Acne Treatments – A Brief Users Guide For Parents, Teens And The Rest Of Us
Treating acne depends on the type and severity of your acne. Treatment also depends on how dry or oily your skin is, if you are male or female, if you are taking any medications, if you are pregnant or might be soon. These various factors affect your treatment options and can make any one size fits all acne treatment method ineffective.
Lucky their are numerous acne treatment options, so while you might not find one that works the first time, do not give up just try another. Do to the numerous acne treatments available today doctors can control most acne outbreaks; with greater success the earlier treatments are started. Hopping your acne will go away will not work, your local pharmacy is filled with many over the counter medications you can try, or visit your doctor who can prescribe more powerful treatments if needed.
The most popular way to treat mild to moderate acne is by using a topical treatment. These treatments can be in the form of a gel, cream, lotion or on a pad. They are applied to the surface of your skin, hence the name topical. The two main over the counter topic treatments are Salicylic acid and Benzoyl peroxide. Prescription Salicylic acid and Benzoyl peroxide are also available in stronger doses if required. Doctors my also prescribe ointments containing sulfur, tetracycline, erythromycin or a retinoid. Many times you will need to use a combination of the above treatments for best results.
Salicylic acid and retinoids are used to treat the clogged hair follicles that are causing the acne lesions. They penetrate the pores and help the dead skin cells dissolve. Benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, tetracycline and erythromycin are antibacterial ointments used to treat the inflammation and kill the bacteria in the blocked follicles.
For people with moderate to server acne, in addition to topical treatments they my also require some type of oral medication to treat their acne. The three types of oral medications are antibiotics, hormones, and isotretinoins. All three require a prescription.
Tetracycline, erythromycin, clindamycin, and doxycycline are the most common prescribed antibiotics. They work by being absorbed through the digestive system, then into the blood, and then into the hair follicles where they kill bacteria and reduce inflammation. This option would be used when topical antibiotic treatments were unsuccessful.
Hormones are an option available to treat teenage girls and women with acne. They are usually taken in the form of a birth control pill. They work by increasing the level of female hormones in the bloodstream. This helps reduce the production of androgen, which will then reduce the production of sebum.
For severe acne, isotretinoin is often used. It is a powerful drug that treats acne by stopping all of the changes in the skin that causes acne. It kills bacteria, reduces sebum production, and slows the growth of skin cells.
All of the above acne treatment options should be reviewed carefully prior to use. As with any type of medication they all present some type of risk or side effect. For the over the counter treatments read the product labels and warnings to see if the product is right for you. For prescription acne treatments discuss with your doctor all of the potential sides effects you may experience.
Acne Treatments
Treatment on Acne
It’s important to know that there is no true cure for acne. If untreated, it can last for many years, although acne usually clears up as you get older. The following treatments, however, generally can keep acne under control.
1. Use topical benzoyl peroxide lotion or gel
Benzoyl peroxide helps kill skin bacteria, unplug the oil ducts and heal acne pimples. It is the most effective acne treatment you can get without a doctor’s prescription. Many brands are available in different levels of strength (2.5 percent, 5 percent or 10 percent). Read the labels or ask your pediatrician or pharmacist about it.
* Start slowly with a 2.5 percent or 5 percent lotion or gel once a day. After a week, increase use to twice a day (morning and night) if your skin isn’t too red or isn’t peeling.
* Apply a thin film to the entire area where pimples may occur. Don’t just dab it on current blemishes. Avoid the delicate skin around the eyes, mouth and corner of the nose.
* If your acne isn’t better after four to six weeks, you may increase to a 10 percent strength lotion or gel. Start with one application each day and increase to two daily applications if your skin tolerates it.
2. If you don’t see results, consult your pediatrician
Your doctor can prescribe stronger treatments, if needed, and will teach you how to use them properly. Three kinds of medications may be recommended:
* TRETINOIN (RETIN-A) CREAM OR GEL helps unplug oil ducts but must be used exactly as directed. Be aware that exposure to the sun (or tanning parlors) can cause increased redness in some people who are using the medication.
* TOPICAL ANTIBIOTIC SOLUTIONS may be used in addition to other medications for a type of acne called pustular acne.
* ORAL ANTIBIOTIC PILLS may be used in addition to creams, lotions or gels if your acne doesn’t respond to topical treatments alone.
3. What about the “miracle drug” Accutane?
Isotretinoin (Accutane) is a very strong chemical taken in pill form. It is used only for severe cystic acne that hasn’t responded to any other treatment. Accutane must NEVER be taken just before or during pregnancy. There is a danger of severe or even fatal deformities to unborn babies whose mothers have taken Accutane while pregnant or who become pregnant soon after taking Accutane. You should never have unprotected sexual intercourse while taking Accutane. Patients who take Accutane must be carefully supervised by a doctor knowledgeable about its usage, such as a pediatric dermatologist or other expert on treating acne. Your pediatrician may require a negative pregnancy test and a signed consent form before prescribing Accutane to females.
If you are experiencing acne problems, remember that your pediatrician can help you. And as you begin treatment, keep these helpful tips in mind:
* Be patient. It takes three to six weeks to see any improvement. Give each treatment enough time to work.
* Be faithful. Follow your program every day. Don’t stop and start each time your skin changes. Remember, sometimes your skin may appear to worsen early in the program before you begin to see improvement.
* Follow directions. Not using the treatment as directed is the most common reason the treatment fails.
