Health Articles

How Does Stress Affect Health?

Many are now asking the question, “How does stress affect health?” If you too are asking then you have taken the first step to dramatically improving your health. Some health experts are convinced that stress is the largest health problem in America. However, this often goes unnoticed because the damage stress does to our health often gets blamed on other diseases and conditions. One study said that 75% of all visits to primary care physicians are stress-related.

How Does Stress Affect Health? – It’s In The Immune System

So, how does stress affect health? Well, as you probably already know, your body’s immune system is what keeps you healthy from all kinds of diseases, from relatively benign ones like the common cold to more serious ones like bronchitis. People who get sick all the time probably have weak immune systems while those who rarely get sick most likely have strong and powerful immune systems. What few people know is that stress, and more importantly chronic stress, actually weakens the immune system, thereby limiting its ability to fight off even the most harmless of illnesses.

This should shed a lot of light on the question of how does stress affect health. Someone who gets a cold every other week may just think they are unlucky or just happen to always be around people who have colds. This is not so. Someone with a strong immune system could be ingesting cold viruses all day long but they never get a cold because their immune system is capable of destroying them. So, if you get a lot of colds you may in fact not be managing your stress effectively.

There are other answers to the question of how does stress affect health. For example, there is an immune system protein called interleukin-6. People under serious stress have been found to have much higher levels of this protein than people under little or no stress. Interleukin-6 in large amounts has been associated with various diseases like some cancers, infections, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis and heart disease. Can you believe that? Who would have thought that this answers the question of how does stress affect health.

Another part of the problem in answering the question of how does stress affect health is that people don’t truly understand exactly what stress is. If you ask most people, they may respond by saying stress is caused by worrying about something like money. This is not entirely true. Acute stress is easier to recognize because you can feel it right now. On the other hand, chronic stress is more subtle. For example, all people experience some stress after any big life change, including getting married. Getting married is a wonderful and joyful event for people so they are not aware that it is also bringing with it a certain level of stress. It’s just harder to notice. However, that stress will still inflict harm on your immune system. So you can see that asking the question of how does stress affect health is so important.

Asking, “How does stress affect health?” is an important questions for you to start asking because it may be causing you serious health problems with you even knowing. The next question you should ask is “How do I effectively relieve stress?”

About the Author:

Loni will be happy to add you to her Stress Relief Techniques newsletter. Just send her an email to managestressnow@aweber.com.Read her latest stress relief blog entry at Find Stress Relief.

Treatment for heart burn and peptic ulcers has changed dramatically in the past few years. Now, antacids, histamine blockers, and proton pump blockers are being used as standard ulcer therapy. These medicines don’t address the root of the problem, but rather just block the ulcers’ effects. Luckily, there is a natural supplement that effectively stimulates the body’s normal defense mechanisms, preventing ulcer formation and promoting true healing.

Peptic ulcers are sores that form from acid and pepsin in the lining of the esophagus, stomach, or small intestine. Peptic ulcers are very common, as one in every 10 Americans develops an ulcer at some time in his or her life. The most common type of peptic ulcers occurs in the duodenum and tends to heal more quickly than stomach ulcers. Stomach ulcers are also more likely to recur. Some individuals with peptic ulcers have very mild symptoms while others have no symptoms at all. Still, for some pain is the most common symptom. The pain associated with an ulcer may be dull and gnawing, or burning and crampy. The pain may also come and go, for several days or weeks and occur two to three hours after eating or in the middle of the night. For some people, the pain may be relieved by food. Other symptoms of a peptic ulcer include weight loss, poor appetite, bloating, burping, nausea, vomiting.

The cause of ulcers is no longer blamed solely on stress, spicy foods, alcohol consumption, gastric acid production, or heredity. Rather most peptic ulcers are now known to be caused mainly by a bacterial infection of H. pylori. The use of over-the-counter and prescription painkillers including ibuprofen also causes peptic ulcers. To determine if this bacteria is present, H. pylori can be diagnosed through blood, breath, and tissue tests. Blood tests, which are the most common diagnostic tool, are used to detect antibodies to H. pylori bacteria. Then, a breath test is used after treatment to determine if the treatment worked. Statistics show that 20% of people under 40 and over half of the people over the age of 60 are infected with H. pylori. However, those individuals who are infected do not always develop ulcers. Infection with H. pylori or irritation from medication use may depend on the gastric or intestinal environment of the person who develops and ulcer.

