Enormous strides have been taken in acne treatment during the last decade; it is now possible to find an appropriate way to get rid of acne no matter the severity of the condition. Here, the different options will be explained, but let’s make it very clear, the best start you can get, when it comes to removing acne, is to consult your doctor or dermatologist.
Appropriate Treatment Depends on Severity
The appropriate treatment depends on the severity of your condition. Often the optimal treatment is a combination of the medications mentioned. In order of severity, the most common acne treatments are:
- Over the counter topical acne creams (very mild cases)
- Prescription topical acne creams (mild to severe cases)
- Oral antibiotic acne treatment (mild to severe cases)
- Accutane treatment (very severe cases)
Over the Counter Acne Treatments
For mild acne an appropriate treatment might be over the counter creams. A number of these exist; generally, they work by drying up oil in the skin, killing bacteria, and speeding up the process of discarding dead skin cells. In addition to treating cases of mild acne, the creams are sometimes used in combination with more evasive treatments.
When you start out using the creams you might experience side effects, including dry skin and general irritation of the skin. In the majority of cases, these adverse effects subside after about a month of treatment.
Prescription Acne Creams
If the case of acne is more severe, your doctor or dermatologist might prescribe a stronger topical cream. Typically, the cream prescribed will be one with the active ingredient derived from vitamin A. Additionally, topical antibiotic creams are available. Sometimes these two variations of prescription acne creams are used in combination.
Vitamin A creams work by unplugging hair follicles and speeding up skin cell turnover. Antibiotic creams work by killing bacteria.
The possible side effects of prescription creams are similar to those of over the counter creams, but are more severe. You might start to feel your skin stinging and/or burning, severe redness and sensitivity to touching has been reported, and even skin peeling. To reduce the adverse side effects it is often recommended to slowly increase the dose, for example by washing off the cream a while after application, and slowly increase how long the cream stays on.
Antibiotics as an Acne Treatment
When removing acne by cream alone is not possible, your doctor might prescribe a temporary antibiotic treatment. Antibiotics combat inflammation and bacteria. However, prolonged use can result in antibiotics resistance. When your condition starts to improve, your doctor will, therefore, start reducing the dose. Oral antibiotic treatment is most effective in combination with topical creams.
Possible side effects include upset stomach, diarrhea, dizziness, and discoloration of your skin. When using oral antibiotics, you should be careful with exposure to the sun, as your skin will be more sensitive.
Accutane Treatment for Very Severe Acne Cases
The surest and most effective way to remove acne is by accutane treatment. It is, however, a very powerful drug with severe side effects. Therefore, it is reserved for extreme cases of acne that remains non-responsive to the treatments mentioned above.
During accutane treatment the patient remains under close supervision by the dermatologist. The patient will be subject to frequent blood tests to make sure no damage is done to the liver or other organs. The treatment is also suspected of causing emotional problems, if you feel especially sad or depressed during the treatment, immediately tell your dermatologist.
Common side effects of accutane treatment include dry eyes, mouth, lips, nose, and skin. The drug can also cause itching, nosebleeds, muscle aches, and increased sun-sensitivity. Rare side effects include an increase in the level of cholesterol in the blood, triglyceride levels, and liver enzyme levels.
Treatment can not take place during pregnancy, alcohol consumption should be kept to a minimum, and care should be taken when exposed to sun light.
Removing Acne is a Gradual Process
Unfortunately, getting rid of acne is not done overnight. When suffering from this frustrating condition it is crucial to arm yourself with patience; effective treatment is available, but it will usually, depending on the severity, take a couple of months to see significant results.
Consult your doctor or dermatologist as soon as possible, and you will see that removing acne is, indeed, possible.
Tags: Acne Creams, Acne Treatment, Removing Acne