Get Rid of Acne Scars Using Acne Laser Treatment

Acne Treatments: Are They Effective?

Author: Pat Jackson
Source: articlemarketer.com

It’s important to know that there is no true cure for acne. If untreated, it can last for many years, although acne usually clears up as you get older. The following treatments, however, generally can keep acne under control.

1. Use topical benzoyl peroxide lotion or gel
Benzoyl peroxide helps kill skin bacteria, unplug the oil ducts and heal acne pimples. It is the most effective acne treatment you can get without a doctor’s prescription. Many brands are available in different levels of strength (2.5 percent, 5 percent or 10 percent). Read the labels or ask your pediatrician or pharmacist about it.

* Start slowly with a 2.5 percent or 5 percent lotion or gel once a day. After a week, increase use to twice a day (morning and night) if your skin isn’t too red or isn’t peeling.
* Apply a thin film to the entire area where pimples may occur. Don’t just dab it on current blemishes. Avoid the delicate skin around the eyes, mouth and corner of the nose.
* If your acne isn’t better after four to six weeks, you may increase to a 10 percent strength lotion or gel. Start with one application each day and increase to two daily applications if your skin tolerates it.

2. If you don’t see results, consult your pediatrician
Your doctor can prescribe stronger treatments, if needed, and will teach you how to use them properly. Three kinds of medications may be recommended:

* TRETINOIN (RETIN-A) CREAM OR GEL helps unplug oil ducts but must be used exactly as directed. Be aware that exposure to the sun (or tanning parlors) can cause increased redness in some people who are using the medication.

* TOPICAL ANTIBIOTIC SOLUTIONS may be used in addition to other medications for a type of acne called pustular acne.

* ORAL ANTIBIOTIC PILLS may be used in addition to creams, lotions or gels if your acne doesn’t respond to topical treatments alone.

3. What about the “miracle drug” Accutane?
Isotretinoin (Accutane) is a very strong chemical taken in pill form. It is used only for severe cystic acne that hasn’t responded to any other treatment. Accutane must NEVER be taken just before or during pregnancy. There is a danger of severe or even fatal deformities to unborn babies whose mothers have taken Accutane while pregnant or who become pregnant soon after taking Accutane. You should never have unprotected sexual intercourse while taking Accutane. Patients who take Accutane must be carefully supervised by a doctor knowledgeable about its usage, such as a pediatric dermatologist or other expert on treating acne. Your pediatrician may require a negative pregnancy test and a signed consent form before prescribing Accutane to females.

If you are experiencing acne problems, remember that your pediatrician can help you. And as you begin treatment, keep these helpful tips in mind:

* Be patient. It takes three to six weeks to see any improvement. Give each treatment enough time to work.

* Be faithful. Follow your program every day. Don’t stop and start each time your skin changes. Remember, sometimes your skin may appear to worsen early in the program before you begin to see improvement.

* Follow directions. Not using the treatment as directed is the most common reason the treatment fails.

* Don’t use medication prescribed for someone else. This holds true for all medications, especially Accutane. Doctors prescribe medication specifically for particular patients. What’s good for a friend may be harmful for you. Never take Accutane that’s prescribed for another person.

* Don’t overdo it. Too much scrubbing makes skin worse. Too much benzoyl peroxide or Retin-A cream makes your face red and scaly. Too much oral antibiotic may cause side effects.

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Acne Treatments With The Use Of Birth Control

Author: Pat Jackson
Source: articlemarketer.com

For some female patients, treatment-resistant acne is caused by excessive production of hormones called androgens. With extra androgens in your system, your oil-producing glands go into high gear and so does your acne.

Several clues can help your doctor identify acne that may be influenced by hormones: acne that appears in adults for the first time; acne flare-ups preceding the menstrual cycle; irregular menstrual cycles; hirsutism (excessive growth of hair or hair in unusual places); and elevated levels of certain androgens in the blood stream.