The purpose of medical treatment is to kill the H. pylori bacteria and reduce stomach acid. Medical treatment usually involves a combination of antibiotics, acid suppressors, and stomach protectors. H pylori peptic ulcers are usually treated with antibiotics to kill the bacteria. Conventionally, acid-suppressing drugs and stomach-lining protectors are used for ulcer treatment. The greatest risk for people with ulcers is that the ulcer will erode through the entire stomach lining. This can cause life-threatening bleeding and infections. Therefore, anyone who thinks he may have an ulcer should seek help from a physician immediately. Although there are risks of adverse effects, it may be necessary to use medications at first. However, there are certain natural supplements that work well along with prescription medications to assist healing. The most effective natural supplement for ulcers is a specially processed form of licorice root. By using DGL instead of standard drug therapy one addresses the underlying cause for a condition rather than simply blocking an effect. Use of DGL addresses the underlying factors and promotes true healing by stimulating the normal defense mechanisms which prevent ulcer formation. DGL improves both the quality and quantity of the protective substances that line the intestinal tract. Research has proven that licorice root extract stimulates the release of secretin, which helps to rebuild the stomach or intestine’s protective lining.

Antacids, which are alkaline compounds that neutralize stomach acid, were, at one point, the key player in anti-ulcer therapy. However, these dugs have been largely replaced by the histamine2-receptor antagonists and the proton pump inhibitors. Most antacids adversely affect the bowels, with some promoting constipation and others promoting diarrhea. Some antacids also contain large amounts of sodium, while others raise the stomach’s pH, influencing the absorption of other drugs.

DGL licorice can be used along with antibiotic therapy and other agents that may be prescribed by a licensed health care professional. Consumers will find that DGL’s restorative effects on the gastric mucosa help to speed up healing and prevent recurrences of future ulcers. The drugs that are used in standard therapy do not always address the underlying cause of peptic ulcers. Instead, they simply treat the symptoms caused by an ulcer. DGL, on the other hand, does not inhibit stomach acid production, neutralize stomach acid, or block histamine. It promotes true healing by stimulating the normal defense mechanisms that prevent ulcer formation and improve the integrity of the stomach lining. Additionally, DGL accomplishes this without any of the side effects that are associated with the standard peptic ulcer therapy.

DGL licorice should mix with saliva in order to promote release of salivary compounds, which in turn stimulate the growth and regeneration of stomach and intestinal cells. There are several forms of chewable DGL that are available on the market. In order to treat a peptic ulcer, people should take 760 to 1,520 mg of DGL about twenty minutes before meals. It should never be used after meals, due to lack of efficacy. It should also be used for about eight to sixteen weeks in order to see results, or as recommended by a health care professional. As previously stated, DGL is a specially processed form of licorice which avoids the main hazards of regular licorice. There are no known side effects or drug interactions with the use of DGL. Those women who are pregnant or nursing should talk to a licensed health care practitioner before using any dietary supplement. DGL, which improves the integrity of the stomach lining, stimulates the normal defenses, and prevents ulcer formation, provides the body with the ability to heal itself. DGL licorice can be found at your friendly online vitamin store.

About the Author:

Please visit VitaNet Health Foods, VitaNet sells supplements to help fight heart burn like DGL Licorice. Please link to this site when using this article.

Acupuncture is part of the oriental medicine healing system that has been in practice for over 2000 years. Developed in the Chinese, the practice of acupuncture is based on the belief that a interference in the energy flow in the body can cause energy imbalances, which is considered to be the root cause of most of the ailments suffered by human beings. These blockages can be cleared and the energy flow of the body can be stimulated by the insertion of tiny needles into specific acupoints of the body. There are over 2000 different acupuncture insertion points on the human body and the disease determines which insertion points should be used. Acupuncture is now used all over the world to treat a variety of conditions, such as bronchitis, gingivitis, sinusitis, myopia, infertility and Meniere’s disease.

How Does Acupuncture Help Infertility?

The use of acupuncture to cure infertility is a comparatively new concept for western countries. The theory behind acupuncture for infertility is that acupuncture will increase the amount of blood flow to the sexual organs and readjust the hormones present in the body. This practice is confirmed to be effective by increasing ovarian effectiveness in women and assisting in sperm creation for men.

