Cure For Acne Blog

Benzoyl peroxide is a common ingredient in many over the counter acne remedies and works by destroying bacteria present on the skin and within the pore.   P.acnes(Propionibacterium acnes) is the bacteria most associated with acne and is usually a harmless bacteria present as a natural part of our skins flora.  Benzoyl peroxide acts as an antiseptic agent killing the bacteria on your skin that has been introduced by your outside environment.  Such as if you touched your face with unsanitary hands.  It also acts as an oxidation agent delivering oxygen into the follicles aka pores killing p.acne bacteria by depriving it of it’s oxygen free environment deep in the pore as it’s an anaerobic form of bacteria.  When a pore becomes clogged it causes the p.acne bacteria to increase substantially and they then secrete chemicals that breakdown the wall of the pore or follicle causing bad bacteria on the surface of your skin to fall in and infect the pore causing an inflamed acne lesion. By utilizing two bacteria killing methods it has become one of the most effective treatments for acne.

While benzoyl peroxide kills existing  bacteria, it does not increase your body’s natural resistance to bacteria.  This means that even if you acne goes away you should keep using it as a preventative measure.  It does not affect sebum aka oil production or the rate at which the body sheds dead skin cells.  However benzoyl peroxide has a drying effect on the skin that can dry up individual pimples quickly.  Still you should always use a non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores) moisturizer to aid in the skins healing and to prevent scars.  Click Here To See The Top Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Remedies.

Salicylic acid also know as beta hydroxy acid works in a similar manner to the better known alpha hydroxy acid.  Both encourage the exfoliation of dead skin cells.   The main difference between alpha hydroxy acids and beta hydroxy acid is their oil solubility. Alpha hydroxy acids are water soluble only, while on the other hand beta hydroxy acid is oil soluble. This means that salicylic acid is able to penetrate into the clogged pores which contains sebum and exfoliate the dead skin cells that are built up inside the pore. Due to this difference in properties, Salicylic acid is perfect for oily skin with blackheads and whiteheads.   It’s a safe and usually non-irritating treatment for mild acne however it has no anti-bacterial properties like benzoyl peroxide, the other most common ingredient in over the counter acne medications.  It also has no effect on the production of skin oil.  Click Here To See A List Of The Top Acne Products Containing Salicytic Acid.

Clearogen so far is the only external acne regime to address the real underlying cause of most acne.  See: http://cureforacne.com/blog/?p=5. The cause that goes beyond oil clogged pores.  That cause being DHT(Dihydrotestosterone).  In this post we’re going to examine what ingredients in Clearogen are classically thought to address this issue.  These happen to be the same extracts used in the treatment of prostate and male pattern baldness issues in men as those are caused by DHT as well.  As mentioned in the previous post this acne system can be just as effective for women as the same DHT producing process goes on in their body as well.  The three step system includes a cleanser, toner, and lotion.  The items highlighted in red are the ingredients that have DHT blocking properties.  Those in green are common acne fighting ingredients found in many over the counter acne solutions which will be discussed in future postings.  Basically those are the ingredients that kill bacteria and aid in exfoliating dead skin cells that can clog your skins pores.

Clearogen Foaming Cleanser 4.2 oz.
Salicylic acid 2%, Deionized Water, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Butylene Glycol, Di-PPG-2-Myreth-10 Adipate, Polysorbate 20, Triethanolamine, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch, Aloe (Aloe Arbadensis ) Vera Gel, Rosemary Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Lavender E.O

Clearogen Clarifying Toner 4 oz.
Salicylic acid 1%, SD Alcohol 40 B, Deionized Water, Witch Hazel Distillate, Dodecyl Gallate, Propyl Gallate, Glycerin PEG-12/SMDI Copolymer, Polysorbate 20, Comfrey Extract, Indian Plantin Extract, Wheat Hydrolysate Extract, Sodium PCA, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch, Rosemary Extract, Chamomile Extract, Di-PPG-2-Myreth-10 Adipate, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizinate.

