vitamin D from nutritional sources and dietary supplements, and not from unprotected exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or indoor tanning devices, as UV radiation is a known risk factor for the development of skin cancer.

The Academy’s position statement on vitamin D now also states that individuals who regularly and properly practice sun protection, such as the daily use of sunscreen on exposed skin or the wearing of sun protective clothing, may be at risk for vitamin D insufficiency. A higher dose of vitamin D may be necessary for these individuals and others with known risk factors for vitamin D insufficiency, such as those with dark skin, the elderly, photosensitive individuals, people with limited sun exposure, obese individuals or those with fat malabsorption. Therefore, the Academy encourages those with concerns about their levels of vitamin D to discuss options for obtaining sufficient dietary or supplementary sources of vitamin D with their physician.

The Academy’s new position statement also asserts that there is no scientifically proven, safe threshold of sun or indoor tanning device exposure that allows for maximum vitamin D synthesis in the skin without increasing the risk of skin cancer. Also, while numerous studies suggest an association between low levels of vitamin D and an increased risk of certain types of cancers and diseases, the Academy emphasizes that the causal relationship of vitamin D to these disease outcomes has yet to be demonstrated with clinical trials.

The Academy continues to recommend that individuals protect themselves from UV exposure when outdoors, such as seeking shade whenever possible, wearing sunscreen and covering up with a wide-brimmed hat, long sleeves, pants and sunglasses. Also, the Academy urges the public to avoid tanning beds.

For more information about skin cancer, please visit the SkinCancerNet section on www.skincarephysicians.com, a Web site developed by dermatologists that provides the public with up-to-date information on the treatment and management of disorders of the skin, hair and nails.

Acne News Update

Roche discontinues sales of acne drug Accutane

Jun 26, 2009

NEW YORK (AP) — Roche said Friday it will stop selling the acne drug Accutane as sales of the treatment continue falling amid competition from less expensive generic versions.Generic versions of the acne treatment have been on the market since 2002 and Roche's branded product's market share has since slipped to less than 5 percent.The decision was made for economic reasons, not safety reasons, the company said. The drug has a rocky safety history, having been linked to birth defects if taken during pregnancy, along with depression and suicidal thoughts. The company said costs for personal-injury lawsuits are high, but it continues to "rigorously" defend the drug.

Acne Treatment

During every person’s lifetime they will experience some form of acne. The American Academy of Dermatology says that acne develops when the body’s hormonal balance shifts. This can occur during puberty, and for women, before a menstrual cycle and during menopause to cause an overproduction of oil and cells.

There are many acne treatments on the market to choose from. These treatments are divided in three categories:

1. Pore Cleaners - prevent the oils inside the pores from building up. Over the counter products like proactive http://www.proactiv.com or a product with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid target the production of either oil or hormones, which are thought to trigger breakouts.

2. Pore-Cleansers are effective when used in combination with the cleaners. There are some cleansers like the Johnson & Johnson pore cleanser that have gentle micro-scrubbers that remove pore-blocking dirt, oil, and dead skin cells, the impurities that can lead to breakouts. The Daily Pore Cleanser helps clean deep down without over-drying. http://www.cleanandclear.com/productDetail.do?productid=25 Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask is a dermatologist-tested formula that has the acne-fighting Benzoyl Peroxide to kill bacteria and treat existing breakouts. http://www.neutrogena.com/econsumer/ntg/teenproductdetail.view?productId=153&catId=1&subCatId=3 Its important to try a few products to find which one you like and alternate them every two to three months.

