After growing up with a sister who had acne I am very aware of the trauma this condition causes, especially to a teenager.

Going to school every day and being called nasty names would do damage to anyones self esteem.  Looking back I remember the main treatment was a topical preperation which you applied to the skin and it formed a white paste.   Not exactly without its hassles and it certainly wasn’t a cure. Of course this was about 15 years ago so I wonder if anythings improved in the way this condition should be treated. 

The latest treatments are divided into topical and oral medications and there is a choice between prescription meds and over the counter home solutions. 

Home treatment

No home treatments for acne ever work immediately. It can take a few weeks, if not months, for significant effects to be noticeable. If home treatments have not worked after two months, or you have severe acne, you should visit your doctor.   The following treatments and techniques have had proven success:

  • Keep spot-prone areas clean, so wash the affected area twice a day with a quality cleanser.  The skin needs a certain amount of oil to maintain its natural condition, so avoid aggressive washing with strong soaps.

  • There are a number of over-the-counter remedies available to treat mild acne. These usually contain antibacterial agents such as benzoyl peroxide.  As well as its antibacterial effects, benzoyl peroxide can dry out the skin and encourage it to shed the surface layer of dead skin. Together, these effects make it harder for pores to become blocked and for infection to develop. Benzoyl peroxide can cause redness and peeling, especially to start with. This tends to settle down if you reduce the number of times you use it. You can then build up your use gradually.
  • Another well known brand called proactiv is recommended by some experts to help treat acne you can find information on how to buy proactive and where to buy Proactiv at www.proactiv-blog.com so worth a look.

Prescription Treatments

Topical treatments

There are a few decent topical medications that may be prescribed such as:

  • Azelaic acid (Skinoren) is an alternative to benzoyl peroxide and may not make your skin as sore as benzoyl peroxide.
  • Topical retinoids (Adapalene) are medicines based on vitamin A, which are rubbed into the skin once or twice a day. They work by encouraging the outer layer of skin to flake off.
  • A topical antibiotic lotion applied to the skin can be used to control the acnes bacteria (eg Dalacin T). Treatment needs to continue for up to a year for real progress.

Oral Treatments

Oral treatments are often used for really sever acne and include the following:

  • Oral antibiotics can be prescribed for inflammatory acne. They should be taken daily for around three months, although it might take four to six months for the benefits to be seen.  
  • Oral contraceptive pills for women who have acne can offer a solution. A combination of the usual pill hormone called ethinylestradiol with cyproterone acetate (eg Dianette) suppresses male hormone activity which can result in an improvement in acne.
  • Isotretinoin is a medicine known as an oral retinoid, which also exists in a topical form. Isotretinoin works by drying up oily secretions. It tends to be prescribed to people with severe forms of acne that have proved resistant to other treatments. There a number of serious side-effects of this drug, such as liver disorders and depression. You should not take isotretinoin if you are pregnant, as it is very dangerous to an unborn baby. For safety reasons, isotretinoin is only prescribed under the supervision of dermatology specialists.

So if you suffer acne maybe the best solution is to start with a home based treatment and if not satisfied with the results work up to prescription medications.  Good luck