Acne Treatment
Depending on the extent of the problem, the doctor may recommend one of several over-the-counter medicines and/or prescription medicines. Some of these medicines may be topical (applied to the skin), and others may be oral (taken by mouth). The doctor may suggest using more than one topical medicine or combining oral and topical medicines.
“Like Over The Counter topical medicines, prescription topical medicines come as creams, lotions, solutions, gels, or pads. Your doctor will consider your skin type when prescribing a product. Creams and lotions provide moisture and tend to be good choices for people with sensitive skin.”
Treatment for mild Blackheads, Whiteheads, Inflammatory Acne
Doctors usually recommend an Over The Counter or prescription topical medicine for people with mild signs of acne. Topical medicine is applied directly to the acne lesions or to the entire area of affected skin.
There are several topical medicines used for mild acne. Each works a little differently. Following are the most common ones:
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Benzoyl peroxide ? destroys P. acnes, and may also reduce oil production
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Resorcinol ? can help break down blackheads and whiteheads
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Salicylic acid ? helps break down blackheads and whiteheads. Also helps cut down the shedding of cells lining the hair follicles
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Sulfur ? helps break down blackheads and whiteheads.
Topical Over The Counter medicines are available in many forms, such as gels, lotions, creams, soaps, or pads. In some people, acne medicines may cause side effects such as skin irritation, burning, or redness, which often get better or go away with continued use of the medicine. If you experience severe or prolonged side effects, you should report them to your doctor. Over The Counter topical medicines are somewhat effective in treating acne when used regularly; however, it may take up to 8 weeks before you see noticeable improvement. Over The Counter topical medicines are somewhat effective in treating acne when used regularly; however, it may take up to 8 weeks before you see noticeable improvement.
Treatment for Moderate to Severe Inflammatory Acne
People with moderate to severe inflammatory acne may be treated with prescription topical or oral medicines, alone or in combination.
Treatment for Severe Nodular or Cystic Acne
People with nodules or cysts should be treated by a dermatologist. For patients with severe inflammatory acne that does not improve with medicines such as those described above, a doctor may prescribe isotretinoin (Accutane), a retinoid (vitamin A derivative). Isotretinoin is an oral drug that is usually taken once or twice a day with food for 15 to 20 weeks. It markedly reduces the size of the oil glands so that much less oil is produced. As a result, the growth of bacteria is decreased.
Treatments for Hormonally Influenced Acne in Women
In some women, acne is caused by an excess of androgen (male) hormones. Clues that this may be the case include hirsutism (excessive growth of hair on the face or body), premenstrual acne flares, irregular menstrual cycles, and elevated blood levels of certain androgens.
The doctor may prescribe one of several drugs to treat women with this type of acne:
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Birth control pills ? to help suppress the androgen produced by the ovaries
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Low-dose corticosteroid drugs, such as prednisone (Deltasone) or dexamethasone (Decadron, Hexadrol) ? to help suppress the androgen produced by the adrenal glands
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Antiandrogen drugs such as spironolactone (Aldactone) ? to reduce the excessive oil production.
Side effects of antiandrogen drugs may include irregular menstruation, tender breasts, headaches, and fatigue.
Other Treatments for Acne
Doctors may use other types of procedures in addition to drug therapy to treat patients with acne. For example, the doctor may remove the patient’s comedones during office visits. Sometimes the doctor will inject corticosteroids directly into lesions to help reduce the size and pain of inflamed cysts and nodules.
Early treatment is the best way to prevent acne scars. Once scarring has occurred, the doctor may suggest a medical or surgical procedure to help reduce the scars. A superficial laser may be used to treat irregular scars. Dermabrasion (or microdermabrasion), which is a form of “sanding down” scars, is sometimes used. Another treatment option for deep scars caused by cystic acne is the transfer of fat from another part of the body to the scar. A doctor may also inject a synthetic filling material under the scar to improve its appearance.
Prescription Topical Medicines
Several types of prescription topical medicines are used to treat acne. They include:
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Antibiotics ? help stop or slow the growth of bacteria and reduce inflammation
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Vitamin A derivatives (retinoids) ? unplug existing comedones (plural of comedo), allowing other topical medicines, such as antibiotics, to enter the follicles. Some may also help decrease the formation of comedones. These drugs contain an altered form of vitamin A. Some examples are tretinoin, adapalene, and tazarotene.
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Others ? may destroy P. acnes and reduce oil production or help stop or slow the growth of bacteria and reduce inflammation. Some examples are prescription strength Benzoyl peroxide, sodium sulfacetamide/sulfur-containing products, or Azelaic acid (Azelex).
Like Over The Counter topical medicines, prescription topical medicines come as creams, lotions, solutions, gels, or pads. Your doctor will consider your skin type when prescribing a product. Creams and lotions provide moisture and tend to be good choices for people with sensitive skin. If you have very oily skin or live in a hot, humid climate, you may prefer an alcohol-based gel or solution, which tends to dry the skin. Your doctor will tell you how to apply the medicine and how often to use it.
For some people, prescription topical medicines cause minor side effects, including stinging, burning, redness, peeling, scaling, or discoloration of the skin. With some medicines, such as tretinoin, these side effects usually decrease or go away after the medicine is used for a period of time. If side effects are severe or don’t go away, notify your doctor.
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Related acne information:
What causes Acne - the development and cause of acne.
Natural Acne Treatment - natural acne treatment information and tips to treat acne naturally.
Syndicated by ClearPores™ skin cleansing system and the ClearPores information center and by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 1 AMS Circle, Bethesda, MD 20892-3675