Using acupuncture for infertility treatment is most commonly used when a couple is having functional issues, such as infrequent ovulation or erectile dysfunction. In some scenarios, acupuncture is used as additional procedure for in vitro fertilization, helping women to relax their uteruses during the embryo transfer process. A study conducted in 2002 by German researchers found that acupuncture increased the success rate of in vitro fertilization by up to 16% and reduced the amount of miscarriages in women receiving in vitro fertilization by 12%.

What’s It Like To Go Through an Acupuncture Treatment?

Acupuncture is a rather painless procedure and side effects are very uncommon. The most common negative events reported include the transmission of infectious agents, minor bleeding at the insertion point and needles broken beneath the skin. These risks will be greatly reduced if the acupuncturist is a licensed and accomplished professional that has gone through the required 2000 to 3000 hours of training and has passed the required board exam.

Acupuncture for infertility treatment can be a long-winded process. On average, acupuncture therapy requires 12 individual sessions, each about an hour in length and occurring weekly. During this hour long appointment, a physical test will be given and any complications or issues that have arisen since the last appointment will be discussed.

Using acupuncture to treat infertility is quickly gaining acceptance in the USA. Although whether the procedure is useful is intensely argued among researchers, the fact of the matter is that it seems to work and it certainly doesn’t hurt to try. For couples who have been trying to conceive a child without success, using acupuncture therapy to aid in infertility treatment may give them the breakthrough they need to finally have a baby.

About the Author:

Please visit Pregnancy101.net for more tips on conception, breastfeeding, fertility and birth issues. Be sure to check out this amazing infertility story.

If you’ve dealt with moderate to severe cases of acne, or even conditions like eczema or psoriasis, you know that finding products to deal with your condition is not easy. Sure, you may get prescriptions from your doctor, but sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. Other issues, such as blotching, freckling and rashes continually plague many teens and adults, and searching for products that will help to eliminate embarrassing conditions can be time consuming, frustrating and expensive.

When seeking any serious skin care product, the more you know about basic ingredients and what such ingredients do will help narrow down your search and help you to avoid purchasing products that will only prove to be a waste of money in the end. Knowing basic vitamins and minerals, how they work for your body, and their sources, is the first step toward taking charge of your own condition. As such, knowing a bit about herbal and natural supplements can offer a big boost to your knowledge bank as well.

While many people scoff at the use of natural herbs or supplements when it comes to medical conditions, one must realize that most modern medicines and drugs are derived from natural sources, at least in the beginning. Plants and herbs have been used to treat medical conditions for thousands of years throughout Asia, Africa and Europe. Only with the advent of pharmaceutical companies have people leaned away from natural sources for their medical needs and turned to pills, ointments and creams to solve problems.

Yet skin care knowledge has been around since the days of Cleopatra. You think you’re the first person to have been afflicted with acne, or rashes, or even seborrhea or psoriasis, or the first person to try to find a remedy for it? Serious skin care has been studied by every culture at every stage of human development, and continues to be studied, in every developed country in the world. Creams, ointments, masques and everything in between offers clearer skin, fewer freckles, or reduced lines and wrinkles. Knowing when such claims are baloney or when they may be speaking the truth is up to each individual consumer. That’s why it’s best to have a basic knowledge of such topics such as herbal lore, nutrition and the benefits of vitamins and minerals. Only that way can you make a rational and educated decision on any particular product that makes dubious claims.

Serious skin care is indeed serious. Many younger teens and adults suffer from a variety of skin conditions that may leave not only physical, but lasting emotional scars if left untreated. Older adults have been searching for the Fountain of Youth since the beginning of time, but there are few products, either provided by nature or cosmetic companies, that will offer hydrating and plumping benefits that will help wrinkles to ‘disappear’. Knowing such facts will hasten you to your search for just the right product to help solve your particular skin condition, but you have to be the one in charge of your own purchases. Do yourself a favor and educate yourself. You’ll save time, money and effort.

About the Author:

Your skin is important — educate yourself about serious skin care now. Find out more at http://LetsTalkSkinCare.com.

We have a hefty problem with obesity in this part of the world. More and more people are trying to lose weight and more are finding it harder and harder to achieve lasting results.

Too Many Diets

There are so many diets or regimes to chose from and of course all of them promise fantastic results. The willing but hapless dieter, who switches from one to another looking for quick and easy results can soon feel a failure when all the weight invariably piles back on or never disappears in the first place.

The plain truth is that many diets do little more than make money for the people who invented them. The real reason why most diets lead to failure is that they rely solely on restricting food intake. As anyone knows who’s embarked on a diet or breaking a habit the moment that you know you can’t have a certain food or something that becomes the only thing on your mind.

