Natural Skin Care

The volume of products which have been developed for combating acne are mind-boggling. Your local skin store probably stocks hundreds of acne creams, cleansers, and scrubs. You can imagine how difficult it must be for someone just starting to treat their acne to navigate the shelves for the right product. Even acne veterans can have a difficult time deciding between two products at the store. You often see people turn to a dermatologist to evade confusion. What these people find is that dermatologists have their own supply of prescription medications which be vast and equally perplexing. In an effort to remove the confusion surrounding both over the counter and prescription acne medications, we have provided an explanation of how the active ingredients in these products work below.

Let’s begin our discussion with over the counter products. A quick examination of the product label for a popular acne cream should reveal that it contains benzoyl peroxide. Most acne products contain the same active ingredient. This additive is designed to accomplish two tasks. For one, it takes care of the p. acnes bacteria which influence the development of inflamed lesions. Next, it helps improve skin cell turnover so pores don’t become clogged with contaminants.

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.

You need to properly diagnose the severity of your acne before seeking any sort of treatment. Whiteheads, blackheads, and pustules are part of more mild cases of acne that can be treated with over the counter medications. The presence of more inflamed lesions such as cysts often requires a doctor’s visit for further examination. Prescription medications are a good fit for such bouts of acne.

More on topical retinoids acne treatment and how to get rid of acne scars is contained on our website.

Technorati Tags: acne, acne blemishes, acne medications, acne scars, dermatologist, makeup, pimples, Skin Care, zits

Tags: acne, acne blemishes, acne medications, acne scars, dermatologist, makeup, pimples, Skin Care, zits

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