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Types of Medications for Acne
The number of products used today in treating acne is astounding. If you head inside your nearest skin care store, you will be exhausted at the hundreds of products lining the store's acne aisle. Those who are just beginning their battle with acne can have a hard time weeding out the good products from those ineffective ones. Even acne veterans sometimes stumble at this task. Most enlist the services of a dermatologist to help clear up some confusion. As those who have attended their skin care appointments know, an equally immense barrage of prescription medications also exists. In order to ease your search for the right product and give you a basic understanding of how the ingredients in both over the counter and prescription products work, we have compiled further information 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 available in three concentrations: 2.5%, 5%, and 10%. While one is naturally inclined to think that the higher the concentration, the more potent the results, the case with benzoyl peroxide is a little different. Tests have shown that lower concentration is just as effective as the higher ones. The only difference as you move up concentrations is that skin irritation increases. Skin irritation with little reward doesn't make much sense. If you are looking for an OTC medication that contains benzoyl peroxide, stick to low concentrations. Other chemicals often found in store-based products include salicylic acid and sulfur. These ingredients serve many of the same functions as benzoyl peroxide.
Dermatologists generally prescribe patients multiple medications. The topical medications they prescribe are designed to control acne bacteria and help improve skin cell turnover. For the bacteria, they often recommend medications such as Erythromycin and even benzoyl peroxide. Skin cell turnover is improved with topical retinoids like Retin-A which are derived from Vitamin-A. Sometimes, oral antibiotics are required to further regulate bacteria, the most popular being Tetracycline. Severe cases of acne warrant a medication known as Accutane, which completely halts oil production. Without a trace of sebum, acne cannot form. This is prescribed when other conventional treatments have not worked and as a result the patient is suffering tremendously from the disorder.
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.
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