Dieting Frustration

Very soon a sense of panic or irritation ensues and your thoughts centre entirely on the very thing you want to avoid. Not much fun. Studies show that in fact around 95% of all people who lose weight through dieting alone subsequently put it all back on.

Successful weight loss.

So what is the right way to succeed?

Well my clients all receive the same advice from me. That is to use their mind to create the ideal future version of their lighter self. That’s the key to create lasting motivation to get what you want especially if you want to be slimmer and lighter.

For example I worked with a client recently who was a professional in her mid-thirties. On the outside she had everything going for her. A loving relationship, a great career and social life. But on the inside her mind was focussed on her failure to lose weight permanently. She was in a trap of yo-yo dieting and trying every slimming fad or diet in the news, only to lose weight and then put it back on plus extra. She felt at her wits end.So when she came to me I asked her to tell me what was it going to be like for her to have lost weight and be exactly how she want to be. Well this threw her for a few moments and she sat in silence. Then rattled off all the things that she’d avoid; such as not having to go to out-sized clothes stores; not having to struggle with which food to eat or not, not having to eat secretly etc, etc.

I explained to her that this thinking meant her mind had to focus on the negative scenario first and that meant that’s where her mind would go whenever she launched on a new diet. I taught her how to train her mind to support her goal. First of all I showed her how to really let her imagination go and see and feel in her mind’s eye just what she’d be like when she had succeeded with her dream. To make sure it was working for her I asked her to include all her senses so that she’d know what she’d be doing, with whom, what will others would be saying to her.

This is a very useful NLP (neuro linguistic programming) strategy that I use and it really helps the mind create the right mental pathways and self-images that means clients begin to positively enjoy the task of losing weight. Then with hypnotherapy we further embed these images and new self beliefs so that new habits around food, eating and exercise can take root and become the norm.

Using this approach means clients usually see me for an initial three sessions and then depending on how much weight they want to lose, only need to see me for monthly back up sessions.

If you want to try this method start by writing out what you want positively as an outcome. By that I mean don’t focus on what you don’t want to happen. Use the above description to guide you. It’s important that you get this bit right because you’re giving your mind instructions to carry out.

Keep this written outcome handy so that you can refer to it and build on it. It can become a symbol for your mind to use to help you get what you want.

Using this method and some other strategies that we worked on together my client has lost over three stone. See what you can do when you put your mind to it.

About the Author:

Liz Labrum, Master NLP and hypnosis practitioner, of Think-Right Now teaches clients how to use their thoughts to break habits, overcome fears, banish stress and love life. Visit Think-Right Now for free assessments and guides to help you change your life.

New research suggests that the radiation given out by mobile phones reduces sperm count by up to 30%.

A lot of concerns have been expressed by some male members of the public about the implications of prolonged cell phone exposure to male sperm cells. Considering the possible hazards, several considerations were taken into account.

Researchers of Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University Ohio evoked, that prolonged cell phone use may damage sperm in male users.

Subsequently, the findings were presented at the American Society of Reproductive Medicine conference in New Orleans. The findings were actually based on a study of 361 men attending the clinic for infertility tests. The men were divided into four groups: One group with no cell phone usage; one group that used cell phones less than two hours a day; a group who were exposed for two to four hours a day and a group with more than four hours a day of cell phone usage.

The men who used their cell phones in excess of four hours showed a 30 % drop in sperm motility and viability when compared to the men who did not use cell phones. Thus, the sperm count, quality, and shape were also reduced with each level of increased phone usage.

According to Dr. Ashok Agarwal, “There was a significant decrease in the most important measures of sperm health and that should definitely be reflected in a decrease in fertility which is seen worldwide”. Mobiles could have a devastating effect on fertility but it still has to be proven, he stressed.

In addition, he suggested that cell phones might be harming the DNA of the phone users, disrupting their testosterone-producing cells, or shrinking the tubules that create sperm. He noted that the small study did not prove that male fertility was affected by cell phone use, thus he suggested that further investigation is necessary.

On the other hand, scientists who have heard the results requested that factors such as age, weight, smoking, stress and sedentary occupations should be considered.