Clearogen Acne Lotion 1.8 oz.
Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5%, Deionized Water, Gamma Linolenic Acid, Alpha Linolenic Acid, Oleic Acid, Saw Palmetto Extract, Beta Sitosterol, Green Tea Catechin, Caprylic/capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dicetyl Phosphate, Ceteth-10 Phosphate, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Glycine Soja (Soy) Sterols, Aloe Vera Gel, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Mallow Peppermint Leaf, Primula, Veris Extract, Imperata Cylindrica Extract, Phospholipid, Comfrey Extract, Indian Plantin, Wheat Hydrolysate Extract, Triethanolamine, Tocopheryl Acetate (vitamin E), Neem Extract, Fragrance, Chamomile Extract, Xanthan Gum, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Sulfur, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Disodium EDTA, Retinoic Acid.

As we can see the lotion appears to be the real power house in this system with Saw Palmetto being the most familiar DHT blocker.   If your unwilling to spend the money to purchase the whole Clearogen system then you can try out the lotion alone by clicking here to see how it works for you.

In the next posts we will discuss Benzoyl Peroxide and Salicylic acid.

Acne in general is caused by DHT (5?-Dihydrotestosterone) which forms in both men and women when a naturally occurring enzyme in our bodies called 5 Alpha Reductase(5AR) interacts with testosterone causing genetically predetermined sebaceous glands to secrete excessive amounts of oil.  Yes women have testosterone in their bodies just as men have estrogen.  Hormonal imbalances in women can trigger the interaction with testosterone.  This is also true of boys and girls at puberty.

 Sebum (skin oil) levels are elevated to much higher than normal as we all normally produce some level of oil which is essential for healthy skin.  These genetically predetermined oil glands exist in the pores of your skin mainly on peoples face but can occur almost anywhere on the body.  This overproduction of oil can clog the skins pores along with dead skin cells and debris causing a usually harmless bacteria common to all our skins flora to exponentially increase.  That anaerobic bacteria being Propionibacterium acnes(P.Acnes) which lives deep in our pores within the sebaceous glands where it lives off the fatty acids contained within the sebum naturally produced by our skin.  Once this bacteria increases to a harmful level it starts to break down the walls of our pores which causes bad bacteria on the surface of our skin to fall inside thereby infecting the pore causing it to inflame into an acne lesion.  That bad bacteria tends to be ones we introduced to our facial skin by touching our faces with unsanitary hands.  In addition toxins within our body secreted out the skin pores causes acne to form as well as it mixes within the clogged pores breeding more bacteria.  Some say people who form a lot of acne may be healthier in other ways as toxins might not build up as much within the body itself causing other health issues.

So the solution to most acne therefore lies in blocking DHT as well as practicing good hygiene.   Hygiene wise you simply need to wash your face at least twice a day but no more than three times a day with a gentle cleanser.  Be sure to use a non-comedogenic (Doesn’t Clog Pores) moisturizer as dry skin can make matters worse especially in the formation of acne scars.  Most importantly don’t touch your face or other effected areas unless you have just washed your hands or used hand sanitizer.

As for blocking DHT there hasn’t been a topical product available until recently.  This topical DHT blocking regime is known as Clearogen which is the first professional over the counter product of it’s kind.  Based on prescription grade ingredients and scientifically proven natural botanicals to clear existing acne, it prevents new acne from forming as your old acne heals leaving your skin clean and clear. Clearogen is formulated by Board Certified Dermatologist Alex Khadavi.  It’s the only acne product on the market to black acnes root cause at the hormonal source.  This also means the added benefit of clearing up your oily skin in general.  Definitely a blessing for men embarrassed by excessively oily skin and women who battle the oil to keep their make-up looking flawless.  This topical regime is also the solution for those who practice a healthy natural diet, and excellent hygiene keeping acne at bay for the most part but simply have never been able to stop their excessive overproduction of oil.

Scientifically Speaking Clearogen Different From Other Acne Products On The Market.  Clearogen inhibits the conversion of Testosterone to DHT by blocking it from the 5AR enzyme which prevents the over stimulation of your skins oil glands. Clearogen also opens the pores, kills bacteria and reduces inflammation, allowing healing and skin renewal for clear and vibrant skin through the use of many natural botanicals.  Click Here To Learn More And Order Clearogen Now!

This isn’t meant to be an ad for Clearogen but so far this is the only product that addresses the DHT issue that we know of.  When we discover similar products we will tell you about them here.  We also encourage you to share any knowledge you have of similar products by replying below.  Thank you.

That being said however is there anything else one can do in a similar fashion without spending a lot of money?  We will definitely examine this in a future blog post.  Please check back within the next few weeks.