* Don’t use medication prescribed for someone else. This holds true for all medications, especially Accutane. Doctors prescribe medication specifically for particular patients. What’s good for a friend may be harmful for you. Never take Accutane that’s prescribed for another person.
* Don’t overdo it. Too much scrubbing makes skin worse. Too much benzoyl peroxide or Retin-A cream makes your face red and scaly. Too much oral antibiotic may cause side effects.
Acne Treatment – What Is Sebum
Sebum is part of the oil that is found on the surface of the skin. Other ingredients of the oil on the skin are- sweat, lipids and environmental dirt. It is sebum, which contributes a lot to our body odor. Sebum itself is odorless but its bacterial disintegration produces odor. That is why if you keep your skin clean of bacteria with anti bacterial soaps regularly, you can reduce body odor to a great extent. Sebum reaches hair follicles
and coats the hair and also reaches the skin through the hair follicles. Many people experience oily hair if hair is left unwashed for few days. That happens because of sebum. The Latin meaning of sebum is fat.
How sebum is produced- sebum is produced by sebaceous glands. These glands are found on most parts of the body. Except few, most sebaceous glands open into a hair follicle. These are the sites of acne formation.
What does sebum do- sebum protects skin from bacterial infection. Sebum also reduces the natural water loss of body from the skin. Increased sebum production can cause acne.
Sebum production- sebum production decreases with age. Particularly in women it reduces after menopause. Adult females produce less sebum than men. Sebum production may experience jump at the time of puberty in men.
There are some common theories about sebum. Some people believe that drying excess sebum with blotting oils will reduce sebum production. Some believe that if you use products supposed to control oil production that will increase sebum production. Both are wrong conclusions. Drying excess oil will only remove surface oil. And using oil control products will not increase sebum production. Sebum is required to protect our skin, but increased production of sebum leads to oily skin and frequent acne flare-ups.
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.
Acne Treatment – Taking Care Of Mild Acne
Acne has three stages of diseases – mild, moderate and severe. If acne can be treated during the first stage itself, you can save tremendous amount of effort and protect yourself from the agony of bad looking scars that form after third stage of acne. Catch acne in the mild stage itself and do not let it grow to second and third stage.
Mild acne does not need more intensive forms of treatment. Many acne sufferers treat themselves with OTC medicines for acne. Some patients prefer to consult a doctor at this stage itself to protect themselves from any flare up of acne.
Let us discuss the common treatment available for mild acne. Over the counter medications consisting of salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide can control mild acne that is mainly whiteheads and blackheads. While using these medications, wash your acne prone area with mild sop/cleanser and warm water twice a day to remove excess oil and dead skin.
Some times these products may cause dryness, redness or peeling. Use an oil free moisturizer if the peeling is present. The skin takes some time to adjust to the acne medication. If irritation occurs, you should consult your doctor. Please remember that acne medication takes time to treat acne. Many time up to eight weeks to work. Keep patience and wait for the results to get acne cured. If you do not get results after that, you should consult your doctor. Your doctor may prescribe other medicines to treat acne.
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.
Acne Treatment – Regime For Severe Acne
This kind of acne requires intensive treatment over a period. Your doctor will treat you with combination therapy to control and cure the acne while trying to take care that minimum scars form. The treatment regimen for severe acne may include physical as well as oral and topical treatments. The options ay include- Isotretinoin, Oral antibiotics, Oral contraceptives for female patients, Injecting corticosteroid in the lesion and Surgical procedure. Let us look at them.
Isotretinoin: Isotretinoin is one of the most potent treatments fore severe form of acne which has not responded well to other therapies. Isotretinoin is the best treatment option for cystic acne. Isotretinoin is a form of Vitamin A. The normal course of Isotretinoin is one or two pills a day for up to twenty weeks. Your dermatologist best decides this. Isotretinoin should never be taken without medical supervision. Isotretinoin is one of the best options because it helps treat all the four factors of acne formation- excess oil, clogged pores, inflammation and the bacteria P.acnes. Isotretinoin can also have many side effects.
Side effects of Isotretinoin – For women, it is very important to be in constant contact with their doctor because Isotretinoin can cause damage to developing foetus. It cannot only never be given during pregnancy but before the treatment begins all possibilities of pregnancy have to be eliminated. Please talk to your doctor in detail and follow his/her instructions very strictly. The other side effects of Isotretinoin may include joint pains, headaches, nausea, depression and others. You must not miss your appointment with your doctor while taking Isotretinoin.
Oral antibiotics – broad spectrum antibiotics can reduce the bacteria P.acnes substantially. With reduction in the population of this bacterium inflammation reduces. The choice of the antibiotic is best left to your doctor. The antibiotic may include drugs such as – tetracycline, erythromycin, doxycline etc.
Oral contraceptives for female patients- overactive sebaceous glands produce more sebum and are one of the main causes of acne. Some oral contraceptives can reduce the production of excessive sebum. These drugs can be taken only under medical supervision. Sometimes, you may have to consult gynecologist for which your doctor will advise you.
Injecting corticosteroid in the lesion – a great help in preparing for a social event, in this treatment a mild steroid is injected in the cyst. The steroid reduces the acne substantially with in few days. This treatment also prevents scarring as it reduces the possibility of bursting of a cyst and dries it totally.
Surgical procedure- your doctor may find it necessary to cut open the acne and drain it. It is done with sterile equipment and needs skill. Acne patients should not do draining of acne.
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.