3. Acne Treatment Devices – There are many acne treatment devices that can be used to clean and treat specific areas of concern. The Panasonic Pore Cleanser uses deep suction power and a micro-fine mist to remove oil and dirt from the pores on your face. The suction cup focuses in on hard-to-reach areas around the nose. Zeno is an acne clearing device. It is a hand-held, portable electronic medical device that is clinically proven to make pimples disappear fast. It heats the skin up to 118 degrees for 2 minutes which has shown to kill bacteria and produces heat-shock proteins. These proteins help kill the bacteria and reduce the inflammation in the pore. Zeno is great for treating acne pimples. It's the most scientifically advanced and effective device available without a prescription. Zeno is for people with mild to moderate inflammatory acne. http://myzeno.com/about-zeno.asp

Doctors Can Help

When over-the-counter acne treatments don't work, contact a dermatologist. They have the experience and knowledge of what medicines and procedures work best The first line of defense is prescription antibiotics and sometimes both topical and oral medicines. Antibiotics will work the fastest when used in combination with a benzoyl peroxide face cleaner. There are a few new antibiotics for acne treatment. Solodyn, MinocinPac and Oracea all have a reduced antibiotic content and an increased anti-inflammatory component to them. You have to remember acne is mostly hormonally driven. Some women find acne relief with the use of birth control pills. This helps regulate the cycle and controls hormonal swings linked to many breakouts.

Hard To Treat Acne

If your acne is becoming hard to treat or is developing scars, you need to ask the dermatologist for more aggressive help. When all other medicine fails, ask the doctor about the use of lasers . Many patients require a multi-targeted approach. This is a new acne treatment and works like an antibiotic to inhibit growth of bacteria linked to acne. The other type helps to actually shrink the oil glands. There are different types of laser and light treatments including Blue-light therapy, Pulsed light and heat energy (LHE) therapy and ALA + light therapy.

Cystic Acne

Cystic acne is more severe than common acne. When bacteria spreads across the skin from a pimple that has been broken open, the cells in the area begin to jumpstart the immune system to fight back. The cells below our skin's surface then become inflamed. The skin then reacts and develops a cystic like appearance. Patients most of the time will see a dermatologist when they have cystic acne on the face but the acne also can form on the your body from the chest, to the back, shoulders and the upper arms. The affected place on the body can develop the symptom of cystic acne. Severe cystic acne often results in discomfort from painful nodules of pus under the skin forming cysts and also tremendous emotional strain over the cosmetic deformities. The skin affected by cystic acne often develops scars on any part of the body. The Dermatologist will treat the condition to slow the formation of DHT (dihydrotestosterone). Acne medicine for cystic acne includes topical creams and gels, as well as oral medications. Additional therapy may be recommended in severe cases of cystic acne. Cystic Acne and nodular acne must have a plan of treatment implemented by a dermatologist. They will prescribe acne medicine to block the enzyme that converts to testosterone to DHT. This will eliminate or slow DHT in skin cells, depriving the skin of the ability to manufacture excess skin oil. Acne treatments for this type of acne requires patience and perseverance. Any of the acne treatments implemented sometimes take two or three months to start working. Cystic acne and nodular acne must be properly treated by a dermatologist. See the follow page at the American Academy Of Dermatology to find a Dermatologist in your area: http://www.aad.org/public/publications/pamphlets/common_acne.html

Laser and Light Acne Treatments

Many patients require a multi-targeted approach for acne treatment. Ask your dermatologist about the use of lasers on acne. For laser treatment to work it must stop the symptoms of what is causing the acne. This is why the acne treatment prescribed by a dermatologist often requires patients to use more than one medication and try other things like laser treatment.

Light therapy - Approved by the FDA narrow-band, high-intensity blue-light therapy for treating acne. Blue-light therapy is widely advertised and is probably the best-known of the light therapy for acne. It works by killing the acne-causing bacteria, and is used to treat inflammatory acne vulgaris that will not respond to other acne therapies. The blue-light products of today do not contain ultraviolet (UV) light. UV light can damage skin and is no longer used to treat acne.

Blue light therapy - is prescribed in increments. Usually prescribed in eight sessions and given over a four-week period. Each session lasts about 15 minutes. Side effects tend to be mild and include temporary pigment changes, swelling of the treated areas, and dryness to the skin.
Pulsed light and heat energy (LHE) therapy - This combines pulses of light and heat. Physicians believe it to target what causes the acne. LHE destroys the acne-causing bacteria. LHE also may decrease sebum (oily substance) production by shrinking the sebaceous glands. Recently system that uses pulses of green light and heat was approved by the FDA for treating mild to moderate acne.