Alan Pacey, Senior lecturer in Andrology at Sheffield University, U.K said “If you’re using your phone for four hours a day, then it is out of your pocket”. Thus, the question would be how is it that testicular damage is supposed to occur? If you are holding it up to your head to speak, it makes no sense it is having a direct effect on your testes”, he stressed. He added that people who use a phone for four hours a day spend more time sitting, which could mean there is a heat issue. It could be that they are more stressed, or more sedentary. Thus, he pointed out that those factors seem to be better explanations than a phone causing the damage at such a great distance.

Furthermore, Alasdair Philips, director of the consumer pressure group Powerwatch added, “Sperm is very temperature sensitive as shown by many studies, and a short-term rise in temperature could be responsible. He theorized that mobile phones may only heat the groin area when men are doing things like sending text messages while the cell phone is in their lap.

All these new researches were taken into consideration however, the final point is though scientists say that cellular phones can be linked to male infertility, further research has to be conducted to confirm the findings and establish how exactly sperm production is affected by radiation given out by mobile phones.

About the Author:

Links Juice Health Directory for websites containing information to help you with your health issues. Public safety directory to keep yourself safe in the public.

Pharmaceutical drugs claimed to be the best cure on world disease these days. How true is this acclamation? Reports from WHO (World Health Organization) declared that 80 percent of world populations rely on natural resources as their primary medicine. There are hundreds of million of peoples populating third-world countries as well as pre-developed zones like Asia, Africa and East Europe. And they don’t even afford to buy a paracetamol just to heal their fever!

These days, researches on prescribed drugs has lean towards herbs extract which mean, the multi-million companies were triggered to start their research on herbs due to demand of alternative medicines by modern citizens who dwelled even in the most world modern cities. Don’t be surprise to know that many of them believed alternative medicines like herbs act as complete supplement on health preservation system. Why is this happening? This is due to the fact that many researchers admitted that modern prescribed drugs do have side-effect towards human body, price increase on modern drugs, and failure of modern research on AIDS and chronic disease such as cancers.

This fact alone prove a weakness on modern prescribed medicine where modern drugs aren’t capable of handling stress naturally whereas when we are looking on herbal medicinal, stress can be reduced significantly by taking some Curcama Domestia’s leaves.

Herbs are not limited as your backyard landscape, but it should be utilize commercially as it contains marine and bacterial elements. A major fact that needs to be emphasized here was, the first batch of antibiotics was produced by herbs. Another clear fact is, not all prescribed medicines will react with our body. The amount is limited to 15mg from the overall tablet will penetrate deep into our body. Thus, even though two patients were diagnosed on the same illnesses, the similar medicine will not produce the same results.

India, China and Malaysia are among the countries actively conducting extensive bio-technology researches on herbal medicines but in Malaysia, although herbs have been utilized long ago, it still lack of scientific researches as well as aggressive development.

About the Author:

Wan Alamin is the Founder and CEO of Konsep Herba; dedicated to organic farming and healthier environment with the highest degree of quality and integrity. To this end, http://www.konsepherba.com has proudly established itself as a young entrepreneur company with certified grown herbs farm.

A laser is focused high energy light. The scientific name of LASER is ‘Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation’. Ordinary light emits photons in all the directions and consists of many wavelengths. Unlike that, laser emits photons in a single direction and consists of a single wavelength. Laser therefore has very high energy and can be focused on any object or in any direction.

Laser is being used to treat many kinds of skin imperfections. Acne is caused by malfunctioning sebaceous glands, excessive population of bacteria P. acnes and excess sebum. Studies have been done to find out how the focused laser energy can treat acne. Let us look at that.

Acne Treatment and diode laser.

Diode laser has been found to be effective in treatment of acne on the back. Diode laser has been also found very effective in treatment of acne on the face. Very good results have been obtained with two or three treatments with diode laser The treatment is well tolerated under local anesthetic and side effects are limited to redness that goes away in some days.

Acne Treatment and pulsed dye laser-

Acne treatment with pulsed dye laser has not been found to be satisfactory in different studies. More studies are required to find out about the effectiveness of pulsed dye laser on acne.

Acne treatment and laser- conclusion

1. Lasers are not yet extensively used to treat acne.

2. More studies are being conducted to find out about the long-term effect of laser treatment.

3. Laser treatment is not covered under insurance in many countries.

This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advise and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article.

About the Author:

The author CD Mohatta writes on acne for acnedoctor.us which guides about skin care, acne treatments, causes, medicines, myths, acne scars, etc.

