Everything That You Need To Know About Acne Treatment

Acne which is also called acne vulgaris is basically a disease of the hair follicles of the chest, back and face affecting teenagers during puberty. Bacteria is not the main cause of this skin disease though it plays an important role in the development of acne. However, acne is not limited to teens as even the adults can develop this condition in their late twenties. Acne appears on human skin in the form of occluded pores that are called whiteheads or blackheads; soft red bumps called zits or pimples; cysts or deep pimples and boils and pustules or bumps that contain pus. There are many things that you can do for treating acne. You can make use of different products found at the cosmetic counters or drug stores without the need of a prescription. Nevertheless, for more difficult to deal with cases of acne, it is necessary to consult a dermatologist for different treatment options.

Acne-What are the Main Causes?

There is no one factor causing acne. It is a skin condition that appears when the sebaceous oil glands connected to the hair follicles get stimulated during puberty or because of hormonal changes. It is important to note that sebum oil is an organic substance that lubricates and even protects the skin. There are certain contributing factors that might be the  cause of acne in occasional patients  and they are as follows:

Heredity

In case any one of your parents had acne, you are at an increased risk of suffering from the same condition.

Pressure

Pressure from chin straps, helmets, suspenders and collars might aggravate acne in some people.

Medicines

There are certain medicines that might cause and even worsen acne. These are medicines that contain bromides, injected or oral steroids and iodides.  These might also be steroids that athletes and bodybuilders take on a regular basis. The other medicines that can aggravate or cause acne include lithium and anticonvulsant medications. However, it is worth noting that most cases of acne are not related to the use of drugs.

Cosmetics

There are certain skin-care products and cosmetics that can clog the skin pores. Therefore, when you are making the choice of cosmetics to be used on the skin, it is necessary for you to go through the list of ingredients carefully. You must always make it a point to choose cosmetics or skin care products that contain water. This is because the water-based cosmetics are generally the best for treating acne.

Jobs

There are some jobs where people are exposed to harmful industrial products such as cutting oils and these might be one of the leading causes of acne.

Treatment for Acne

Acne treatment is completely dependent on whether an individual has severe, moderate or mild acne. Sometimes doctors combines different treatments for getting good and positive results and for avoiding the development of drug-resistant bacteria. Acne treatment can include gels and lotions to be applied on blemishes or on all the affected areas of the skin along with the back or the chest. Oral medicines can also be of good help.

Treatment for Mild Acne

Mild acne involves blackheads, pimples and whiteheads and treatment for this type of acne includes:

  • Gentle cleansing using mild soap and warm water.
  • Using salicylic acid
  • Using benzoyl peroxide

In case these treatments do not work, it is important for you to see a doctor. Doctors can provide the best prescription for more powerful creams and lotions. You might even try antibiotic lotions or lotions with medicines that help in unplugging the skin pores.

Treatment for Moderate to Severe Acne

Sometimes, it happens that acne needs to be treated with a combination of different therapies or stronger medicines. Deeper blemishes like cysts and nodules have increased chances of leaving scars. Therefore, doctors might provide oral antibiotics for starting the healing procedure. Moderate to severe acne requires a combination of different therapies as well. Treatments for such acne conditions include:

  • Use of benzoyl peroxide
  • Applying prescription gels, antibiotics, lotions or creams
  • Draining cysts and large pimples with the help of a doctor
  • Using prescription retinoids
  • Taking prescription oral antibiotics
  • Using azelaic acid

When is the Best Time to Start Acne Treatment?

Removing Acne Scars

The ones who are the victims of acne, for them it is not only important to look for the right acne treatment but it is also important to get hold of the right method of getting rid of acne scars. There are different methods of removing acne scars like dermabrasion and laser resurfacing. Acne scars generally shrink and tend to fade away with time. However, if the scars bother you then you must consult a doctor or a plastic surgeon.

What do you Need to Think About?

It is important for you to understand that most acne treatments take time. acne can improve in 6 to 8 weeks after starting treatment. There are some treatments that might cause the acne condition to get worse instead of getting better. In case you find that your acne condition has not improved even after several tries, it is time for you to consult a doctor who might recommend taking an oral retinoid like isotretinoin. This medicine is prescribed by doctors as the last resort because it comes with some rare but very serious side effects. It is also to be noted that this medicine is quite expensive. There are some low-dose birth control pills that might also help in controlling acne in women who suffer from this skin condition before menstruation.

Conclusion

Always keep in mind that you need to get the best treatment for acne and only then can you remain assured of the fact that you will not have those unsightly scars on your skin.

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