Adult women and teenage girls whose acne has resisted treatment with antibiotics or topical retinoids may be candidates for hormonal therapy. Once a patients acne is identified as hormonally influenced, the doctor will be able to prescribe a number of different therapies, or perhaps a combination of several different drugs; “combination therapy” is often the best approach to this kind of acne. Following are a few common components of therapy for hormonal acne, but remember to consult your doctor before using any of the remedies listed here.

Acne / Birth Control Pill – Oral contraceptives. Birth-control pills (a combination of estrogen and progestin taken orally) are often prescribed for hormonal acne. Low doses of estrogen help suppress the androgens produced by the ovaries, and the newer progestin agents, including desogestrel and norgestimate, are less androgenic than those found in older formulations. While only Ortho Tri-Cyclen and Estro-Step are currently approved by the FDA for this indication, experts agree that low-dose contraceptives improve acne regardless of which formula is used. Consult your gynecologist to find the formula thats right for you. While side effects are uncommon, some women may experience brownish blotches, or melasma (hyperpigmentation) on the skin. These can be treated with topical bleaching agents.

Acne / Birth Control Pill – Anti-androgens. In combination with oral contraceptives, doctors also may prescribe an anti-androgen ; these drugs inhibit androgen production in the ovaries and adrenal glands and help prevent existing androgens from causing excessive oil production. Spironolactone, a high blood pressure medicine with anti-androgenic properties, has proven quite effective in the treatment of acne. Side effects may include breast tenderness, menstrual irregularities (in women not using oral contraceptives), headache and fatigue; since it’s also a diuretic, you may experience frequent urination as well.

NOTE: Spiranolactone is tetrogenic and can cause feminization of a male fetus. If you are sexually active and not taking the pill, its imperative that you use another form of birth control.

Acne / Birth Control Pill – Corticosteroids. Small doses of corticosteroids, like prednisone or dexamethasone, may curb inflammation and suppress the androgens produced by the adrenal glands. Keep in mind that in some acne sufferers, corticosteroids may actually aggravate acne; they’re most effective when used in combination with oral contraceptives.

In conclusion, if you think your acne is hormonally induced, see your doctor right away. While this kind of acne requires a different course of treatment, it is highly treatable. More about your hormones.

For patients who suffer from moderate to severe acne, doctors may prescribe a combination of topical remedies and oral antibiotics. The most common oral medications used to treat acne are tetracycline, minocycline, doxycycline and erythromycin.

Antibiotics for Acne – HOW THEY WORK

Like Benzoyl Peroxide, antibiotics control breakouts by curbing the body’s production of
P. acnes, the bacteria that causes acne, and decreasing inflammation. This process may take several weeks or months, so be patient. And remember, you’re not cured just because your breakouts have subsided. Thats the medicine doing its job so if you stop taking it, your acne will probably come back. Likewise, doubling up on your medication won’t make your skin clear up twice as fast. Using your topical antibiotics more frequently than prescribed may actually induce greater follicular irritation and plugging, which slows clearing time. And taking your oral medications more often than prescribed won’t help your skin clear faster but it will increase your chance of experiencing unpleasant side effects.

Antibiotics for Acne – WHERE TO GET THEM

If you have moderate to severe acne, consult your dermatologist; he or she will discuss your options and help you make the best choice. Once you’ve begun treatment, give it time to start working. Keep your doctor apprised of your progress, so he or she can make changes to the course of treatment if necessary. And again, don’t stop using your medication when your skin clears let your doctor make that call.

Antibiotics for Acne – COMMON SIDE EFFECTS

With most of the antibiotics used to treat acne, side effects may include photosensitivity (higher risk of sunburn), upset stomach, dizziness or lightheadedness, hives, lupus-like symptoms and skin discoloration. Some women report a higher incidence of vaginal yeast infection while taking antibiotics; these can usually be treated with over-the-counter antifungal medication or a prescription antifungal, such as diflucan. Tetracycline is not given to pregnant women or children under 12 years of age because it can discolor developing teeth. Lastly (and least common), because doxycycline is also the treatment of choice for Lyme disease, there is the theoretical possibility that a patient who takes this medication for a long period of time would build a resistance, and therefore be unable to fight Lyme.

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