Effective Treatment for Acne
Indy Stewart
January 15, 2008
Looking for an effective acne treatment?
If you are embarrassed to meet people because of acne that has virtually covered your beautiful face, then you can now stop worrying and regain the crystal clear look. There are a number of acne treatments that are available. But one needs to choose the best among them as there can be fake promises. Also while looking for the acne treatments one must be aware of the fact that these can have varied effects depending upon the skin types and severity of the problem.
Treatment takes Time:
It has to be understood that acne treatment is after all a medication for the skin and it is not a magical potion for instantly solving all your skin problems. Acne treatment will take its own course of time. One needs to administer the acne treatment in the prescribed methodology for desired results. It is also important to know the details of the ingredients of the product along with the do's and don'ts. A good quality acne treatment normally takes 6-8 weeks time for proper results.
There is no Common Treatment:
It is very common behavior that we tend to apply other persons solutions to our problems, completely forgetting the fact that the two situations may be entirely different. If a certain acne treatment has proved effective in your friend's case then there may be valid reasons for it and it may not necessarily work the same for you. One has to have a clear idea of what treatment you are opting for and this must be supported by proper reasoning and not alone by someone's recommendations.
Consult a Dermatologist:
One can have acne problems because of different reasons... stress, oily skin, wrong make up, hormonal changes, spicy and greasy food and even pregnancy. There are N numbers of reasons and the acne treatment can be depending upon the individual condition. It is always advisable to consult a dermatologist for proper diagnosis of your situation before going in for a particular acne treatment plan, especially if they involve oral drugs and medications.
While suggesting the best acne therapy for you, the dermatologist may look into the various aspects of your living and also prescribe dietary and other lifestyle changes that should be followed along with. Apart from controlling acne, preventive measures for stopping further bouts of acne should also be taken into consideration.
Over the Counter Products
There are a number of over the counter acne treatments that can be used. Some of them are discussed below:
Alcohol and acetone
Alcohol and acetone are normally used in skin toners and cleansers. This is contributed by their property of removing extra oil and grease from the skin, which is a major reason for development and spreading of acne.
Benzoyl peroxide
Benzoyl peroxide is an anti bacterial agent and this property of it is used for the acne treatment. In most cases, acne occurs because of dust and oil accumulating in the hair follicle. The harmful bacteria attack this area and lead to the formation of acne. Benzoyl peroxide kills and destroys these bacteria and hence helps in heeling. Moreover, it has a peeling and drying effect, which prevents further growth and scar formation. It is available under a number of popular names such as Clearasil etc.
The downside of taking Benzoyl peroxide is that it may cause skin allergies in some people. Also it can lead to inflammation and skin irritation in the acne area.
Natural and Herbal Acne Treatment Products
Though there are a number of products that claim to contain herbal and natural ingredients for acne treatment, but they have not been scientifically proven to help. There are several creams and lotions that contain either white clay, thyme leaves extract which are generally helpful in soaking the extra oil from the skin but it may not work in cases where the person has a dry and sensitive skin type.
Resorcinol
Resorcinol is used in acne treatment because of its antiseptic properties. It is often used as a disinfectant. It is normally used in combination with sulfur. This blends well with the other products and used for unclogging pores.
Salicylic acid
Salicylic acid can be naturally derived from the bark of a tree. The effectiveness of this lies in the fact that it can be used in people who have very sensitive skin. Salicylic acid can be proved useful for people in whom the other treatments might have failed. For treatment and prevention of further acne, it is required that the usage should be continued. This product is available in both lotion and cream formulations. Salicylic acid is also used in a number of face cleansers.
Whether pregnant women can use Salicylic acid for acne treatment is not yet known. So, if you are planning pregnancy or get pregnant while using this product, then it must be immediately stopped and consulted with the gynecologist.
Sulfur
In several skin irritations and allergies, sulfur treatments have been prescribed. Sulfur, by virtue of its natural healing properties is extremely effective. Bathing in water that has been mixed with sulfur has also proven to be helpful to control skin eruptions such as acne. It is FDA approved over the counter acne medication.