1. Isotretinoin is considered to be most effective medicine for severe acne. Isotretinoin is a drug of choice for acne patients who may have lost hope about cure of their acne. It is available in form of capsules to be taken orally and the trade name of Isotretinoin in the USA is Accutane.

2. Isotretinoin is a retinoid. Retinoids are derived from Vitamin A. Isotretinoin is chemically known as 13-cis retinoic acid.

3. Isotretinoin is generally prescribed for 16 to 20 weeks and by the end of this period considerable inmprovement is seen in most of the patients.

4. Isotretinoin may cause some side effects and should be strictly taken under medical supervision. It can cause birth defects in fetus. Therefore women should take precaution of not getting pregnant while taking Isotretinoin.

5. Isotretinoin may also be used for some other conditions that include- folliculitis, seborrhoea, chloracne and other diseases that look like acne.

6. Isotretinoin works by shrinking the sebaceous glands and reducing sebum production. Isotretinoin is an anti-inflammatory medicine and shrinks the acne by reducing sebum substantially.

7. In the beginning some people see deterioration in their acne but that slowly disappears. Isotretinoin is commonly prescribed for 16 to 20 weeks and if needed it is repeated after a gap of eight weeks.

8. Nodular and cystic acne that does not get treated with other medications is treated with Isotretinoin. Any other acne that does not respond to medication is also treated with Isotretinoin.

9. As Isotretinoin needs fat to help its absorption in body, it is taken after food. Please follow your doctors advise about these.

10. Please note that you may not be able to wear your contact lenses for some time in the beginning of treatment with Isotretinoin. You are also not supposed to donate any blood while you are taking Isotretinoin and for one month after you stop taking it. Please talk about dos and do not with your doctor.

This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advise and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article.

About the Author:

The author CD Mohatta writes on acne for acnedoctor.us which guides about skin care, acne treatments, causes, medicines, myths, acne scars, etc.

In the first part of this article, we found out about the qualities of an acne cleanser and the meaning of hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic products. In this part we will find out about the active ingredients that are used in acne cleansers.

First of all, let us find out why acne cleansers are called so? How are they different to other cleansers? There is not much difference between an acne cleanser and an ordinary cleanser. Both clean the skin. It may be called a marketing strategy to call them acne cleansers. Many companies have begun adding active ingredients that fight acne to the acne cleanser. The common products that are added are- Salicylic acid, Glycolic acid and Benzoyl Peroxide.

It is important to know that either these added ingredients will get washed away with the cleanser or they will remain on the skin. The effectiveness of these added ingredients to acne cleansers is debatable. Let us learn more about the ingredients that are commonly added.

Salicylic acid-

Salicylic acid is a Beta Hydroxy acid. Salicylic acid softens the keratin, which is the primary protein that forms skin, hair and nails. By breaking down keratin, salicylic acid makes it easy to remove unwanted skin cells. It is used in very small quantities to acne cleansers and may cause irritation to some people.

Glycolic Acid-

Glycolic Acid is one of the most commonly used Alpha Hydroxy Acids in skin care. It is derived naturally from sugarcane juice. Glycolic acid has a very low molecular size. The low molecular size allows glycolic acid to penetrate skin faster. The dead skin cells that bind with the skin are removed by glycolic acid by loosening the glue that sticks the dead cells with the skin. As the glue loosens, the dead cells exfoliate giving a cleaner look to the skin. Shedding dead cells faster also allows growth of new cells. This acid also helps in treatment of blackheads and dries out the excess surface oil on the skin. It is thought that glycolic acids stimulate collagen production to some extent. This acid also keeps the skin moisturized by keeping water bound to the skin and prevents drying of skin. It can also bleach some spots on the skin. One added advantage of glycolic acid is that it helps other skin care ingredients reach deeper in the skin and makes them more effective.

Benzoyl Peroxide

Benzoyl Peroxide is commonly used for treatment of acne. Benzoyl Peroxide removes excess oil, unclogs the closed pores, and kills the bacteria. Benzoyl Peroxide may irritate the skin.

Before you decide to use any acne cleanser, which is added with any of these ingredients, you should note that you would be applying your acne medication after cleansing the skin. Your acne treatment may contain one of these ingredients. You should also note that most of the active ingredient would be in contact with your skin till the acne cleanser is washed away.

This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advise and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article.

About the Author:

The author CD Mohatta writes on skin care, diseases, treatments & STDs for doctorgoodskin. He also writes for myspace graphics and myspace comments.