ALA + light therapy - Studies are investigating the effectiveness of this therapy in treating acne. Patients receiving this treatment undergo a two-step process. First, a solution of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is applied to the skin to be treated. ALA is a medication that increases sensitivity to light. When used to treat acne, the ALA is kept on the skin for a period of time ranging from 15 to 60 minutes. The length of time depends on the severity of the acne. The second step involves removing the ALA and treating the skin with light therapy. Since ALA makes the skin more light sensitive, after the treatment you have to use sun protection for 48 hours after treatment.

Consult with your doctor to create a plan of attack for your treatment acne plan.

Acne Prevention

Acne and the chance of scarring, is reduce if you can keep the inflammation breakouts to a minimum as much as possible. By developing a daily care routine you can help reduce the breakouts from happening. Using twice daily a Pore Cleaner will help prevent the oils from building up with a product that contains sulfur, resorcinol benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid and a Pore Cleanser to deep clean the skin. Don’t be afraid of trying a few different acne treatment products, some work differently on different people. As you’ve heard before do not pick or squeeze you’re pimples, it will only force the infection deeper spreading it to other tissue. This will worsen the infection and creates more inflammation. You could also leave scaring by picking and squeezing. Let the scabs heal properly and again do not pick or it will also leave scares, prolonging the healing process. You may need to consult with a dermatologist for the use of a topical or oral antibiotics and even hormonal medications like oral contraceptives to help keep your acne under control.

Acne Remedies

Many people use acne remedies to get rid of their acne. Remedies have no side effects and are a part of a culture. That is why they are so popular. Three top remedies are Aloe Vera, Honey, and Lemon Juice.

Aloe Vera - This remedy has many vitamins. Vitamin A, C, Calcium, and Zinc. These vitamins help to keep your skin clear of acne. They also help other parts of your body too for health. The vitamins stimulate tissue growth and reduce inflammation. Also reduces production of oil.

Honey - Honey is an antioxidant which gets rid of bacteria that forms acne in your pores.

Lemon Juice - This is a popular remedy because it is full of vitamin C and this vitamin helps a lot with skin treatment and especially acne. All you have to do is rub the vitamin on your skin and it will work very effectively.

Acne Scars

Acne scars are caused from an inflamed lesion. Inflamed acne occurs when the pore, becomes filled with excess oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria. When the pore swells, it causes a the hair follicle wall to rupture . If it happens near the skin's surface, the lesion is usually minor and heals quickly without a scar. When you have a serious lesion where there is a large break in the follicle wall the infected material ends up spills out into the Derm al Papill , destroying healthy skin tissue. The following are different types of scaring that happens depending on the severity of that acne and solutions for each case.




















Ice Pick Scars - are deep scares, narrow and jagged edges, looking like a large pore or an ice pick has caused them. Ice pick scars happen after an infection. The infection could come from a cyst or a deep inflamed acne working the way to the surface. The skin tissue is altered, leaving a long deep scar. One the most common treatments for this is Punch Excision. Dermatologists have tool punches which work almost like cookie cutters. The cutter is as larger than scar. The doctor removes tissue that section from the patient’s skin. As long as the scar isn’t too wide, the area will be stitched together and the scar should heal on its own. Larger scars may need to be injected with collagen and or other substances.


Boxcar scars - dramatically change the pore to a round and or oval depressions with steep sides. The skin look has a pitted appearance and is wider than an ice pick scar. The Boxcar scar is caused when the pore is infected and is tissue is lost in a wide area giving the skin an enlarge round or oval impression. Some of the most common ways to treat this scaring would be to also do punch excision, laser cosmetics surgery and augmentation with fillers.


Rolling Acne Scars – are a result of tissue damage under the skin with curved indentations on the skins surface, and have the appearance of a rolling road. Rolling scars are best treated with Subcision. Most scars can be corrected using this facial acne scar treatment, also called subcutaneous incision. A local anesthetic is used The doctor inserts a beveled needle under the skin at a parallel angle to the skin’s surface. The needle is moved in and out to break up the underling fibers of the skin. This procedure destroys the scar.