If you are embarrassed to meet people because of acne that has virtually covered your beautiful face, then you can now stop worrying and regain the crystal clear look. There are a number of acne treatments that are available. But one needs to choose the best among them as there can be fake promises. Also while looking for the acne treatments one must be aware of the fact that these can have varied effects depending upon the skin types and severity of the problem.
Treatment takes Time:
It has to be understood that acne treatment is after all a medication for the skin and it is not a magical potion for instantly solving all your skin problems. Acne treatment will take its own course of time. One needs to administer the acne treatment in the prescribed methodology for desired results. It is also important to know the details of the ingredients of the product along with the do's and don'ts. A good quality acne treatment normally takes 6-8 weeks time for proper results.
There is no Common Treatment:
It is very common behavior that we tend to apply other persons solutions to our problems, completely forgetting the fact that the two situations may be entirely different. If a certain acne treatment has proved effective in your friend's case then there may be valid reasons for it and it may not necessarily work the same for you. One has to have a clear idea of what treatment you are opting for and this must be supported by proper reasoning and not alone by someone's recommendations.
Consult a Dermatologist:
One can have acne problems because of different reasons... stress, oily skin, wrong make up, hormonal changes, spicy and greasy food and even pregnancy. There are N numbers of reasons and the acne treatment can be depending upon the individual condition. It is always advisable to consult a dermatologist for proper diagnosis of your situation before going in for a particular acne treatment plan, especially if they involve oral drugs and medications.
While suggesting the best acne therapy for you, the dermatologist may look into the various aspects of your living and also prescribe dietary and other lifestyle changes that should be followed along with. Apart from controlling acne, preventive measures for stopping further bouts of acne should also be taken into consideration.
Over the Counter Products
There are a number of over the counter acne treatments that can be used. Some of them are discussed below:
Alcohol and acetone
Alcohol and acetone are normally used in skin toners and cleansers. This is contributed by their property of removing extra oil and grease from the skin, which is a major reason for development and spreading of acne.
Benzoyl peroxide
Benzoyl peroxide is an anti bacterial agent and this property of it is used for the acne treatment. In most cases, acne occurs because of dust and oil accumulating in the hair follicle. The harmful bacteria attack this area and lead to the formation of acne. Benzoyl peroxide kills and destroys these bacteria and hence helps in heeling. Moreover, it has a peeling and drying effect, which prevents further growth and scar formation. It is available under a number of popular names such as Clearasil etc.
The downside of taking Benzoyl peroxide is that it may cause skin allergies in some people. Also it can lead to inflammation and skin irritation in the acne area.
Natural and Herbal Acne Treatment Products
Though there are a number of products that claim to contain herbal and natural ingredients for acne treatment, but they have not been scientifically proven to help. There are several creams and lotions that contain either white clay, thyme leaves extract which are generally helpful in soaking the extra oil from the skin but it may not work in cases where the person has a dry and sensitive skin type.
Resorcinol
Resorcinol is used in acne treatment because of its antiseptic properties. It is often used as a disinfectant. It is normally used in combination with sulfur. This blends well with the other products and used for unclogging pores.
Salicylic acid
Salicylic acid can be naturally derived from the bark of a tree. The effectiveness of this lies in the fact that it can be used in people who have very sensitive skin. Salicylic acid can be proved useful for people in whom the other treatments might have failed. For treatment and prevention of further acne, it is required that the usage should be continued. This product is available in both lotion and cream formulations. Salicylic acid is also used in a number of face cleansers.
Whether pregnant women can use Salicylic acid for acne treatment is not yet known. So, if you are planning pregnancy or get pregnant while using this product, then it must be immediately stopped and consulted with the gynecologist.
Sulfur
In several skin irritations and allergies, sulfur treatments have been prescribed. Sulfur, by virtue of its natural healing properties is extremely effective. Bathing in water that has been mixed with sulfur has also proven to be helpful to control skin eruptions such as acne. It is FDA approved over the counter acne medication.
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