The number of products used today in treating acne is astounding. If you head inside your nearest skin care store, you will be exhausted at the hundreds of products lining the store’s acne aisle. Those who are just beginning their battle with acne can have a hard time weeding out the good products from those ineffective ones. Even acne veterans sometimes stumble at this task. Most enlist the services of a dermatologist to help clear up some confusion. As those who have attended their skin care appointments know, an equally immense barrage of prescription medications also exists. In order to ease your search for the right product and give you a basic understanding of how the ingredients in both over the counter and prescription products work, we have compiled further information below.
We should start with the more confusing of the two: over the counter products. There are far more OTC treatments than prescription medications, and with thousands of advertisements touting their purported effectiveness, it can be hard to choose the right one. A good portion of OTC products contain the active ingredient known as benzoyl peroxide. This medication bring relief on two fronts. On the first, it kills the bacteria that is responsible for inflamed types of acne such as whiteheads and pustules. On the second, it helps restore our skin’s ability to slough off dead cells. This skin cell turnover function is compromised in those who have acne.
Benzoyl peroxide is not much more effective in 10% concentrations than it is in 2.5% concentrations. It is a misconception to think that higher concentrations translate to more potent results. The added concentration only triggers more irritation, so you are better sticking to the 2.5% version. Other popular, brand-name medications include additives such as sulfur and salicylic acid. These perform somewhat identical functions when compared to benzoyl peroxide, and are good ingredients to find in a quality treatment.
Most dermatologists equip their patients with multiple medications. Acne is indeed a multifaceted condition. The topical medications dispensed by skin care professionals are designed to regulate the skin cell turnover cycle and keep acne bacteria under control. Bacteria can be swiftly dealt with topical medications such as Erythromycin or benozyl peroxide. The turnover cycle can be normalized with prescription retinoids like Tretinoin, which are extracted from Vitamin A. If additional bacteria control is required, oral antibiotics will be prescribed. Two popular ones are tetracycline and doxycycline. When acne does not respond to the above treatments, a retinoid known as Accutante is administered orally. The course of treatment lasts for six months and dosage is gradually raised according to physian instruction. Accutane stops sebum production so acne cannot form. Accutane is largely considered a last resort, as it can have some unfavorable symptoms.
When it comes to what specific treatment you should use, it all depends on the type of acne you are suffering from. If you have some whiteheads and blackheads, or a more mild case of acne, you may respond well to OTC treatments. Those with more inflamed lesions than anything else such as cysts and pustules should consider visiting a dermatologist. Prescription medications are often required in these circumstances.
More on topical retinoids acne treatment and how to get rid of acne scars is contained on our website.
