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.

What is acne a brief users guide for parents teens and the rest of us

Acne is a disease in which the hair follicles on your skin become clogged and infected. This results in one of the three types of acne lesions to form.

The production of excess sebum is the culprit. It causes the follicles to become blocked. The medical community is still uncertain as to what triggers this excess production. Sebum is produced by the sebaceous oil gland and everybody needs a small amount to achieve healthy skin. Sebum helps protects the skin from harmful bacteria by washing it away.

Types of Acne Lesions:

The three types of acne lesions are whiteheads & blackheads (also known as closed and open comedones respectively), papules & pustules, and cysts.

Whiteheads as the name suggests, look like white bumps. They form under the skin and never reach the surface. This makes them very hard to eliminate. Blackheads grow upward and break the skins surface. This enlarged follicle and the oxidation of the dead cells, sebum, and bacteria have a black color, hence the name.

Papules form when a whitehead burst and the bacteria spreads to the surrounding tissues under the skin. This causes your body’s immune system to increase its fight on the infection making the inflammation worse. They appear as small, firm, red bumps. Pustules form as the body’s immune system continues to fight the infection by sending pus to the area. They appear similar to a papules with the addition of a yellowish white head.

Cysts are the third and final type of acne lesion. They form when a pustule worsens and expands further down under the skins surface. They appear red or purple and are very painful. This is the most serious of all types of acne lesions.

Types of Acne:

Acne can not only be classified by the types of acne lesions, but further broken down by acne type; depending on what types of lesions you have. People whose acne consists of whiteheads and blackheads would have what is called comedonal acne. A mix of blackheads, whiteheads, papules and pustules acne lesions is called acne vulgaris and is the most common type of acne. The third type of acne is called cystic acne and it is when someone has all three types of acne lesions with numerous cysts.

Who Can Get Acne:

While most people associate acne with teens, anybody can experience some type of acne at any age. That said certain groups of people are more likely to experience acne. They include teens, people under stress, people who have a family history of the disease, people taking certain drugs and adult women.

The best acne treatments get rid of this acne

There are several products that can be the best acne treatments depending on your situation.

Not all acne products will be the best acne treatments for you. For each individual, there will be something that does work and something that does not work for you. Each time that you attempt to treat your acne, you should carefully consider which options you have and then give them the best possible method of working. Acne is not fun and it can be very stressful to many young and old people.

What Products Do Work?

There are two main types of products to consider for the best acne treatment. First, you should consider natural acne treatments as these can often be the best for your body all around. They are usually full of necessary vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidants and acids to help your body to fight off this infection. Natural products are often the easiest products to use and for your body to tolerate.

Next, you may want to consider acne treatments that will help you through acne medications. These are chemicals and should be used only according to their manufacturer’s directions. Once you use them, you’ll see within a few days or a week if they are working for you. Acne medications can also come from your doctor in the way of hormone regulating products as well as antibiotics to treat the infections on your skin.

Now They Are Gone, But???

Once your acne begins to clear up you may be disappointed with the acne scars that are left behind. Before you begin to worry about these though, realize that you may be able to have acne scar removal techniques done. Some work through natural products others through chemical. There are even laser scare removal treatments that work very well for many individuals.

When you have acne, the best thing that you can do to begin to control it is to use acne cleansing and skin care products. Look for a good quality and even a natural skin care product to work for you. Then, use the acne medications and natural treatments that you find. You’ll find relief from your acne this way and find the best acne treatment for you.

Acne medicines that work

Acne is a type of skin lesion caused by blockage of sebum gland follicle duct. The gland gets infected by P. Acnes, a bacterium found naturally in the skin. There are many medicines available in the market for acne cure. The medicines are mostly available as acne creams, acne lotions, acne cleansers, acne pills, acne injections etc. The acne cream ingredients may include the following medicines.

Benzoyl peroxide, triclosan and chlorhexidine gluconate are anti bacterials that kill the bacteria present in acne. Benzoyl peroxide acne lotion is considered the best medicine and has a high effectiveness rate of nearly 75%.

Salicylic acid, glycolic acid and other mild acids acne lotions work by peeling skin on a micro level and thereby opening the pore. They are used for mild to moderate acne.

Erythromycin, clindamycin and tetracycline are antibiotics that are either applied topically in the form of acne lotions or taken orally in the form of acne pills. They are used to kill the bacteria. However P. Acnes has developed resistance to most antibiotics. Antibiotics are given in cases of severe acne along with benzoyl peroxide acne lotion.

Cyproterone, drospirenone and cortisone are given in hormonal treatment for acne. They are designed to reduce the production of sebum. Hormone treatment is more effective in women.

Tretinoin, adapaline, retinol and isotretinoin are retinoids. They are available in the form of acne lotions or acne creams. They are designed to regulate the life cycle of follicle cells to prevent hyperkeratinization of follicle cells.

All these are available as acne lotions, acne cleansers, acne creams, pills, injections etc. Most are available over the counter. Self medication can be dangerous. Consult your doctor before using any medicine listed here.

There are many dietary supplements like Acuzine available in the market to aid the medicines listed above. They work by providing vital ingredients required by the skin to recover. They may consist of ingredients like anti-oxidants, vitamins E & C, hydrolyzed collagen, ALA, DMAE, Aloe vera, Bioperine etc.