goals of acne treatment

Treatment of acne depends on whether inflammation or bacteria are present. Some acne consists only of blackheads and whiteheads on the skin with very little or no pimples (comedonal acne). Topical acne cream treatments that can unclog pores and remove dead skin cells work best for this type of acne. However, if inflammation is present, acne treatments that contain anti-bacterial and/or anti-inflammatory ingredients may work better.

• reduce or remove excess sebum production
• kill acne-causing bacteria
• unplug skin pores and remove dead skin cells

Duration of acne treatment

Most acne treatments take time, so it’s important to stick to your individual regimen and be patient to see results. Often it takes six to eight weeks from the start of the treatment to see significant results. Be aware that in some cases, acne may get worse before it gets better.

over-the-counter acne ingredients

There are several over-the-counter acne ingredients approved by the Food & Drug Administration. Not all active ingredients work the same way, so it’s important to use an acne treatment that targets the factors contributing to your specific acne.

The following describes the most common types of acne ingredients and acne medications. Be sure to check with a professional dermatologist or pharmacist before combining acne products on your own:

• Alcohol & acetone, works as a degreasing agent.
• Benzoyl peroxide, the mainstay of over-the-counter acne treatment, benzoyl peroxide kills acne-causing bacteria and removes dead cells from the skin to prevent comedones. The principal side effect can be excessive dryness of skin and a bleaching effect on clothing, towels, sheets and hair. Use of benzoyl peroxide should be contniued after acne clears to prevent new lesions from forming.
• Salicylic acid, unplugs skin pores and helps correct the abnormal shedding of skin cells. Like benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid must be used continuously to prevent the clogging of pores and the return of acne.
• Sulfur, often used in combination with other active ingredients, though it’s not quite known how sulfur works to clear acne. Due to its unpleasant odor, sulfer is not frequently used alone as an acne treatment.
• Resorcinol, controls small acne lesions and is frequently combined with sulfur in over-the-counter products.

• “Herbal,” “organic” and “natural” products are generally not recognized as safe and effective acne medicine by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the value of such treatments is generally unknown. Examples include tea tree oil, garlic and oxalic acid.

prescription acne medications

These medications have also been found to help reduce acne, but many must be prescribed by a professional dermatologist or doctor:

• Topical and oral antibiotics, such as clindamycin (i.e., Cleocin), sodium sulfacetamide (i.e., Novacet), erythromycin (i.e., E-Mycin), and tetracycline (i.e., Achromycin).
• Topical retinoid medications, such as tretinoin (Retin-A), adapalene (Differin), and tazarotene (Tazorac).
• Azelaic acid, such as the topical cream, Azelex.
• Isotretinoin, an oral retinoid.
• Low-dose birth control pills that contain estrogen (such as Estrostep Fe, Ortho Tri-Cyclen, or Yaz), which work well on moderate acne in women and for premenstrual flare-ups. Estrogen softens the effects of testosterone, by lowering oil production.
• Androgen (male hormone) blockers, such as spironolactone. These medicines decrease the amount of sebum (oil) made in your pores.

In general, doctors prefer to use topical acne cream products for acne rather than oral antibiotics, because the latter are more likely to have side effects.