Hypertrophic Scar – a raised hard mass that can be purple, red or pink. It seems to form after a lesion and sometimes ends up being larger that the area that was infected or damaged. These scars are not caused by a loss of tissue, they develop from an overproduction of collagen. The scars are best treated with cortisone creams or injections used to shrink and flatten the scar. Interferon injections are also used to soften scar tissue.

Cosmetics and Acne

There are many cosmetics that can cause acne. You are trying to cover up the redness but yet you here that cosmetics may be the problem. It is classified as "Acne Catch 22". Acne caused by cosmetics is usually minor and doesn’t appear often. It can happen to anyone even if you are not prone to acne. If you experience acne you should stop using the cosmetic for a few days to see if your skin clears up. There is a type of cosmetic called comedogenic cosmetics that clogs pores while you’re wearing makeup throughout the day. When you get this type of acne you have small bumps on your chin and cheeks that stay on your skin for a long period of time.

Acne Pills and Fighters

Top 5 Acne pills and fighters are:

1.Pronexin

2.Acneticin

3.Orovo Acne

4.Oxycerin

5.Asso Soap

Acne Device

There are a few different types of acne treatment devises. There are two types of acne devices, the thermal acne device heats the blemish killing the bacteria that causes the pimple and a deep cleaning suction pore for cleaner is a tool designed to clean oil-clogged pores with a mist and suction. Check to see if you can use an acne device with the treatment that your dermatologist has prescribed.

Zeno

Zeno provides quick relief from acne pimples and painful blemishes in as little as 24 to 48hours. The P. acnes bacterium is the cause of 90% of all acne pimples. The Zeno acne device produces a heat shock to the micro organisms that cause skin lesions. This heat shock kills the bacteria, which will reduce the inflammation of the pore and allows the skin to return to a healthy, normal state. Zeno to will work with your daily acne treatment of acne cleaners and cleansers. Device is clinically proven to work fast. This acne device heats skin up to 120 degrees for about two minutes. The heat will not hurt skin it just leaves a small red mark for about 20 minutes. Zeno can be used up to 3 times a day on one pimple. Zeno acne device ranges in price from $89.00 - $200.00 and to replace a cartridge it is $25.00 to $55.00.

ThermaClear

FDA-cleared the ThermaClear cordless device uses heat to clear acne. ThermaClear acne clearing device gently delivers heat deep beneath the skin to neutralize the bacteria, without any chemicals that dry and irritate your skin. Can be used when you feel a pimple starting, you want it gone before it becomes a problem. When using ThermaClear users experienced clearer skin in as little as 24 hours. Just two seconds in the morning, two seconds at night, and you’ll see for yourself why ThermaClear is an acne device that’s simpler and faster than using acne creams you’ve ever tried. This acne device also can be used with your daily routine of acne cleaners and cleansers. ThermaClear price is $149.00 and to replace tips are $19.95.

Panasonic Misting Pore Cleanser

The Panasonic Misting Pore Cleanser acne device is designed to safely clean oil-clogged pores that become unsightly whiteheads or blackheads. Panasonic's cordless, rechargeable Misting Pore Cleanser uses deep-penetrating suction to safely remove sebum (oil), dirt and bacteria. Studies found 87% reduction in whiteheads, over 79% reduction in blackheads and over 33% improvement in skin firmness. Panasonic's gentle suction leaves pores undamaged and helps to close them up minimizing the chance of re infection and reducing the appearance of large pores. The Misting Pore Cleanser creates a fine mist of cool water to help achieve better suction and to make the attachment glide smoothly. Panasonic Misting Pore Cleanser price is $39.95.

Acne Device website :Acne Device

Vitamins

Top 5 Vitamins that help Acne

1. Vitamin A with Carotenoids

2. Vitamin B Complex

3. Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids

4. Chromium

5. Zinc

Acne Creams

Top 5 Creams for your face to prevent and cure acne:

1.DDF BP Gel 5% with Tea Tree Oil

2.Clinique Acne Solutions Emergency Gel Lotion

3.Johnson & Johnson Persa Gel

4.Biore Blemish Double Agent Treatment

5.Oxy 10 Balance Emergency Spot Treatment