Wednesday, June 10, 2009

A Guide to Acne Treatment

Today, due to advancements made in the medical field and extensive research conducted over the last two decades, acne of any proportion can be relieved. A variety of treatments are available for mild to severe acne. It is an undeniable fact that there is no treatment that can completely get rid of acne. Acne treatments give you relief from acne’s symptoms by preventing the formation of new spots, relieving those that are already present, and keeping away scarring. Once you feel that you are not in control of your acne, you should consult a dermatologist and seek his or her help.
You can do certain things to keep your acne in check. Washing your acne affected areas or areas susceptible to acne twice a day with a cleanser is one of them. Cleansing will keep your skin free of dirt and other impurities and reduce the spreading of acne. It is advisable to use soaps for cleansing as the oil content in soaps will keep the skin healthy. The soap you chose should be gentle to the skin and should not give rise irritation or skin discoloration. Be careful not to treat your skin in a harsh manner while washing.
A long and diverse list of medications is available to treat acne. Several mild acne medications are on offer from pharmacies that can be bought without a dermatologist’s prescription. Usually, antibacterial agents like benzoyl peroxide are present in these over-the-counter medications. Benzoyl peroxide can also work to encourage superficial skin layer shedding. This, along with its antibacterial properties can decrease the chances of pores getting blocked thus reducing infection.
If over-the-counter medications are not effective, you should consult a dermatologist. Creams and lotions are among the solutions offered by your dermatologist. Creams and lotions include Azelaic acid, Retinoids, and antibiotic lotions such as clindamycin and erythromycin. The impact of creams and lotions may not last too long and they only take care of the particular area that you have applied them. Therefore, apply them daily to every part of your body that is affected with or susceptible to acne.
Your dermatologist may prescribe oral treatments for you as well. Antibiotics may be prescribed for acne that causes inflammation. As antibiotics are inefficient at preventing pore blocking, medications like benzoyl peroxide, which is effective in preventing blackheads may also be prescribed along with them. Certain oral contraceptive tablets help acne affected women. Isotretinoin, which functions by eliminating oily secretions, is an oral medication usually prescribed for severe acne.
Early skin treatment can lower the extent of scarring. If you give enough care to your acne and follow the guidelines of your doctor, more often than not, you will be able to ease the grip of acne on you.

No comments: