Managing Acne – Are Prescription Medications The Right Choice?

In many cases, acne is relatively minor and can be treated with over-the-counter medications. More severe cases will usually need to be treated by a dermatologist and prescription medication. Even in moderate cases, these medications can often be more effective than what you can buy over-the-counter.

There are two forms of prescription treatments for acne – oral and topical. One of the more common treatments for acne is antibiotics which can be taken in either form.

The most common antibiotic for dealing with acne is tetracycline, which kills the bacteria that cause acne and helps to reduce the inflammation associated with it. These treatments can take weeks or even months and usually have to continue even after the acne has cleared up.

A common side effect of tetracycline is an increased sensitivity to sunlight. This can lead to bad sunburns if you are exposed to the sun for too long. Other possible side effects can include dizziness, hives and an upset stomach.

Antibiotic ointments generally have less complications than oral. Plus, when combined with other treatments such as benzoyl peroxide, the bacteria are less likely to become resistant to the antibiotics.

Retinoids are another type of acne treatment. They’re derived from vitamin A and are usually in the form of creams or lotions. They’re effective for opening clogged pores, which helps to get rid of blackheads and whiteheads. Dry skin is one of the common side effect of retinoids.

Oral retinoids are often used to treat more severe acne that isn’t responding to other treatments. They cause the top layer of skin to peel which helps to unclog clogged pores. They also minimize the amount of sebum produced by the body, which is one of the factors that leads to acne.

Oral retinoids can have some serious side effects, however. They can cause birth defects if they’re used during pregnancy. They can also lead to liver damage as well as depression, so ongoing medical care is necessary to be sure that they are not causing more problems than they are solving.

If you are dealing with acne – even a mild case – you should consult with a health care professional before choosing any treatment. If your case is more severe, discuss the various options with your doctor or dermatologist to determine the best treatment method for your particular situation.

Acne Scarring Can Be Treated So It Isn’t Permanent

One of the biggest fears of many people suffering from acne is permanent scarring. Unfortunately, many people don’t realize that scarring can be a result of improper skin care. Squeezing or picking at acne can damage the skin tissue around the acne. This can lead to the scarring that is such a concern for many people.

Temporary scars are a possibility as well – they usually take anywhere from six months to three years to fully heal and fade away. This is roughly the same amount of time that is necessary for the removal of “pseudo scars” known as macules. These are the flat reddish spots that often remain after acne inflammation goes down.

Sometimes these inflamed areas are left with a slight discoloration of the skin which can also last for several years in some cases. Exposure to sunlight can make these conditions worse.

Scars develop because of the loss of skin tissue due to acne outbreaks. These scars are often referred to as “ice pick” scars because of their appearance. They’re small, although they can be deep, and the texture can vary.

If the scar tissue is soft enough, it can be stretched to remove the scars but if the tissue is harder it may not be possible to repair it. In these cases, over time the scars can become very firm and unyielding. In most cases the only way to reduce or eliminate these types of scars is through surgery.

Another type of scarring is a result of excess tissue forming around acne lesions. These scars are known as keloids or hypertrophic scars and are most often a result of an increased production of collagen.

There are a number of both cosmetic and dermatological procedures to minimize or eliminate these scars. The most basic is to simply inject additional collagen in the scarred area. This lifts the skin and helps to fill small depressions and softer scars. This form of treatment doesn’t work particularly well for ice pick scars, however.

Before this collagen treatment is attempted, a person need to be tested for allergies. If they’re found to have an allergic reaction to the collagen then alternative methods will need to be considered, such as dermabrasion or microdermabrasion.

Acne Scarring Is Not Necessarily Permanent

One of the biggest fears of many people suffering from acne is permanent scarring. Unfortunately, many people don’t realize that scarring can be a result of improper skin care. Squeezing or picking at acne can damage the skin tissue around the acne. This can lead to the scarring that is such a concern for many people.

Temporary scars are a possibility as well – they usually take anywhere from six months to three years to fully heal and fade away. This is roughly the same amount of time that is necessary for the removal of “pseudo scars” known as macules. These are the flat reddish spots that often remain after acne inflammation goes down.

Sometimes these inflamed areas are left with a slight discoloration of the skin which can also last for several years in some cases. Exposure to sunlight can make these conditions worse.

Scars develop because of the loss of skin tissue due to acne outbreaks. These scars are often referred to as “ice pick” scars because of their appearance. They’re small, although they can be deep, and the texture can vary.

