3 Types of Effective Acne Treatment

Acne is a serious skin disorder. The psychosocial effects of acne are far worse than the physical effects of the disorder. The first stage of acne, acne vulgaris is manifested by the appearance of whiteheads and blackheads. The next stages would vary depending on the severity of the condition. However, in adolescents, when acne vulgaris is common, disfigurement can cause severe emotional and traumatic effects on the person. That is why as early as possible, medical treatment should be resorted to in order to prevent the appearance of inflamed pimples, pustules and cysts.

1. Topical Medications

Comedones or whiteheads are an early sign of acne. It is therefore proper that topical medication is used to loosen and dissolve the plugs in the blocked follicles. Tretinoin, a retinoic acid and derivative of Vitamin A, is applied to the face and other affected areas. It comes in the form of cream, liquid or gel and must be applied regularly over a certain period of time (usually a few months). It can help unplug skin pores with solidified sebum.

Another similar topical medication is isotretinoin which can help reduce the sebum or oil in the skin by controlling the skin¡¯s capability to overproduce oil. During a woman¡¯s menstrual period, hormones trigger the skin to produce more oil than is necessary to keep the skin hydrated, so outbreaks is common during this time. Benzoyl peroxide gel also helps to dissolve the comedones and destroy skin bacteria. Salicylic acid creams as well as sulfur creams are also used to dissolve comedones. Lotions containing tetracycline are designed to kill bacteria that can decrease its number in the follicle such as proprionobacterium acnes.

2. Internal Medications

There are two basic internal medical treatments that can help effectively reduce the inflammations in your face and shoulders. The first is antibiotic pills which can treat blemishes and cysts on the skin. They also help reduce the bacteria in the follicles. However, be warned about self-medicating with antibiotics. Treatment like this will last months, so careful monitoring of a physician is needed. Side effects should be considered like disease resistance.

The second type of treatment is through the use of a retinoid drug which can be taken orally and called 13-cis-retinoid acid. It has the effect of reducing severe cystic acne. The good thing about this drug is its prolonged effects even after discontinued use. Unlike antibiotics, it can help clear your face of blemishes long after you use it. Furthermore, because of its effectivity, it can only be taken for as long as four or five months. Vitamins and trace-metal supplements are also useful in treating acne.

3. Other Medical Treatments

The inflamed lesions tend to appear more frequently in the summer months due to the heat. Because of this, X-ray treatment is not advised for severe acne sufferers. Hormone therapy with estrogen and cortisone-like hormones are only recommended in extreme and severe cases of acne. However, most doctors advise against this because of the varied side-effects. They do allow injection of diluted cortisone solutions into deep inflamed cysts and this is considered safe and effective.