If the scar tissue is soft enough, it can be stretched to remove the scars but if the tissue is harder it may not be possible to repair it. In these cases, over time the scars can become very firm and unyielding. In most cases the only way to reduce or eliminate these types of scars is through surgery.

Another type of scarring is a result of excess tissue forming around acne lesions. These scars are known as keloids or hypertrophic scars and are most often a result of an increased production of collagen.

There are a number of both cosmetic and dermatological procedures to minimize or eliminate these scars. The most basic is to simply inject additional collagen in the scarred area. This lifts the skin and helps to fill small depressions and softer scars. This form of treatment doesn’t work particularly well for ice pick scars, however.

Before this collagen treatment is attempted, a person need to be tested for allergies. If they’re found to have an allergic reaction to the collagen then alternative methods will need to be considered, such as dermabrasion or microdermabrasion.

Treating Acne Through Physical Treatments

Mild cases of acne can usually be treated by topical creams or ointments. Treatments for more severe cases can include oral antibiotics, ointments and physical treatments like drainage or chemical peels.

Physical treatments must be done by a dermatologist. While popping your pimples does qualify as a physical treatments, it certainly isn’t recommended. It can cause the bacteria that causes acne to spread and could lead to scarring. Physical treatments administered by a professional under controlled conditions will be less risky and more effective.

Exfoliation

Exfoliation is basically the removal of the top layer of skin either by using chemicals or through abrasion. Chemical peels generally use salicylic or glycolic acid. They destroy a microscopic layer of skin cells which helps to unclog pores and get rid of dead cells.

Glycolic acid treatments are generally done over the course of several months, with a treatment every 2 to 4 weeks. Salicylic acid treatments are not as strong and can be used daily. They are often found in common over-the-counter treatments.

Comedo Extraction

Comedones – aka whiteheads and blackheads – can be removed by a dermatologist. An anesthetic cream is applied to the immediate area and the comedones are removed with an instrument that opens the top, letting the sebum and dead skin cells be removed. This is normally followed by applying an antibiotic cream.

Drainage

Serious cases of acne can lead to cysts forming under the skin, which can be both painful and cause disfiguring. Small cysts are often treated by cortisone injections, flattening them in a couple of days.

Larger cysts be require drainage and surgery to remove them. Drainage often relieves some of the pain that comes with cysts and can also help to minimize scarring.

It is handled by a dermatologist, with sterile instruments. It is important that you don’t try to drain cysts yourself because of the potential infection and scarring that could result.

Light Therapy

Light therapy is another method that is sometimes used to fight the bacteria that causes acne. It can be especially helpful in hard-to-reach spots, but the effects won’t last as long because it doesn’t address the production of sebum and dead skin cells.

Laser therapy is often effective for dealing with acne scarring. It can be used for both surface and deep tissues scarring.

How To Find The Most Effective Acne Treatments

It’s dreaded by teenagers everywhere – regardless of their skin color, the language they speak or what social circles they run in. If anything is going to bring the youth of today together in a common cause, it’s the fight against acne.

Teenagers everywhere are constantly on the lookout for effective acne treatments, but just as acne can come in many forms and degrees of severity, there are many different treatments available. The one that will work best for one person won’t necessarily be the best for someone else.

Before you can decide on the best treatment option, it helps to understand what it is that actually causes acne. It’s commonly believed to be caused by poor hygiene, but that isn’t the case. It is actually caused by changes in the body that can’t (and shouldn’t) be stopped.

Teenage acne is often due to hormonal changes in the body that causes excess secretion of oil, which can block pores and trap dirt and moisture. The result is the blackheads and pimples that are so common among teens.

Effective treatments are available for the various forms of acne, and a dermatologist will be able to thoroughly diagnose a particular case and recommend the proper treatment.

If you’ve ever looked at the many acne treatments that are available at any drug store or pharmacy, you’ll probably have seen shelves full of creams, gels and lotions that promise to be the cure to end all acne problems.

These treatments work for some people and not for others, but they are often attempting to treat any and all forms of acne, which just isn’t possible. The most effective treatments will be tailored for a given person’s acne.

Some of these treatments will include azelaic acid creams, benzoyl peroxide or Accutane. They may be in the form of topical creams or lotions. Each of these treatments is best suited to deal with certain types of acne, with varying strengths depending on the severity of the acne.

Many teens spend a lot of time and money trying every possible treatment to get rid of their acne. The trouble is, the treatments are often not dealing with the cause in their particular situation. A visit to a dermatologist is the best way to get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan, customized for a particular case.

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